Myths And Folk Lore of Ireland

d wished for the most beautiful man under the sun as a husband for herself. She got her wish; for scarcely had she put off the cloak of darkness, when there came, in a golden coach with four horses, two black and two white, the finest man she had ever laid eyes on, and took her away. When the second daughter saw what had happened to her sister, she put on the cloak of darkness, and wished for the next best man in the world as a husband. She put off the cloak; and straightway there came, in a golden coach with four black horses, a man nearly as good as the first, and took her away. The third sister put on the cloak, and wished for the best white dog in the world. Presently he came, with one man attending, in a golden coach and four snow-white horses, and took the youngest sister away. When the king came home, the stable-boy told him what had happened while he was gone. He was enraged beyond measure when he heard that his youngest daughter had wished for a white dog, and gone off with him. When the first man brought his wife home he asked: " In what form will you have me in the daytime, ? as I am now in the daytime, or as I am now at night? " " As you are now in the daytime." So the first sister had her husband as a man in the daytime; but at night he was a seal. The second man put the same question to the middle sister, and got the same answer; so the second sister had her husband in the same form as the first. When the third sister c...