Page 31 - The snake's pass

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THE LOST CROWN OF GOLD. 19 '
Achill Head is made from their bones." Here Andy
cut in:
"But, Jerry, you haven't tould us if the King iv the
Shnakes wint too."
" Musha but in a hurry ye How can I
! it's are.
tell ye the whole laygend at wanst; an', moreover,
when me mouth is that dhry I can hardly spake at
"
all—an' me punch is all dhrunk
He turned his glass face down on the table, with an air
of comic resignation. Mrs. Kelligan took the hint and
refilled his glass whilst he went on :
" Well ! whin the shnakes tuk to say-bathin' an' forgot
to come in to dhry themselves, the ould King iv thim
sunk down agin into the lake, an' Saint Pathrick rowls
his eyes, an' sez he to himself :
" Musha it dhramin'
'
! is I am, or what ? or is it
laughin' at me he is ? Does he mane to defy me ?
An' seein' that no notice was tuk iv him at all, he lifts
his crozier, and calls out :
" ! You !
' Hi ! Here ! Come here ! I want ye —As he
'
spoke, Jerry went through all the pantomime of the
occasion, exemplifying by every movement the speech
of both the Saint and the Snake.
" Well thin the King iv the Shnakes puts up
! his
head, out iv the lake, an' sez he :
"'Who calls?'
" an' he was so much
' I do,' says Saint Pathrick,
mulvathered at the Shnake presumin' to sthay, afther
he tould thim all to go, that for a while he didn't
think it quare that he could sphake at all.