gave," said Mongan.

"Whatever it was," said mac an Da'v, "what was it?"

"Look down the road on this side and tell me who is coming," said his
master.

"It is a lord with his troop."

"It is the King of Leinster," said Mongan. "The man," said mac an Da'v
in a tone of great pity, "the man that took away your wife! And," he
roared in a voice of extraordinary savagery, "the man that took away my
wife into the bargain, and she not in the bargain."

"Hush," said Mongan, for a man who heard his shout stopped to tie a
sandie, or to listen.

"Master," said mac an Da'v as the troop drew abreast and moved past.

"What is it, my good friend?"

"Let me throw a little small piece of a rock at the King of Leinster."

"I will not."

"A little bit only, a small bit about twice the size of my head."

"I will not let you," said Mongan.

When the king had gone by mac an Da'v groaned a deep and dejected groan.

"Oco'n!" said he. "Oco'n-i'o-go-deo'!" said he.

The man who had tied his sandal said then: "Are you in pain, honest
man?"

"I am not in pain," said mac an Da'v.

"Well, what was it that knocked a howl out of you like the yelp of a
sick dog, honest man?"

"Go away," said mac an Da'v, "go away, you flat-faced, nosey person."
"There is no politeness left in this country," said the stranger, and he
went away to a certain distance, and from thence he threw a stone at mac
an Da'v's nose, and hit it.

CHAPTER XV

The road was now not so crowded as it had been. Minutes would pass and
only a few travellers would come, and minutes more would go when nobody
was in sight at all.

Then two men came down the road: they were clerics.

"I never saw that kind of uniform before," said mac an Da'v.

"Even if you didn't," said Mongan, "there are plenty of them about. They
are men that don't believe in our gods," said he.

"Do they not, indeed?" said mac an Da'v. "The rascals!" said he. "What,
what would Mananna'n say to that?"

"The one in front carrying the big book is Tibraide'. He is the priest
of Cell Camain, and he is the chief of those two."

"Indeed, and indeed!" said mac an Da'v. "The one behind must be his
servant, for he has a load on his back."

The priests were reading their offices, and mac an Da'v marvelled at
that.

"What is it they are doing?" said he.

"They are reading."

"Indeed, and indeed they are," said mac an Da'v. "I can't make out a
word of the language except that the man behind