Cape Breton's Magazine

beannachd aca uileadh agus a bhith falbh. Ach nuair a chaidh mise suas air a' chlar a b'airde agus a choimhead mi mun cuairt orm, cha robh sian ri fhaicinn ach an cuan gorm. Thug mi suil mun cuairt feuch am faicinn sealladh air an highinn a thug air bord an t-soithich mi, ach cha robh sgeul ri fhaicinn oirre thall neo bhos. Thuig mi • n uair sin gun d'rinn'mi an eucoir agus rud cearr a dhol'air bord an t-soithich gun faighinn amach c6 i, neo c6 as a thanaig i. Agus thuig mi aig a' cheart hm nach deanadh e feum dhomh guth a radha, agus gu robh mi 'nam rag-phriosanach. Bha na lathaichean a' dol seachad agus bha na sebladairean gle laghach rium. Ach air latha bha sin smaoinich mi gu gabhainn sgriob sios gu ceann eil' an t-soithich feuch gu de a chithinn. Chaidh mi sios gu h-iseal. Chunnaic mi dorust a bha a' fos- gladh astaigh do sheombar. Cha robh an dorust buileach duinte. Bhuail mi aig an dorust agus chuala mi guth beag, fann ag iarraidh orm a dhol asteach. Chaidh mi as? taigh air mo shocair. Cha robh an sebmbar mor, agus bha e car dorcha. Chunna mi cailleach 'na suidhe air pios de chnaimh- droma muc-mharadh. Bha da shuil bhiorach, dhubh an clar a h-aodainn agus i air leth grannda. Thug i siiil ormsa agus thuirt i, "Thanaig thu mu dheireadh." Bha mis' an uair sin gle dhona leis an eagal leis a' choltas uamhasach a bh'oirre. Thuirt mi gun ta naig. "Tha mi creidsinn gu bheil e a' cur moran ioghnadh ort carson a tha thu an seo, ach innsidh mise sin dhut. "S mise nighean Righ nan Tullach Uaine agus tha sin fada, fada as a' seo. Tha iomadh latha bho'n a dh'fhag mise oighreachd m'athar. Chaidh mise a chur fo gheasaibh agus is mise an nighean a thug air bord an t-soithich thu. Ach innsidh mi dhut ciamar a thachair sin. "I think that you must be wondering great? ly why you are here, so I'll tell you why. I'm the daughter of the King of the Green Hillocks, and that is far, far from here. It is many days since I left my father's estate. I have been put under spells and I'm the girl who brought you aboard the ship. But I'll tell you how it all hap? pened. "I was around eighteen years old when I fell deeply in love with an officer in the army. His name was Ranald. He came to me one afternoon and said, 'I'm going on a tour of the army to see if everything is in order. I'll be back tomorrow afternoon. I have a wedding-ring in my pocket and you and I will get married tomorrow afternoon.' "But, to my sorrow, poor Ranald did not return, and I never found out what hap? pened to him. "My father had a large and wealthy inheri? tance. My mother died when I was only thir? teen years of age, and my father remarried two years later. My step-mother was a very skilled and learned woman, but she was ex? tremely fond of worldly wealth. She de? sired to have my father's entire inheri? tance to herself. A few miles from my fa? ther's castle dwelt a witch who was called the Old Hag of the Toad Pond. She was a particularly evil sorceress. People used to say that she • the old hag • had only to take a drop of water out of the pond in a stone cup and she could make it into any sort of food whatever for herself. She was truly a wicked womam. One day, the Old Hag of the Toad Pond came to my father's cas? tle and spoke to my step-mother, 'You ex? pect, you poor silly fool, that you will come into this estate when the king dies. But that is not how things will be. Corra Chriostag will have it* • that's my name. Better Health Centre 364 Charlotte Street, Sydney 40 Commercial Street, Glace Bay Offers a Large Range of Health, Vegetarian, Special Diet & Diabetic Foods and Vitamins C.O.D.Orders Accepted/Bulk Rates SYDNEY:562-1237 GLACE BAY:849-6222 Health is Happiness OPEN MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY Isle Royale Beverages Limited Yov aiiriieriMd COCA-COU beiliw 564'30 562-4439 Warmth, Comfort and Farm-fashioned Hospitality await you at the Inn. INVERARY INN. Baddeck. Nova Scotia Our Licensed Dining Room is famed for its Scottish Fare. Isobel and Dan MacAulay, Innkeepers GIFT SHOP The Inn (an old farmhouse), SWIMMING POOL the Barn, pine-paneled Cottages and modern Motel Units are located on the outskirts of Baddeck, just off the Trans-Canada Highway. A Berkshire TramHer Country lm For Reservations Phone 902-295-2674