Cape Breton's Magazine

Fhamhair fhaighinn air neo ciamar a gheo- bhadh i greim air a' mhult anns a' robh an lacha aig a robh an t-ubh. "Innsidh mise sin dhutsa," ors' Cailleach an t-Sloc. "An ceann a h-uile raidh tha'm mult a' tighinn amach as a' chreig. Tha e a' fuireach amuigh tri latha a' dol mun cuairt air a* chreig mu'n till e astaigh. Cha n-eil ach aona-chreutair air an t-' saoghal a bheireas air agus 's e sin Cu Seang na Colli' Uaine, agus cuiridh e ris cho garbh agus gu feum e dhol astaigh dha'n chreig. Agus chi sibh an uair sin ciamar a rinn e sin. Cha n-eil fios aig duine air thalamh ciamar a tha e a' tigh? inn amach neo a' dol astaigh. Nuair a chi sibh ciamar a fhuair e astaigh, feumaidh sibh a leanaid astaigh. Tha farsuingeachd mhor am broinn na creigeadh le frogan agus aiteachan-falachaidh. Cha ghabh greim a dheanadh air an sin. Ach am broinn na creigeadh tha pon de dh'uisge'. Thig am mult aon uair 'sa latha a dh'bl deoch a' chionn 's gu feum e e-fhein a chumail Ian de dh'uisge airson an lach' a chumail beo. Ach bheir mise dhut tri sileinean peasrach agus cuiridh tu a h-aon dhiubh anns a' phbn. Agus an uair a dh'olas am mult a dheoch, tuitidh e 'na throm-chadal. Fao- daidh sibh an uair sin am mult a riachadh agus fosgladh air. Feumaidh sibh a bhith gle fhurachail nach fhaigh an lacha air falbh oirbh. Ma gheobh, cha n-fhaigh sibh greim oirr' am feasda. Agus a nist e, inn? sidh mi dhuibh c'aite am faigh sibh Cu Seang na Colli' Uaine. Nuair a thig sibh air b6rd na luinge agus a thogas sibh na siuil, bheir sibh ur n-aghaidh air an aird an ear. Agus cumaidh sibh a' sebladh agus a' gearradh fairge gus a' ruig sibh cla? dach mor, farsuing, gainmheachail air a chomhdach bho cheann gu ceann le faoileag- an dubha. Agus mu'choinneamh a* chladaich chi sibh beinn mhor, bhriagh air a comh- dach le coille bhoidheach, uaine. Sin a- gaibh far na faigh sibh Cu Seang na Coill' Uaine. Coisichidh sibh suas ri aodann na beinneadh agus coinnichidh an cu oirbh aig taobh sruthain bhig de dh'alltan. Coimh- eadaidh e oirbh ann'an clar an aodainn ag? us a' cheud rud a ni'sibh: gun ghuth a radha, ach bheir sibh dha a h-aon de na sileinean peasrach. An uair a dh'itheas e sin agus a dh'olas e deoch de dh'uisge bruidhnidh e ribh an uair sin. Innsidh e dhuibh c'aite bheil Eilean an Fhamhair ag? us ciamar a gheobh sibh dh'a ionnsaidh." Seo mar a bh'ann. Dh'fhag sinn beannachd aig Cailleach an t-Sloc agus thill sinn air ais air bord na luinge. Thog sinn na sitiil agus bha 'n long aig as tar ann an tiotadh agus i deanadh direach air an aird an ear agus air Beinn na Coill' Uaine. Ach air latha de na lathaichean, a' ghrian an aird an athair, chunna sinn a' tighinn fo chomhair ar sul' coltas beinn mhoir, uaine. Agus ann am priobadh na sul' bha sinn a' tighinn astaigh gu cladach mor, farsuing gainmheachail agus na miltean agus na mil- tean de'dh'fhaoileagan dubha 'gan clomh- radh fhein anns a' ghainmhich. Thuirt Cor? ra Chriostag, "Seo Beinn Cli Seang na Coill' Uaine." can make an incision in him and open him up. But you must be very watchful that the wild duck does not get away on you for if he does, you'll never lay hands on him. But now I'll tell you where you'll find the Lean Hound of the Green Wood. When you go on board the ship and raise the sails, face toward the east and continue sailing and cleaving the ocean until you reach a large, wide, sandy shore covered from end to end with black seagulls. Facing the shore you will see a fine, big mountain covered.with a beautiful green forest. That is where you'll find the Lean Hound of the Green Wood. Walk up the face of the mountain and the hound will meet you be? side a little trickle of a brook. He will look you full in the face and the first thing you'll do is not to say anything, but give him one of the peas. When he eats that and takes a drink of water he will speaik to you. He will tell you then where the Island of the Giant is, and how you will get to it." So it happened. We took leave of the Old Hag of the Hollow and returned on board the ship. We raised the sails and the ship was in motion in no time, making straight for the east and the mountain with the green forest. And one day, as the sun was high in the sky, we saw coming into our line of vision what looked like a big, green mountain. In the wink of an eye we were coming in toward a large, wide sandy shore with thousands and thousands of sea? gulls taking their dust baths in the sand. "Here is the mountain of the Lean Hound of the Green Wood," said Corra Chriostag. We went ashore among the seagulls and turned to face the mountain. There was a little, narrow, twisting path leading up the face of the mountain, and we did the best we could on it, even though the crea? ture with me was hard to look at, being crooked, rough-skinned, deformed and ugly as she was and I lost in a strange land. I had been in many places which I would have preferred at that time to where I was now, but it was no use turning back. We contin? ued our steps up the face of the mountain, and when we were about halfway up I heard something moving behind a tree and at that moment the Lean Hound of the Green Wood walked out to meet us. The Lean Hound was long-legged, long-eared, sharp-eyed and very lean-bodied, like a sprain thread. He looked us full in the face. Corra Chriostag put her hand into her pocket and passed him a pea. He took it on his tongue, went over to the little stream of water and drank. Then he turned around and said, "You have come at last. Many's the day I've waited for someone to come this way who might help me. Tell me the purpose of your journey to the Green Wood." Corra Chriostag related all the events that had come to pass: how she had to find the soul of the giant without knowing where the Island of the Giant was, or