tent. The loss of
his treasures had overcome Mogue and he was drinking steadily and went
from one bad temper to another.

"Begin your service now by watching the tent while I sleep," said he.

"There is one thing more I want from you, Mogue," said Flann.

"By the Eye of Balor! you're a cuckoo in my nest. What do you want now?"

"The Girdle of Truth."

"Is it my last treasure you'd be taking on me?"

"The Spae-Woman bid me tell you that you're to give me the Girdle of
Truth."

"It's a pity of me, it's a pity of me," said Mogue. But he took the box
out of his pack, and let Flann take the girdle.

VIII

Flame-of-Wine saw him. She walked slowly down the orchard path so that
all might notice the stateliness of her appearance.

"I am glad to see you again, Flann," said she. "Have your comrades yet
come back to my father's town?"

Flann told her that one of them had returned.

"Bid him come see me," said Flame-of-Wine. Then she saw the girdle in
his hands.

"What is it you have?" said she.

"Something that went with the other treasures--a girdle."

"Will you not let me have it, Flann?" She took the girdle in her hands.
"Tell me, youth," she said, "how you got all these treasures?"

"I will have to give seven years' service for them," Flann said.

"Seven years," said she, "but you will remember--will you not--that I
loved you for bringing them to me?"

"Will you remember me until I come back from my seven years' service?"

"Oh, yes," said Flame-of-Wine, and she put the girdle around her waist
as she spoke.

"Someone said to me," said Flann, "that I should ask the maiden who
loved me for seven drops of her heart's blood." The girdle was now round
Flame-of-Wine's waist. She laughed with mockery. "Seven drops of heart's
blood," said she. "I would not give this fellow seven eggs out of my
robin's nest. I tell him I love him for bringing me the three treasures
for a King's daughter. I tell him that, but I should be ashamed of
myself if I thought I could have any love for such a fellow."

"Do you tell me the truth now," said Flann.

"The truth, the truth," said she, "of course I tell you the truth. Oh,
and there are other truths. I shall be ashamed forever if I tell them.
Oh, oh. They are rising to my tongue, and every time I press them back
this girdle tightens and tightens until I think it will kill me."

"Farewell, then, Flame-of-Wine."

"Take off the girdle, take off the girdle! What truths a