I will , ' said the king . So before the sun rose he got up and went to the house of the Gruagach , who was sitting outside . ' O king , what has brought you here to-day ? ' asked the Gruagach . ` But right welcome you are , and more welcome will you be still if you will play a game with me . ' ` That is just what I want , ' said the king , and they played ; and sometimes it seemed as if one would win , and sometimes the other , but in the end it was the king who was the winner . ` And what is the prize that you will choose ? ' inquired the Gruagach . ` The ugly crop-headed girl that stands behind the door , ' replied the king . ` Why , there are twenty others in the house , and each fairer than she ! ' exclaimed the Gruagach . ` Fairer they may be , but it is she whom I wish for my wife , and none other , ' and the Gruagach saw that the king 's mind was set upon her , so he entered his house , and bade all the maidens in it come out one by one , and pass before the king . One by one they came ; tall and short , dark and fair , plump and thin , and each said ' I am she whom you want . You will be foolish indeed if you do not take me . ' But he took none of them , neither short nor tall , dark nor fair , plump nor thin , till at the last the crop-headed girl came out . ` This is mine , ' said the king , though she was so ugly that most men would have turned from her . ` We will be married at once , and I will carry you home . ' And married they were , and they set forth across a meadow to the king 's house . As they went , the bride stooped and picked a sprig of shamrock , which grew amongst the grass , and when she stood upright again her ugliness had all gone , and the most beautiful woman that ever was seen stood by the king 's side . The next day , before the sun rose , the king sprang from his bed , and told his wife he must have another game with the Gruagach .
` If my father loses that game , and you win it , ' XXXXX she , ` accept nothing for your prize but the shaggy young horse with the stick saddle . ' '
am brought carry play said saw stands stooped took wish