ney." He bade
them good-by then, and turned back to his hut that was thatched with the
great wing of a bird.

They rode across the Meadow of Brightness and Fedelma's blue falcon
sailed above them. "Yonder is a field of white flowers," said she, "and
while we are crossing it you must tell me a story."

"I know by heart," said the King's Son, "only the stories that Maravaun,
my father's Councillor, has put into the book he is composing--the book
that is called 'The Breastplate of Instruction.'"

"Then," said Fedelma, "tell me a story from 'The Breastplate of
Instruction,' while we are crossing this field of white flowers."

"I will tell you the first story that is in it," said the King's Son.
Then while they were crossing the field of white flowers the King's Son
told Fedelma the story of

The Ass and the Seal

X

A seal that had spent a curious fore-noon paddling around the island
of Ilaun-Beg drew itself up on a rock the better to carry on its
investigations. It was now within five yards of the actual island. On
the little beach there were three curraghs in which the island-men went
over the sea; they were turned bottom up and heavy stones were placed
upon them to prevent their being carried away by the high winds. The
seal noted them as he rested upon the flat rock. He noted too a little
ass that was standing beyond the curraghs, sheltering himself where the
cliffs hollowed in.

Now this ass was as curious as the seal, and when he saw the smooth
creature that was moving its head about with such intelligence he came
down to the water's edge. Two of his legs were spancelled with a piece
of straw rope, but being used to such impediment he came over without
any awkwardness. He looked inquiringly at the seal.

The gray-headed crow of the cliff lighted on a spar of rock and made
herself an interpreter between the two. "Shaggy beast of the Island,"
said the seal, "friend and follower of men, tell me about their fabulous
existence."

"Do you mean the hay-getters?" said the ass.

"You know well whom he means," said the gray-headed crow viciously.
"Answer him now."

"You gravell me entirely when you ask about men," said the ass. "I don't
know much about them. They live to themselves and I live to myself.
Their houses are full of smoke and it blinds my eyes to go in. There
used to be green fields here and high grass that became hay, but there's
nothing like that now. I think men have given up eating what gro