from home on some excursion, and had carried
most of their servants with them, so that the M'Alisters met with no
resistance in their attempts to raise the cattle. They hunted every
corner of the glen, secured every beast, and, in spite of the tears of
the widow, they drove her herd away. When the sons returned, and heard
the story of the raid, they collected a strong party of their friends,
and crossing the hill secretly by night, surprised the few M'Alisters
who were left in charge of the spoil, vanquished them easily, and
recovered their cattle. Such a slight to the power of M'Alister More
could not go unpunished. The chief himself headed the band which set out
to vindicate the honour of the clan. He marched steadily over the rugged
mountains, and arrived towards sunset in the little glen. To oppose the
force he brought with him, would have been fruitless; the sons and their
few adherents were speedily overpowered, and led bound before him; they
were small in number, but they were gallant and brave, and yielded only
to superior strength. M'Alister More was always attended by four and
twenty bowmen, who acted as his body guard, his jury, his judges, and
his executioners. They erected on the instant a gibbet before the door
of the wretched mother, and there her sons were hung.

Her cottage was built at the foot of a craggy, naked rock, on a strip of
green pasture land, and beside a mountain torrent; the gibbet was a few
paces from it, on the edge of the shelf; and the setting rays of a
bright summer sun fell on the bodies of the widow's sons. They were
still warm when she came and stood beside them. She raised her eyes on
the stern chief, and his many followers, and slowly and steadily she
pronounced her curse:--

"Shame, shame on you, M'Alister! You have slain them that took but their
own; you have slain them you had injured! You have murdered the
fatherless, and spoiled the widow! but he that is righteous shall judge
between us, and the curse of God shall cling to you for this for ever.
The sun rose on me the proud mother of two handsome boys; he sets on
their stiffening bodies!" and she raised her arm, as she spoke, towards
the gibbet. Her eye kindled, and her form dilated, as she turned again
to her vindictive foe. "I suffer now," said she, "but you shall surfer
always. You have made me childless, but you and yours shall be heirless
for ever. Long may their name last, and wide may their lands be; but
never, while