lough is a fine one, to be sure--and there's many finer
than that. Well, he lived in a fine cottage, somewhere in Munster, and
I don't know exactly where.

"He had been married, and had an only son--and proud was he of him,
you may depend. Well, it was given up to the Gubbaun, that he was not
only the best mason in all the world, but along with that, sir, he was
the cutest man known, and the greatest hand at all kinds of plans and
contrivances. He was able for every one, and any one; and nobody ever
had to boast that they had gained the least advantage over _him_."

"I suppose, Tom, that with all this wisdom of the father, the son must
have been as wise as he was himself, or may be wiser?"

"Why, to be sure, so one would imagine; but it was far from him to be
as _good_ a boy as the father--and that the father knew right well,
for he was always trying to make him sensible of the scaming; but the
son was always too honest, and that vext the father.

"However, he said nothing until the son grew up a dashin' fine young
man; and if he wasn't the best av scamers, he was nearly as good a
mason as the father himself, and was quiet and _honest_, only a
terrible simpleton, and what the English gentleman that used to come
to see your honor called _spooney_; though what a man had to do with a
spoon, myself doesn't see. But the father racked his brains constantly
to find out some way to make him knowin'; and at last he came to be
determined in his mind that nothing would do the son so much good, or
put sinse so well into his head as a fine, clever, smart young woman
av a wife, if he could meet one to his mind; and, your honor, though I
never tried it myself, I have no doubt an excellent plan it is. Well,
sir, after he once hit on a plan, sorra long he was in puttin' it into
execution. One morning he got up very early, and called his son into
the field. 'Now, Boofun,' (that was the young man's name,) 'now,
Boofun,' says he, 'run an' catch the sheep beyant there--that big
white one, with the fine fleece, and bring her to me quick!' So Boofun
did; an' if he did, the Gubbaun pulled out his big knife, and kill'd
her; an' by the same token the summer was comin' on, and the fleece
was fine, and long, and silky."

"What did he do that for, Jimmy?"

"Wait a bit, your honor. When the Gubbaun had her skinned, he embraced
his son, (that's _hugged_ him, boys, d' ye mind,) an' spoke to him as
this:

"'Now, Boofun, avick, (my son,) and it'