The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-12-16

A LEGEND OF IRELAND,


people or fairies, in whom many of the ma.
tives of Ireland place implicit belief Ac.
cording 10 the received tradition, this sprite
ls brogue-maker TO the rest of the Fay.fra.
termty: and it is when thus engaged his
whereahout is discovered in the deep recess
ses OF some tangled wood, his captor being
led to the spot by the sounds which proceed
from the tapping Of his little hammer upon
the sole OF the little shoe he is at work
upon. Once caught it is in the power OF
his capturer to demand any amount of bn.
RED treasure, or, if he choose, insist upon
having the LePrehawn's purse; this holds
but one gold piece. but possesses the magic
power of feplenishing itself as quickly as
its contents are withdrawn. The little fairy
Is, however, no small trickster, and many
instances are on record Of his cheating his
temporary master. by giving. in leu Of the
purse OF gold, worthless affair, enriched
with only one copper coin, and void Of all
reproducing powers.
Other traditions invest the good peoples
brogue-maker with the power of removing
personal defects, and bestowing good looks
and grace in the place Of deformity and
awkwsrdness. The following legend is
one have been familiar with from child
hood; will relate it as nearly as my mem.
DRY serves. in the language Of the dear old
woman from whom first heard il:
sis it behave in thin? Mushal thin av
coorse do! Faith, why not? Shure it s
my own blessed grandmother hard what
I'm goin' TO I'LL yez, from the father that
owned her, and its consuming his own
grandfather he was spanking. You see,
honey, be all accounts, he was a little wee
BIZ OF crock of child, with mighty
hne brow, and sweet curlin' hair as black
as bad mans heart, and an eye that would
lead glow-worrum asthray in dark night,
and take the love out Of all that looked up
on II in the bright day. But it's mighty
allIn' ne was from his birth, and the poor
back OF him was as twisted as the letter S
itself! Its little he minded il for many
long year, for he was beloved by his strap.
PIN SIX feet brothers, and shure his father
had ever the kind word for the Daunchy
little thing; and as for his mother! o, thin |
ITS only mother, and mothers heart. |
knows the depth of its love for the child
that bears the worlds blight upon it!
shed winnin ways wild him, had little
Paudeen; there was the music OF the wild
birds IN his sweet voice, and many and
many time, young and ould would listen
TO him singing the ould songs he liked, ill
the big tears would hang upon their cheeks,
and their thanks would die upon their lips,
and all they could give him for his pains
would be an unheard blessing, an gintle
pat upon the head, whin they hurried away
widout spaking. as if they feared to drive
the sweet SOUNDS from their ears, where they
loved to keep them.
"Among the listeners, acushlal there was
as I've hard tell, the purtyest creature that
ever set foot on the green grass! faith, the
sight OF her cheeks would wither rosebud,
and her teeth be the death Of lily itself.
And who but Aleen-that was the name,
honey, she had upon her-who but her was
gone forever in love with the twisted little
Paudeen. And this darlint, this was the ,
way he found il out. Many and many
night bed walk to the ould wood beyant
his fathers cabin, and sittin' him down at .
The fut Of favorite wild oak tree, sing by 5
The hour all alone by himself. Well, who !
but Aleen knew this? and whose fut was it !;
but hers that left its small print on the
levy turf as she'd steal out TO listen to his !;
'ones, not with her ears but heart, for there !
wasn't word that came from his lips, or 4
'ound that gave it birth. that didn't nestle .
mug in there, as little bird under its \
mothers wing.
'Shure. there was wild bastes used 10 be
prowlin' about in thin ould times; and one
'lssssd night Psudeen was reused by a r.
cream that would almost wake the dead. e
md shure its leaving him he thought the II,
anses OF him was, or that he saw ghost il. il
ELF. whin. with face pale as white frost r,
ileen rushed through the thick branches of Il
he underwood, and fell like a dead angel :,
Il his feet. It's a small time he had for .
ookin' at her jud thin for the left arm oil i
nm seemed bitten through and throueh with v,
ed hot teeth. A wolf had closed his laws a,
lpon that same. Il wasn't long he enioyed 4
himself there, sucking better blood than ID
Yer he'd been in his blageasd body. for o,
'andeen drove the bIads Of kis hunting r.
.nifs betwixt the ibs OF d. maraudinS n
hale. and drove and dove. md cut and IA