this tale in his Lectures (MS. Mat. 316); and he was the first, so far as I know, to draw attention to it. I think it strange that such a story should not have been noticed before by writers on Gaelic literature; for as a work of imagination, it seems to me a marvellous and very beautiful creation. The battles fought by the king of Sorca, aided by Finn and his Fena, against the King of the World, are described at much length in the original; but I have cut them down to a very short compass; and I have omitted altogether a long episode towards the end, which travels away from the main story. [xv] This tale has never been translated till now. I translated it chiefly from the Royal Irish Academy MS., 24. B. 28, a well-written manuscript, which was copied out by Edmond Terry, in 1728: but I kept another good copy beside me for comparison, viz., that contained in the Royal Irish Academy MS., 23. G. 21, written in 1795, by Michael Oge O'Longan of Cork, father of Mr. Joseph O'Longan, now the Irish scribe in the Royal Irish Academy, and the transcriber in fac-simile of "Leabhar na h-Uidhre," "Leabhar Breac," and "Leabhar Laighneach." THE PURSUIT OF DERMAT AND GRANIA. This tale is one of those mentioned in the list contained in the Book of Leinster, which was written about a.d. 1130 (see note, page iv.); but though this proves the tale to be an ancient one, I have never come across a copy older than the last century. "The Pursuit of Dermat and Grania" has been published, with text and a very racy idiomatic literal translation, by Mr. Standish Hayes O'Grady, in the Transactions of the Ossianic Society for 1855, from a comparison of two manuscripts, one of 1780 and the other of 1842. In addition to Mr. O'Grady's published text, I made use of another good copy (MS. Royal Irish Academy, 23. G. 21) written in 1795, by Michael Oge O'Longan, already spoken of. I cannot help believing that this fine story originally ended with the death of Dermat; though in all the current versions (including Mr. O'Grady's printed text) there is an additional part recounting the further proceedings of Grania and her sons, after the death of the hero. But this part is in every respect inferior to the rest--in language, in feeling, and in play of imagination. It seems to me very clear that it was patched on to the original story by some unskilful hand; and I have accordingly omitted it, and ended the story with the death of Dermat. I have also omitted two short episodes--that of the cnumh or reptile of Corca Divna, as a mere excrescence; and Finn's expedition to Scotland for aid against Dermat. And, for the sake of clearness, I have slightly changed the place of that part of the tale which recounts the origin of the Fairy Quicken Tree of Dooros. There are one or two other trifling but very neces- 4 sary modifications, which need not be mentioned here. [xvi] THE CHASE OF SLIEVE CULLINN: THE CHASE OF SLIEVE FUAD: OISIN IN TIRNANOGE. In the original Gaelic these are three poetical tales. All three have been printed, with Gaelic text and literal translation, in the Transac- tions of the Ossianic Society: the two first by the late John O'Daly, and "Oisin in Tirnanoge" by Professor O'Looney. There are many good copies of these tales in the manuscripts of the Royal Irish Academy; though of not one of them have I seen a copy older than the last century. "The Chase of Slieve Cullinn" (commonly known as "The Poem of the Chase") has been translated into English verse by Miss Brooke; and there is another metrical translation in the Irish Penny Journal (page 93). And of "Oisin in Tirnanoge," Mr. T.D. Sullivan has given a graceful poetical rendering in his volume of Poems, already mentioned. PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION. In this edition there is an additional tale, "The Fate of the Sons of Usna," a notice of which will be found at page x, above. Lyre-na-Grena, Leinster Road, Rathmines, 1907. [xvii] CONTENTS. The Fate of the Children of Lir; or, The Four White Swans. CHAPTER PAGE I. Bove Derg chosen King of the Dedannans, 1 II. The Children of Lir,4 III. The Four Children of Lir are turned into Four White Swans by their Stepmother, 6 IV. The Four White Swans on Lake Darvra, 10 V. The Four White Swans on the Sea of Moyle, 18 VI. The Four White Swans on the Western Sea, 26 VII. The Children of Lir regain their Human Shape and die, 32 The Fate of the Children of Turenn; or, The Quest for the Eric-Fine. I. The Lochlanns invade Erin, 37 II. The Murder of Kian, 42 III. Defeat and Flight of the Lochlanns, 47 IV. The Eric-Fine on the Sons of Turenn for the Slaying of Kian, 51 V. The Sons of Turenn obtain Mannanan's Canoe, the Wave-Sweeper, 60 VI. The Apples of the Garden of Hisberna, 63 VII. The Gifted Skin of the Pig, 67 VIII. The Blazing Spear of the King of Persia, 71 IX. The Chariot and Steeds of the King of Sigar, 74[xviii] X. The Seven Pigs of the King of the Golden Pillars, 78 XI. The Hound-Whelp of the King of Iroda, 81 XII. Return of the Sons of Turenn, with part of the Eric-Fine, 84 XIII. The Cooking-Spit of the Women of Fincara, 87 XIV. The Three Shouts on Midkena's Hill, 89 XV. Return and Death of the Sons of Turenn, 91 The Overflowing of Lough Neagh, and the Story of Liban the Mermaid. 97 Connla of the Golden Hair and the Fairy Maiden. 106 The Voyage of Maildun. I. Maildun's Childhood and Youth. He begins his Voyage in Quest of the Plunderers who slew his Father,112 II. The First Island. Tidings of the Plunderers, 117 III. The Island of the Monstrous Ants, 119 IV. The Terraced Isle of Birds, 120 V. A Monster, 121 VI. The Demon Horse-Race, 122 VII. The Palace of Solitude, 124 VIII. The Island of the Wonderful Apple Tree, 125 IX. The Island of Bloodthirsty Quadrupeds, 126 X. An Extraordinary Monster, 127 XI. The Isle of Red-Hot Animals, 129 5 XII. The Palace of the Little Cat, 131 XIII. An Island that dyed Black and White, 133 XIV. The Island of the Burning River, 135 XV. The Miller of Hell, 136 XVI. The Isle of Weeping, 137 XVII. The Isle of the Four Precious Walls, 139 XVIII. The Palace of the Crystal Bridge, 139 XIX. The Isle of Speaking Birds, 143 XX. The Aged Hermit and the Human Souls, 143 XXI. The Island of the Big Blacksmiths, 145 XXII. The Crystal Sea, 147 XXIII. A Lovely Country beneath the Waves, 147[xix] XXIV. An Island guarded by a Wall of Water, 148 XXV. A Water-Arch in the Air, 149 XXVI. The Silver Pillar of the Sea, 150 XXVII. An Island standing on One Pillar, 151 XXVIII. The Island Queen detains them with her Magic Thread-Clew, 152 XXIX. The Isle of Intoxicating Wine-Fruits, 156 XXX. The Isle of the Mystic Lake, 157 XXXI. The Isle of Laughing, 163 XXXII. The Isle of the Blest, 164 XXXIII. The Hermit of the Sea-Rock, 164 XXXIV. Signs of Home, 174 XXXV. Maildun meets his Enemy, and arrives Home, 175 The Fairy Palace of the Quicken Trees. I. Colga, King of Lochlann, invades Erin, and is slain, 177 II. Midac, the Son of Colga, meditates Revenge, 181 III. Finn is entrapped by Midac, and held by Enchantment in the Palace of the Quicken Trees, 189 IV. Innsa, Finn's Foster Son, defends the Ford leading to the Palace of the Quicken Trees, 196 V. Ficna, the Son of Finn, defends the Ford, 203 VI. Dermat O'Dyna slays the Three Kings of the Island of the Torrent, breaks the Spell with their Blood, and frees Finn, 213 VII. The Fight at the Ford with the Foreign Army, 219 The Pursuit of the Gilla Dacker and his Horse. I. Arrival of the Gilla Dacker and his Horse, 223 II. Conan and Fifteen of the Fena are carried off by the Gilla Dacker's Horse, 235 III. Pursuit, 239 IV. Dermat O'Dyna, in Quest of the Gilla Dacker, encounters the Wizard-Champion at the Well, 245 V. Dermat O'Dyna in Tir-fa-tonn, 253 VI. Finn, in Quest of Dermat, fights many Battles, 259 VII. Finn and Dermat meet, 265 VIII. Conan and his Companions found and rescued, 267[xx] The Pursuit of Dermat and Grania. I. Finn, the Son of Cumal, seeks the Princess Grania to Wife, 274 II. Dermat O'Dyna secretly espouses the Princess Grania, 277 III. Flight and Pursuit, 285 IV. The Fastness of the Seven Narrow Doors, 289 V. The Three Sea-Champions and their Three Venomous Hounds on the Track of Dermat and Grania, 296 VI. What Befell the Three Sea-Champions and their Three Venomous Hounds, 305 VII. Sharvan, the Surly Giant, and the Fairy Quicken Tree of Dooros, 313 VIII. The Attack of the Witch-Hag, 330 IX. Peace and Rest at Last, 332 X. The Death of Dermat, 334 The Chase of Slieve Cullinn, 351 The Chase of Slieve Fuad, 362 Oisin in Tirnanoge; or, The Last of the Fena, 385 The Voyage of the Sons of O'Corra, 400 The Fate of the Sons of Usna, 427 6 Notes, 455 List of Proper Names, 471 Footnotes, [1] THE FATE OF THE CHILDREN OF LIR; OR, THE FOUR WHITE SWANS. Silent, O Moyle, be the roar of thy water; Break not, ye breezes, your chain of repose; While murmuring mournfully, Lir's lonely daughter Tells to the night-star her tale of woes. Moore. CHAPTER I. BOVE DERG CHOSEN KING OF THE DEDANNANS. After the battle of Tailltenn,[VII.] the Dedannans[1][VIII.] of the five provinces of Erin assembled in one place of meeting, to consider on their state, and to choose a king. For their chiefs said it was better for them to have one king over all, than to be divided, as they were, serving sundry lords and princes. Now of those who expected the sovereignty for themselves, the following chiefs were the noblest, namely:--Bove Derg,[IX.] son of the Dagda; his brother[2] Angus, of Bruga on the Boyne, who, however, had no earnest wish to become king, preferring to remain as he was; Ilbrec of Assaroe; Lir of Shee Finnaha; and Midir the Haughty of Bri-Leth.[1] Then the chief people went into council, all except the five above named; and the decision they came to was to elect Bove Derg, son of the Dagda, king over the whole of the Dedannan race. When the election was made known, none of those who
