Now,
what's all this about the O'Briens and the Sullivans lavin' the
counthry? What have ye been about wid them?"
A fairy who had not been in the hall before had just come in at the
far end from the King, who had caught sight of him. He was smoking a
pipe. He had his hands in the pockets of his little green breeches, he
wore a red jacket, and on his head was a red cap. He came slowly up
the hall, when the King called him, and stood before the throne. "Take
off your cap, ye worthless vagabone," said the King, "when you speak
to me."
"I wasn't spakin' to you," said Naggeneen; "it was you that spoke to
me. You called me, and here I am to the fore, though I don't belong to
your pitiful little thribe, and I needn't come when you call, if I
don't like."
"Oh, needn't ye?" said the King. "Take off your cap now, or it'll be
taken off for ye."
Naggeneen took off his cap.
"Now," said the King, "what have ye been doin' to the Sullivans, that
they're lavin' the counthry and persuadin' the O'Briens to go wid
them?"
"I've been doin' nothin'," said Naggeneen, "but what you said I might
do.
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