Page 27 - The snake's pass

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CHAPTER IT.
THE LOST CROWN OF GOLD.

"Well, in the ould ancient times, before St. Patrick
banished the shnakes from out iv Ireland, the hill beyant
was a mighty important place intirely. For more betoken,
none other lived in it than the King iv the Shnakes him-
self. In thim times there was up at the top iv the hill a
wee bit iv a lake wid threes and sedges and the like
growin' round it ; and 'twas there that the King iv the
Shnakes made his nist—or whativer it is that shnakes calls
their home. Glory be to God ! but none us of knows any-
thin' of them at all, at all, since Saint Patrick tuk them
in hand."
Here an old man in the chimney corner struck in:
" Thrue for ye, Acushla ; sure the bit lake is there
still, though more belike its dhry now it is, and the
threes is all gone."
" Well," went on Jerry, not ill-pleased with this corro--
boration of his story, "the King iv the Shnakes was
mighty important intirely. He was more nor tin times as
big as any shnake as any man's eyes had iver saw ; an' he
had a goolden crown on to the top of his head, wid a big