Tír na nÓg

“ I was told in many places of Osgar’s bravery and Goll’s strength and Conan’s bitter tongue, and the arguments of Oisin and Patrick. And I have often been given the story of Oisin’s journey to Tir-nan-Og, the Country of the Young, that is, as I am told, “a fine place and everything that is good is in it. ”

“ The princess went to one side with the bird. "What means can I take," asked she, "against the queen to get back my husband? Is it best to kill her, and can I do it?"
"It is very hard," said the bird, "to kill her. There is no one in all Tir na n-Og who is able to take her life but her own husband. Inside a holly-tree in front of the castle is a wether, in the wether a duck, in the duck an egg, and in that egg is her heart and life. No man in Tir na n-Og can cut that holly-tree but her husband."
The princess blew the whistle again. A fox and a hawk came to her. ”

“ The blackbird lilts, the robin chirps, the linnet wearies never,
They pipe to dancing feet of Sidhe and thus shall pipe forever.
In Tir-na’n-Og,
In Tir-na’n-Og,
All in a drift of apple blooms my true love there is roaming,
He will not come although I pray from dawning until gloaming. ”

“ The young lady, therefore, went in search of Fin Mac Cumhail's sons; and having chosen Oisin she found an opportunity to tell him her tale, with the result that he wedded her without delay. The same moment her deformity was gone, and her beauty as perfect as before she was enchanted. Oisin returned to Tir na n'Og with her; and on the first race for the crown he won so easily that no man ever cared to dispute it with him afterwards. So he reigned for many a year, until one day the longing seized him to go to Erin and see his father and his men. ”

“ That open lies upon my knee,—my fixed admiring look
At Uncle Ned, upon the left, whose upright, martial mien.
Whose empty sleeve and gray moustache, proclaim what he has been.
My mother I had always loved; my father then was dead;
But 'twas more than love—'twas worship—I felt for Uncle Ned.
Such tales he had of battle-fields,—the victory and the rout,
The ringing cheer, the dying shriek, the loud exulting shout!
And how, forgetting age and wounds, his eye would kindle bright,
When telling of some desperate ride or close and deadly fight! ”

“ Unfortunately, Mrs. Tyrrel is one of those people. She is an excellent, warm-hearted woman, with a quick temper and very little judgment; strongly attached to Norah, and heartily interested in Norah's welfare. ”

“ Then, noting how the small boy shrank away as if frightened, the girl knelt and held him close in a passionate embrace. “Tirol!” she implored, “Little Tirol, don’t be scared of Nan. ’Twasn’t you she was fierce at. ’Twas him as makes every-body and all the little ones lie and steal. All the little ones that don’t dare not because he would beat them.”
The girl felt Tirol’s frail body trembling in her clasp. “There, there, dearie. You needn’t be afraid. Anselo Spico don’t dare to beat you. He knows if he did, I’d kill him.” ”

“ It has indeed—but, Tyrrel, when was it otherwise with engagements formed in youth and in folly? You and I would, you know, become men and women, while we were yet scarcely more than children—We have run, while yet in our nonage, through the passions and adventures of youth, and therefore we are now old before our day, and the winter of our life has come on ere its summer was well begun.—O Tyrrel! ”

“ Tyrrel—it shall be as you say. My brother obliges me sometimes to go into company at that hateful place down yonder; and I do so because he likes it, and because the folks let me have my own way, and come and go as I list. Do you know, Tyrrel, that very often when I am there, and John has his eye on me, I can carry it on as gaily as if you and I had never met?”
“I would to God we never had,” said Tyrrel, in a trembling voice, “since this is to be the end of all!”
“And wherefore should not sorrow be the end of sin and of folly? ”

“ And above all, my dear Ned, let me entreat you never to enter into any controversy with any person in Goa, be he Portugal or Indian, upon any question of religion. He will seek to lead you on until you have uttered something that is to his mind heretical, and then he’ll denounce you to the Inquisition. And once there, Ned, ’twere far better had you been stabbed in the street by some bravo among the common people, for the few that are escaped thence are come forth crippled and helpless, and the many that han’t never escaped have died by the torture or the fire. ”

“ They are all three equally to blame in this matter. Your uncle was wrong to state his objections so roundly and inconsiderately as he did. Mrs. Tyrrel was wrong to let her temper get the better of her, and to suppose herself insulted where no insult was intended. And Norah was wrong to place a scruple of pride, and a hopeless belief in her sister which no strangers can be expected to share, above the higher claims of an attachment which might have secured the happiness and the prosperity of her future life. ”

“ My father could not help smiling for his soul;—his anger at the worst was never more than a spark,—and the zeal and simplicity of Trim,—and the generous (tho' hobby-horsical) gallantry of my uncle Toby, brought him into perfect good humour with them in an instant. ”

“ It has become proverbial to say of a man who surpasses all others in valour that he is Tyr-strong, or valiant as Tyr. A man noted for his wisdom is also said to be 'wise as Tyr.' Let me give thee a proof of his intrepidity. When the Æsir were trying to persuade the wolf, Fenrir, to let himself be bound up with the chain, Gleipnir, he, fearing that they would never afterwards unloose him, only consented on the condition that while they were chaining him he should keep Tyr's right hand between his jaws. ”

“ The jackal replied, “O nephew, a very scorching wind has arisen.”
“What has happened then?”
“This tiger has said, ‘Where has my lion-grass gone? As he leaves me to feed on remnants, I will assuredly kill him.’ ”
The lion replied, “O uncle, our two mothers said to us just before they died, ‘O children, as ye two have sucked the same dugs, be brothers. The world is full of evil calumniators. Take heed that after we are both dead, ye do not listen to any one among them.’ As they have left such a legacy behind them, do not you speak in that way.” ”

“ I'll get Norry to teach me."
"Norry? Who?" 75
"Why——" she flushed daintily. "That's grandad's wife."
"Then she's your grandmother."
"Oh, no, she isn't. You see the other wife died; she was father's mother and he married Norah. We all call her Norry."
"She doesn't look old enough to be any one's grandmother. And isn't she gay? She has such a merry face, pretty too."
"And she sings such gay songs. She knows all about the fairies, too, and she's seen them at home, that's Ireland. Why don't they come to America?"
"Maybe the witches drive them away. Witches are just awful! Come; let us try again." ”

“ They got up and Nan put her hands on Tira's shoulders—and one hand was numb from that iron clasp—and stood looking at her. Nan was not a kissing woman, but she considered whether she should kiss her, to show she loved her. She thought not. Tira's body had so revolted against life, the life of the earth that had grown up into a jungle, that it would be kinder to leave it inviolate even by a touch. ”

“ I can give no reason, said my uncle Toby———
——Only, cried the corporal, shaking his head, because she has no one to stand up for her——
——’Tis that very thing, Trim, quoth my uncle Toby,——which recommends her to protection——and her brethren with her; ’tis the fortune of war which has put the whip into our hands now——where it may be hereafter, heaven knows!——but be it where it will, the brave, Trim! will not use it unkindly. ”

“ To every man that to the faith would 'long,
Tyrle, tyrle.
The shepherds hied them to Bethlehem
To see that blessed sun's beam;
And there they found that glorious stream,
Tyrle, tyrle.
Now pray we to that meek Child,
And to his mother that is so mild,
The which was never defiled,
Tyrle, tyrle.
[Pg 133] That we may come unto his bliss,
Where joy shall never miss;
That we may sing in Paradise,
Tyrle, tyrle.
I pray you all that be here
For to sing and make good cheer,
In the worship of God this year,
Tyrle, tyrle.
Wright's Songs and Carols. ”

“ The sister began to weep, and said,
"I know you will be killed, and I left alone here in the forest, and forsaken of everybody. I cannot let you go!"
"Then I shall die here with longing," answered the fawn; "when I hear the sound of the horn I feel as if I should leap out of my skin."
Then the sister, seeing there was no help for it,- unlocked the door with a heavy heart, and the fawn bounded away into the forest, well and merry. When the King saw him, he said to his hunters,
"Now, follow him up all day long till the night comes, and see that you do him no hurt." ”

“ Then do not forget, Trim, said my uncle Toby.
A negro has a soul? an’ please your honour, said the corporal (doubtingly) .
I am not much versed, corporal, quoth my uncle Toby, in things of that kind; but I suppose, God would not leave him without one, any more than thee or me——
——It would be putting one sadly over the head of another, quoth the corporal.
It would so; said my uncle Toby. Why then, an’ please your honour, is a black wench to be used worse than a white one? ”

“ The tigress's milk did not do you any good. But you have heard of a princess who lives alone in a castle on a certain high hill. If she could come and touch you, you would become well. Your son will go to this terrible castle, and be certainly killed on the way."
In the evening the king went to see his mother. "Are you better?" he asked.
"No," she said. "The tigress' milk has not benefited me in the least. But I saw in a dream a princess who lives in a certain castle, and heard that if she would come and touch me all would be well. Until she comes I shall never get strong." ”

“ Her complexion was marble-white, like that of the finest piece of statuary.
‘“‘Is it possible?’ said Tyrrel; ‘can grief have made such ravages?’
‘“‘Grief,’ replied Clara, ‘is the sickness of the mind, and its sister is the sickness of the body; they are twin-sisters, Tyrrel, and are seldom long separate. Sometimes the body’s disease comes first, and dims our eyes and palsies our hands before the fire of our mind and of our intellect is quenched. ”

“ And, O son and father,” continued the priest-god, turning to the youth, “Fear not! Happy wilt thou be in the days to come, and treasured among men. Hence thy birth. Return with the Deer and do as thou art told to do. Thy uncle, leading his priest-youths, will be foremost in the hunt. He will pursue thee and thy foster-mother. Lead him far away; and when thou hast so led him, cease running and turn and wait, and peacefully go home whither he guides thee.”
The sounds of the Sacred Dance came in from the outer apartments, and the youth and the Deer, taking their bundle, departed. ”

“ Slop, interrupting Trim, is more detestable than all the rest;—and seems to have been taken from some pettifogging Lawyer amongst you:—Amongst us, a man's conscience could not possibly continue so long blinded;—three times in a year, at least, he must go to confession. Will that restore it to sight, quoth my uncle Toby?—Go on, Trim, quoth my father, or Obadiah will have got back before thou has got to the end of thy sermon;—'tis a very short one, replied Trim.—I wish it was longer, quoth my uncle Toby, for I like it hugely.—Trim went on. ”

“ After this, his uncle had joined him, had talked politics, and just at the end, for the hearty old gentleman could not believe a man could really be cold or indifferent to as beautiful a piece of flesh and blood as his new niece, he had said:
"Tristram, my dear boy,—I don't know whether it is the modern spirit—or not—but, if I were you, I'd be hanged if I would let that divine creature, your wife, out of my sight day or night!—When you get her alone at Wrayth, just kiss her until she can't breathe—and you'll find it is all right!" ”

“ She interrupted him with a low cry of anguish. "But if Tyrker is not found, Sigurd! If Tyrker is not found, Leif will vent his rage upon the nearest excuse. A Norseman in grief is like a bear with a wound: it matters not whom he bites." ”

“ On this the wife dressed herself like a man, and mounted a mare, and girt herself with weapons, and came to the millet-field. She saw the tiger standing beneath the scaffolding, and her husband on the top. She called out: "Oh, farmer!" The man replied: "Life to my lord!" The wife said: "The king is out tiger-hunting. Have seen any tiger's tracks about here two or three days old?" Then the husbandman said to the tiger: "Now, what shall I do? shall I tell or not?" The tiger said: "For God's sake hide me. Who is it that is making inquiries from you?" He said: "It is the king's wazir." ”

“ Carew.
"Poor child, indeed!" said the vicar. "I wonder why Monsieur Gen——," and then he stopped suddenly, thinking, no doubt, that the children were quite curious enough already about their foreign neighbours. "After all, it is not for us to pry into other people's affairs," he said, with a smile. "Teach little Una all you can about the Bible and God's love, Norah; but do not worry her with questions about her father and his doings."
A week later the children went to the Grange for their first morning's lessons with Una. ”

“ But the wicked step-mother was a witch, and had seen how the two children had gone away, and had crept after them privily, as witches do creep, and had bewitched all the brooks in the forest.
Now when they found a little brook leaping brightly over the stones, the brother was going to drink out of it, but the sister heard how it said as it ran, "Who drinks of me will be a tiger; who drinks of me will be a tiger." Then the sister cried, "Pray, dear brother, do not drink, or you will become a wild beast, and tear me to pieces." ”