Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-08-09
ABOUT IRELAND.
Its Legendary and Fairy Lore-A Tale Of
the Lake of Kilhrney-Miiking Of
COws-SuperstitiOns.

Ireland is not very large country,
say 300 miles long by 200 broad. but 1t
contains many places, many things of
interest. The quantity Of Legendary
and fairy lore in Ireland is very con-
siderable. For instance. the Lake of
killarney. one of the most picturesque
in Europe, is said to have been pro-
duced under the following circumstan-
ces: A foreign knight fell in with beau
tiful lady, daughter of man who
lived in and was owner OF charming
valley in the county of Kerry. The
damsel reciprocated the tender senti-
ment The knight. whose morale was
very low, urged her to fly with him;
but, rs he did not say a word about
marriage. she declined his attentions,
assuring him that only rs his wife
could she live with him. The fact that
her birth was comparatively humble
her father being only rich farmer
was stumblng-block in his way, and
the struggle between pride and love
was great. At last, as generally hap
pens, love was the victor, and tho
knight went to the parents OF the
young lady and demanded their con-
sent, which was given, conditionally
on his obtaining hers The talk over
this lasted until the decline of day,
when the twilight was beginning to
cast its shadow over land and water
Al first, when the young lady was in
quircd for, il was usscrtained that she
had gone to Il fairy well in the valley
to bring home II pitcher of water,
which had the advantage it is said. of
remaining icy cold Tor twcniy-four
hour, after 1t was drawn. He hastened
two hand-maidcns. who bore two wa
ter-pitchers nicely balanced on their
heads. with their 1.-the forms gracefully
swaying under them rs they proceeded
homeward. Ere the damsel could ex-
press surprise and anger at his coming
into her presence after his dishonOra-
BILE proposals, he cast his arm around
her waist, pressed her to his heart, told
her that he had obtained her parents
consent to their marriage, and for the
first time imprinted kiss upon her
lips. OF course, he asked her consent
too. Whatever the answer might have
been it was not mo" There was a
good deal of rapture on both sides, to
be sure. and the girls half-iilled
pitcher was forgotten while, in the
gentle cleaning, the lovers on the
green sward forgot all but the joy Of
the present and the blooming hope OF
the future. At last the girl remembered
the fairy well, and the restriction that,
after drawing water from it, large
wooden cover, for that purpose pro-
vided, should be- placed over it. Alas!
there was bubDling fountain bursting
through a rapidly-increasing flood OF
water The lover, bearing her away
in his arms, soon placed her in u place
Of safety. Her patcrnal home was
soon overwhelmed by the water, but
no life, human or otherwise, was lost.
What became of the young lady, tradi-
ton has failed to record.
There is u legend that brave chief
tain, named O'Donoghuc, resides under
the lake of Killarney, and that on every
first day of May, at earliest dawn, he
comes out of the depths. riding on Il
splendid white charger, and surround
ed by noble rctinue of ladies and
knights. This tradition suggested a
subject to Thomas Moore for one of his
Irish melodies, entitled "ODonoghue's
Mistress" in Il note to which is said:
"For many years after his death tho
spirit of this hero is supposed to have
been, on the morning of May Day.
gliding over the lake in his favorite
white horse, to the sound of sweet, un-
earthly music, and preceded by groups
Of youths aud maidcns, who flung
wreaths of delicate Spring flowers in
his path.
There are many legends Of Irish