The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1885-01-11
an IRISH LEG END.

Storm legends are common In oil old coun-
tries. especially near the sea coast, and some Of
the oldest among them are often blended in
little Incidents OF comparatively recent date.
For instance. the Irish legends Of the shan
kiac or old storm-probably the line storm
which are said to DO even more hair lifting
than the tales OF the banshee. are now identi-
fed with the yarns Of the Fan K.ac. or
woman Of the storm. All tho dreadful things
that ara told OF this strange lady have their
foundation in q simple and sad little story
which plainly shows how old and faded legends
may be restored by the'artists in superatition
who trace fan tastic shadows from commonplace
things. skiliully touch their outlines to suit
the exigencies OF time and locality and exhibit
them to tho best advantage in the doubtful
light OF the peasants reside.
The Van ma Ridc was native OF the noun
tains Of Wicklow where she was called Mol
OF the Storm. or Mad Mol. Her Gaelic title
came to her from otner counties where she had
never been. She WAS young widow. and OF
course. like all young widows. was beautiful
AT all events. she was remarkable for her iow-
ing raven hair. which turned white rather sud
denly. She had one child. little boy. whom
she idozad. One evening in some unaccounta-
BILE manner the child strayed away from home
The mother started out to look for him 1t was
dreary evening in the fall. aud storm was
approaching. The woman wandered about in
the woods calling the child. Soon the TEMPEST
burst upon her i'll al its fury. In terror she
ran 10 the nearest nciElb and called upon
them them TO aid her in her search for the child;
be found. For three days and three nights the
wind blew Hereby and the rain came down in
torrents. During all this time the mother kept
up the fruitess search. un:il at length she fell
down exhausted and Wa rarried to the nearest
cabin. where she WAS kindy cared for and
where it was soon discovered that she had be-
o., A
able for her white hair lI.r insanity was OF a
harmless type. In ordinary weather she could
Blast of sn aporopehns stor ' %n w 1ns rsa
from her spinning wheel listen intent!y for
moment and then rush OF to e2mmence once
no fenr. and would climb the steepest hills and
bound from rock to rock in the most DANGEROUS
by long practice. could he heard in the woods
years her vigorous frame bore all the shocks OF
the martyrdom that had broken her mind.
compassion on her. and, carrying her from an
oeyerhanGine rock on the coast. dropped her
Some time aitsrwald Workmen employed in
removing hrushwood In swampy place not far
ton Of child doubtless the bones q, the babv
OF Mol Of the Storm But many of the peasants
shook their heads and refused 70 believe that
since Mo!l's child had years before been carried
away by the fairies: and in time the report be-
ghost OF MOll travelled with the storm. There
were few among the peasantIy and fishermen
who did not know somebody who had seen her
with huttering garments and her long. white
hair waving in the wind. just as she had often
been seen in life. while most OF them thought
that they had often heard her voice.
Ghost stories travel far and wide with nmaz-
Ing rapdity. II di not take long for Mol OF
the Storm TO be- dreaded in other counties
far from, Wicklow. and in due time she became
the leading lady in the legends Of the Shan
Rae, with the tito OF the Ian Ridc. She is
not always represented as very bad or vicious
kind OF ghost but 1t is considered very I'M
lucky either to hear or SEQ her. In this poet
she is like her sister the banshes. and is just
about rs welcome to the peasantry In the
ho~ling Of the wind old women can hear her
voice. and in the moaning Of the sea old salts
can hear her cas-at least they have said so
thousand times around tho turf fire Of the
small farmers homes where her story is told
witt variations inspired by the ever changing
embers that illustrate il. And when matches
arc scarce and Pat disfigures the fire in the
rude operation of raking out coal to light
his pipe before starting on journey on windy
night. bad luck Is sure to attend h m II the
vanial has broken of the head or the foot Of
anybody's image Of the Van Ridc