oubt her heart, follow my counsel, and you shall be
assured of her will in this matter." "What do you advise?" asked he.
She answered: "Stay this night with me here, and to-morrow go in your
beggar's dress to the castle on the Islet. Stand with other beggars at
the door, and refuse to go until the bride herself shall bring you
food and drink. Then you can put your token in the cup the Lady of
Loch Awe will hand you, and by her behaviour you shall learn if her
heart is in this marriage or not." "Dear mother, your plan is good,
and I will follow it," quoth Colin. "This night I will rest here, and
on the morrow I will seek my wife."

The Beggar at the Wedding

Early next day Colin arose, clad himself in the disguise of a sturdy
beggar, took a kindly farewell of his foster-mother, and made his way
to the castle. Early as it was, all the servants were astir, and the
whole place was in a bustle of preparation, while vagabonds of every
description hung round the doors, begging for food and money in honour
of the day. The new-comer acted much more boldly: he planted himself
right in the open doorway and begged for food and drink in such a
lordly tone that the servants were impressed by it, and one of them
brought him what he asked--oatcake and buttermilk--and gave it to him,
saying, "Take this and begone." Colin took the alms and drank the
buttermilk, but put the cake into his wallet, and stood sturdily right
in the doorway, so that the servants found it difficult to enter.
Another servant came to him with more food and a horn of ale, saying,
"Now take this second gift of food and begone, for you are in our way
here, and hinder us in our work."

The Beggar's Demand

But he stood more firmly still, with his stout travelling-staff
planted on the threshold, and said: "I will not go." Then a third
servant approached, who said: "Go at once, or it will be the worse for
you. We have given you quite enough for one beggar. Leave quickly now,
or you will get us and yourself into trouble." The disguised Knight
only replied: "I will not go until the bride herself comes out to give
me a drink of wine," and he would not move, for all they could say.
The servants at last grew so perplexed that they went to tell their
mistress about this importunate beggar. She laughed as she said: "It
is not much for me to do on my last day in the old house," and she
bade a servant attend her to the door, bringing a large jug full of
wine.

The T