Myths and Folk-Lore of Ireland. Jeremiah Curtin

You inherit the name and possibly the blood of one of the great lawgivers of Europe—Howell Dda, or Howell the Good, of Wales. The name has come down to us in three forms, I believe—Powell (shortened from Ap Howell, son of Howell), Howell, and Howells.

The Welsh or Kymric people, whether at home, or abroad, are famous for devotion to letters and the effectual and tender care with which they have guarded and cherished the language of their fathers—a language which contains so much that is beautiful, so much that it would be a sin to let die.

In many States of our Union the Kymri meet at great festivals, where they contend for rewards of literary excellence with a spirit which gives them a place of peculiar distinction among men who have settled America.

In their native land, Welshmen have maintained their intellectual integrity with such resolution and success that the great English statesman of the age, in noting this fact, has described the people, with their country, in three words which will be associated henceforth with the name of William Ewart Gladstone.

These three words are, "Gallant little Wales."

To you, a distinguished American of Kymric descent, I beg to inscribe this my first contribution to the ancient lore of the Kelts, because you are deeply devoted to the early history of man, and because through you I wish to express my respect for the people of Wales, whose action deserves to be studied and weighed by their kinsmen, the Gael of Alba and Erin.

Jeremiah Curtin.

Cascade Mountains,

State of Washington,

Nov. 30, 1889.

INTRODUCTION.

Table of Contents

The myth tales in the present volume were collected by me personally in the West of Ireland, in Kerry, Galway, and Donegal, during the year 1887.

All the tales in my collection, of which those printed in this volume form but a part, were taken down from the mouths of men who, with one or two exceptions, spoke only Gaelic, or but little English, and that imperfectly. These men belong to a group of persons, all of whom are well advanced in years, and some very old; with them will pass away the majority of the story-tellers of Ireland, unless new interest in the ancient language and lore of the country is roused.

For years previous to my visit of 1887 I was not without hope of finding some myth tales in a good state of preservation. I was led to entertain this hope by indications in the few Irish stories already published, and by certain tales and beliefs that I had taken down myself from old Irish persons in the United States. Still, during the earlier part of my visit in Ireland I was greatly afraid that the best myth materials had perished. Inquiries as to who might be in possession of these old stories seemed fruitless for a considerable time. The persons whom I met that were capable of reading the Gaelic language had never collected stories, and could refer only in a general way to the districts in which the ancient language was still living. All that was left was to seek out the old people for whom Gaelic is the every-day speech, and trust to fortune to find the story-tellers.

Comforting myself with the old Russian proverb that "game runs to meet the hunter," I set out on my pilgrimage, giving more prominence to the study and investigation of Gaelic, which, though one of the two objects of my visit, was not the first. In this way I thought to come more surely upon men who had myth tales in their minds than if I went directly seeking for them. I was not disappointed, for in all my journeyings I did not meet a single person who knew a myth tale or an old story who was not fond of Gaelic and specially expert in the use of it; while I found very few story-tellers from whom a myth tale could be obtained unless in the Gaelic language; and in no case have I found a story in the possession of a man or woman who knew only English.

Any one who reads the myth tales contained in this volume will find that they are well preserved. At first thought it may seem quite wonderful that tales of this kind should be found in such condition while the whole body of tales are passing away so rapidly; on examination, however, this will appear not only reasonable, but as

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