By Loch and by Lin Read Online Free PDF Page A

renown has been for your might before, but now it shall be for your courage and faithfulness as well. We shall be as brothers henceforward, and you and your wife, Gealmhin, the delicate fair one, shall dwell with me and my wife, the lady blest with beauty, forever in the City of Gold.”
    Then the beautiful wife of the golden giant stepped down from her tall golden chair.
    â€œWas it not right that my husband should give me a kiss when he came in?” she said, smiling. “But, then, he could not disguise himself from me.”
    Then all four clasped hands, gave love for love, and goodwill for goodwill, and ever after lived together like the fellowship of the Finne.
    S dh’imich an sgeul mar sin .
    (And so passeth the old tale away.)

The Tale of the
    Lochmaben Harper

THERE was an old harper of Lochmaben town, and he played his harp and played it well, with a
    Dum ti tiddely,
    Um ti diddely,
    Daddely, diddely,
    Dee dum do!
    His harping brought him such fame that folks from far and near came trooping to hear the tunes of the Lochmaben harper. He’d give them a sad and a sorry song that would make the tears spring to the eye, then in a trice he’d strike up a tune so blithe and gay that heads would be nodding and feet would be tapping, and folks would be laughing and shouting with glee, before their tears had time to dry. Och, aye, a merry old body was he, the harper of Lochmaben town, with his
    Dum ti tiddely,
    Um ti diddely,
    Daddely, diddely,
    Dee dum do!
    This merry harper took a great delight in a wager or a bet. Many a guinea of gold was laid by the lairds and the lords of Lochmaben town against the harper’s one wee crown. His luck was aye in, for he ne’er lost a stake and whate’er the wager, he’d win it. The lairds would lower and grumble, and swear the de’il himself was in it! But the de’il had naught to do with his winning, because, to tell you true, the harper was sharper than the lairds. So he’d pocket their gold and off he’d go, with his
    Dum ti tiddely,
    Um ti diddely,
    Daddely, diddely,
    Dee dum do!
    King Henry of England in London town sat drinking his cup of wine. “’Tis time,” he said to his chamberlain, “for a royal progress through our domain.” So he summoned his lords of high degree, his nobles and his knights, and bade them all ride out with him to keep him company. And with him he took his huntsmen bold, his horses and his hounds. And with them, led by a trusty groom, was that steed of great renown, King Henry’s favorite, Wanton Brown.
    The king’s domain was long and wide. For days, through the English countryside, the company rode, mile after mile, and the lairds and nobles and knights would fain have found themselves at home again. The roads were miry, the weather was wet and chill, the day was dark and dreary, the lords and nobles and knights and all were saddlesore and weary. They begged the king to stop a while and rest in his castle in Carlisle.
    â€œI’ faith,” quoth the king. “’Tis what we’ll do! We’ll hold court here for a fortnight—or maybe two.”
    Then the company, one and all, found comfort and cheer in the castle hall, while in the stables, in a warm stall, the groom put that steed of great renown, King Henry’s favorite, Wanton Brown.
    Two Scottish lairds were riding along the road that led to Lochmaben town when whom should they meet but the merry old Lochmaben harper, with his
    Dum ti tiddely,
    Um ti diddely,
    Daddely, diddely,
    Dee dum do!
    They stopped to pass the time of day. Then said Sir John, “Now have you heard the Sassenach king is biding a while at the castle of Carlisle?”
    â€œAye,” said Sir Charles. “And he’s brought a sluagh of lordlings and callants along wi’ him, too.”
    â€œOch, havers! Your news is new no more. I’ve heard the tale you tell before. But do ye ken that they’ve brought that