25 chapters
6 hour read
Selected Chapters
25 chapters
WEST IRISH FOLK-TALES.
WEST IRISH FOLK-TALES.
The Camden Library. EDITED BY G. LAURENCE GOMME, F.S.A. AND T. FAIRMAN ORDISH, F.S.A. THE CAMDEN LIBRARY. WEST IRISH FOLK-TALES AND ROMANCES Collected and Translated BY WILLIAM LARMINIE. WITH INTRODUCTION AND NOTES, AND APPENDIX CONTAINING SPECIMENS OF THE GAELIC ORIGINALS PHONETICALLY SPELT. LONDON ELLIOT STOCK, 62, PATERNOSTER ROW. 1893....
17 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
INTRODUCTION.
INTRODUCTION.
Whatever profit might, from the scientific point of view, be considered likely to spring from a study of Gaelic folk-lore, it would probably be considered beforehand that it would come from the study of the material as a single body, uniform throughout, and, as such, to be brought into comparison with the folk-lore of other countries. When, however, we come to an actual survey of the material, certain appearances present themselves which lead us to expect that, possibly, a large part of our gain
21 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
THE GLOSS GAVLEN.
THE GLOSS GAVLEN.
Narrator, John McGinty , Valley, Achill Island, co. Mayo. The Gobaun Seer and his son went eastward to the eastern world to Balar Beimann to make for him a palace. “Shorten the road, my son,” said the father. The son ran out before him on the road, and the father returned home on that day. The second day they went travelling, and the father told his son to shorten the road. He ran out in front of his father the second day, and the father returned home. “What’s the cause of your returning home li
17 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
THE STORY.
THE STORY.
( The Story is from the narrative of Terence Davis , of Renvyle, co. Galway. ) 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 s
15 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
THE GHOST AND HIS WIVES.
THE GHOST AND HIS WIVES.
Narrator, Michael Faherty , Renvyle, co. Galway. There was a man coming from a funeral, and it chanced as he was coming along by the churchyard he fell in with the head of a man. “It is good and right,” said he to himself, “to take that with me and put it in a safe place.” He took up the head and laid it in the churchyard. He went on along the road home, and he met a man with the appearance of a gentleman. “Where were you?” said the gentleman. “I was at a funeral, and I found the head of a man o
4 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
THE STORY OF BIOULTACH, SON OF THE HIGH KING OF ERIN.
THE STORY OF BIOULTACH, SON OF THE HIGH KING OF ERIN.
Narrator, Terence Davis , Renvyle, co. Galway. There was a king in Erin long ago, and long ago it was. He had a pair of sons, Bioultach and Maunus. Bioultach was the elder. His father took him from school. The son said to him, “Will you give me no more schooling?” “I will not give. I think you have enough learning, and I am but poor.” “I give you the quarters of the heaven, of the sea, and of the land, against my body and my soul, that a second meal I will not eat at the one table, that a second
30 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
KING MANANAUN.
KING MANANAUN.
Narrator, P. M’Grale , Achill. There was a king in Erin, whose name was King Mananaun. He was the king of druidism and enchantments and devilscraft. A daughter was born to him, whose name was Pampogue, and she had twelve women attending her, and twelve maids serving her. There was another king in Erin, whose name was King Keeluch, and to him was born a son, whose name was Kaytuch. He took the son to the old wise man, and asked him where he should put his son to learn druidism and devilscraft, so
24 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
THE CHAMPION OF THE RED BELT.
THE CHAMPION OF THE RED BELT.
Narrator, P. Minahan , Malinmore, Glencolumkille, co. Donegal. There was a king and a queen, and they had three sons. She died with the third. The king married another queen. She had ill-feeling towards the children. The king had no rest till he would banish the children. She took to her bed and would not live if he would not do something or other with them. He went to an old man who was in the town. He told him in what way he was. The old man told him to get a barrel made and to put the childre
23 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
JACK.
JACK.
Narrator, P. Minahan , of Malinmore, Glencolumkille, co. Donegal. There was a master, and he went to look for a servant boy. He fell in with Jack. He hired him. He took him home. On the morning of the morrow the master was leaving home. Jack asked him what he should do that day. “Go threshing in the barn,” said the master. “Shall I thresh anything but what is there?” “Do not,” said the master. “If you thresh all that’s there, thresh no more.” “What’ll I go to do then?” said Jack. “Don’t do a tur
8 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
THE SERVANT[10] OF POVERTY.
THE SERVANT[10] OF POVERTY.
Narrator, P. Minahan , Malinmore, Glencolumkille, co. Donegal. There was a rich farmer there. He was going from home to buy cattle. The king and the farmer met. Each of them got a letter that there was a young son born to the farmer, a young daughter to the king. They were rejoiced when they heard it. They went both into a tavern to drink a glass. They made it up that if the children would agree to it they would have them married. They went home then. They were rejoiced at the children. It was n
16 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
SIMON AND MARGARET.
SIMON AND MARGARET.
Narrator, Michael Faherty , Renvyle, co. Galway. Long ago there was a king’s son called Simon, and he came in a ship from the east to Eire. In the place where he came to harbour he met with a woman whose name was Margaret, and she fell in love with him. And she asked him if he would take her with him in the ship. He said he would not take her, that he had no business with her, “for I am married already,” said he. But the day he was going to sea she followed him to the ship, and such a beautiful
9 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
THE SON OF THE KING OF PRUSSIA.
THE SON OF THE KING OF PRUSSIA.
Narrator, P. M’Grale , Achill, co. Mayo. There were giants at that time, and every seven years three daughters of kings were left to them to be eaten, unless some one were found to fight them. In this year the kings came together, and they cast lots to see which of them should give his children to the giants to be eaten. And the lot fell on the High King of Erin to give his three daughters to the giants. Then came the son of the King of Prussia to ask the king’s daughter in marriage, and the kin
18 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
BEAUTY OF THE WORLD.
BEAUTY OF THE WORLD.
Narrator, P. Minahan , Malinmore, Glencolumkille, co. Donegal. There was a king then, and he had but one son. He was out hunting. He was going past the churchyard. There were four men in the churchyard and a corpse. There was debt on the corpse. The king’s son went in. He asked what was the matter. Said one of the men: “The dead man is in our debt. I am not willing to bury the body, till the two sons who are here, promise to pay the debts.” “We are not able to pay,” said one of them. “I have fiv
13 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
GRIG.
GRIG.
Narrator, Jack Gillespie , Glen, Glencolumkille, co. Donegal. Morrocha heard that Grig would live for ever, until he was killed without sin. He left home to put Grig to death; and he and his boy went one day on the hill, and there came on them rain and mist, and they went astray till night came; and the boy said to Morrocha, “We shall be out this night.” “Oh, we shall not be,” said Morrocha. And he went and looked through the mist. “I think I see a turf stack: it is not possible we are near a ho
5 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
THE LITTLE GIRL WHO GOT THE BETTER OF THE GENTLEMAN.
THE LITTLE GIRL WHO GOT THE BETTER OF THE GENTLEMAN.
Narrator, P. M’Grale , Achill, co. Mayo. There was an old man with a little girl of seven years, and he was begging; and he came to a gentleman, and begged of him; and the gentleman said it would be better for him to go and earn wages than to be as he was—begging; and the man said he would go, and willingly, if he got any one to pay him, and the other said he would himself give him pay, and a house to live in for himself, and for the little girl to come to and wash and cook for him. He gave them
5 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
GILLA OF THE ENCHANTMENTS.
GILLA OF THE ENCHANTMENTS.
Narrator, P. M’Grale , Dugort, Achill co. Mayo. There was a king in Ireland and his wife, and they had but one daughter, whose name was Gilla of the Enchantments, and she had a magic coat that her mother left her when she died. And there was a man courting her whose name was George nă Riell, and the two were courting. When her mother died the king made a fair and beautiful greenawn for his three sons on an island in the midst of the sea, and there he put them to live; and he sent his daughter to
9 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
THE WOMAN WHO WENT TO HELL.
THE WOMAN WHO WENT TO HELL.
Narrator, P. Minahan , Malinmore, Glencolumkille, co. Donegal. There was a woman coming out of her garden with an apron-full of cabbage. A man met her. He asked her what she would take for her burden. She said it was not worth a great deal, that she would give it to him for nothing. He said he would not take it, but would buy it. She said she would only take sixpence. He gave her the sixpence. She threw the cabbage towards him. He said that was not what he bought, but the burden she was carrying
7 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
THE KING WHO HAD TWELVE SONS.
THE KING WHO HAD TWELVE SONS.
Narrator, John McGinty , Valley, Achill Island. He went down to the river every day and killed a salmon for each one of them. He saw a duck on the river and twelve (young) birds with her; and she was beating the twelfth away from her. He went to the old druid and asked what was the cause why the duck was beating away the twelfth bird from her. “It was this,” said the old druid; “she gave the bird to God and the Djachwi.” “Well, I have twelve sons,” said the king; “I will give one of them to God
17 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
THE RED PONY.
THE RED PONY.
Narrator, P. Minahan , Malinmore, co. Donegal. There was a poor man there. He had a great family of sons. He had no means to put them forward. He had them at school. One day, when they were coming from school, he thought that whichever of them was last at the door he would keep him out. It was the youngest of the family was last at the door. The father shut the door. He would not let him in. The boy went weeping. He would not let him in till night came. The father said he would never let him in;
8 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
THE NINE-LEGGED STEED.
THE NINE-LEGGED STEED.
Narrator, P. Minahan , Malinmore, co. Donegal. There was a king and a queen. They had but one son. The queen died. He married another queen. The queen was good to the child. She took care of him till he was a young man. She sent him away to learn chivalry. When he came home there was great joy on the queen. When he had rested at home, he and the huntsman went hunting on the mountain. They found no game at all. They came to the lake. They sat down on a height beside the lake. They saw three swans
17 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
THE ALPHABET.
THE ALPHABET.
[18] Sound hard, as English d. [19] Donegal pronunciation. [20] k asp. = hj. [21] q asp. often = h. [22] Sound hard. [22] Sound hard. The most important features in the foregoing are,—(1) the use of j , which when initial has the German value, to mark slenderness, when attached to another consonant; (2) the use of c for broad g , dictated partly by the necessity of economising the resources of the Roman alphabet, and by the consideration that c , in most alphabets of uncertain value, and therefo
1 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
NĂ TJRÏ MRA̧A̧.
NĂ TJRÏ MRA̧A̧.
Dialect of Renvyle, co. Galway. Vi aan fær tjïăxt aa hoxrïdj, acăs qasu tjïaxt lee tïu tjæmpăll ee, qasu doo ql)egăn dine. “S maih ĕ kært çom duurjtt sjee lesj heen, “ee sjin ă huurjtj ljom acăs ă xirj ăn aatj haawaaljtji.” Hoog sjee lesj ăn ql)egăn acăs lljæc sjee ’s ă tjæmpăll ee. Çluuăs sjee lesj erj ă vællăx ă walje, acăs qasu doo fær ăn ourdu din uăsăl. “Kee ră tuu?” duurjtj ă din’ uăsal. “Vï mee eg soxrïdj ăcăs qasu çom ql)egăn dinĕ er ă mællăx.” “Keerj dă rinnje tuu lesj?” duurjtj ă din’
4 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
AN ÇLAS CÆVLEN.
AN ÇLAS CÆVLEN.
Dialect of Achill Island, co. Mayo. Xuui ă Cobaan Sïăr acăs ă maq sjerj in ă doun sjerj ec Balăr Beemănn cŏ djaanu quuirtj. “Gerji ăn boohăr, ă vik,” ers ăn t-æherj. Rjih ăn maq ămax rive ăn boohăr, acăs fillj ăn t-æher ă waljĕ ăn laa sjin. An dæră laa xuui sjïăd erj sjuul, acăs duuertj a t-æher lesj a waq a boohăr ă jïeru. Rjih sjee ămax rive an t-æher ăn dæra laa acăs fillj ăn t-æher ă walje. “Kee sjkïăl çiv ă veeh pillju măr sjin?” ers ă bæn Cobaain ooig. “Iărĕnn m’æher orram ăn boohăr iăru:
8 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
BRJEEĂXT ĂN DOONJ.
BRJEEĂXT ĂN DOONJ.
Dialect of Glencolumkille, co. Donegal. Vi rjï ănsjin acăs njï roo egĕ æx ăn maq ăwaain. Vï sjee ’mwih ă sjelig. Vï sjee col hæært nă relig. Vï kærher ins ă relig acăs qorp aqu. Vï feeăx erj ă xorp. Xuui maq rjï estjæx. Dj’ esă sjee cŏdjee vï orhu. Ers ă fær “Tææ feeăxă oinnjĕ erj ănj ’ær ă tææ maru. Nïl mee sææsta qorp ă xor, cŏ nnjææli çææ waq tææ ănsjŏ cŏ nnjïŏli sjeeăd nă feeăxă.” “Nil sjinn ææbŭlt ă nnjïŏl” ers ă fær aqu. “Tææ quuig font oimsă” ers ă maq ă rjï. “Veerhi mee çïv ee erj ă qorp
11 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
NOTES.
NOTES.
The spelling of the names in the English is English phonetic, with the exception of the use of J to denote slenderness or softness of the consonant. English readers are now familiar with a similar use of J in the Norwegian name Björnsen. It is equivalent to the consonantal use of English y. Page 1. The “Gloss Gavlen” means simply the Grey (cow) of the Smith, gavlen being properly gavnen—(gaibhnenn) according to O’Donovan. The first part of the story has no real connection with the second. The Go
15 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter