"And what did he say?"
"He said he'ld come here and talk to you himself, and, by the look of
him, I think it's a pleasant time he'll be giving you."
"Then why is he not here as soon as you?" the King asked.
"Oh, nothing would do for him," said Naggeneen, "but that he and his
men must come on horseback. They can come no faster that way, but they
think it's due to their dignity. They had to wait for the horses to be
ready, and so I beat them."
Naggeneen had scarcely said this when the door flew open at the end of
the hall, and, with a rush and a whirl, in came a great troupe of
fairies on horseback--the King of All Ireland and his men. They all
leaped down from their horses, and instantly every horse turned into a
green rush, such as grows beside the bogs. The King of All Ireland
walked quickly up to the King of the rath and stood before him, with
an awful frown on his face. The King of the rath was plainly nervous.
"Will you have a light for your pipe, Your Majesty?" he asked.
"Never mind my pipe now," said the King of All Ireland.
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