’Iamthemanforyou，then，’saidhe；’Iwilltakeonhandtodoit。’
Thereuponshebroughthimapipeandtobacco，andhewentintotheroom；butbeforelongheheardahammeringandknockingontheoutsideofthedoor，andwastoldtoopenit’Iwon’t，’hesaid。
Thenextmomentthedoorcameflyingin，andthoseoutsidealongwithit。Theyknockedhimdown，andkickedhim，andkneltonhisbodytillitcametomidnight；butassoonasthecockcrewtheyalldisappeared。TheIrishmanwaslittlemorethanalivebythistime。AssoonasdaylightappearedthePrincesscame，andfoundhimlyingfulllengthonthefloor，unabletospeakaword。Shetookabottle，rubbedhimfromheadtofootwithsomethingfromit，andthereuponhewasassoundasever；butafterwhathehadgotthatnighthewasveryunwillingtotryitasecondtime。
ThePrincess，however，entreatedhimtostay，sayingthatthenextnightwouldnotbesobad，andintheendhegaveinandstayed。
Whenitwasgettingnearmidnightheheardthemorderinghimtoopenthedoor，andtherewerethreeofthemforeveryonethattherehadbeenthepreviousevening。Hedidnotmaketheslightestmovementtogoouttothemortoopenthedoor，butbeforelongtheybrokeitup，andwereinontopofhim。Theylaidholdofhim，andkeptthrowinghimbetweenthemuptotheceiling，orjumpingabovehim，untilthecockcrew，whentheyalldisappeared。WhendaycamethePrincesswenttotheroomtoseeifhewasstillalive，andtakingthebottleputittohisnostrils，whichsoonbroughthimtohimself。Thefirstthinghesaidthenwasthathewasafooltogoongettinghimselfkilledforanyoneheeversaw，andwasdeterminedtobeoffandstaytherenolonger，WhenthePrincesslearnedhisintentionsheentreatedhimtostay，remindinghimthatanothernightwouldfreeherfromthespell。’Besides，’shesaid，’ifthereisasinglesparkoflifeinyouwhenthedaycomes，thestuffthatisinthisbottlewillmakeyouassoundaseveryouwere。’
WithallthistheIrishmandecidedtostay；butthatnighttherewerethreeathimforeveryonethatwastherethetwonightsbefore，anditlookedveryunlikelythathewouldbealiveinthemorningafterallthathegot。Whenmorningdawned，andthePrincesscametoseeifhewasstillalive，shefoundhimlyingonthefloorasifdead。Shetriedtoseeiftherewasbreathinhim，butcouldnotquitemakeitout。Thensheputherhandonhispulse，andfoundafaintmovementinit。Accordinglyshepouredwhatwasinthebottleonhim，andbeforelongheroseuponhisfeet，andwasaswellaseverhewas。Sothatbusinesswasfinished，andthePrincesswasfreedfromthespell。
ThePrincessthentoldtheIrishmanthatshemustgoawayforthepresent，butwouldreturnforhiminafewdaysinacarriagedrawnbyfourgreyhorses。Hetoldherto’beaisy，’andnotspeaklikethattohim。’Ihavepaiddearforyouforthelastthreenights，’hesaid，’ifIhavetopartwithyounow；’butinthetwinklingofaneyeshehaddisappeared。Hedidnotknowwhattodowithhimselfwhenhesawthatshewasgone，butbeforeshewentshehadgivenhimalittlerod，withwhichhecould，whenhepleased，wakenthemenwhohadbeensleepingthere，someofthemforsixteenyears。
Afterbeingthusleftalone，hewentinandstretchedhimselfonthreechairsthatwereintheroom，whenwhatdoesheseecominginatthedoorbutalittlefair-hairedlad。
’Wheredidyoucomefrom，mylad？’saidtheIrishman。
’Icametomakereadyyourfoodforyou，’saidhe。
’Whotoldyoutodothat？’saidtheIrishman。
’Mymistress，’answeredthelad——’thePrincessthatwasunderthespellandisnowfree。’
BythistheIrishmanknewthatshehadsenttheladtowaitonhim。Theladalsotoldhimthathismistresswishedhimtobereadynextmorningatnineo’clock，whenshewouldcomeforhimwiththecarriage，asshehadpromised。Hewasgreatlypleasedatthis，andnextmorning，whenthetimewasdrawingnear，wentoutintothegarden；butthelittlefair-hairedladtookabigpinoutofhispocket，andstuckitintothebackoftheIrishman’scoatwithouthisnoticingit，whereuponhefellsoundasleep。
BeforelongthePrincesscamewiththecarriageandfourhorses，andaskedtheladwhetherhismasterwasawake。Hesaidthathewasn’t。’Itisbadforhim，’saidshe，’whenthenightisnotlongenoughforhimtosleep。Tellhimthatifhedoesn’tmeetmeatthistimeto-morrowitisnotlikelythathewilleverseemeagainallhislife。’
Assoonasshewasgonetheladtookthepinoutofhismaster’scoat，whoinstantlyawoke。Thefirstwordhesaidtotheladwas，’Haveyouseenher？’
’Yes，’saidhe，’andshebademetellyouthatifyoudon’tmeetheratnineo’clockto-morrowyouwillneverseeheragain。’
Hewasverysorrywhenheheardthis，andcouldnotunderstandwhythesleepshouldhavefallenuponhimjustwhenshewascoming。Hedecided，however，togoearlytobedthatnight，inordertoriseintimenestmorning，andsohedid。Whenitwasgettingnearnineo’clockhewentouttothegardentowaittillshecame，andthefair-hairedladalongwithhim；butassoonastheladgotthechancehestuckthepinintohismaster’scoatagainandhefellasleepasbefore。Preciselyatnineo’clockcamethePrincessinthecarriagewithfourhorses，andaskedtheladifhismasterhadgotupyet；buthesaid’No，hewasasleep，justashewasthedaybefore。’’Dear！dear！’saidthePrincess，’Iamsorryforhim。Wasthesleephehadlastnightnotenoughforhim？Tellhimthathewillneverseemehereagain；andhereisaswordthatyouwillgivehiminmyname，andmyblessingalongwithit。’
Withthisshewentoff，andassoonasshehadgonetheladtookthepinoutofhismaster’scoat。Heawokeinstantly，andthefirstwordhesaidwas，’Haveyouseenher？’Theladsaidthathehad，andtherewastheswordshehadleftforhim。TheIrishmanwasreadytokilltheladoutofsheervexation，butwhenhegaveaglanceoverhisshouldernotatraceofthefair-hairedladwasleft。
Beingthusleftallalone，hethoughtofgoingintotheroomwhereallthemenwerelyingasleep，andthereamongtheresthefoundhistwocomradeswhohaddesertedalongwithhim。ThenherememberedwhatthePrincesshadtoldhim——thathehadonlytotouchthemwiththerodshehadgivenhimandtheywouldallawake；andthefirsthetouchedwerehisowncomrades。Theystartedtotheirfeetatonce，andhegavethemasmuchsilverandgoldastheycouldcarrywhentheywentaway。Therewasplentytodobeforehegotalltheotherswakened，forthetwodoorsofthecastlewerecrowdedwiththemallthedaylong。
ThelossofthePrincess，however，keptranklinginhisminddayandnight，tillfinallyhethoughthewouldgoabouttheworldtoseeifhecouldfindanyonetogivehimnewsofher。Sohetookthebesthorseinthestableandsetout。Threeyearshespenttravellingthroughforestsandwildernesses，butcouldfindnooneabletotellhimanythingofthePrincess。Atlasthefellintosogreatdespairthathethoughthewouldputanendtohisownlife，andforthispurposelaidholdoftheswordthatshehadgivenhimbythehandsofthefair-hairedlad；butondrawingitfromitssheathhenoticedthattherewassomewritingononesideoftheblade。Helookedatthis，andreadthere，’YouwillfindmeintheBlueMountains。’Thismadehimtakeheartagain，andhegaveuptheideaofkillinghimself，thinkingthathewouldgooninhopeofmeetingsomeonewhocouldtellhimwheretheBlueMountainswere。Afterhehadgonealongwaywithoutthinkingwherehewasgoing，hesawatlastalightfaraway，andmadestraightforit。Onreachingithefounditcamefromalittlehouse，andassoonasthemaninsideheardthenoiseofthehorse’sfeethecameouttoseewhowasthere。Seeingastrangeronhorseback，heaskedwhatbroughthimthereandwherehewasgoing。
’Ihavelivedhere，’saidhe，’forthreehundredyears，andallthattimeIhavenotseenasinglehumanbeingbutyourself。’
’Ihavebeengoingaboutforthelastthreeyears，’saidtheIrishman，’toseeifIcouldfindanyonewhocantellmewheretheBlueMountainsare。’
’Comein，’saidtheoldman，’andstaywithmeallnight。Ihaveabookwhichcontainsthehistoryoftheworld，whichIshallgothroughto-night，andifthereissuchaplaceastheBlueMountainsinitweshallfinditout。’
TheIrishmanstayedthereallnight，andassoonasmorningcamerosetogo。Theoldmansaidhehadnotgonetosleepallnightforgoingthroughthebook，buttherewasnotawordabouttheBlueMountainsinit。’ButI’lltellyouwhat，’hesaid，’ifthereissuchaplaceonearthatall，Ihaveabrotherwholivesninehundredmilesfromhere，andheissuretoknowwheretheyare，ifanyoneinthisworlddoes。’TheIrishmanansweredthathecouldnevergotheseninehundredmiles，forhishorsewasgivinginalready。’Thatdoesn’tmatter，’saidtheoldman；’I
candobetterthanthat。Ihaveonlytoblowmywhistleandyouwillbeatmybrother’shousebeforenightfall。’
Soheblewthewhistle，andtheIrishmandidnotknowwhereonearthhewasuntilhefoundhimselfattheotheroldman’sdoor，whoalsotoldhimthatitwasthreehundredyearssincehehadseenanyone，andaskedhimwherehewasgoing。
’IamgoingtoseeifIcanfindanyonethatcantellmewheretheBlueMountainsare，’hesaid。
’Ifyouwillstaywithmeto-night，’saidtheoldman，’Ihaveabookofthehistoryoftheworld，andIshallknowwheretheyarebeforedaylight，ifthereissuchaplaceinitatall。’
Hestayedthereallnight，buttherewasnotawordinthebookabouttheBlueMountains。Seeingthathewasrathercastdown，theoldmantoldhimthathehadabrotherninehundredmilesaway，andthatifinformationcouldbegotaboutthemfromanyoneitwouldbefromhim；’andIwillenableyou，’hesaid，’toreachtheplacewherehelivesbeforenight。’Soheblewhiswhistle，andtheIrishmanlandedatthebrother’shousebeforenightfall。
Whentheoldmansawhimhesaidhehadnotseenasinglemanforthreehundredyears，andwasverymuchsurprisedtoseeanyonecometohimnow。
’Whereareyougoingto？’hesaid。
’IamgoingaboutaskingfortheBlueMountains，’saidtheIrishman。
’TheBlueMountains？’saidtheoldman。
’Yes，’saidtheIrishman。