THE WAGER AND ITS CONSEQUENCES. 353 



the subject of conversation. All agreed that no human being 

 could possibly pass through it and live. The piper of the district 

 was a very brave man as well as an admirable piper, and in an evU 

 hour for himself, as it proved, he offered for some slight wager 

 to traverse the cave from side to side of the island, with a pine 

 torch stuck in the front of his bonnet to give him light, and play- 

 ing the pipes all the time. The piper thereupon entered the cave, 

 playing a lively march, while most of the wedding guests followed 

 above, led in the proper course by the music, which could be heard 

 faintly from below. More than half the cave was traversed, when 

 suddenly the music changed from a brisk march to a doleful 

 lament. This lament, duly interpreted, told the people above that 

 things were becoming uncomfortable with the piper ; first, that the 

 pine torch was almost burnt out, and again that his breath was 

 failing him, while the boldest of the wolves slowly retired before 

 him, only kept at bay by the flickering of the torch and the sound 

 of the pipes, but ready to spring upon and devour him the instant 

 the torch should be extinguished and the music of the pipes 

 should cease. It was then that the doomed piper played Cl\a till 

 mi tuilleadh' so mournfully — ' I will return no more ! ' And this 

 too — 



' Mo dWth, mo dhith, gun tri lamhau ; 

 DJi limh 's a phiob, s Ikmh 's a chlaidheamh.' 

 (* Alas, and my great want, that I Lave not three hands, 

 Two for (playing) the pipes, and one to wield my sword. ') 



If he had only a third hand he thought he could manage to kill 

 the wolves that were every instant becoming bolder, as if they 

 knew he must fall into their jaws at last. The last notes 

 caught by the people above were known to mean — 



' 'Si ghall' uaine 'sh^raich mi, 

 'Si ghaUa' uaine 'shkraich mi ! ' 

 (' It is the green bitch wolf that most harasses me ! ') 

 Z 



