seven years, and unless there would be a young woman ready bound before
him he would drive the sea through the land, and he would destroy the
people. The day came when the dragon was to come, and the lad asked his
master to let him go to the place where the dragon was coming. "What's
the business you have there?" says the master. "There will be horsemen
and coaches and great people there, and the crowds will be gathered
together in it out of every place. The horses would rise up on top of
you, and you would be crushed under their feet; and it's better for you
to stop at home."
"I'll stop," said the lad. But when he got them all gone he went to the
castle of the three giants, and he put a saddle on the best steed they
had, and a fine suit on himself, and he took the first giant's sword in
his hand, and he went to where the dragon was.
It was like a fair there, with the number of riders and coaches and
horses and people that were gathered in it. There was a young lady bound
to a post on the brink of the sea, and she waiting for the dragon to
come to swallow her. It was the King's daughter that was in it, for the
dragon would not take any other woman. When the dragon came out of the
sea the lad went against him, and they fought with one another, and were
fighting till the evening, until the dragon was frothing at the mouth,
and till the sea was red with its blood. He turned the dragon out into
the sea at last. He went away then, and said that he would return the
next day. He left the steed again in the place where he found it, and he
took the fine suit off him, and when the other people returned he was
before them. When the people came home that night they were all talking
and saying that some champion came to fight with the dragon and turned
him out into the sea again. That was the story that every person had,
but they did not know who was the champion who did it.
The next day, when his master and the other people were gone, he went to
the castle of the three giants again, and he took out another steed and
another suit of valour (i.e., armour), and he brought with him the
second giant's sword, and he went to the place where the dragon was to
come.
The King's daughter was bound to a post on the shore, waiting for him,
and the eyes going out on her head looking would she see the champion
coming who fought the dragon the day before. There were twice as many
people in it as there were on the first day, and they were all waiting
till they would see the champion coming. When the dragon came the lad
went in face of him, and the dragon was half confused and sickened after
the fight that he had made the day before. They were beating one another
till the evening, and then he drove away the dragon. The people tried to
keep him, but they were not able. He went from them.
When his master came home that evening the lad was in the house before
him. The master told him that another champion came that day, and that
he had turned the dragon into the sea. But no doubt the lad knew the
story better himself than he did.
On the next day, when the gentleman was gone, he went to the caher of
the giants, and he took with him another steed and another suit and the
sword of the third giant, and when he came to fight with the dragon the
people thought it was another champion who was in it.
He himself and the dragon were beating each other, then, and the sorra
such a fight you ever saw. There were wings on the dragon, and when he
was getting it tight he rose up in the air, and he was thrusting and
beating the boy in his skull till he was nearly destroyed. He remembered
the black thong then, and said, "Black thong, bind that one so hard that
they'll be listening to his screeching in the two divisions of the world
with the squeezing that you'll give him." The black thong leapt away,
and she bound him, and then the lad took the head off him, and the sea
was red with his blood, and the waves of blood were going on the top of
the water.
The lad came to the land, then, and they tried to keep him; but he went
from them, and as he was riding by the lady snatched the shoe off him.
He went away, then, and he left the horse and the sword and the suit of
armour in the place where he found them, and when the gentleman and the
other people came home he was sitting before them at the fire. He asked
them how the fight went, and they told him that the champion killed the
fiery dragon, but that he was gone away, and that no one at all knew who
he was.
When the King's daughter came home she said that she would never marry a
man but the man whom that shoe would fit.
There were sons of kings, and great people among them, and they saying
that it was themselves who killed the dragon; but she said it was not
they, unless the shoe would fit them. Some of them were cutting the toes
off their feet, and some of them taking off a piece of the heel, and
more of them cutting the big toe off themselves, trying would the shoe
fit them. There was no good for them in it. The King's daughter said
that she would not marry one man of them.
She sent out soldiers, then, and the shoe with them, to try would it fit
anyone at all. Every person, poor and rich, no matter where he was from,
must try the shoe on him.
The lad was stretched out lying on the grass when the soldiers came, and
when they saw him they said to him, "Show your foot."
"Oh, don't be humbugging me," says he.
"We have orders," said they, "and we cannot return without trying the
shoe on everyone, poor and rich, so stretch out your foot." He did that,
and the shoe went in on his foot on the moment.
They said to him that he must come with them.
"Oh, listen to me" (i.e., give me time), said he, "till I dress myself."
He went to the caher of the giants, and he got a fine new suit on him,
and he went with them then.
That's where the welcome was for him, and he as dressed up as e'er a
man of them. They had a wedding for three days and three nights.
They got the pond and I the lakelet. They were drowned, and I came
through. And as I have it (i.e., the story) to-night, that ye may not
have it to-morrow night, or if ye have it itself, that ye may only lose
the back teeth by it!
DOUGLAS HYDE.
The Demon Cat
There was a woman in Connemara, the wife of a fisherman; as he had
always good luck, she had plenty of fish at all times stored away in the
house ready for market. But, to her great annoyance, she found that a
great cat used to come in at night and devour all the best and finest
fish. So she kept a big stick by her, and determined to watch.
One day, as she and a woman were spinning together, the house suddenly
became quite dark; and the door was burst open as if by the blast of the
tempest, when in walked a huge black cat, who went straight up to the
fire, then turned round and growled at them.
"Why, surely this is the devil," said a young girl who was by, sorting
fish.
"I'll teach you to call me names," said the cat; and, jumping at her, he
scratched her arm till the blood came. "There, now," he said, "you will
be more civil another time when a gentleman comes to see you." And, with
that, he walked over to the door, and shut it close to prevent any of
them going out, for the poor young girl, while crying loudly from fright
and pain, had made a desperate rush to get away.
Just then a man was going by, and, hearing the cries, he pushed open the
door, and tried to get in; but the cat stood on the threshold and would
let no one pass. On this the man attacked him with a stick, and gave him
a sound blow; the cat, however, was more than a match in the fight, for
it flew at him, and tore his face and hands so badly that the man at
last took to his heels, and ran away as fast as he could.
"Now, it's time for my dinner," said the cat, going up to examine the
fish that was laid out on the tables. "I hope the fish is good to-day.
Now, don't disturb me, or make a fuss; I can help myself." With that, he
jumped up, and began to devour all the best fish, while he growled at
the woman.
"Away out of this, you wicked beast!" she cried, giving it a blow with
the tongs that would have broken its back, only it was a devil; "out of
this; no fish shall you have to-day!"
But the cat only grinned at her, and went on tearing and despoiling and
devouring the fish, evidently not a bit the worse for the blows. On
this both the women attacked it with sticks, and struck hard blows
enough to kill it, on which the cat glared at them and spit fire; then,
making a leap, it tore their heads and arms till the blood came, and the
frightened women rushed shrieking from the house.
But presently the mistress of the house returned, carrying with her a
bottle of holy water; and, looking in, she saw the cat still devouring
the fish, and not minding. So she crept over quietly, and threw holy
water on it without a word. No sooner was this done than a dense, black
smoke filled the place, through which nothing was seen but the two red
eyes of the cat burning like coals of fire. Then the smoke gradually
cleared away, and she saw the body of the creature burning slowly, till
it became shrivelled and black like a cinder, and finally disappeared.
And from that time the fish remained untouched and safe from harm, for
the power of the Evil One was broken, and the Demon Cat was seen no
more.
LADY WILDE.
The Abbot of Inisfalen
(_A Legend of Killarney._)
I.
The Abbot of Inisfalen awoke ere dawn of day;
Under the dewy green leaves went he forth to pray,
The lake around his island lay smooth and dark and deep,
And wrapt in a misty stillness the mountains were all asleep.
Low kneel'd the Abbot Cormac when the dawn was dim and gray;
The prayers of his holy office he faithfully 'gan to say.
Low kneel'd the Abbot Cormac while the dawn was waxing red;
And for his sins' forgiveness a solemn prayer he said;
Low kneel'd that holy Abbot while the dawn was waxing clear;
And he pray'd with loving-kindness for his convent-brethren dear.
Low kneel'd that blessed Abbot while the dawn was waxing bright;
He pray'd a great prayer for Ireland, he pray'd with all his might.
Low kneel'd that good old Father while the sun began to dart;
He pray'd a prayer for all men, he pray'd it from his heart.
His blissful soul was in Heaven, tho' a breathing man was he;
He was out of Time's dominion, so far as the living may be.
II.
The Abbot of Inisfalen arose upon his feet;
He heard a small bird singing, and O but it sung sweet!
It sung upon a holly-bush, this little snow-white bird;
A song so full of gladness he never before had heard.
It sung upon a hazel, it sung upon a thorn;
He had never heard such music since the hour that he was born.
It sung upon a sycamore, it sung upon a briar;
To follow the song and hearken this Abbot could never tire.
Till at last he well bethought him; he might no longer stay;
So he blessed the little white singing-bird, and gladly went his way.
III.
But, when he came to his Abbey, he found a wondrous change;
He saw no friendly faces there, for every face was strange.
The strange men spoke unto him; and he heard from all and each
The foreign tongue of the Sassenach, not wholesome Irish speech.
Then the oldest monk came forward, in Irish tongue spake he:
"Thou wearest the holy Augustine's dress, and who hath given it to thee?"
"I wear the holy Augustine's dress, and Cormac is my name,
The Abbot of this good Abbey by grace of God I am.
I went forth to pray, at the dawn of day; and when my prayers were said,
I hearken'd awhile to a little bird that sung above my head."
The monks to him made answer, "Two hundred years have gone o'er,
Since our Abbot Cormac went through the gate, and never was heard of
more.
Matthias now is our Abbot, and twenty have pass'd away.
The stranger is lord of Ireland; we live in an evil day."
"Days will come and go," he said, "and the world will pass away,
In Heaven a day is a thousand years, a thousand years are a day."
IV.
"Now, give me absolution; for my time is come," said he.
And they gave him absolution as speedily as might be.
Then, close outside the window, the sweetest song they heard
That ever yet since the world began was utter'd by any bird.
The monks look'd out and saw the bird, its feathers all white and clean;
And there in a moment, beside it, another white bird was seen.
Those two they sang together, waved their white wings, and fled;
Flew aloft, and vanished; but the good old man was dead.
They buried his blessed body where lake and greensward meet;
A carven cross above his head, a holly-bush at his feet;
Where spreads the beautiful water to gay or cloudy skies,
And the purple peaks of Killarney from ancient woods arise.
WILLIAM ALLINGHAM.
Morraha
(_As told by an Irish Peasant._)
Morraha rose in the morning, and washed his hands and face, and said his
prayers, and ate his food; and he asked God to prosper the day for him;
and he went down to the brink of the sea, and he saw a currach, short
and green, coming towards him; and in it there was but one youthful
champion, and he playing hurly from prow to stern of the currach. He had
a hurl of gold and a ball of silver; and he stopped not until the
currach was in on the shore; and he drew her up on the green grass, and
put fastening on her for a day and a year, whether he should be there
all that time, or should only be on land for an hour by the clock. And
Morraha saluted the young man in words intelligent, intelligible, such
as were spoken at that time; and the other saluted him in the same
fashion, and asked him would he play a game of cards with him; and
Morraha said he had not the wherewithal; and the other answered that he
was never without a candle or the making of it; and he put his hand in
his pocket and drew out a table and two chairs and a pack of cards, and
they sat down on the chairs and went to the card-playing. The first game
Morraha won, and the slender red champion bade him make his claim; and
he said that the land above him should be filled with stock of sheep in
the morning. It was well, and he played no second game, but home he
went.
The next day Morraha went to the brink of the sea, and the young man
came in the currach and asked him would he play cards; and they played,
and Morraha won. And the young man bade him make his claim; and he said
that the land above should be filled with cattle in the morning. It was
well, and he played no other game, but went home.
And on the third morning Morraha went to the brink of the sea, and he
saw the young man coming. And he drew up his boat on the shore, and
asked him would he play cards. And they played, and Morraha won the
game; and the young man bade him give his claim. And he said he should
have a castle, and of women the finest and fairest; and they were his.
It was well, and the young man went away.
On the fourth day the woman asked him how he had found himself, and he
told her. "And I am going out," said he, "to play again to-day."
"I cross (forbid) you go again to him. If you have won so much, you
will lose more; and have no more to do with him."
But he went against her will, and he saw the currach coming, and the
young man was driving his balls from end to end of the currach. He had
balls of silver and a hurl of gold, and he stopped not till he drew his
boat on the shore, and made her fast for a year and a day. And Morraha
and he saluted each other; and he asked Morraha if he would play a game
of cards, and they played and he won. And Morraha said to him, "Give
your claim, now."
Said he, "You will hear it too soon. I lay on you the bonds of the art
of the Druid not to sleep two nights in one house, nor finish a second
meal at the one table, till you bring me the sword of light and news of
the death of Anshgayliacht."
He went down to his wife, and sat down in a chair, and gave a groan, and
the chair broke in pieces.
"It is the son of a king under spells you are," said his wife; "and you
had better have taken my counsel than that the spells should be on you."
He said to her to bring news of the death of Anshgayliacht and the sword
of light to the slender red champion.
"Go out," said she, "in the morning of the morrow, and take the bridle
in the window and shake it; and whatever beast, handsome or ugly, puts
the head in it, take that one with you. Do not speak a word to her till
she speaks to you; and take with you three pint bottles of ale and three
sixpenny loaves, and do the thing she tells you; and when she runs to my
father's land, on a height above the court, she will shake herself, and
the bells will ring, and my father will say Brown Allree is in the land.
And if the son of a king or queen is there, bring him to me on your
shoulders; but if it is the son of a poor man, let him come no further."
He rose in the morning, and took the bridle that was in the window and
went out and shook it, and Brown Allree came and put her head in it. And
he took the three loaves and three bottles of ale, and went riding; and
when he was riding, she bent her head down to take hold of her feet with
her mouth, in hopes he would speak in ignorance; but he spoke not a word
during the time, and the mare at last spoke to him, and said to him to
dismount and give her her dinner. He gave her the sixpenny loaf toasted
and a bottle of ale to drink. "Sit up, now, riding and take good heed of
yourself: there are three miles of fire I have to clear at a leap."
She cleared the three miles of fire at a leap, and asked if he were
riding, and he said he was. They went on then, and she told him to
dismount and give her a meal; and he did so, and gave her a sixpenny
loaf and a bottle; and she consumed them, and said to him there were
before them three miles of hill covered with steel thistles, and that
she must clear it. And she cleared the hill with a leap, and she asked
him if he were still riding, and he said he was. They went on, and she
went not far before she told him to give her a meal, and he gave her the
bread and the bottleful. And she went over three miles of sea with a
leap, and she came then to the land of the King of France; and she went
up on a height above the castle, and she shook herself and neighed, and
the bells rang; and the King said that it was Brown Allree was in the
land. "Go out," said he, "and if it is the son of a king or queen, carry
him in on your shoulders; if it is not, leave him there."
They went out, and the stars of the son of a king were on his breast;
and they lifted him high on their shoulders and bore him in to the King.
And they passed the night cheerfully with playing and with drinking,
with sport and with diversion, till the whiteness of the day came upon
the morrow morning.
Then the young King told the cause of his journey, and he asked of the
Queen her counsel and consent, and to give him counsel and good luck,
and the woman told him everything she advised him to do. "Go now," said
she, "and take with you the best mare in the stable, and go to the door
of Rough Niall of the speckled rock, and knock, and call on him to give
you news of the death of Anshgayliacht and the sword of light; and let
the horse's back be to the door, and apply the spurs, and away with
you!"
And in the morning he did so, and he took the best horse from the stable
and rode to the door of Niall, and turned the horse's back to the door,
and demanded news of the death of Anshgayliacht, and the sword of light;
and he applied the spurs, and away with him. And Niall followed him, and
as he was passing the gate cut the horse in two. And the mother was
there with a dish of puddings and flesh, and she threw it in his eyes
and blinded him, and said, "Fool, whatever kind of man it is that's
mocking you, isn't that a fine condition you have got into on your
father's horse?"
On the morning of the next day Morraha rose and took another horse from
the stable, and went again to the door of Niall, and knocked and
demanded news of the death of Anshgayliacht, and the sword of light, and
applied the spurs to the horse, and away with him. And Niall followed,
and as he was passing the gate cut the horse in two, and took half the
saddle with him, and his mother met him, and threw the flesh in his eyes
and blinded him.
And on the third day Morraha went also to the door of Niall; and Niall
followed him, and as he was passing the gate cut away the saddle from
under him and the clothes from his back. Then his mother said to Niall:
"Whatever fool it is that's mocking you, he is out yonder in the little
currach, going home; and take good heed to yourself, and don't sleep one
wink for three days."
And for three days the little currach was there before him, and then his
mother came to him and said:
"Sleep as much as you want now. He is gone."
And he went to sleep, and there was heavy sleep on him, and Morraha went
in and took hold of the sword that was on the bed at his head. And the
sword thought to draw itself out of the hand of Morraha, but it failed.
And then it gave a cry, and it wakened Niall, and Niall said it was a
rude and rough thing to come into his house like that; and Morraha said
to him:
"Leave your much talking, or I will cut the head off you. Tell me the
news of the death of Anshgayliacht."
"Oh, you can have my head."
"But your head is no good to me. Tell me the story."
"Oh," said Niall's wife, "you must get the story."
"Oh," said Morraha, "is the woman your wife?"
"Oh," said the man, "is it not you that have the story?"
"Oh," said she, "you will tell it to us."
"Well," said the man, "let us sit down together till I tell the story. I
thought no one would ever get it, but now it will be heard by all."
When I was growing up my mother taught me the language of the birds, and
when I got married I used to be listening to their conversation; and I
would be laughing; and my wife would be asking me what was the reason of
my laughing, but I did not like to tell her, as women are always asking
questions. We went out walking one fine morning, and the birds were
arguing with one another. One of them said to another:
"Why should you be making comparison with me, when there is not a king
nor knight that does not come to look at my tree?"
"Oh, what advantage has your tree over mine, on which there are three
rods of magic and mastery growing?"
When I heard them arguing, and knew that the rods were there, I began to
laugh.
"Oh," said my wife, "why are you always laughing? I believe it is at
myself you are jesting, and I'll walk with you no more."
"Oh, it is not about you I am laughing. It is because I understand the
language of the birds."
Then I had to tell her what the birds were saying to one another; and
she was greatly delighted, and she asked me to go home, and she gave
orders to the cook to have breakfast ready at six o'clock in the
morning. I did not know why she was going out early, and breakfast was
ready in the morning at the hour she appointed. She asked me to go out
walking. I went with her. She went to the tree, and asked me to cut a
rod for her.
"Oh, I will not cut it. Are we not better without it?"
"I will not leave this till I get the rod, to see if there is any good
in it."
I cut the rod, and gave it to her. She turned from me, and struck a blow
on a stone and changed it; and she struck a second blow on me, and made
of me a black raven, and she went home, and left me after her. I thought
she would come back; she did not come, and I had to go into a tree till
morning. In the morning, at six o'clock, there was a bellman out,
proclaiming that everyone who killed a raven would get a fourpenny bit.
At last you would not find man or boy without a gun, nor, if you were to
walk three miles, a raven that was not killed. I had to make a nest in
the top of the parlour chimney, and hide myself all day till night came,
and go out to pick up a bit to support me, till I spent a month. Here
she is herself (to say) if it is a lie I am telling.
"It is not," said she.
Then I saw her out walking. I went up to her, and I thought she would
turn me back to my own shape, and she struck me with the rod and made of
me an old white horse, and she ordered me to be put to a cart with a man
to draw stones from morning till night. I was worse off then. She
spread abroad a report that I had died suddenly in my bed, and prepared
a coffin, and waked me, and buried me. Then she had no trouble. But when
I got tired, I began to kill everyone who came near me, and I used to go
into the haggard every night and destroy the stacks of corn; and when a
man came near me in the morning, I would follow him till I broke his
bones. Everyone got afraid of me. When she saw I was doing mischief, she
came to meet me, and I thought she would change me. And she did change
me, and made a fox of me. When I saw she was doing me every sort of
damage, I went away from her. I knew there was a badger's hole in the
garden, and I went there till night came, and I made great slaughter
among the ducks and geese. There she is herself to say if I am telling a
lie.
"Oh, you are telling nothing but the truth, only less than the truth."