THE MYTHOLOGICAL CYCLE
A rich and abundant saga literature—Three leading periods or
cycles—The myths and folk-tales—Problems to men of science—The
philologists and anthropologists take opposite sides—Their
theories—Attitude of the annalists and romancists of
Ireland—Their craze for genealogy—Early settlers in Erin—Advent
of the Milesians or Gaels—The Three Sorrows of Gaelic Storydom:
(1) “The Tragedy of the Children of Tuireann”; (2) The
fascinating “Aided of the Children of Lir”; (3) Story of
“Deirdre and the Sons of Uisneach”—Extraordinary interest
evinced in this saga—Marvellous output of texts and translations 134