The Lamar register., 1906-04-25
THE BODACH
OF GLENMORAN
IAN Irish Folk Tale
By SEUMAS MACMANUS


|
as the apple of his eye to him. A
brave boy the son was when he grew
up, and nothing would do him but he
would go away to pi5h his fortune.
When he was going off, Crohoore
warned him on the peril of his life not
| to hire with the Bodach of Glenmoran,
| for though he offered big wages to en-
| tice men into his power, he always
managed to make the man hired with
him rue the day. The lad when he was
| going off promised to mind this, but
on his way through Glenmoran who
should he meet but the Bodach himself,
and the Bodach asked where he was
going and what he was looking for.
81 am going" says the young fellow,
says he. ito push my fortune. ! am
looking for n good master"
THAT is lucky" says the Bodach.
says he, for am looking for a good
man. VIII you hire with me?"
NO" says the young fellow. II Will
not hire with you, because my father
warned me against you. and said 1t
would be worse for me If / did. for that
you were very bad entirely to your
boys"
you for year and a day, and give you
gold guinea every day of them, pro-
vided.' says he. that you do every
thing you are bid. and that you will
never say you rued the day you hired
with me; and" says the Bodach. "(for
l like to be just | will engage for my
part that If ever say | rue the day
| hired you, your wages will be dou-
bled. and. moreover, should either of
us be guilty of ruling the day, the other
will have leave to draw him at a cart
tail. and fog him through the nine
towns
Well, these looked grand wages en-
tirely to Crohoore's poor son, and,
thinking of the rich man he would go
back home, he couldn't help but agree
20 them, and away home with the Bo-
dach he went.
The very next day. when the young
| fellow got his breakfast. the Bodach
took him out and sent him with a pillow
and a pair of horses into a park that
was three miles every way. And says
the Bodach. says he:
your dinner will be ready for you
when you are done blowing that field
but don't on the peril of your life come
in till the last sod is turned"
The poor fellow when he looked at
the size of the field. three miles every
way. and thought that he wasn't to
get dinner till he had every sod of 1t
turned, his heart went down to his
boots. and little wonder. But he fell
to anyhow. and he began to pillow, and
every furrow took him two hours from
start to finish, and he hadn't half-a-
dozen burrows plowed in the field when
he dropped down from weakness and
the fair dint of hunger.
The Bodach he come out to see how
he was getting along, and he came up
to him where he was lying, and he
gives him the toe of his boot. and Get
up out of that" says he.
"Oh, oh, weary's me-" says the young
fellow, ito ever hire with you anyhow
If I had only observed my poor fathers
| advice"
What. what" says the Bodach. says
he, sure it's not ruiz your bargain
you are"
Indeed and 1t Is" says the young
fellow, says he, "ruing it sorely."
"All right" says the Bodach, says
he. Get up out of this and come along
with me in double quick time" and he
got him by the scruff of the neck and
he hauled him with him. And he tied
him to the tail of the cart. and fogged
him through the nine towns, till the
poor young fellow was a spectacle OF
cuts and bruises. and the last breath
only was in his body. And then the
dirty Bodach loosed him from the cart
and left him lying there in the ditch.
AS soon as he was able he starts
for home, dragging his legs after him
and when he reached home it's the
grieved man and the angry one was his
father. and he swore that he would
never sleep two nights in one bed or
eat two meals at the one table till he
would reach that Bodach ard have his
! revenge. So, leaving his wee house
and wee place in charge of the son
! Crohoore spat on his stick and started
off afore him. and he never stopped
nor stayed till he came to the Bodach's
| place of Glenmoran. And passing
through Glenmoran, who should he
meet but the Bodach himself, and the
Bodach stopped him, and asked where
he was going and what he was LOOKING
for.
ct am going" says Crohoore. say,
he. ito push my fortune. and am look.
ing for likely master"
well. surely" says the Bodach, says
he. that's lucky. for I'm looking 70,
a likely man. VIII you hire with me p
Whats your terms?" says Crohoore
says he.
T'he Bodach repeated the terms hi
had told the boy.
Well and good. the bargain was con.
rluced, and the master took Crohoort
home with him.
Next day, after Crohoore had his
breakfast, the Bodach takes him GU,
and shows him great big mountain
with 500 head of cattle on 1t, that were
tearing and running east and west tc