_Sources._--The second story in Mr. W. Larminie's _West Irish
Folk-tales_, pp. 10-30. The framework was collected from P. McGrale of
Achill Island, Co. Mayo. The story itself was from Terence Davis of
Rendyle, Co. Galway. There is evidently confusion in the introductory
portion between Niall's mother and wife.
_Parallels._--Campbell's No. 1 has a very close parallel to the opening.
Mr. Larminie refers to a similar tale collected by Kennedy. Another
version from West Munster has been recently published in the _Gaelic
Journal_, iv. 7, 26, 35. The evasion of the promise to give up the sword
at the end seems a favourite incident in Achill folk-tales; it occurs in
two others of Mr. Larminie's stories. On the framework, see note on
"Conal Yellow claw" (_Celtic Folk-tales_, V.). I have there suggested
that the plan comes from the East, ultimately from Buddha.