Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms, and Superstitions of IrelandFolk Magic / White MagicLegend / Oral TraditionEnglish with Irish folklore source materialShareAncient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 2221919 edition - EnglishMoreVersion - 1 available1919 editionLanguageEnglishEspañol‹Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 1Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 2Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 3Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 4Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 5Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 6Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 7Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 8Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 9Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 10Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 11Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 12Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 13Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 14Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 15Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 16Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 17Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 18Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 19Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 20Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 21Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 22Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 23Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 24Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 25Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 26Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 27Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 28Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 29Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 30Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 31Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 32Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 33Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 34Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 35Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 36Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 37Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 38Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 39Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 40Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 41Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 42Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 43Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 44Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 45Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 46Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 47Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 48Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 49Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 50Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 51Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 52Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 53Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 54Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 55Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 56Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 57Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 58Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 59Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 60Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 61Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 62Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 63Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 64Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 65Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 66Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 67Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 68Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 69Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 70Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 71Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 72Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 73Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 74Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 75Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 76Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 77Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 78Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 79Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 80Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 81Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 82Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 83Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 84Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 85Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 86Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 87Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 88Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 89Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 90Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 91Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 92Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 93Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 94Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 95Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 96Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 97Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 98Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 99Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 100Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 101Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 102Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 103Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 104Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 105Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 106Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 107Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 108Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 109Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 110Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 111Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 112Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 113Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 114Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 115Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 116Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 117Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 118Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 119Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 120Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 121Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 122Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 123Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 124Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 125Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 126Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 127Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 128Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 129Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 130Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 131Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 132Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 133Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 134Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 135Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 136Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 137Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 138Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 139Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 140Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 141Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 142Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 143Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 144Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 145Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 146Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 147Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 148Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 149Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 150Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 151Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 152Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 153Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 154Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 155Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 156Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 157Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 158Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 159Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 160Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 161Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 162Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 163Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 164Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 165Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 166Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 167Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 168Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 169Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 170Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 171Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 172Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 173Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 174Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 175Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 176Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 177Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 178Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 179Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 180Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 181Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 182Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 183Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 184Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 185Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 186Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 187Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 188Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 189Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 190Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 191Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 192Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 193Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 194Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 195Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 196Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 197Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 198Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 199Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 200Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 201Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 202Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 203Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 204Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 205Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 206Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 207Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 208Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 209Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 210Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 211Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 212Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 213Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 214Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 215Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 216Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 217Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 218Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 219Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 220Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 221Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 222Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 223Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 224Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 225Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 226Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 227Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 228Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 229Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 230Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 231Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 232Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 233Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 234›The Ride With The Fairies.Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 222ListenPlay this chapter in spoken English.Save chapterListen to chapter1The fairies take great delight in horsemanship, and are splendid riders. Many fine young men are enticed to ride with them, when they dash along with the fairies like the wind, Finvarra himself leading, on his great black horse with the red nostrils, that look like flames of fire. And ever after the young men are the most fearless riders in the country, so the people know at once that they have hunted with the fairies. And after the hunt some favourite of the party is taken to a magnificent supper in the fairy palace, and when he has drunk of the bright red wine they lull him to sleep with soft music. But never again can he find the fairy palace, and he looks in vain for the handsome horseman on his fine black steed, with all the gay young huntsmen in their green velvet dresses, who rushed over the field with him, like a flash of the storm wind. They have passed away for ever from his vision, like a dream of the night. 2Once on a time a gentleman, also one of the Kirwans of Galway, was riding by the fairy hill—where all the fairies of the West hold their councils and meetings, under the rule of Finvarra the king—when a strange horseman, mounted on a fiery black steed, suddenly appeared. But as the stranger bid him the time of day with distinguished grace, Mr. Kirwan returned his greeting courteously, and they rode on together side by side, discoursing pleasantly—for the stranger seemed to know every one and everything, though Mr. Kirwan could not remember ever having seen him before. 3“Now,” said the black horseman, “I know that you are to be at the races to-morrow, so just let me give you a hint: if you wish to be certain of winning, allow me to send you my man to ride your horse. He never failed in a race yet, and he shall be with you early, before the start.” 4With that, at a turn of the road, the stranger disappeared; for he was no other than Finvarra himself, who had a friendly liking for the tribe of the Kirwans, because all the men were generous who came of the blood, and all the women handsome. 5Next morning, as Mr. Kirwan was setting out for the race, his groom told him that a young jockey was waiting to see him. He was the strangest looking little imp, Mr. Kirwan thought, he had ever set eyes on, but he felt compelled to give him all the rights and power that was necessary for the race, and the young imp was off in a moment, like a flash of lightning. 6Mr. Kirwan knew no more—he seemed like one in a dream—till the silver cup was handed to him as winner of the race, and congratulations poured down on him, and every one asked eagerly where he got the wonderful jockey who seemed to make the horse fly like the spirit of the wind itself. But the jockey by this time had disappeared. However, the stranger on the black horse was there, and he constrained Mr. Kirwan to come with him to dinner; and they rode on pleasantly, as before, till they reached a grand, beautiful house, with a crowd of gorgeous servants waiting on the steps to receive the lord and master and his guest. 7One of them led Mr. Kirwan to his room to dress for dinner, and there he found a costly suit of violet velvet ready, in which the valet arrayed him. Then he entered the dining-hall. It was all lit up splendidly, and there were garlands of flowers twining round crystal columns, and golden cups set with jewels for the wine, and golden dishes. 8The host seemed an accomplished man of the world, and did the honours with perfect grace. Conversation flowed freely, while soft music was heard at intervals from invisible players, and Mr. Kirwan could not resist the charm and beauty of the scene, nor the bright red wine that his host poured out for him into the jewelled cups. 9Then, when the banquet was over, a great crowd of ladies and gentlemen came in and danced to sweet low music, and they circled round the guest and tried to draw him into the dance. But when he looked at them it seemed to him that they were all the dead he had once known; for his own brother was there, that had been drowned in the lake a year before; and a man who had been killed by a fall when hunting; and others whose faces he knew well. And they were all pale as death, but their eyes burned like coals of fire. 10And as he looked and wondered, a lovely lady came over to him, wearing a necklace of pearls. And she clasped his wrist with her little hand, and tried to draw him into the circle. 11“Dance with me,” she whispered, “dance with me again. Look at me, for you once loved me.” 12And when he looked at her he knew that she was dead, and the clasp of her hand was like a ring of fire round his wrist; and he drew back in terror, for he saw that she was a beautiful girl he had loved in his youth, and to whom he had given a necklace of pearls, but who died before he could make her his bride. 13Then his heart sank with fear and dread, and he said to his host— 14“Take me from this place. I know the dancers; they are dead. Why have you brought them up from their graves?” 15But the host only laughed and said, “You must take more wine to keep up your courage.” And he poured him out a goblet of wine redder than rubies. 16And when he drank it, all the pageant and the music and the crowd faded away from before his eyes, and he fell into a profound sleep, and knew no more till he found himself at home, laid on his bed. And the servant told him that a strange horseman had accompanied him to the door late in the night, who had charged them to lay the master gently in his bed and by no means to awake him till noon next day, for he was weary after the race; and he bade them take the hunter to the stables and tend him carefully, for the animal was covered with foam, and all trembling. 17At noon Mr. Kirwan awoke, and rose up as well as ever: but of all the fairy revels nothing remained to him but the mark round his wrist of the clasp of a woman’s hand, that seemed burned into his flesh. 18So he knew the night’s adventure was no mere dream of the fancy, and the mark of the dead hand remained with him to his last hour, and the form of the young girl with her necklace of pearls often came before him in a vision of the night; but he never again visited the fairy palace, and never saw the dark horseman any more. As to the silver cup, he flung it into the lake, for he thought it had come to him by devil’s magic and would bring no good luck to him or to his race. So it sank beneath the waves, and the silver cup was seen no more. ‹Previous chapterAncient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 221Next chapterAncient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 223›Similar passagesBy tradition and source labelFind similarCompare selectedCompare with similarAsk Deep ThoughtSelect passages to search for parallels.Tap any verse to select it, then compare selected passages or ask Deep Thought. Public domain in the United States via Project Gutenberg