human
The castle? To be sure, there's a castle up there beyant. A mighty fine ould place in former times.
gpt
But to whom does it belong now?
human
Who is the owner? Why, that would be hard to tell, though I suppose it's Miss Winifred herself.
gpt
Is she, then, of noble birth?
human
Oh, it's not easy to say! he replied, evasively.
gpt
Some say she is, and more say she isn't.
human
Perhaps you can tell me, at least, what is the Phoul-a-Phooka?
gpt
The blessin' of God be about us! he ejaculated, piously.
human
I wonder now, ma'am dear, why you would care to be inquirin' into things of the sort.
gpt
But what sort of thing is it? I persisted.
human
Something, I am sure, which we do not have in America, where we claim to have so much. Our steam-whistles and the roar of our factories have driven from us what Ireland has kept--her legends and her poetry.
gpt
The Phoul-a-Phooka is a wild horse, the devil himself takin' that shape; and woe to any one whom he gets upon his back!
human
Oh, it can't be to see a wild horse that this child is going!
gpt
No, ma'am; 'tis to a wild, solitary spot, with a power of waterfalls in it, replied the landlord.
human
But it gets its name from the beast I'm tellin' you of.
gpt
Oh! is that it?
human
Yes ma'am; 'twas there that the horse leaped a precipice with the tailor that had about him the priest's soutane he was after makin'. The horse felt it like a stone's weight on his back, and down he went with the tailor.
gpt
It's a beautiful spot, though, ma'am; that's what it is. And mebbe you'd be goin' to see it yourself some of these days.
human
Very likely I shall, I assented;
gpt
It's a good bit of a walk, said the landlord;
human
No, I won't mind it, I declared--
gpt
And I hope she won't be a Will-o'-the-wisp to you, ma'am, and leave you in some bog or another.