Page 32 - The snake's pass

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20 — — THE SNAKE'S PASS. ;
" ' Well, what do ye want wid me ?
' sez the Shnake.
"
' I want to know why you didn't lave Irish soil wid
all th' other Shnakes,' sez the Saint.
" Ye tould the Shnakes to go,' sez the King,
'
an' I
am their King, so I am; and your wurrds didn't apply
to me ! ' an' with that he dhrops like a flash of lightnin'
into the lake agin.
" Well St. Patrick was so tuk back wid his impidence
!
that he had to think for a minit, an' then he calls
again :
" Hi here ! you !
'
!
"
' What do you want now ? ' sez the King iv the
Shnakes, again poppin' up his head.
'
" ' I want to know why you didn't obey me ordhers ?
sez the Saint. An' the King luked at him an' laughed
and he looked mighty evil, I can tell ye—for be this time
the sun was down and the moon up, and the jool in his
crown threw out a pale cold light that would make you
shuddher to see. 'An',' says he, as slow an' as hard as
an attorney (saving your prisence) when he has a bad
case :
"'I didn't obey,' sez he, 'because I thraverse the
jurisdiction.'
" How do ye mane ? ' asks St. Pathrick.
'
"
' Because,' sez he, ' this is my own houldin',* sez he,
1
be perscriptive right,' sez he. • I'm the whole gover-
mint here, and I put a nexeat on meself not to lave
widout me own permission,' and he ducks down agin
into the pond.