He cut it down, therefore, and took as much as would give him a
new straining-post, and he bore it home with him and mended his harp
with it. That night he played after meat before the King and his lords
as he was wont, but whatever he played and sang the folk that listened
to him seemed to hear only one thing, "Two horse's ears hath Labra the
Sailor."
Then the King plucked off his hood, and after that he made no secret
of his ears and none suffered on account of them thenceforward.
CHAPTER IV
King Iubdan and King Fergus
It happened on a day when Fergus son of Leda was King of Ulster, that
Iubdan, King of the Leprecauns or Wee Folk, of the land of Faylinn,
held a great banquet and assembly of the lords and princes of the Wee
Folk. And all their captains and men of war came thither, to show
their feats before the King, among whom was the strong man, namely
Glowar, whose might was such that with his battle-axe he could hew
down a thistle at one stroke. Thither also came the King's
heir-apparent. Tiny, son of Tot, and the Queen Bebo with her maidens;
and there were also the King's harpers and singing-men, and the chief
poet of the court, who was called Eisirt.
All these sat down to the feast in due order and precedence, with Bebo
on the King's right hand and the poet on his left, and Glowar kept the
door.
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