New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-08
IRISH STORIES.
A BOOK RAOY OF THE SOD.

mons. Leprechauns Banshees Fairies. Witches;
Widows Old Maids. and other Marves OF the Emerald
Isle. Popular Tales told by the people. BY ID. r
McAYALLY Jr. Illustrated by II. r HEAroS. SIN.
Alto, PIP 21s. Hsughton, Mffiin Il Co.
Although there exists a large literature of Irish
stories the number of really excellent collections
can be counted on the fingers Of one hand. The
names of Banim, Carleton, Lover and Lever stand
at the head of the list though even among them
there great differences of merit, and especially
in regard to the reproduction of that quaint humor
of which the Irish peasant possesses almost a
monopoly. The new volume written by Mr.
McAnally however recalls the most famous of the
earlier Hibernian raconteurs, and it challenges
comparison with all of them in the most important
and difficult points. 1t is collection Of genuine
popular tales about all the queer things named
on the title-page, and told in the very words OF
the people, with all their oddity of expression,
their wealth Of imagination, their naive anachron-
isms and their relishing brogue We even doubt
il any of the famous writer's named above, save
and except Samuel Lover has succeeded so well
as Mr McAnally i'll catching the sound and haVor
of the Irish-Engsh which is so racy and piquant
as uttered by true son of the sod
The fidelity of the phonetics, however, is but
one of the merits Of the book. What completes
its fascination is the thorough incorporation of the
Irsn ways OF looking at things the surprslns
blending of the homeliest matter Of fact with the
most daring flights of fancy. Here, for example,
is bit from description Of an Guild anshlent'
King of Athenry:
An he was the besht King in Ireland, an
sorra q beggar ud come to the dure, but the
King 'ud come out III his gown an shippers an
AK him how he come to be poor, an SIND nm
round to the kitchen to be arr n vita a ba
was in the PANTRY. All the people riz up wiln he
was a-wallIin down the shtratc wld big gooid-
top shtick in his hand, an the crown a-Smnn on
his head, an they said God save yer Holiness
an he said God save We kindly mighty pernta.
beSase he was dacant hammered ould King, an
'ud shpake to poor divil that hadn't coat on
a goold watch an a shiny hat. An whln he wlnt
into shop, sure they niver aXed him to show the
color av his money at ALL but the man ,ud say.
God save vel Sure We can pay whin ye plaze, an
I'll sind II be the postman whin he goes by. An
the ould King nd say, Oh, ! wont throublc ye
King 'ud go, wild his bundles undher his arm an
the crown on his head, as happy as wildly wld
a new husband
All the stories are told in the
same natural, fluent, thoroughly Characteristic
way. The ideas of the :" ould anshient times
entertained by the modern peasants are delight
fully funny. The aforementioned King of Athen-
~ had six friends, also Kings, and Foor times
year they'd all come to Athenry fur bit av n
ouldest av thin, an they thought the worruld
an all av him. Then comes the stOry-tellcrs
notion of their doings. Fax, it mighty
improvin' to see thin all a-gon TO chapel in the
mornn an singin' an drinkin' an payin'
whisht in the avenin' Sure thin was the blessed
days for the counthry.'
The story Of the tanning of the Poola by King
Bryan Boru is extremely good, especially in the
account Of the measures taken by that willy mon
arch to circumvent the demon horse. The latter
could not attack any one engaged in an errand of
mercy, SO the King to protect himself in a pur-
posed interview with the Pooka, caused one Of
his servants to convey TO HIM message to
the effect that mythical widow was in distress
and required his services. Now, the servant,
being but plain SOUL objected to this" Sure
phat'll be the good O. that?" says the man. It'll
be lie, an won't work" But the King knew
better.
% Do you be aisy in yer mind says the King
20 him agin, do as yer towd and don't argy
for that's pint OF mettyfisicS, says he, for 1t
was dale of deep larnin' he had, that's pint
av mettyisics an the more We argy thin
subjics the less We know says he, an it's thrue
for him"
So the King circumvented" the Pooka COM
pletely and tanned the wicked creature-lt is true,
in rather partial manner.
There is one popularity in these stories. The
narrators Of the them, with scarcely exception,
are represented as speaking of lovely women
! with cynicism and lack Of confidence sugges-
1 tive rather Of a number of misogynists than
average examples of the proverbially gallant
| and devoted children Of Erin. We have slximm d
/ the volume only in bringing to the surface the
! following bitter and uncompmentary reflections
| on the subject of the sea.
Musha thin, It's quarc thing entirely that
min like wan woman betther than another B,got,
] it's my belafe Savln yer presence. that thele
| not the differ av could pitaty bechune thin all
| when it's q question of marryin' av thin
| an IL the whole worruld knew that same, 1t !,
| few hurried heads tbere'd be along o the wlmmln
BIT it's my consate that they was all fools 70
! be afther 6ghtin' consarnin' wan woman WIN
the worruld is full O thin, an any wan compel n
to give o man plenty to think av, bekase whin
she gives her attintion to 1t, any woman cal
| be the devil completely
"Och, the tongues that wlmmin have Sure
| they're sharper nor draggin's tooth falth
know that WELL too for married two o them
an larned dale too. after dom 1t. an aXir
yer pardon,it's my belafe that II min knew q
/ much before marryin' as afther bcdaI, the Ole
maid population 'ud b. greatlv increased"
Now, it's my consate that It's aiser for hun
thatch than for two wimmin 20 dhraw wathel
out av the same well widont aitch wan calm
the other wan all the names she can get out aV
her head"
Wildly wimmin are like Holsters whin they
| wanst ketch holt, begot, they've no consate av
lettin' 60 at oil, but will shtiok to ye tighter
than toe-nail till we've aither 20 marry thin OF
murther thim that's the one thing in the end
for il We marry thin ye'rc talked 10 death. M
il We murther thin ycrc only dacintly hanged
out o. the front due o the Jail"
One of the most amusing stories in the book is
4 d h. nnf. 1t h. in xki an aid