win, and sometimes the other, but in
the end it was the king who was the winner.

'And what is the prize that you will choose?' inquired the Gruagach.

'The ugly crop-headed girl that stands behind the door,' replied the
king.

'Why, there are twenty others in the house, and each fairer than she,'
exclaimed the Gruagach.

'Fairer they may be, but it is she whom I wish for my wife, and none
other,' and the Gruagach saw that the king's mind was set upon her, so
he entered his house, and bade all the maidens in it come out one by
one, and pass before the king.

One by one they came; tall and short, dark and fair, plump and thin, and
each said, 'I am she whom you want. You will be foolish indeed if you do
not take me.'

But he took none of them, neither short nor tall, dark nor fair, plump
nor thin, till at the last the crop-headed girl came out.

'This is mine,' said the king, though she was so ugly that most men
would have turned from her. 'We will be married at once, and I will
carry you home.' And married they were, and they set forth across a
meadow to the king's house. As they went, the bride stooped and picked a
sprig of shamrock, which grew amongst the grass, and when she stood
upright again her ugliness had all gone, and the most beautiful woman
that ever was seen stood by the king's side.

The next day, before the sun rose, the king sprang from his bed, and
told his wife he must have another game with the Gruagach.

[Illustration: "When she stood upright her ugliness had all gone."]

'If my father loses that game, and you win it,' said she, 'accept
nothing for your prize but the shaggy young horse with the stick
saddle.'

'I will do that,' answered the king, and he went.

* * * * *

'Does your bride please you?' asked the Gruagach, who was standing at
his own door.

'Ah! does she not!' answered the king quickly, 'otherwise I should be
hard indeed to please. But will you play a game to-day?'

'I will,' replied the Gruagach, and they played, and sometimes it seemed
as if one would win, and sometimes the other, but in the end the king
was the winner.

'What is the prize that you will choose?' asked the Gruagach.

'The shaggy young horse with the stick saddle,' answered the king, but
he noticed that the Gruagach held his peace, and his brow was dark as he
led out the horse from the stable. Rough was its mane and dull was its
skin, but the king cared nothing for that