Old Celtic Romances: Including the Three Sorrows of Irish Storytelling

by P. W. Joyce

Overview

First published in 1879, this famous treasury of tales from Celtic mythology has long been regarded as a classic in the field. The book was compiled by a noted folklorist who selected and translated the tales from rare Gaelic manuscripts into simple, familiar English. Often based on historical events and legends, these popular narratives were handed down from generation to generation, becoming part of a rich body of romantic lore.
Abounding in brave warriors, fair maidens, monsters, and mermaids, the 13 selections feature "The Three Sorrows of Storytelling," metaphorical interpretations of tragic events in Irish history and culture involving the fates of the children of Lir, Turenn, and Usna. Contents include "The Overflowing of Lough Neagh," "The Pursuit of Dermat and Grania," "Connla of the Golden Hair and the Fairy Maiden," "The Voyage of Maildun," "The Fairy Palace of the Quicken Trees," and other fables. Lovers of Celtic mythology and legends will find hours of reading pleasure in this superb collection of some of the oldest and best-loved Irish folktales.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780486826301
Publisher:	Dover Publications
Publication date:	10/23/2017
Series:	Celtic, Irish
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	336
File size:	623 KB

About the Author

Patrick Weston Joyce (1827–1914) was a noted historian who produced many books about Irish history and culture. His expertise in this area made him the ideal translator of these tales from the original Gaelic, and his retellings are highly readable, offering more color and detail than many other interpretations of Irish folklore.

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

BOVE DERG CHOSEN KING OF THE DEDANNANS

After the battle of Tailltenn, the Dedannans 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, son of the Dagda; his brother Angus, of Brugh 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.

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 were disappointed took the matter to heart except Lir of Shee Finnaha alone. And when Lir found that the chiefs had chosen Bove Derg, he was greatly offended, and straightway left the assembly in anger, without taking leave of anyone, and without showing any mark of respect or obedience to the new king.

When the chiefs heard this, they were wroth; and they said they would follow him to Shee Finnaha, and slay him with spear and sword, and bum his house, because he did not yield obedience to the king they had elected in lawful council.

But Bove Derg would not permit them to do so. "This man," he said, "will defend his territory, and many will be slain; and I am none the less your king, although he has not submitted to me."

Matters remained so for a long time. But at last a great misfortune happened to Lir, for his wife died after an illness of three days. This weighed heavily on him, and his heart was weary with sorrow after her. Her death, moreover, was a great event at that time, and was much spoken of throughout Erin.

When the tidings reached the mansion of Bove Derg, where the chief men of the Dedannans were then assembled, the king said: "As Lir's wife is now dead, my friendship would be of service to him, if he were willing to accept it. For I have in my house three maidens, the most beautiful and the best instructed in all Erin, namely, Eve, Eva, and Alva, my own foster children, and daughters of Allil of Ara."

The Dedannans agreed to this, and said that their king had spoken wisely and truly.

Messengers were accordingly sent to Lir, and they were told to say to him —

"If thou art willing to submit to the king, he will give thee for a wife one of his three foster children; and thou shalt have his friendship for ever."

It was pleasing to Lir to make this alliance; and accordingly he set out next day from Shee Finnaha with a company of fifty chariots; and they never halted or turned aside till they reached the palace of Bove Derg, on the shore of the Great Lake. Their arrival gave much joy and happiness to the king and his household; for although Lir did not submit at first to Bove Derg, he was a good man, and was greatly beloved by the king himself and by all his subjects. So Lir and his followers got a kindly welcome; and they were supplied with everything necessary, and were well attended to that night.

Next day, the three daughters of Allil of Ara sat on the same couch with the queen, their foster mother; and the king said to Lir: "Take thy choice of the three maidens, and whichever thou choosest, she shall be thy wife."

"They are all beautiful," said Lir, "and I cannot tell which of them is best; but I will take the eldest, for she must be the noblest of the three."

Then the king said, "Eve is the eldest, and she shall be given to thee if it be thy wish." So Lir chose Eve for his wife, and they were wedded that day.

Lir remained a fortnight in the king's palace, and then departed with his wife to his own house, Shee Finnaha, where he celebrated his marriage by a great royal wedding feast.

CHAPTER 2

THE CHILDREN OF LIR

IN course of time, Lir's wife bore him two children at a birth, a daughter and a son, whose names were Finola and Aedh. A second time she brought forth twins, two sons, who were named Fiachra and Conn: and she died in giving them birth. This was a cause of great anguish to Lir; and he would almost have died of grief, only that his mind was turned from his sorrow by his great love for his four little children.

When the news of Eve's death reached the mansion of Bove Derg, the king was in deep grief, and the people of his household raised three great cries of lamentation for her. And when their mourning was ended, the king said —

"We grieve for our foster child, both on her own account, and for the sake of the good man to whom we gave her; for we are thankful for his alliance and his friendship. But our acquaintance shall not be ended, and our alliance shall not be broken; for I will give him her sister to wife, my second foster child, Eva."

Messengers were sent to Lir to Shee Finnaha, to tell him of this; and he consented. So after some time he came to the king's house to espouse her, and they were united; and he brought her home with him to his own house.

The four children grew up under Eva's care. She nursed them with great tenderness, and her love for them increased every day. They slept near their father; and he would often rise from his own bed at the dawn of morning, and go to their beds, to talk with them and to fondle them.

The king, Bove Derg, loved them almost as well as did their father. He went many times every year to Shee Finnaha to see them; and he used to bring them often to his palace, where he kept them as long as he could on each occasion, and he always felt sad when he sent them home.

At this time, too, the Dedannans used to celebrate the Feast of Age at the houses of their chiefs by turns; and whenever it happened that the festival was held at Shee Finnaha, these children were the delight and joy of the Dedannans. For nowhere could four lovelier children be found; so that those who saw them were always delighted with their beauty and their gentleness, and could not help loving them with their whole heart.

CHAPTER 3

THE FOUR CHILDREN OF LIR ARE TURNED INTO FOUR WHITE SWANS BY THEIR STEPMOTHER

Now when Eva saw that the children of Lir received such attention and affection from their father, and from all others that came to his house, she fancied she was neglected on their account; and a poisonous dart of jealousy entered her heart, which turned her love to hatred; and she began to have feelings of bitter enmity for her sister's children.

Her jealousy so preyed on her that she feigned illness, and lay in bed for nearly a year, filled with gall and brooding mischief; and at the end of that time she committed a foul and cruel deed of treachery on the children of Lir.

One day she ordered her horses to be yoked to her chariot, and she set out for the palace of Bove Derg, bringing the four children with her.

Finola did not wish to go, for it was revealed to her darkly in a dream that Eva was bent on some dreadful deed; and she knew well that her stepmother intended to kill her and her brothers that day, or in some other way to bring ruin on them. But she was not able to avoid the fate that awaited her.

When they had gone some distance from Shee Finnaha on their way to the palace, Eva tried to persuade her attendants to kill the children. "Kill them, and you shall be rewarded with all the wordly wealth you may desire; for their father loves me no longer, and has neglected and forsaken me on account of his great love for these children."

But they heard her with horror, and refused, saying: "We will not kill them. Fearful is the deed thou hast contemplated, 0 Eva; and evil will surely befall thee for having even thought of killing them."

Then she took the sword to slay them herself; but her woman's weakness prevented her, and she was not able to strike them. So they set out once more, and fared on till they came to the shore of Lake Darvra, where they alighted, and the horses were unyoked.

She led the children to the edge of the lake, and told them to go to bathe; and as soon as they had got into the clear water, she struck them one by one with a druidical fairy wand, and turned them into four beautiful snow-white swans. And she addressed them in these words —

Out to your home, ye swans, on Darvra's wave;
After this, the four children of Lir turned their faces to their stepmother; and Finola spoke —

"Evil is the deed thou hast done, 0 Eva; thy friendship to us has been a friendship of treachery; and thou hast ruined us without cause. But the deed will be avenged; for the power of thy witchcraft is not greater than the druidical power of our friends to punish thee; and the doom that awaits thee shall be worse than ours."

Our stepmother loved us tong ago;
Finola again spoke and said: "Tell us now how long we shall be in the shape of swans, so that we may know when our miseries shall come to an end."

"It would be better for you if you had not put that question," said Eva; "but I shall declare the truth to you, as you have asked me. Three hundred years on smooth Lake Darvra; three hundred years on the Sea of Moyle, between Erin and Alban; three hundred years at Irros Domnann and at Inis Glora on the Western Sea. Until the union of Largnen, the prince from the north, with Decca, the princess from the south; until the Taillkenn shall come to Erin, bringing the light of a pure faith; and until ye hear the voice of the Christian bell. And neither by your own power, nor by mine, nor by the power of your friends, can ye be freed till the time comes."

Then Eva repented what she had done; and she said: "Since I cannot afford you any other relief, I will allow you to keep your own Gaelic speech; and ye shall be able to sing sweet, plaintive, fairy music, which shall excel all the music of the world, and which shall lull to sleep all that listen to it. Moreover, ye shall retain your human reason; and ye shall not be in grief on account of being in the shape of swans."

And she chanted this lay —

Depart from me, ye graceful swans:
Depart from me, ye snow-white swans With your music and Gaelic speech:
Victorious Ur, your hapless sire,
Through circling ages of gloom and fear Your anguish no tongue can tell;
Then ordering her steeds to be yoked to her chariot she departed westwards, leaving the four white swans swimming on the lake.

Our father shall watch and weep in vain;
CHAPTER 4

THE FOUR WHITE SWANS ON LAKE DARVRA

When Eva arrived at the house of Bove Derg, the chiefs bade her welcome; and the king asked her why she had not brought the children of Lir to him.

"Because," she replied, "Lir no longer loves thee; and he does not wish to entrust his children to thee, lest thou shouldst harm them."

The king was greatly astonished and troubled at this, and he said: "How can that be? For I love those children better than I love my own."

But he thought in his own mind that Eva had played some treachery on them. And he sent messengers with all speed northwards to Shee Finnaha, to inquire for the children, and to ask that they might be sent to him.

When the messengers had told their errand, Lir was startled; and he asked, "Have the children not reached the palace with Eva?"

They answered, "Eva arrived alone, and she told the king that you refused to let the children come."

A sad and sorrowful heart had Lir when he heard this; and he now felt sure that Eva had destroyed his four lovely children. So, early next morning, his chariot was yoked for him, and he set out with his attendants for the king's palace; and they travelled with all speed till they arrived at the shore of Lake Darvra.

The children of Lir saw the cavalcade approaching; and Finola spoke these words —

I see a mystic warrior band From yonder brow approach the strand;
Ah! well I know that proud array;
Como, brothers dear, approach the coast,
When Lir came to the shore, he heard the birds speaking, and, wondering greatly, he asked them how it came to pass that they had human voices.

"Know, 0 Lir," said Finola, "that we are thy four children, who have been changed into swans and ruined by the witchcraft of our stepmother, our own mother's sister, Eva, through her baleful jealousy."

When Lir and his people heard this, they uttered three long mournful cries of grief and lamentation.

After a time, their father asked them, "Is it possible to restore you to your own shapes?"

"It is not possible," replied Finola. "No man has the power to release us until Largnen from the north and Decca from the south are united. Three hundred years we shall be on Lake Darvra; three hundred years on the sea-stream of Moyle; three hundred years on the Sea of Glora in the west. And we shall not regain our human shape till the Taillkenn comes with his pure faith into Erin, and until we hear the voice of the Christian bell."

And again the people raised three great cries of sorrow.

"As you have your speech and your reason," said Lir, "come now to land, and ye shall live at home, conversing with me and my people."

"We are not permitted to leave the waters of the lake, and we cannot live with our people any more. But the wicked Eva has allowed us to retain our human reason, and our own Gaelic speech; and we have also the power to chant plaintive, fairy music, so sweet that those who listen to us would never desire any other happiness. Remain with us to-night, and we will chant our music for you."

Lir and his people remained on the shore of the lake; and the swans sang their slow, fairy music, which was so sweet and sad, that the people, as they listened, fell into a calm, gentle sleep. At the glimmer of dawn next morning, Lir arose, and he bade farewell to his children for a while, to seek out Eva.

The time has come for me to part: —
Dark was the day when first brought This Eva in my home to dwell!
I lay me down to rest in vain;
Finola, once my pride and joy;v Dark Aedh. adventurous and bold;
Struck down on Darvra's reedy shore,
Lir then departed, and travelled south-west till he arrived at the king's palace, where he was welcomed; and Bove Derg began to reproach him, in presence of Eva, for not bringing the children.

"Alas!" said Lir; "it was not by me that the children were prevented from coming. But Eva, your own foster child, the sister of their mother, has played treachery on them; and has changed them by her sorcery into four white swans on Lake Darvra."

(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "Old Celtic Romances"
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Table of Contents

"THE FATE OF THE CHILDREN OF LIR; OR, THE FOUR WHITE SWANS "
I. Bove Derg chosen King of the Dedannans
II. The Children of Lir
III. The Four Children of Lir are turned into Four White Swans by their Stepmother
IV. The Four White Swans on Lake Darvra
V. The Four White Swans on the Sea of Moyle
VI. The Four White Swans on the Western Sea
VII. The Children of Lir regain their Human Shape and die
"THE FATE OF THE CHILDREN OF TURENN; OR, THE QUEST FOR THE ERIC-FINE "
I. The Lochlanns invade Erin
II. The Murder of Kian
III. Defeat and Flight of the Lochlanns
IV. The Eric-Fine on the Sons of Turenn for the Slaying of Kian
V. "The Sons of Turenn obtain Mannanan's Canoe, the Wave-Sweeper "
VI. The Apples of the Garden or Hisberma
VII. The Gifted Skin of the Pig
VIII. The Blazing Spear of the King of Persia
IX. The Chariot and Steeds of the King of Sigar
X. The Seven Pigs of the King of the Golden Pillars
XI. The Hound-Whelp of the King of Iroda
XII. "Return of the Sons of Turenn, with part of the Eric-Fine "
XIII. The Cooking-Spit of the Women or Fincara
XIV. The Three Shouts on Midkena's Hill
XV. Return and Death of the Sons of Turenn
"THE OVERFLOWING OF LOUGH NEAGH, AND THE STORY OF LIBAN THE MERMAID."
CONNLA OF THE GOLDEN HAIR AND THE FAIRY MAIDEN
THE VOYAGE OF MAILDUN
I. Maildun's Childhood and Youth; he begins his Voyage in Quest of the Plunderers who slew his Father
II. The First Island; Tidings of the Plunderers
III. The Island of the Monstrous Ants
IV. The Terraced Isle of Birds
V. A Monster
VI. The Demon Horse-Race
VII. The Palace of Solitude
VIII. The Island of the Wonderful Apple Tree
IX. The Island of Bloodthirsty Quadrupeds
X. An Extraordinary Monster
XI. The Isle of Red-Hot Animals
XII. The Palace of the Little Cat
XIII. An Island that Dyed Black and White
XIV. The Island of the Burning River
XV. The Miller of Hell
XVI. The Isle of Weeping
XVII. The Isle of the Four Precious Walls
XVIII. The Palace of the Crystal Bridge
XIX. The Isle of Speaking Birds
XX. The Aged Hermit and the Human Souls
XXI. The Island of the Big Blacksmiths
XXII. The Crystal Sea
XXIII. A Lovely Country beneath the Waves
XXIV. An Island Guarded by a Wall of Water
XXV. A Water-Arch in the Air
XXVI. The Silver Pillar of the Sea
XXVII. An Island Standing on One Pillar
XXVIII. The Island Queen detains them with her Magic Thread-Clew
XXIX. The Isle of Intoxicating Wine-Fruits
XXX. The Isle of the Mystic Lake
XXXI. The Isle of Laughing
XXXII. The Isle of the Blest
XXXIII. The Hermit of the Sea-Rock
XXXIV. Signs of Home
XXXV. "Maildun meets his Enemy, and arrives Home"
THE FAIRY PALACE OF THE QUICKEN TREES
I. "Colga, King of Lochlann, invades Erin, and is slain"
II. "Midac, the Son of Colga, meditates Revenge"
III. "Finn is entrapped by Midac, and held by Enchantment in the Palace of the Quicken Trees"
IV. "Innsa, Finn's Foster-Son, defends the Ford leading to the Palace of the Quicken Trees"
V. "Ficna, the Son of Finn, defends the Ford"
VI. "Dermat O'Dyna slays the Three Kings of the Island of the Torrent, breaks the Spell with their Blood, and frees Finn"
VII. The Fight at the Ford with the Foreign Army
THE PURSUIT OF THE GIOLLA DACKER AND HIS HORSE
I. Arrival of the Giolla Dacker and his Horse.
II. Conan and Fifteen of the Fena are carried off by the Giolla Dacker's Horse
III. Pursuit
IV. "Dermat O'Dyna, in Quest of the Giolla Dacker, encounters the Wizard-Champion at the Well,"
V. Dermat O'Dyna in Tir-fa-thonn
VI. "Finn, in Quest of Dermat, fights many Battles"
VII. Finn and Dermat meet
VIII. Conan and his Companions found and rescued
THE PURSUIT OF DERMAT AND GRANIA
I. "Finn, the Son of Cumhal, seeks the Princess Grania to Wife"
II. Dermat O'Dyna secretly espouses the Princess Grania
III. Flight and Pursuit
IV. The Fastness of the Seven Narrow Doors
V. The Three Sea-Champions and their Three Venomous Hounds on the Track of Dermat and Grania
VI. What Befell the Three Sea-Champions and their Three Venomous Hounds
VII. "Sharvan, the Surly Giant, and the Fairy Quicken Tree of Dooros"
VIII. The Attack or the Witch-Hag
IX. Peace and Rest at Last
X. The Death of Dermat
THE CHASE OF SLIEVE CULLINN
THE CHASE OF SLIEVE FUAD
"OISIN IN TÍR NA NÓG; OR, THE LAST OF THE FENA "
THE VOYAGE OF THE SONS OF O'CORRA
THE FATE OF THE SONS OF USNA
NOTES
LIST OF PROPER NAMES

Editorial Reviews

An anthology of 13 stories that Joyce (1827-1914) selected and translated from Gaelic manuscripts at Trinity College and the Royal Irish Academy in Dublin. Most are familiar to scholars of Irish or Celtic mythology. The English is slightly stilted, but quite readable. Rather than explain how to pronounce the Irish names, he writes them phonetically in English and appends a list of correspondences; footnotes explain peculiar references. The reprint is from the third, expanded edition published by Longman, Green in London; the 1879 and 1894 editions were published by David Nutt, London. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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