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of meal； all the unfortunates in the county of Limerick had
conspired together to come to ask me for alms。 At last every
measure of meal was emptied； and there I sat in my house with
nothing to give away provided an unfortunate should come。 Says I
to the colleen： 'What shall I do provided any more come； for all
the meal is gone； and there will be no more before the boys come
home at night from the ballybetagh。' Says the colleen： 'If any
more come； can't ye give them something else？' Says I： 'It has
always been my practice to give in meal； and loth should I be to
alter it； for if once I begin to give away other things； I may give
away all I have。' Says the colleen： 'Let's hope no one else will
come： there have been thirteen of them already。' Scarcely had she
said these words； when a monstrous woman； half…naked； and with a
long staff in her hand； on the top of which was a cross； made her
appearance； and placing herself right before the door； cried out so
that you might have heard her for a mile； 'Give me an alms for the
glory of God！' 'Good woman；' says I to her； 'you will be kind
enough to excuse me： all the preparation I had made for alms has
been given away； for I have relieved thirteen unfortunates this
blessed morning … so may the Virgin help ye； good woman！' 'Give me
an alms；' said the Beanvore； with a louder voice than before； 'or
it will be worse for you。' 'You must excuse me； good mistress；'
says I； 'but I have no more meal in the house。 Those thirteen
measures which you see there empty were full this morning； for what
was in them I have given away to unfortunates。 So the Virgin and
Child help you。' 'Do you choose to give me an alms？' she shrieked；
so that you might have heard her to Londonderry。 'If ye have no
meal give me something else。' 'You must excuse me； good lady；'
says I： 'it is my custom to give alms in meal； and in nothing
else。 I have none in the house now； but if ye come on the morrow
ye shall have a triple measure。 In the meanwhile may the Virgin；
Child； and the Holy Trinity assist ye！' Thereupon she looked at me
fixedly for a moment； and then said； not in a loud voice； but in a
low； half…whispered way； which was ten times more deadly：…
〃'Biaidh an taifrionn gan sholas duit a bhean shilach！'
Then turning from the door she went away with long strides。 Now；
honey； can ye tell me the meaning of those words？〃
〃They mean；〃 said I； 〃unless I am much mistaken： 'May the Mass
never comfort ye； you dirty queen！'〃
〃Ochone！ that's the maning of them； sure enough。 They are cramped
words； but I guessed that was the meaning； or something of the
kind。 Well； after hearing the evil prayer； I sat for a minute or
two quite stunned； at length recovering myself a bit I said to the
colleen： 'Get up； and run after the woman and tell her to come
back and cross the prayer。' I meant by crossing that she should
call it back or do something that would take the venom out of it。
Well； the colleen was rather loth to go； for she was a bit scared
herself； but on my beseeching her； she got up and ran after the
woman； and being rather swift of foot； at last； though with much
difficulty； overtook her； and begged her to come back and cross the
prayer； but the divil of a woman would do no such thing； and when
the colleen persisted she told her that if she didn't go back； she
would say an evil prayer over her too。 So the colleen left her；
and came back； crying and frighted。 All the rest of the day I
remained sitting on the stool speechless； thinking of the prayer
which the woman had said； and wishing I had given her everything I
had in the world； rather than she should have said it。 At night
came home the boys； and found their mother sitting on the stool；
like one stupefied。 'What's the matter with you； mother？' they
said。 'Get up and help us to unpack。 We have brought home plenty
of things on the car； and amongst others a whole boll of meal。'
'You might as well have left it behind you；' said I； 'this morning
a single measure of meal would have been to me of all the
assistance in the world； but I question now if I shall ever want
meal again。' They asked me what had happened to me； and after some
time I told them how a monstrous woman had been to me； and had said
an evil prayer over me； because having no meal in the house I had
not given her an alms。 'Come； mother；' said they； 'get up and help
us to unload！ never mind the prayer of the monstrous woman … it is
all nonsense。' Well； I got up and helped them to unload； and
cooked them a bit； and sat down with them； and tried to be merry；
but felt that I was no longer the woman that I was。 The next day I
didn't seem to care what became of me； or how matters went on； and
though there was now plenty of meal in the house； not a measure did
I fill with it to give away in the shape of alms； and when the
bacahs and the liprous women； and the dark men； and the other
unfortunates placed themselves at the side of the door； and gave me
to understand that they wanted alms； each in his or her particular
manner； divil an alms did I give them； but let them stand and took
no heed of them； so that at last they took themselves off；
grumbling and cursing。 And little did I care for their grumblings
and cursings。 Two days before I wouldn't have had an unfortunate
grumble at me； or curse me； for all the riches below the sun； but
now their grumblings and curses didn't give me the slightest
unasiness； for I had an evil prayer spoken against me in the Shanna
Gailey by the monstrous woman； and I knew that I was blighted in
this world and the next。 In a little time I ceased to pay any heed
to the farming business； or to the affairs of the house； so that my
sons had no comfort in their home。 And I took to drink and induced
my eldest son to take to drink too … my youngest son； however； did
not take to drink； but conducted himself well； and toiled and
laboured like a horse and often begged me and his brother to
consider what we were about； and not to go on in a way which would
bring us all to ruin； but I paid no regard to what he said； and his
brother followed my example； so that at last seeing things were
getting worse every day； and that we should soon be turned out of
house and home； for no rint was paid； every penny that could be got
being consumed in waste； he bade us farewell and went and listed
for a sodger。 But if matters were bad enough before he went away；
they became much worse after； for now when the unfortunates came to
the door for alms； instead of letting them stand in pace till they
were tired； and took themselves off； I would mock them and point at
them； and twit them with their sores and other misfortunes； and not
unfrequently I would fling scalding water over them； which would
send them howling and honing away； till at last there was not an
unfortunate but feared to come within a mile of my door。 Moreover
I began to misconduct myself at chapel； more especially at the
Aifrionn or Mass； for no sooner was the bell rung； and the holy
corpus raised； tha