Of the great breed of splendid horses, some remained for several
centuries, and were at once known by their noble shape and qualities.
The last of them belonged to a great lord in Connaught, and when he
died, all his effects being sold by auction, the royal steed came to
the hammer, and was bought up by an emissary of the English Government,
who wanted to get possession of a specimen of the magnificent ancient
Irish breed, in order to have it transported to England.
But when the groom attempted to mount the high-spirited animal, it
reared, and threw the base-born churl violently to the ground, killing
him on the spot.
Then, fleet as the wind, the horse galloped away, and finally plunged
into the lake and was seen no more. So ended the great race of the
mighty Tuatha-de-Danann horses in Ireland, the like of which has never
been seen since in all the world for majesty and beauty.
* * * * *
Sometimes the cave fairies make a straight path in the sea from one
island to another, all paved with coral, under the water; but no
one can tread it except the fairy race. Fishermen coming home late
at night, on looking down, have frequently seen them passing and
re-passing—a black band of little men with black dogs, who are very
fierce if any one tries to touch them.
There was an old man named Con, who lived on an island all alone,
except for a black dog who kept him company. Now all the people knew
right well that he was a fairy king, and could walk the water at night
like the other fairies. So they feared him greatly, and brought him
presents of cakes and fowls, for they were afraid of him and of his
evil demon, the dog. For often, men coming home late have heard the
steps of this dog and his breathing quite close to them, though they
could not see him; and one man nearly died of fright, and was only
saved by the priest who came and prayed over him.
But the cave fairies can assume many forms.
One summer’s evening, a young girl, the daughter of the man who owned
the farm, was milking the cows in the yard, when three beautiful
ladies, all in white, suddenly appeared, and asked her for a drink of
milk. Now the girl knew well that milk should not be given away without
using some precaution against fairy wiles, so she hesitated, fearing to
bring ill-luck on the cows.
“Is that the way you treat us?” said one of the ladies, and she slapped
the girl on the face.
“But, you’ll remember us,” said the second lady, and she took hold of
the girl’s thumb and twisted it out of joint.
“And your lover will be false to you,” said the third, and with that
she turned the girl’s mantle crooked, the back to the front.
Then the first lady took a vessel and milked the cow, and they all
drank of the milk as much as they wanted; after which they turned to
the girl and bade her beware of again offending the spirits of the
cave, for they were very powerful, and would not let her off so easily
another time.
The poor girl fainted from fright, and was found quite senseless when
they came to look for her; but the white ladies had disappeared. Though
the story must have been true, just as she told it when she came to her
senses, for not a drop of milk was left in the pail, nor could a drop
more be got from the cows all that evening.