close of day Uath strode into the hall exultant.

"Where is Cuchulain?" he cried.

"Here I am," was the reply.

"Ah, poor boy! your speech is sad to-night, and the fear of death lies
heavy on you; but at least you have redeemed your word and have not
failed me."

The youth rose from his seat and went towards Uath, as he stood with
the great axe ready, and knelt to receive the blow.

Curoi's Decision and Cuchulain's Victory

The hero of Ulster laid his head on the block; but Uath was not
satisfied. "Stretch out your neck better," said he.

"You are playing with me, to torment me," said Cuchulain. "Slay me now
speedily, for I did not keep you waiting last night."

However, he stretched out his neck as Uath bade, and the stranger
raised his axe till it crashed upwards through the rafters of the
hall, like the crash of trees falling in a storm. When the axe came
down with a terrific sound all men looked fearfully at Cuchulain. The
descending axe had not even touched him; it had come down with the
blunt side on the ground, and the youth knelt there unharmed. Smiling
at him, and leaning on his axe, stood no terrible and hideous
stranger, but Curoi of Kerry, come to give his decision at last.

"Rise up, Cuchulain," said Curoi. "There is none among all the heroes
of Ulster to equal you in courage and loyalty and truth. The
Championship of the Heroes of Ireland is yours from this day forth,
and the Champion's Portion at all feasts; and to your wife I adjudge
the first place among all the women of Ulster. Woe to him who dares to
dispute this decision!" Thereupon Curoi vanished, and the Red Branch
warriors gathered around Cuchulain, and all with one voice acclaimed
him the Champion of the Heroes of all Ireland--a title which has clung
to him until this day.

CHAPTER X: THE TALE OF GAMELYN

The "Wicked Brothers" Theme

The tale of "Gamelyn" is a variant of the old fairy-tale subject of
the Wicked Elder Brothers, one of the oldest and most interesting
versions of which may still be read in the Biblical story of Joseph
and his brethren. Usually a father dies leaving three sons, of whom
the two elder are worthless and the youngest rises to high honour,
whereupon the elder brothers try to kill the youngest from envy at his
good fortune. A similar root-idea is found in "Cinderella" and other
fairy-tales of girls, but in these there may usually be found a cruel
stepmother and two contemptuous stepsisters--a note