'd
go but right down to Galway. Well, for four days he was goin' evermore,
until at last the waiver seen a crowd o' people runnin' as if Owld Nick
was at their heels, and they shoutin' a thousand murdhers and cryin',
"The dhraggin, the dhraggin!" and he couldn't stop the horse nor make
him turn back, but away he pelted right forinst the terrible baste that
was comin' up to him, and there was the most nefarious smell o' sulphur,
savin' your presence, enough to knock you down; and, faith, the waiver
seen he had no time to lose, and so he threwn himself off the horse and
made to a three that was growin' nigh hand, and away he clambered up
into it as nimble as a cat; and not a minit had he to spare, for the
dhraggin kem up in a powerful rage, and he devoured the horse, body and
bones, in less than no time; and then he began to sniffle and scent
about for the waiver, and at last he clapt his eye an him where he was
up in the three, and says he, "In throth, you might as well come down
out o' that," says he, "for I'll have you as sure as eggs is mate."

"Divil a fut I'll go down," says the waiver.

"Sorra care I care," says the dhraggin, "for you're as good as ready
money in my pocket this minit, for I'll lie undher this three," says he,
"and sooner or later you must fall to my share"; and, sure enough, he
sot down and began to pick his teeth with his tail afther the heavy
brekquest he made that mornin' (for he ate a whole village, let alone
the horse), and he got dhrowsy at last and fell asleep; but before he
wint to sleep he wound himself all round the three, all as one as a lady
windin' ribbon round her finger, so that the waiver could not escape.

Well, as soon as the waiver knew he was dead asleep by the snorin' of
him--and every snore he let out of him was like a clap o' thunder----

The minit, the waiver began to creep down the three as cautious as a
fox; and he was very nigh hand the bottom when, bad cess to it, a
thievin' branch he was dipindin' an bruk, and down he fell right atop o'
the dhraggin. But if he did, good luck was an his side, for where should
he fall but with his two legs right acrass the dhraggin's neck, and, my
jew'l, he laid howlt o' the baste's ears, and there he kept his grip,
for the dhraggin wakened and endayvoured for to bite him; but, you see,
by rayson the waiver was behind his ears he could not come at him, and,
with that, he endayvoured for to shake him off; but the divil of a stir
could h