Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1825-10-22
From the Legends and Traditions of the south
of Ireland.
THE LEGEND OF kNOCkSHE
OGOW Ma.
ESSEN.

=
OGOW MA.
"In Tippersry Is one OF the most sin-
gularly shaped hills IN the world. /,
has got peak at the Top, like conical
night cap thrown carelessly over youf
head, as you awake in the morning. On
the very point is butt sort OF lodge,
where IN The summer the lady who bull,
il and her friends used 10 go ON parties
OF pleasure; but that was long alter the
DAYS oil the fairies, and Il is, | believe,
now deserted.
Blu, before lodge was built or acre
sown, there was close 10 the mead OF the
hill large paslurage, where herds
man spent his days and nights among
the herd. The spo, had been an old
fairy ground, and The good people were
angry that the scene OF their light and
airy gambols should be trampled by The
rude boots of catlle, sounded sad IN their
ears, and the chief OF The fairies OF The
hill determined In person to drive away
the new corners, and the way she though'
oil was this. When the harvest nights
came on, and the moon shone bright and
brilliant over the hill, and the ca.,le
were lying down hushed and quiet, and
the herdsman, wrapped IN his mantle,
was musing with his heart giaddened by
the glorious number OF stars twnkilng
above him, balhed IN the flood OF llBht
bursting all over the sky, she would
come and dance before him--now in one
shape-now in another-6ut all ugly
and irightlul 10 behold. One time she
would be great horse, wNh the wings
OF an eagle, and tail like dragon, his
sing loud and sphtinB hire. hen Ih a
moment she would change INTO lille
man, lame OF leg, win a buiis head,
aud lambert flame playing round it,
Tnen into a great ape, WITH ducks feet,
and turkycock's tail. Butl should be
all day about !, were to tell you all The
shapes she TOOK. And then she would
roar, or neigh, or hiss, or below, or howl,
or boot, as nevery yet was roaring, neigh
ing, Kissing, believing, nov ling, or hoot-
ing, heard in this world before or since.
The poor herdsman would cover his face,
and call on all the SAINTS Tor help, but II
was no use. Wnh one puff oil her breath
she would blow away the told OF his
great coat, let him hold it ever SO tightly
over his eyes, aud not saint IN Heaven
paid him the slightest attention. And to
make matters worse, he never could
stir; no, nor even shut his eyes, but
there was obliged 10 stay, held by what
power he knew not, gazing at these ter
ribie sights, until the hair OF his head
would lif. his hat half foot over his
crown, and his teeth would be ready to
fall out from Gathering. But the cattle
would scamper about mad, as it they
were bitten by the fly; and this would
las, until the sun rose over the hill.
" The poor cattle, from want OF rest,
were pining away, and food did them no
good; besides, they met with accidents
without end. Never a nigh, passed that
some Of them did not fall into a pit and
get MANNED, or may DO h,iicd. Some
would tumble into river, and be drown
ed in word, there seemed never to be
an end to the accidents. But what made
the matter worse, there could not be a
herdsman got to tend the cattle by night.
One visi, from the fairy drove the Stout
est-hearted almost mad. The owner Of
the ground did not know what to do. He
offered double, treble, quadruple wages,
but not . man could be found Tor the