ornaments,
everyone gave in that his like they never saw afore. He was then
married to the king's daughter, and the wedding lasted nine days, nine
hours, nine minutes, nine half minutes, and nine quarter minutes, and
they lived happy and well from that day to this. I got brogues of
_brochan_[8] and breeches of glass, a bit of pie for telling a lie,
and then I came slithering home.

[Footnote 8: Porridge.]

The Princes Fire-flash and Fire-fade

His Highness Fire-flash was a Prince who was fond of fishing; and so
great was his luck, that big fishes, and little fishes, and all kinds
of fishes came to his line. His younger brother, Prince Fire-fade, was
fond of hunting, and all his luck was on the hills, and in the woods,
where he caught birds and beasts of every kind.

One day Prince Fire-fade said to his elder brother, Prince Fire-flash:
"Let us change. You go and hunt instead of me, and I will try my luck
at fishing, if you will lend me your line and hook." Prince Fire-flash
did not care much to change, and at first said "No"; but his brother
kept on teasing him about it, until at last he said, "Very well, then;
let us change."

Then Prince Fire-fade tried his luck at fishing, but not a single fish
did he catch; and, what was worse, he lost his brother's fish-hook in
the sea.

Prince Fire-flash asked him for the hook, saying: "Hunting is one
thing, and fishing is another. Let us both go back to our own ways."

Then said Prince Fire-fade: "I did not catch a single fish with your
hook, and at last I lost it in the sea."

But Prince Fire-flash said: "I must and shall have my fish-hook." So
the younger brother broke his long sword, that was girded on him, and,
of the pieces, made five hundred fish-hooks, and begged Prince
Fire-flash to take them, but he would not. Then Prince Fire-fade made
a thousand fish-hooks and said: "Please take them instead of the one
which I lost." But the elder brother said: "No, I must have my own
hook, and I will not take any other."

Then Prince Fire-fade was very sorry, and sat down by the sea-shore,
crying bitterly.

By and by the Wise Old Man of the Sea came to him and asked: "Why are
you crying so bitterly, Prince Fire-fade?" Fire-fade told him all the
story of the lost fish-hook, and how that his brother was angry, still
saying that he must have that very same hook and no other. Then the
Wise Old Man of the Sea built a stout little boat, and made Prince
Fire-fade sit i