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Elves and Heroes-Donald Alexander Mackenzie · The Iliad

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  Speaker 1: Preface of Elves and Heroes. This is a LibriVox recording.
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  Speaker 1: All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
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  Speaker 1: information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording
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  Speaker 1: by matthew Reys. Elves and Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie
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  Speaker 1: Preface the Elves. The immemorial folk beliefs of our native
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  Speaker 1: land are passing away, but they still retain for us
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  Speaker 1: a poetic appeal, not only on account of the glamor
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  Speaker 1: of early associations, but also because they afford us inviting
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  Speaker 1: glimpses of the mental habits and inherent characteristics of the
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  Speaker 1: men and women of past generations. When we retell the
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  Speaker 1: old tales of our ancestors, we sit beside them over
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  Speaker 1: the peat fire, and as we glory with them in
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  Speaker 1: their strong heroes and share their elemental joys and fears,
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  Speaker 1: we breathe the palpitating air of that old, mysterious world
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  Speaker 1: of theirs, peopled by spirits beautiful and strange and awe inspiring.
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  Speaker 1: The attitude of the Gale towards the supernatural, and his
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  Speaker 1: general outlook upon life in times gone by, was not
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  Speaker 1: associated with unbroken gloom, nor was he always an ineffectual
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  Speaker 1: dreamer and melancholy fatalist. These attributes belong chiefly to the
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  Speaker 1: literary celt of latter day conception, the celt of Arnold
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  Speaker 1: and Renan and other writers following in their wake, who
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  Speaker 1: have woven misty impressions of a people whom they have
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  Speaker 1: met as strangers and never really understood. Celtic literature is
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  Speaker 1: not a morbid literature. In Highland poetry, there is more
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  Speaker 1: light than shadow, much symbolism, but no vagueness. Pictures are
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  Speaker 1: presented in minute detail. Stanzas are cunningly wrought in a
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  Speaker 1: spirit of keen artistry, and the literary style is direct
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  Speaker 1: and clear and comprehensible. In Highland folklore we find associated
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  Speaker 1: with the haunting fear of things invisible, common to all
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  Speaker 1: peoples in early stages of development, a confident feeling of
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  Speaker 1: security inspired by the minute observances of ceremonial practices. We
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  Speaker 1: also knowne a distinct tendency to discriminate between spirits, some
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  Speaker 1: of which are invariably friendly, some merely picturesque and perhaps fearsome,
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  Speaker 1: and others constantly harboring a desire to work evil upon mankind,
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  Speaker 1: associated with belief in the efficacy of propitiatory offerings and
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  Speaker 1: ceremonies of riddance is the ethical suggestion that good wishes
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  Speaker 1: and good deeds influence spirits to performed acts of kindly intent.
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  Speaker 1: Of fairies. The Highlanders spoke as they are still prone
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  Speaker 1: to do in these districts, where belief in them is
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  Speaker 1: not yet extinct, with no small degree of regard and affection.
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  Speaker 1: It may be that the good folk and the peace
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  Speaker 1: people sichen were so called that good intention might be
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  Speaker 1: compelled by the conjuring influence of a name, as well
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  Speaker 1: as to avoid giving offense by uttering real names, as
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  Speaker 1: if it were desired to exercise a magical influence by
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  Speaker 1: their use. Be that as it may. It is evident
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  Speaker 1: from Highland folk tales that the fairies were oftener the
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  Speaker 1: friends than the foes of mankind. When men, men and
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  Speaker 1: women were lured to their dwellings, they rarely suffered injury. Indeed,
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  Speaker 1: the fairies appeared to have taken pleasure in their company
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  Speaker 1: to such as the favored. They imparted the secrets of
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  Speaker 1: their skill in the arts of piping, of sword making,
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  Speaker 1: et cetera. At sowing time or harvest, they were at
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  Speaker 1: the service of human friends. On the needy, they took pity.
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  Speaker 1: They never failed in a promise, They never forgot an
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  Speaker 1: act of kindness, which they invariably rewarded sevenfold. Against those
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  Speaker 1: who wronged them, they took speedy vengeance. It would appear
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  Speaker 1: that on these humanized spirits of his conception, the Highlander left,
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  Speaker 1: as one would expect him to do, the impress of
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  Speaker 1: his own character, his shrewdness and high sense of honor,
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  Speaker 1: his love of music and gaiety, his warmth of heart
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  Speaker 1: and love of comrades, and his indelible hatred of tyranny
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  Speaker 1: and wrong. The Highland we folk are not so diminutive
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  Speaker 1: as the fairies of England, at least that type of
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  Speaker 1: fairy beloved of the poet, which hovers bee like over
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  Speaker 1: flowers and feeds on honey dews. Power they had to
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  Speaker 1: shrink in stature and render themselves invisible, but they are
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  Speaker 1: invariably little people, from three to four feet high. It
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  Speaker 1: may be that the Gale's conception of humanized spirits may
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  Speaker 1: not have been uninfluenced by the traditions of that earlier
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  Speaker 1: diminutive race, whose arrow heads of flint were so long
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  Speaker 1: regarded as elf bolts. The fairies dwelt only in grassy knolls,
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  Speaker 1: on the summits of high hills and inside cliffs. Although
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  Speaker 1: capable of living for several centuries, they were not immortal.
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  Speaker 1: They required food and borrowed meal and cooking utensils from
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  Speaker 1: human beings, and always returned what they received on loan.
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  Speaker 1: They could be heard within the knolls grinding corn and
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  Speaker 1: working at their anvils, and they were adept set spinning
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  Speaker 1: and weaving and harvesting. When they went on long journeys,
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  Speaker 1: they became invisible and were carried through the air on
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  Speaker 1: eddies of western wind. At the seasonal changes of the year,
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  Speaker 1: the wee folk were for several days on end, inspired
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  Speaker 1: like all other supernatural furies, with enmity against man kind.
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  Speaker 1: Their evil influences were negatived by spells and charms. We
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  Speaker 1: who still hang on our walls at Christmas the mystic
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  Speaker 1: holly are unconsciously perpetuating in old world custom connected with
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  Speaker 1: the belief in the efficacy of the magical circle to
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  Speaker 1: protect us against evil spirits, and in our concern about luck,
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  Speaker 1: our proneness to believe in omens, the influence of colors
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  Speaker 1: and numbers in dreams and in prophetic warnings. We retain
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  Speaker 1: as much of the spirit as the poetry of the
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  Speaker 1: religion of our remote ancestors, the heroes. The heroes, with
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  Speaker 1: the exception of Cuchullin, who appears in this volume, figure
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  Speaker 1: in the tales and poems of the Oceanic Orphian cycle,
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  Speaker 1: which is common to Ireland and to Scotland. They have
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  Speaker 1: been neglected by our Scottish poets since Gavin, Douglas and Barbour.
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  Speaker 1: In Ireland, the Fians are a band of militia, the
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  Speaker 1: original Fenians. In Scotland, the tales vary considerably and belong
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  Speaker 1: to the hunting period before the introduction of agriculture. But
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  Speaker 1: in this country, as well as inn other Ireland, they
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  Speaker 1: are evidently influenced by historic happenings. There are tales of
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  Speaker 1: Norse conflicts as well as tales of adventure among giants
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  Speaker 1: and spirits. The cycle had evidently remote beginnings. When we
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  Speaker 1: find Yarmid and Grianne, like Paris and Helen, the cause
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  Speaker 1: of conflict and disaster, and Armid, like Achilles, charmed of
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  Speaker 1: body and vulnerable only on his heel spot, we incline
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  Speaker 1: to the theory that from a mid European center migrating
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  Speaker 1: waves swept over prehistoric Greece and left traces of their
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  Speaker 1: mythology and folklore in Homer, while other waves sweeping northward
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  Speaker 1: bequeathed to us as a literary inheritance the Celtic folk tales,
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  Speaker 1: in which the deeds and magical attributes of remote tribal
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  Speaker 1: heroes and humanized deities are commingled and perpetuated. On fragments
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  Speaker 1: of these folk tales, the poet Macpherson reared his Oceanic
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  Speaker 1: epic in imitation of the Iliad and Paradise Lost. The
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  Speaker 1: Death of Cuchullin is a rendering in verse of an
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  Speaker 1: Irish prose translation of a fragment of the cutchun Ulen cycle,
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  Speaker 1: which moves in the Bronze Age period. Kuchulin, with the
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  Speaker 1: light of heroes on his forehead, is also reminiscent of Achilles.
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  Speaker 1: One of the few Kuchullen tales found in Scotland is
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  Speaker 1: that which relates his conflict with his son and bears
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  Speaker 1: a striking similarity to the legend of Sorab and Rustum.
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  Speaker 1: Macpherson also drew from this cycle in composing his Ossian
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  Speaker 1: and mingled it with the other with which it has
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  Speaker 1: no connection the third Great Celtic cycle. The Arthurian bears
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  Speaker 1: close resemblances as Campbell of the West Highland Tales has
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  Speaker 1: shown to the Fian cycle and had evidently a common origin.
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  Speaker 1: Its value as a source of literary inspiration has been
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  Speaker 1: fully appreciated, but the Fien and Cuchullin cycles still await,
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  Speaker 1: like virgin soil to yield an abundant harvest for the
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  Speaker 1: poets of the future. Notes on the folk beliefs and
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  Speaker 1: tales will be found at the end of this volume.
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  Speaker 1: Some of the short poems have appeared in the Glasgow
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  Speaker 1: Herald and Inverness Courier. The Three Tales appeared in the
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  Speaker 1: Celtic Review. End of preface recording by Matthiurreice, Davenport, Iowa.
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  Speaker 1: Chapter one of Elves and Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie.
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  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Recording by
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  Speaker 1: matthieur Reice. Chapter one. The wee folk in the knoll
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  Speaker 1: that is the greenest and the gray cliff side, and
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  Speaker 1: on the lonely bend top the wee folk bide. They'll
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  Speaker 1: flit among the heather and trip upon the bray. The
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  Speaker 1: wee folk the green folk, the red folk, and gray
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  Speaker 1: as o'er the more. At midnight the wee folk pass.
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  Speaker 1: They whisper among the russias and o'er the green grass.
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  Speaker 1: All through the marshy places they glint and pass away.
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  Speaker 1: The light folk, the lone folk, the folk that will
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  Speaker 1: not stay oh any. A fairy milk maid with the
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  Speaker 1: one eye blind is mid the lonely mountains by the
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  Speaker 1: red deer hind. Not one will wait to greet me,
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  Speaker 1: for they have nought to say. The hill folk, the
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  Speaker 1: still folk, the folk that flit away. When the golden
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  Speaker 1: moon is glinting in the deep dim wood, there's a
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  Speaker 1: fairy piper playing to the elfin brood. They dance and
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  Speaker 1: shout and turn about and laugh and swing and sway.
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  Speaker 1: The droll folk, the knoll folk, the folk that dance
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  Speaker 1: all way o we that bless. The wee folk have
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  Speaker 1: naught to fear, and n'er an elfin arrow will come
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  Speaker 1: us near, for they'll give skill in music, and every
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  Speaker 1: wish obey. The wise folk, the piece folk, the folk
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  Speaker 1: that work and play. They'll hasten here at harvest. They
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  Speaker 1: will shear and bind. They'll come with elfin music on
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  Speaker 1: a western wind. All night they'll among the sheaves or herd,
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  Speaker 1: the kind that stray, the quick folk, the fine folk,
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  Speaker 1: the folk that ask no pay. Betimes they will be
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  Speaker 1: spinning the while we sleep. They'll clamber down the chimney
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  Speaker 1: or through the keyholes creep, and when they come to
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  Speaker 1: borrow meal, will ne'er send them away. The good folk,
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  Speaker 1: the honest folk, the folk that work all way, oh,
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  Speaker 1: never wrong. The wee folk, the red folk and the
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  Speaker 1: green nor name them on the Fridays or at Halloween.
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  Speaker 1: The helpless and unwary then and bairns they lure away.
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  Speaker 1: The fierce folk, the angry folk, the folk that steal
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  Speaker 1: and slay. End of the Wee Folk. Recording by Matthew
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  Speaker 1: Ree Davenport, Iowa. Chapter two of Elves and Heroes by
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  Speaker 1: Donald A. Mackenzie. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.
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  Speaker 1: Recording by Matthew Reys, Chapter two, bonnach Felaide the remnant bannock. Oh,
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  Speaker 1: the good wife will be singing when her meal is
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  Speaker 1: all but done. Now, my bannocks I have baked. I've
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  Speaker 1: baked them all but one, and I'll dust the board
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  Speaker 1: to bake it. I'll bake it with a spell. Oh,
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  Speaker 1: it's Finlay's little bannock for going to the well. The
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  Speaker 1: bannock on the brander smells sweet for your desire, O,
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  Speaker 1: my crisp ones, I will count not on two sides
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  Speaker 1: of the fire, and not a farl has fallen some
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  Speaker 1: evil to foretell. Oh, it's Finlay's little bannock forgoing to
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  Speaker 1: the well. The bread would not be lasting. Twould crumble
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  Speaker 1: in your hand when fairies would be coming here to
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  Speaker 1: turn the meal to sand. But what will keep them
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  Speaker 1: dancing in their own green dell? Oh it's Finlay's little
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  Speaker 1: bannock for going to the well. Now, not a fairy
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  Speaker 1: finger will do my baking harm. The little bannock with
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  Speaker 1: the hole, Oh it will be the charm. I knead it.
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  Speaker 1: I knead it TwixT my palms and all the bairns.
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  Speaker 1: I tell, Oh, it's Finlay's little bannock for going to
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  Speaker 1: the well. End of Bonnoch Felaide. Recording by Matthieu Ree Davenport, Iowa.
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  Speaker 1: Chapter three of Elves and Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie.
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  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Recording by
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  Speaker 1: Matthieu Reice, Chapter three, The Banshee knee deep. She waited
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  Speaker 1: in the pool the banshee, robed in green. She sang
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  Speaker 1: Yon song the whole night long, and washed the linen clean,
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  Speaker 1: the linen that would wrap the dead. She beetled on
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  Speaker 1: a stone. She stood with dripping hands, blood red low,
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  Speaker 1: singing all alone. His linen robes are pure and white.
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  Speaker 1: For Fergus Moore must die to night. Twas Fergus Moore
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  Speaker 1: road o'er the hill, come back from foreign wars. His
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  Speaker 1: horses feet were clattering sweet below the pitiless stars, and
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  Speaker 1: in his heart he would repeat, Oh, never again, I'll
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  Speaker 1: roam all weary is the going forth, but sweet the
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  Speaker 1: coming home. His linen robes are pure and white. For
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  Speaker 1: Fergus Moore must die tonight. He saw the blaze upon
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  Speaker 1: his hearth come gleaming down the glen. For he was
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  Speaker 1: fain for home again, and rode before his men. Tis
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  Speaker 1: many a weary day, he'd sigh, since I would leave
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  Speaker 1: her side, I'll never more leave Scotland's shore, and yon,
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  Speaker 1: my dark eyed bride. His linen robes are pure and white.
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  Speaker 1: For Fergus Moore must die to night, so dreaming of
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  Speaker 1: her tender love, soft tears his eyes would blind. When
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  Speaker 1: up there crept and swiftly leapt a man who stabbed
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  Speaker 1: behind Tis you, he cried, who stole my bride? This
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  Speaker 1: night shall be your last. When Fergus fell, the warm
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  Speaker 1: red tide of life came ebbing fast. His linen robes
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  Speaker 1: are pure and white. For Fergus Moore must die to night.
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  Speaker 1: End of the ban Schee recording by Matthieu Ree, Davenport, Iowa.
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  Speaker 1: Chapter four of Elves and Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie.
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  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Recording by
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  Speaker 1: Matthieu Ree, Chapter four. Khan, son of the Red, the
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  Speaker 1: Fians sojourned by the shore of Comely Cromarty and o'er
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  Speaker 1: the Wooded Hill pursued the chase with ardor twas a
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  Speaker 1: full moon's space ere beltane rites would be begun with
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  Speaker 1: homage to the rising sun, heir to the spirits of
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  Speaker 1: the dead. Would sacrificial blood be shed in yon green
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  Speaker 1: grove of Navity. When Khan came over the Eastern Sea,
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  Speaker 1: his heart aflame with vengeful ire to seek for Gaul,
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  Speaker 1: who slew his sire. When he was seven years old,
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  Speaker 1: Finn saw in dreams ere yet he came with awe,
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  Speaker 1: the red One's sun, so fierce and bold in combat
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  Speaker 1: with his hero old the kinglike gall of valorous might,
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  Speaker 1: a stormy billow. In the fight, no foe could eerwithstand.
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  Speaker 1: He knew the strange ship bore Brave Khan, and bleue
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  Speaker 1: clear on his horn the warning call, and round him
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  Speaker 1: thronged the Fians, all with wondering gaze. The sun drew
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  Speaker 1: nigh the bale fires of the western sky, and faggot
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  Speaker 1: clouds with blood red glare caught flame, and in the
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  Speaker 1: radiant air, lone vice like a jewel shone. The Fians
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  Speaker 1: as they stared at Khan, were stooping on the high lookout.
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  Speaker 1: They watched the ship that tacked about, now slant across
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  Speaker 1: the firth, and now laid bare below the cliff's broad brow,
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  Speaker 1: and heaving on a billowy steep, like to a monster
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  Speaker 1: of the deep, that wallowed laboring in pain, And Khan
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  Speaker 1: stared back with cold disdain, pondering. He sat alone behind
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  Speaker 1: the broad sail, swallowing the wind as over the hollowing
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  Speaker 1: waves that leapt and snarled with foaming lips, and swept
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  Speaker 1: round the boughs in querulous fray, and tossed in curves
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  Speaker 1: of drenching spray. The belching ship with ardor drove. Then
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  Speaker 1: like a lordly elk, that strove amid the hounds, and
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  Speaker 1: charging rent the pack asunder as it went, it bore round,
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  Speaker 1: and in beauty sprang the sea wind through the cordage
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  Speaker 1: sang with high and wintry merriment that stirred the heart
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  Speaker 1: of Khan, intent on vengeance and for battle, keen so hard,
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  Speaker 1: so steadfast and serene. Then Ossian, sweet of speech, spake
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  Speaker 1: low with musing eyes upon the foe. Is Khan more
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  Speaker 1: noble than the red whom Gall, in battle vanquished? The
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  Speaker 1: Red was fiercer. Knan cried, nay, Khan is nobler. Finn replied,
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  Speaker 1: more comely, stalwart, mightier, far, What sayest thou Gall, my
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  Speaker 1: man of war? Then Gaul made answer on the steep,
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  Speaker 1: nor ceased to gaze on Khan full deep. His equal
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  Speaker 1: never came before across the seas to Alban shore, Nor
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  Speaker 1: ever have I peered upon a nobler, mightier man than Khan.
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  Speaker 1: The ship flew seaward, tacking wide, contending with the wind
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  Speaker 1: and tide, And when upon the broad stream's track, it baffled,
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  Speaker 1: hung or drifted back with grunt and shriek, like battling boars.
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  Speaker 1: The shock and swing of bladed oars came sounding o'er
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  Speaker 1: the sea. The dusk grew round the twilight like a
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  Speaker 1: husk that holds a colonel choice, and keen cold stars
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  Speaker 1: impaled the sky serene when Khan's ship, through the slackening tide,
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  Speaker 1: drew round the wistful bay and wide behind the headlands
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  Speaker 1: high that snout the seas like giant whales, and spout
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  Speaker 1: the salt foam high and loud. Then sighed the gasping
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  Speaker 1: men who all day plied their oars in plunging seas,
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  Speaker 1: with hands grown stiff and arms like twisted bands drawn numbly.
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  Speaker 1: As they rose outspent and staggering from their benches, went
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  Speaker 1: the sail napped, quarreling and drank the wind in broken gasps,
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  Speaker 1: and sank with sullen pride upon the boards, and smote
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  Speaker 1: the mast and shook the cords. Darkly loomed that alien land,
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  Speaker 1: and darkly lowered the fian band for hovering on the
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  Speaker 1: shoreland gray the ship. They followed round the bay, nor
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  Speaker 1: sought the sheltering woods until the shadows folded o'er the
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  Speaker 1: hill full heavily and night fell blind and laid its
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  Speaker 1: spell upon the wind. The swelling waters sank with sip
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  Speaker 1: and hollow gurgle round the ship. The long mast rocked
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  Speaker 1: against the dim, soft heaven above the headland's rim. But
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  Speaker 1: while the seamen crouched to sleep, Khan sat alone in
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  Speaker 1: revery deep and saw before him in a maze the
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  Speaker 1: mute procession of his days in gloom and glamor, wending fast.
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  Speaker 1: His heart a hungering for the past. Again, he leapt
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  Speaker 1: a tender boy to greet his sire with eager joy
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  Speaker 1: when he came over the wide north sea, enriched with
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  Speaker 1: spoils of victory. Then heavily loomed that fateful morn, when
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  Speaker 1: tidings of his fall were borne from Alban shore. Again
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  Speaker 1: he saw the youth who went alone with awe to
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  Speaker 1: swear the avenging oath before the smoking altar red with gore. Ah.
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  Speaker 1: Strange to him, it seemed to be that hour was
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  Speaker 1: drawing nigh when he would vengeance take, And still more
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  Speaker 1: strange o sorrow, it would bring no change, though blood
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  Speaker 1: for blood be spilled and life for life be taken
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  Speaker 1: in fierce strife, twill ne'er recall the life long sped,
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  Speaker 1: or break the silence of the dead. But when he
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  Speaker 1: heard his mother's wail once more, uplifted on the gale
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  Speaker 1: Mona the red who ne'er returned his cheeks with sudden passion.
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  Speaker 1: Burned and darkly frowned that valiant man, as through his
• 20:08
  Speaker 1: quivering body ran the lightnings of impelling ire and impulses
• 20:11
  Speaker 1: of fierce desire that surged with a consuming hate against
• 20:15
  Speaker 1: a world made desolate, unceasing and unreconciled, and ever clamoring,
• 20:20
  Speaker 1: Like wild, dark deeded waves that stunned the shore, and
• 20:24
  Speaker 1: through the anguished twilight roar the hungry passions of the
• 20:27
  Speaker 1: wide and gluttonous deep, unsatisfied. Two, the shredding dawn in
• 20:35
  Speaker 1: beauty spread its shafts of splendor, golden red high over
• 20:39
  Speaker 1: the eastern heaven, and broke through flaking clouds in silvern
• 20:42
  Speaker 1: smoke that burst aflame and fold o'er fold let loose
• 20:46
  Speaker 1: their oozing floods of gold splashed over the foamless deep
• 20:50
  Speaker 1: that lay tremulous and clear in fiery play. The rippling
• 20:54
  Speaker 1: beams that swept between the sea cleft suitor crags, serene broke,
• 20:59
  Speaker 1: quivering where the waters bore the soft reflection of the shore.
• 21:04
  Speaker 1: The pipes of morn were sounding shrill through budding woods
• 21:07
  Speaker 1: on plane and hill, and stirred the air with song
• 21:10
  Speaker 1: to wake the sweet toned birds. Within the break. The Fians,
• 21:15
  Speaker 1: from their sheelings came with offerings to the god aflame,
• 21:19
  Speaker 1: and round them thrice they sunwise went, then naked, need
• 21:23
  Speaker 1: in silence, bent beside the pillar stones, but now brave
• 21:28
  Speaker 1: Khan upon the ship's high prow, hath raised his burnished
• 21:31
  Speaker 1: blade on high and calls on Wodin and on Tie
• 21:34
  Speaker 1: with boldness to avenge the death of his great sire.
• 21:38
  Speaker 1: In one deep breath he drains the hero's draft that
• 21:40
  Speaker 1: burns with the valor of the gods. Then turns his
• 21:43
  Speaker 1: long sought foe to meet. Great Khan sweeps stooping in
• 21:47
  Speaker 1: a boat alone shoreward with rapid blades and bright that
• 21:52
  Speaker 1: shower the foam rain pearly white, and rip the waters,
• 21:55
  Speaker 1: bending lithe in hollowing swirls that hiss and writhe like adders.
• 22:00
  Speaker 1: Ere they dart away, bright spotted with the flakes of spray.
• 22:04
  Speaker 1: When furrowing the sand, he drew his boat the shallowing
• 22:07
  Speaker 1: water through a giant He in stature, rose straight as
• 22:11
  Speaker 1: a mast before his foes, with head thrown high and
• 22:14
  Speaker 1: shoulders wide and level, and set back with pride. His
• 22:18
  Speaker 1: bared and supple arms were long as shapely oars, firm
• 22:22
  Speaker 1: as a thong. His right hand grasped his gleaming blade,
• 22:25
  Speaker 1: gold hilted and of keen bronze, made in leaf and shape.
• 22:29
  Speaker 1: With stately stride, he crossed the level sands and wide.
• 22:33
  Speaker 1: Then on his shield the challenge gave his broad sword,
• 22:36
  Speaker 1: thundering like a wave for single combat, red as gold,
• 22:41
  Speaker 1: his locks upon his shoulders rolled a brazen helmet. On
• 22:44
  Speaker 1: his head flashed fire. His cheeks were white and red,
• 22:48
  Speaker 1: and all the Fians watched with awe that hero, young
• 22:51
  Speaker 1: with knotted jaw, whose eyes set deep and blue and hard,
• 22:56
  Speaker 1: surveyed their ranks with cold regard, while his road forehead
• 23:00
  Speaker 1: seemed with care, drooped shadowily. His eyebrows fair were sloping
• 23:05
  Speaker 1: sideways o'er his eyes with pondering or the mysteries the
• 23:10
  Speaker 1: eyes of all the Fians sought heroic Gaul, whose face
• 23:13
  Speaker 1: was wrought with lines of deep, perplexing thought, for gazing
• 23:16
  Speaker 1: on the valiant Khan, he mourned that his own youth
• 23:19
  Speaker 1: was gone. When strong and fierce and bold he shed
• 23:22
  Speaker 1: the lifeblood of the boastful Red, whom none save he
• 23:26
  Speaker 1: would meet. He heard the challenge, and nor spake, nor stirred,
• 23:30
  Speaker 1: nor feared, but now grown old, when hate and lust
• 23:34
  Speaker 1: of glory satiate, his heart, took pride in Khan and
• 23:37
  Speaker 1: shared the kinship of the brave who dared to meet
• 23:42
  Speaker 1: the Viking bold if he, the succor of the band,
• 23:44
  Speaker 1: should be found faltering or in despair. Until that day
• 23:47
  Speaker 1: the Fians, ne'er of one man, had such fear. Old
• 23:51
  Speaker 1: Gall sat musing on a grassy knoll. They deemed he
• 23:54
  Speaker 1: shared their dread. Not so wise Finn, who spake forth,
• 23:59
  Speaker 1: firm and slow Gaul, son of morna peerless man, the
• 24:03
  Speaker 1: keen desire of every clan, far famed for many a valiant, deed,
• 24:07
  Speaker 1: strong hero in the time of need. I vaunt not
• 24:11
  Speaker 1: con nor deem that thou dost falter save with meekness. Now,
• 24:15
  Speaker 1: But why shouldst thou not take the head of this
• 24:18
  Speaker 1: bold youth, as of the Red his sire. In other days,
• 24:22
  Speaker 1: Gall spake o noble thin. For thy sweet sake, mine
• 24:26
  Speaker 1: arms I'd seize with ready hand, Although to answer thy command,
• 24:30
  Speaker 1: my blood to its last drop were spilled by crom
• 24:33
  Speaker 1: where all the Fians killed. My sword would never fail
• 24:36
  Speaker 1: to be a strong defense to succor thee upon his
• 24:40
  Speaker 1: hard right arm with haste, his crooked and pointed shield
• 24:43
  Speaker 1: he braced. He clutched his sword in his left hand.
• 24:47
  Speaker 1: While round that hero of the band, the Fian warriors
• 24:50
  Speaker 1: pressed and praised his valor mute was Gaul. They raised,
• 24:54
  Speaker 1: smiting their hands, the battle cry to urge him on
• 24:57
  Speaker 1: to victory. The one eye Gall went forth alone. His
• 25:02
  Speaker 1: face was like a mountain stone, cold, hard and gray.
• 25:07
  Speaker 1: His deep drawn breath came heavily, like a man nigh death.
• 25:11
  Speaker 1: But his firm mouth, with lips drawn, thin, deep sunken in.
• 25:15
  Speaker 1: His wrinkled skin was cunningly crooked. His hair was white.
• 25:19
  Speaker 1: On his bald forehead gleamed a bright and livid scar
• 25:21
  Speaker 1: that Khan's great sire had cloven when their swords struck fire.
• 25:26
  Speaker 1: Burly and dauntless, full of might, old Gall went humbly
• 25:30
  Speaker 1: forth to fight with arrogant Khan. It seemed the red
• 25:33
  Speaker 1: and greater might was from the dead, restored in his
• 25:36
  Speaker 1: fierce sun. A deep, swift silence fell like sudden sleep
• 25:42
  Speaker 1: on all the Fians waiting there, in sharp suspense and
• 25:45
  Speaker 1: half despair. The morn was still. A skylark hung in
• 25:50
  Speaker 1: mid air, fluttering and sung a lullaby that grew more
• 25:53
  Speaker 1: sweet amid the stillness. In the heat and splendor of
• 25:56
  Speaker 1: the sun. The lisp of faint wind in the herbage
• 25:59
  Speaker 1: chris went past them, and around the bare and foam
• 26:03
  Speaker 1: striped sand banks, gleaming fair. The faintly panted waves were
• 26:06
  Speaker 1: cast by the Wan, deep, fatigued, and vast O great
• 26:12
  Speaker 1: was Khn in that dread hour, and all the Fians
• 26:14
  Speaker 1: feared his power and watched, as in a darksome dream,
• 26:18
  Speaker 1: the warriors meet. They saw the gleam of swift uplifted swords,
• 26:22
  Speaker 1: and then a breathless moment came, as when the lithe
• 26:25
  Speaker 1: and living lightnings flash makes pause until the thunder's crash
• 26:29
  Speaker 1: is splintered through the air loud o'er the blue sea
• 26:33
  Speaker 1: and the shining shore broke forth the crash of arms,
• 26:36
  Speaker 1: the roll of Khan's fierce blows that baffled gall on,
• 26:39
  Speaker 1: sword and shield, resounding rang, while that old warrior stooped
• 26:43
  Speaker 1: and sprang sideways and swerved or backward, leapt as swiftly
• 26:47
  Speaker 1: as the bronze blade swept above him and around. He swayed, stumbling,
• 26:53
  Speaker 1: but rose. But though his blade was ever nimble to defend,
• 26:56
  Speaker 1: the Fians feared the fight would end in victory for Khan.
• 27:01
  Speaker 1: Twas like as when an eagle swoops to strike, but
• 27:04
  Speaker 1: swerves with fluttering wings as nigh its head. A javelin
• 27:07
  Speaker 1: gleams a cry that banished fear of Khan's great blows
• 27:10
  Speaker 1: from out the Fian ranks arose as like a plumed
• 27:14
  Speaker 1: reed in a gust. Gall suddenly stooped a deadly thrust
• 27:18
  Speaker 1: that drew the first blood in the fray he darting
• 27:20
  Speaker 1: gave with quick dismay. The valiant Khan drew back again.
• 27:25
  Speaker 1: He leapt at Gaul, but sought in vain to blind
• 27:28
  Speaker 1: him with his blows that fell like snowflakes on a
• 27:30
  Speaker 1: sullen well. For Gall was calm, while Great Khan raged,
• 27:35
  Speaker 1: as hour by hour the conflict waged. He was a
• 27:38
  Speaker 1: blast defying tree, a crag that spurned a furious sea,
• 27:42
  Speaker 1: and all the Fians with one mind set firm their
• 27:45
  Speaker 1: faith in Gaul. The wind rose like a startled bird
• 27:49
  Speaker 1: from out the heather at the huntsman's shout, in swift
• 27:52
  Speaker 1: and blustering flight. At noon, the sun rolled in a
• 27:55
  Speaker 1: cloudy swoon, dimly and over the rolling deep gust followed
• 27:59
  Speaker 1: gust with shadow sweep, and waves that streamed. Their snowy
• 28:03
  Speaker 1: locks were tossing high against the rocks seaward, while round
• 28:07
  Speaker 1: the sands ebbed wide scrambled the fierce, devouring tide. O
• 28:12
  Speaker 1: Khan was like a hound at morn that springs upon
• 28:14
  Speaker 1: an elk forlorn among the hills. He was a proud
• 28:17
  Speaker 1: cascade that leaps a cliff with loud, unspending fall. So fierce,
• 28:22
  Speaker 1: so fair was arrogant Khan. But gall fought there, keen eyed,
• 28:26
  Speaker 1: with ready guard at bay. He was as a bore
• 28:29
  Speaker 1: in that fierce fray. The waves were humbled on the
• 28:33
  Speaker 1: shore and silent fell amid the roar and crash of
• 28:36
  Speaker 1: battle mute, and still the Fians watched, While on the
• 28:40
  Speaker 1: hill the little elves came out and gazed to be amused,
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: and were amazed they saw upon the shrinking sands the
• 28:47
  Speaker 1: warriors with restless hands and busy blades with shields that
• 28:50
  Speaker 1: rose to buffet the unceasing blows they saw before the
• 28:54
  Speaker 1: rising flood, the flash of fire, the flash of blood,
• 28:57
  Speaker 1: and watched the men, with panting breath strike to be
• 29:00
  Speaker 1: the slaves of death, now darting wide, now swerving round,
• 29:05
  Speaker 1: now clashed together in a bound, with splitting swords that
• 29:08
  Speaker 1: smote so fast as hour by hour unheeded past, the
• 29:13
  Speaker 1: sands were torn and tossed like spray, before the whirlwind
• 29:16
  Speaker 1: of the fray that waged in fury till the sun
• 29:19
  Speaker 1: sank and the day's last loops were spun. Then terrible
• 29:23
  Speaker 1: was gaul. He rose a tempest of increasing blows, more
• 29:26
  Speaker 1: furious and fast, as dim, uncertain twilight fell, More grim
• 29:30
  Speaker 1: and great he grew, as looming large. He fought and
• 29:34
  Speaker 1: pressed to the marge of ocean. He o'erpowered and drave
• 29:37
  Speaker 1: the Viking hero back till wave or ready wave that
• 29:40
  Speaker 1: hurried fleet snuffled and snarled about their feet. Then, with
• 29:45
  Speaker 1: a mighty shout that made the rocks around him ring,
• 29:48
  Speaker 1: his blade swept like a flash of fire to smite
• 29:50
  Speaker 1: the last fell blow in that fierce fight. So great
• 29:54
  Speaker 1: Khan perished like the red by Gaull's left hand. His
• 29:57
  Speaker 1: life blood spread over the quenching sand, where rolled his
• 30:00
  Speaker 1: head entwined with locks of gold, then passed like thunder
• 30:05
  Speaker 1: o'er the sea, the fian shout of victory and trembling
• 30:09
  Speaker 1: on the tossing ships. The Vikings heard with voiceless lips
• 30:12
  Speaker 1: and dim despairing eyes. Alone stood gaul And, like a
• 30:17
  Speaker 1: silent stone, woking upon a benside bear. He bent above
• 30:21
  Speaker 1: the hero fare, remembering the Mighty Red, and wondering that
• 30:25
  Speaker 1: Khan lay dead. Footnote to Beltane may Day end footnote
• 30:37
  Speaker 1: footnote two navity traditional Holy hill end footnote end of Khan,
• 30:46
  Speaker 1: son of the Red. Recording by matthew Reys, Davenport, Iowa.
• 30:57
  Speaker 1: Chapter five of Elves and Heroes by Don Day Mackenzie.
• 31:01
  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Recording by
• 31:05
  Speaker 1: matthew Reys, Chapter five, The Song of gaul O, son
• 31:12
  Speaker 1: of the Red, undone and laid dead the blood of
• 31:16
  Speaker 1: a hero. My cold blade hath shed who fought me
• 31:20
  Speaker 1: to day, who sought me to slay the son of
• 31:25
  Speaker 1: Yon High King. I slew in the fray O blade
• 31:30
  Speaker 1: that Yon brave Lo laid in the grave. Ye gladden
• 31:33
  Speaker 1: the Fians, but grief to Khan gave stonehearted and strong
• 31:40
  Speaker 1: lone hearted, with long, dark brooding, he sought to avenge
• 31:44
  Speaker 1: his deep wrong. Fair, son of the Red, care none.
• 31:48
  Speaker 1: Thou art dead, Old Gaul of Clanmorna, will mourn thou
• 31:53
  Speaker 1: hast bled, O where shall be found to share with
• 31:58
  Speaker 1: thee round the halls of Valhalla, thy glory renowned, O,
• 32:03
  Speaker 1: true as the blade that slew thee and made my
• 32:06
  Speaker 1: fear and thine anger forever to fade. Ah, when upon
• 32:11
  Speaker 1: earth again will have birth a son of such honor
• 32:15
  Speaker 1: and bravery and worth above thee in splendor, a love
• 32:20
  Speaker 1: that could render brave service, burned, starlike and constant and tender,
• 32:27
  Speaker 1: with fearing my name, with hearing my fame. O, none
• 32:32
  Speaker 1: would dare combat with Gall till con came, O great
• 32:37
  Speaker 1: was thine. Are the fate of thy sire, awaiting thy coming?
• 32:41
  Speaker 1: Consumed thee like fire, O, son of the Red undone,
• 32:47
  Speaker 1: and lay dead the blood of a hero, My cold
• 32:51
  Speaker 1: blade hath shed. End of the Song of Gaul, recording
• 32:55
  Speaker 1: by Matthieuys Davenport, Iowa. Chapter six of Elves and Heroes
• 33:06
  Speaker 1: by Donald A. Mackenzie. This LibriVox recording is in the
• 33:09
  Speaker 1: public domain. Recording by matthew Reys, Chapter six, The Blue
• 33:15
  Speaker 1: Men of the Minch. When the tide is at the turning,
• 33:20
  Speaker 1: and the wind is fast asleep, and not a wave
• 33:23
  Speaker 1: is curling on the wide blue deep, Oh, the waters
• 33:26
  Speaker 1: will be churning on the stream that never smiles, where
• 33:29
  Speaker 1: the blue men are splashing round the charmut aisles. As
• 33:34
  Speaker 1: the summer wind goes droning o'er the sun bright seas,
• 33:37
  Speaker 1: and the minch is all a dazzle to the hebrides.
• 33:40
  Speaker 1: They will skim along like salmon. You can see their
• 33:43
  Speaker 1: shoulders gleam and the flashing of their fingers in the
• 33:47
  Speaker 1: blue men's stream. But when the blast is raving and
• 33:51
  Speaker 1: the wild tide races, the blue men ere breast high
• 33:54
  Speaker 1: with foam gray faces. They'll plunge along with fury while
• 33:58
  Speaker 1: they sweep the spray behind. Oh, they'll bellow o'er the
• 34:02
  Speaker 1: billows and wail upon the wind. And if my boat
• 34:06
  Speaker 1: be storm tossed and beating for the bay, they'll be
• 34:09
  Speaker 1: howling and be growling as they drench it with their spray,
• 34:13
  Speaker 1: for they'd like to heal it over to their laughter
• 34:15
  Speaker 1: while it lists, or crack the keel between them, or
• 34:18
  Speaker 1: stave it with their fists. Oh, weary on the Blue men,
• 34:23
  Speaker 1: their anger and their wiles, the whole day long, the
• 34:26
  Speaker 1: whole night long, their splashing round the aisles, They'll follow
• 34:30
  Speaker 1: every fissure. Ah, they'll haunt the fisher's dream when billows toss, Oh,
• 34:36
  Speaker 1: who would cross the blue Men's stream? End of The
• 34:41
  Speaker 1: Blue Men of the Minch recording by Matthew Reice, Davenport, Iowa.
• 34:51
  Speaker 1: Chapter seven of Elves and Heroes by Donald A. Mac Kenzie.
• 34:55
  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Recording by
• 34:59
  Speaker 1: Matthew Reice, Chapter seven, The Urisk, Oh, the night I
• 35:05
  Speaker 1: met the Urisk on the wide lone moor Ah, would
• 35:10
  Speaker 1: I be forgetting of the thing that came with me?
• 35:13
  Speaker 1: For it was big and black as black, and it
• 35:17
  Speaker 1: was dour as dower. It shrank and grew and had
• 35:20
  Speaker 1: no shape of aught I er did see. For it
• 35:24
  Speaker 1: came creeping, like a cloud that's moving all alone, without
• 35:28
  Speaker 1: the sounds of footsteps, And I heard its heavy sighs.
• 35:32
  Speaker 1: Its face was old and gray and like a lichen
• 35:35
  Speaker 1: covered stone, and its tangled locks were dropping o'er its
• 35:38
  Speaker 1: sad and weary eyes. Oh, it's never the word it
• 35:43
  Speaker 1: had to say in anger or in woe. It would
• 35:46
  Speaker 1: not seek to harm me that had never done it wrong.
• 35:49
  Speaker 1: As fleet. Oh, like the deer I went, or I
• 35:53
  Speaker 1: went panting slow that way. Some thing came with me
• 35:57
  Speaker 1: on that lonely road, and long o erie was the
• 36:01
  Speaker 1: urisk that conveyed me o'er the more when I was
• 36:05
  Speaker 1: all so helpless and my heart was full of fear,
• 36:08
  Speaker 1: Nor when it was beside me or behind me? Was
• 36:10
  Speaker 1: I sure I knew it would be following? I knew
• 36:14
  Speaker 1: it would be near end of the Urisk. Recording by
• 36:19
  Speaker 1: Matthieu Ree Davenport, Iowa. Chapter eight of Elves and Heroes
• 36:29
  Speaker 1: by Donald A. Mackenzie. This LibriVox recording is in the
• 36:33
  Speaker 1: public domain. Recording by matthiur Reice, Chapter eight. The Nimble
• 36:38
  Speaker 1: Men Aurora Borealis. When Angus o're the wizard his fearsome
• 36:44
  Speaker 1: wand will raise. The night is filled with splendor, and
• 36:48
  Speaker 1: the north is all ablaze from clouds of raven blackness,
• 36:52
  Speaker 1: like flames that leap on high. All merrily dance the
• 36:55
  Speaker 1: nimble men across the northern sky. Now come the merry maidens.
• 37:01
  Speaker 1: All gowned in white and green, while the bold and
• 37:04
  Speaker 1: ruddy fellows will be flitting in between. Oh to hear
• 37:08
  Speaker 1: the fairy piper, who will keep them tripping by the
• 37:11
  Speaker 1: men and maids who merrily dance across the northern sky.
• 37:16
  Speaker 1: Oh the weird and waysome music, and the never faltering feet.
• 37:20
  Speaker 1: Oh they're fast and strong embraces, and their kisses hot
• 37:24
  Speaker 1: and sweet. There's a lost and languished lover with a
• 37:28
  Speaker 1: fierce and jealous eye, as merrily flit the nimble folk
• 37:31
  Speaker 1: across the northern sky. So now the dance is over,
• 37:36
  Speaker 1: and the dancers sink to rest. There's a maid that
• 37:39
  Speaker 1: has two lovers, and there's one she loves the best.
• 37:43
  Speaker 1: He will cast him down before her. She will raise
• 37:46
  Speaker 1: him with a sigh, Her love so bright, who danced
• 37:49
  Speaker 1: to night across the northern sky. Then up will leap
• 37:53
  Speaker 1: the other, and up will leap his clan. Oh, the
• 37:56
  Speaker 1: lover and his company will fight them man to man,
• 37:59
  Speaker 1: all wreaking from the conflict, the merry maidens fly. There's
• 38:03
  Speaker 1: a battle royal raging now across the northern sky. Through
• 38:08
  Speaker 1: all the hours of darkness. The fearsome fight will last.
• 38:11
  Speaker 1: They are leaping white with anger, and the blows are
• 38:14
  Speaker 1: falling fast, and where the slain have tumbled, a pool
• 38:17
  Speaker 1: of blood will lie. Oh, it's dripping on the dark
• 38:20
  Speaker 1: green stones from out the northern sky. When yon lady
• 38:26
  Speaker 1: seeks her lover in the cold and pearly morn, she
• 38:29
  Speaker 1: will find that he has fallen by the hand that
• 38:31
  Speaker 1: she would scorn. She will clasp her arms about him,
• 38:35
  Speaker 1: and in her anguish die, Oh, never again will trip
• 38:38
  Speaker 1: the twain across the northern sky. End of the Nimble
• 38:44
  Speaker 1: Men recording by Matthew Reys, Davenport, Iowa. Chapter nine of
• 38:55
  Speaker 1: Elves and Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie. This LibriVox recording
• 38:59
  Speaker 1: is in the Pue Domain. Recording by Matthew Rehys, Chapter nine,
• 39:05
  Speaker 1: My Gunna, When my kine are on the hill, who
• 39:09
  Speaker 1: will charm them from all ill? While? I'll sleep at
• 39:13
  Speaker 1: ease until all the cocks are crowing clear who'll be
• 39:17
  Speaker 1: hurting them? For me? It's the elf I fain would see,
• 39:21
  Speaker 1: for they're safe as safe can be. When the Gunna
• 39:24
  Speaker 1: will be near, he will watch the long weird night,
• 39:29
  Speaker 1: when the stars will shake with fright, or the ghostly
• 39:32
  Speaker 1: moon leaps bright o'er the bend like beltane fire. If
• 39:37
  Speaker 1: my kind would seek the corn, he will turn them
• 39:39
  Speaker 1: by the horn, and I'll find them all at morn,
• 39:43
  Speaker 1: lowing sweet beside the byre Crombells. Barred has second sight,
• 39:48
  Speaker 1: and he'll moan the Gunna's plight when the frosts are
• 39:52
  Speaker 1: flickering white and the kine are housed till day. For
• 39:56
  Speaker 1: he'll see him perched alone on a chilly old gray stone, nibbling,
• 40:01
  Speaker 1: nibbling at a bone that will maybe throw away. He's
• 40:05
  Speaker 1: so hungry, he's so thin. If he'd come, we'd let
• 40:09
  Speaker 1: him in, for a rag of fox's skin is the
• 40:12
  Speaker 1: only thing he'll wear. He'll be chittering in the cold
• 40:16
  Speaker 1: as he hovers round the fold, with his locks of
• 40:19
  Speaker 1: glimmering gold twined about his shoulders. Bare end of My Gunna.
• 40:27
  Speaker 1: Recording by Matthew Reice, Davenport, Iowa. Chapter ten of Elves
• 40:37
  Speaker 1: and Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie. This LibriVox recording is
• 40:41
  Speaker 1: in the public domain. Recording by Matthew Reice, Chapter ten,
• 40:46
  Speaker 1: The Gruagach Milkmaid's song, The lightsome lad with the yellow hair,
• 40:53
  Speaker 1: the elfin lad that is so fair. He comes in
• 40:57
  Speaker 1: rich and braw attire to loose the kind within the byre.
• 41:01
  Speaker 1: My lightsome lad, my leering lad. He's tittering here, he's
• 41:05
  Speaker 1: tittering there. I'll hear him plain, but seek in vain
• 41:09
  Speaker 1: to find my lad wi yellow hair. He's dressed so fine,
• 41:15
  Speaker 1: he's dressed so grand. A supper switch is in his hand.
• 41:19
  Speaker 1: I've seen while I am milking sat the shadow of
• 41:21
  Speaker 1: his beaver hat. My lightsome lad, my leering lad. He's
• 41:26
  Speaker 1: tittering here, he's tittering there. I'll hear him plain, but
• 41:30
  Speaker 1: seek in vain to find my lad wi yellow hair.
• 41:35
  Speaker 1: My chuckling lad, so full o fun around the corners,
• 41:38
  Speaker 1: he will run behind the door. He'll sometimes jink and
• 41:42
  Speaker 1: blow to make my candle blink. My lightsome lad, my
• 41:46
  Speaker 1: leering lad, he's tittering here, he's tittering there. I'll hear
• 41:50
  Speaker 1: him plain, but seek in vain to find my lad
• 41:53
  Speaker 1: Wi yellow hair. The elfin lad that is so braa.
• 41:58
  Speaker 1: He'll sometimes hide among the strew. He's sometimes leering from
• 42:02
  Speaker 1: the loft. He's tittering low and tripping soft, My lightsome lad,
• 42:07
  Speaker 1: my leering lad, he's tittering here, he's tittering there. I'll
• 42:12
  Speaker 1: hear him plain, but seek in vain to find my
• 42:14
  Speaker 1: lad wi yellow hair. And every time i'll milk the kine,
• 42:19
  Speaker 1: he'll have his share. The luck be mine. I'll pour it,
• 42:23
  Speaker 1: and yon hollowed stone, he'll sup it when he's all alone.
• 42:26
  Speaker 1: My lightsome lad, my leering lad, he's tittering here, he's
• 42:30
  Speaker 1: tittering there. I'll hear him plain, but seek in vain
• 42:35
  Speaker 1: to find my lad wi yellow hair. O me, if
• 42:39
  Speaker 1: i'd his milk, forget nor cream nor butter, I would
• 42:42
  Speaker 1: get ye needna tell I ken full well on all
• 42:46
  Speaker 1: my kind, he'd cast his spell, My lightsome lad, my
• 42:50
  Speaker 1: leering lad. He's tittering here, he's tittering there. I'll hear
• 42:54
  Speaker 1: him plain, but seek in vain to find my lad
• 42:57
  Speaker 1: Wi yellow hair. On nights when I would rest at ease,
• 43:02
  Speaker 1: the merry lad begins to tease. He'll loose the kind
• 43:05
  Speaker 1: to take me out and titter while I move about,
• 43:08
  Speaker 1: My lightsome lad, my leering lad. He's tittering here, he's
• 43:12
  Speaker 1: tittering there. I'll hear him plain, but seek in vain
• 43:16
  Speaker 1: to find my lad we yellow hair. End of the
• 43:21
  Speaker 1: Gruagach recording by Matthew REYE. Davenport Iowa, Chapter eleven of
• 43:33
  Speaker 1: Elves and Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie. This LibriVox recording
• 43:37
  Speaker 1: is in the public domain recording by Matthew Reese, Chapter eleven.
• 43:43
  Speaker 1: The little old man of the barn, when all the
• 43:46
  Speaker 1: big lads will be hunting the deer, and no one
• 43:49
  Speaker 1: for helping. Old column comes near. Oh, who will be
• 43:52
  Speaker 1: busy at threshing his corn? Who will come in the
• 43:55
  Speaker 1: night and be going at morn, The little old man
• 43:59
  Speaker 1: of the barn, Yon, little old man, a boak forlorn,
• 44:03
  Speaker 1: will be threshing his corn, The little old man of
• 44:06
  Speaker 1: the barn, when the peat will turn gray and the
• 44:09
  Speaker 1: shadows fall deep, and weary old Calumn is snoring asleep.
• 44:14
  Speaker 1: When yon plant by the door will keep fairies away,
• 44:18
  Speaker 1: and the horse shoe sets witches a wandering till day,
• 44:21
  Speaker 1: the little old man of the barn, Yon, little old
• 44:24
  Speaker 1: man will thresh with no light in the mouth of
• 44:27
  Speaker 1: the night. The little old man of the barn, for
• 44:31
  Speaker 1: the boakh is strong, though his hair is so gray,
• 44:34
  Speaker 1: he will never be weary when he goes away. The
• 44:37
  Speaker 1: boakh is wise, He's so wise, he's so dear. When
• 44:41
  Speaker 1: the lads are all gone, he will ever be near
• 44:45
  Speaker 1: the little old man of the barn. Yon little old man,
• 44:49
  Speaker 1: so tight and so braw, he will bundle the straw,
• 44:52
  Speaker 1: the little old man of the barn, End of the
• 44:56
  Speaker 1: little old Man of the barn. Recording by matthew Reys, Davenport, Iowa.
• 45:07
  Speaker 1: Chapter twelve of Elves and Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie.
• 45:11
  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Recording by
• 45:14
  Speaker 1: matthew Reyese, Chapter twelve. Yon Fairy Dog twas bold Ma
• 45:21
  Speaker 1: Codrum of the Seals, whose heart would never fail. Would
• 45:24
  Speaker 1: hear Yon fairy bandog fierce come howling down the gale.
• 45:29
  Speaker 1: The pattering of the pause would sound like horses hoofs
• 45:32
  Speaker 1: on frozen ground, while o'er its back and curling round
• 45:35
  Speaker 1: upbrose its fearsome tail, Twas bold Ma Codrum of the Seals,
• 45:40
  Speaker 1: Yon Man that hath no fears beheld the dog with
• 45:43
  Speaker 1: dark green back that bends not when it rears. Its
• 45:47
  Speaker 1: sides were blacker than the night, But underneath the hair
• 45:50
  Speaker 1: was white, its paws were yellow, its eyes were bright,
• 45:54
  Speaker 1: and blood red were its ears, Twas bold Macdrum of
• 45:58
  Speaker 1: the Seals. The man man who nought well dread would
• 46:01
  Speaker 1: wait it stooping with his spear. As nigh to him,
• 46:04
  Speaker 1: it sped the big black head. It turned and tossed.
• 46:08
  Speaker 1: I'll strike, cried he ere, I'll be lost. For every
• 46:12
  Speaker 1: living thing that crossed its path would tumble dead. Twas
• 46:16
  Speaker 1: bold macdrum of the seals. The man who ne'er took
• 46:19
  Speaker 1: fright would watch it bounding from the hills and o'er
• 46:22
  Speaker 1: the moors in flight. When it would leave the ouist
• 46:25
  Speaker 1: shore across the minch, he heard it roar, like Yon
• 46:29
  Speaker 1: black cloud. It bounded o'er the coolin hills that night.
• 46:34
  Speaker 1: End of Yon Fairy Dog recording by Matthiurie Davenport, Iowa.
• 46:45
  Speaker 1: Chapter thirteen of Elves and Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie.
• 46:49
  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Recording by
• 46:52
  Speaker 1: matthiur Ree, Chapter thirteen. The water Horse, Oh, the water
• 47:00
  Speaker 1: her horse will come over the heath with the foaming
• 47:03
  Speaker 1: mouth and the flashing eyes. He's black above, and he's
• 47:07
  Speaker 1: white beneath. The hills are hearing the awesome cries. The
• 47:11
  Speaker 1: sand lies thick in his dripping hair, and his hoofs
• 47:15
  Speaker 1: are twined with weeds and wear Alas for the man
• 47:20
  Speaker 1: who would clutch the mane. There's no spell to help,
• 47:23
  Speaker 1: and no charm to save. Who rides him will never
• 47:27
  Speaker 1: return again. Were he as strong, oh, were he as
• 47:31
  Speaker 1: brave as Finn mac cool, of whom they'll tell he
• 47:34
  Speaker 1: thrashed the devil and made him yell, He'll gallop so fierce,
• 47:39
  Speaker 1: He'll gallop so fast, so high he'll rear, and so
• 47:43
  Speaker 1: swift he'll bound like the lightning flash Hugo prancing past,
• 47:48
  Speaker 1: like the thunder roll, will his hoofs resound, And the man,
• 47:52
  Speaker 1: perchance who sees and hears, he would blind his eyes,
• 47:56
  Speaker 1: He would close his ears. The horse will bellow, the
• 48:00
  Speaker 1: horse will snort, and the gasping rider will pant for breath.
• 48:04
  Speaker 1: Let the way be long or the way be short.
• 48:07
  Speaker 1: It will have one end, and the end is death.
• 48:11
  Speaker 1: In yon black clock from off the shore, the horse
• 48:14
  Speaker 1: will splash and be seen no more. End of the
• 48:19
  Speaker 1: water Horse. Recording by mattheur Ree Davenport, Iowa. Chapter fourteen
• 48:30
  Speaker 1: of Elves and Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie. This LibriVox
• 48:34
  Speaker 1: recording is in the public domain. Recording by Matthiurye, Chapter fourteen,
• 48:40
  Speaker 1: The Changeling. By night they came and from my bed.
• 48:45
  Speaker 1: They stole my babe and left behind a thing I hate,
• 48:49
  Speaker 1: a thing I dread, A changeling who is old and blind.
• 48:54
  Speaker 1: He's moaning all the night and day for those who
• 48:57
  Speaker 1: took my babe away. My little babe was sweet and fair.
• 49:02
  Speaker 1: He crooned to sleep upon my breast. But o the
• 49:06
  Speaker 1: burden I must bear. This drinks all day and will
• 49:09
  Speaker 1: not rest. My little babe had hair so light, and
• 49:14
  Speaker 1: his is growing dark as night. Yon evil day when
• 49:19
  Speaker 1: I would leave my little babe, the stook behind. The
• 49:22
  Speaker 1: fairies coming home at eve upon an eddy of the
• 49:25
  Speaker 1: wind would cast their eyes with envy deep upon my
• 49:29
  Speaker 1: heart's love in his sleep. What holy woman will ye
• 49:34
  Speaker 1: find to weave a spell and work a charm? A
• 49:37
  Speaker 1: holy woman pure and kind, who'll keep my little babe
• 49:42
  Speaker 1: from harm, will make the evil changeling flee and bring
• 49:46
  Speaker 1: my sweet one back to me. End of the Changeling.
• 49:52
  Speaker 1: Recording by Matthewys Davenport, Iowa. Chapter fifteen of Elves and
• 50:03
  Speaker 1: Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie. This LibriVox recording is in
• 50:07
  Speaker 1: the public domain. Recording by matthew Reys, Chapter fifteen, My
• 50:12
  Speaker 1: Fairy Lover, My fairy Lover, My fairy lover, my fair,
• 50:20
  Speaker 1: my rare one, Come back to me all night. I'm
• 50:24
  Speaker 1: sighing for THEE. I'm crying. I would be dying my
• 50:29
  Speaker 1: love for THEE. Thine eyes were glowing like bluebells, blowing
• 50:34
  Speaker 1: with dewdrops twinkling their silvery fires. Thine heart was panting
• 50:39
  Speaker 1: with love and chanting for mine was granting its fond desires.
• 50:45
  Speaker 1: My fairy lover, my fairy lover, my fair, my rare one,
• 50:50
  Speaker 1: Come back to me all night. I'm sighing for THEE.
• 50:54
  Speaker 1: I'm crying. I would be dying my love for THEE.
• 50:59
  Speaker 1: Thy brow had brightness and lily whiteness. Thy cheeks were
• 51:03
  Speaker 1: clear as yon crimson sea like broom buds. Gleaming thy
• 51:07
  Speaker 1: locks were streaming as I lay dreaming my love of THEE.
• 51:13
  Speaker 1: My fairy lover, my fairy lover, my fair, my rare one,
• 51:18
  Speaker 1: Come back to me all night. I'm sighing for THEE.
• 51:21
  Speaker 1: I'm crying. I would be dying my love for THEE.
• 51:27
  Speaker 1: Thy lips that often with love, would soften. They beamed
• 51:31
  Speaker 1: like blooms for the honey bee. Thy voice came ringing
• 51:35
  Speaker 1: like some birds singing when thou wert bringing thy gifts
• 51:38
  Speaker 1: to me, my fairy lover, my fairy lover, my fair,
• 51:44
  Speaker 1: my rare one, Come back to me all night. I'm
• 51:47
  Speaker 1: sighing for THEE. I'm crying. I would be dying my
• 51:52
  Speaker 1: love for THEE. O thou art forgetting the hours we
• 51:57
  Speaker 1: met in the veil of tears at the even tide,
• 52:00
  Speaker 1: Or thou'd come near me to love and cheer me
• 52:03
  Speaker 1: and whisper clearly. O be my bride, my fairy lover,
• 52:09
  Speaker 1: my fairy lover, my fair, my rare one, Come back
• 52:12
  Speaker 1: to me all night. I'm sighing for THEE. I'm crying.
• 52:17
  Speaker 1: I would be dying my love for THEE. What spell
• 52:22
  Speaker 1: can bind THEE? I search to find THEE around the
• 52:26
  Speaker 1: kN all that thy home would be where thou didst hover,
• 52:29
  Speaker 1: my fairy lover. The clods will cover and comfort me,
• 52:34
  Speaker 1: my fairy lover, my fairy lover, my fair, my rare one,
• 52:39
  Speaker 1: Come back to me all night. I'm sighing on THEE.
• 52:43
  Speaker 1: I'm crying. I would be dying my love for THEE.
• 52:50
  Speaker 1: End of My fairy Lover. Recording by Matthieuys Davenport, Iowa.
• 53:02
  Speaker 1: Chapter sixteen of Elves and Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie.
• 53:06
  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain recording by
• 53:09
  Speaker 1: matthew Reys, Chapter sixteen, The Fiends of knock Ferrell, a
• 53:14
  Speaker 1: Rothschire legend one on steep knock Ferrell had the fiends
• 53:20
  Speaker 1: made for safe retreat, a high and strong stockade around
• 53:24
  Speaker 1: their dwellings. And when winterfell and o'er Strathpeffer laid its
• 53:28
  Speaker 1: barren spell, when days were bleak with storm, and nights
• 53:32
  Speaker 1: were drear and dark and lonesome, well they loved to
• 53:35
  Speaker 1: hear the songs of Ossian, peerless and sublime, their blind, gray, barred,
• 53:40
  Speaker 1: grown old before his time, lamenting for his son the young,
• 53:44
  Speaker 1: the brave Oscar, who fell beside the western wave in
• 53:48
  Speaker 1: Gavra's bloody and unequal fight round Ossian. They would gather
• 53:52
  Speaker 1: in the night, beseeching him for a song. And when
• 53:55
  Speaker 1: he took his clarsac from the magic strings, he shook
• 53:59
  Speaker 1: a maze of tree trembling music, falling sweet as mossy
• 54:02
  Speaker 1: waters in the summer heat, and soft as fainting moor winds.
• 54:06
  Speaker 1: When they leave the fume of myrtle on a dewy eve,
• 54:10
  Speaker 1: bound flushed and teeming tarns that all might hear low
• 54:14
  Speaker 1: elfin pipings in the woodlands near Twas. Thus he sang
• 54:18
  Speaker 1: of love, and in a dream the fair maids sighed
• 54:21
  Speaker 1: to hear. But when his theme was the long chase,
• 54:25
  Speaker 1: that Finn and all his men followed with lightsome heart,
• 54:28
  Speaker 1: from glen to glen. His song was free as morn
• 54:31
  Speaker 1: and clear and loud as skylarks caroling below a cloud
• 54:35
  Speaker 1: in sweet June weather. And they heard the fall of
• 54:38
  Speaker 1: mountain streams, the huntsmen's windy call across the heaving hills,
• 54:42
  Speaker 1: the baying hound among the rocks, while echoes answered round.
• 54:46
  Speaker 1: They heard and shared the gladness of the chase. He
• 54:50
  Speaker 1: sang the glories of the Fian race, whose fames flashed
• 54:54
  Speaker 1: through Alba, far and wide, their valorous deeds. He sang
• 54:57
  Speaker 1: with joy and pride when their dark foemen from the
• 55:00
  Speaker 1: west came o'er the ragged hills, And when on Kroum
• 55:03
  Speaker 1: was sure the Viking hordes descending fought and fled, and
• 55:07
  Speaker 1: one brave khan, who would avenge the red by one
• 55:10
  Speaker 1: eyed gall was slain of Finn. He sang and dermaid
• 55:15
  Speaker 1: while the clash of conflict rang in billowy music, through
• 55:17
  Speaker 1: the hero's hall, and many a fian gave the battle call.
• 55:21
  Speaker 1: When Ossien sang, haggard and old, with slow and faltering steps,
• 55:27
  Speaker 1: went winter through the snow, as if its dreary round
• 55:30
  Speaker 1: would ne'er be done. The last long winter of their
• 55:33
  Speaker 1: days begun ere, Yet the latest flush of falling leaves
• 55:37
  Speaker 1: had faded in the breath of chilling eaves, nor ended
• 55:40
  Speaker 1: in the days of longer light. When dawn and eve
• 55:43
  Speaker 1: encroached upon the night a weary time, it was the
• 55:46
  Speaker 1: long strath lay snow wreathed and pathless, And from day
• 55:50
  Speaker 1: to day the tempests raved across the lowering skies, and
• 55:54
  Speaker 1: they grew weak and pale with hollow eyes, the while
• 55:57
  Speaker 1: their stores shrank low, waiting the d of that sweet season.
• 56:01
  Speaker 1: When through the woodlands wan fresh flowers flutter and the
• 56:04
  Speaker 1: wild birds sing for winter. On the forelock of the spring,
• 56:08
  Speaker 1: its icy fingers laid, the huntsmen pined in their dim dwellings,
• 56:12
  Speaker 1: wearily confined, while the loud, hungry tempest held its sway.
• 56:17
  Speaker 1: The red eyed wolves grew bold and came by day,
• 56:20
  Speaker 1: and birds fell frozen in the snow. Then through the
• 56:25
  Speaker 1: trackless strath, a balmy south wind blew to usher lusty spring.
• 56:29
  Speaker 1: Lo In a night the snows gan shrinking upon plain
• 56:32
  Speaker 1: and height, and morning broke in brightness to the sound
• 56:35
  Speaker 1: of falling waters, while a peace profound possessed the world
• 56:39
  Speaker 1: around them, and the blue bared heaven above. Then all
• 56:42
  Speaker 1: the Fians knew that winter's spell was broken, and each
• 56:45
  Speaker 1: one made glad obeisance to the golden sun. Three days
• 56:50
  Speaker 1: around knock Farrell, they pursued the chase across the hills
• 56:53
  Speaker 1: and through the wood round ussy Loch and dingwalls, soundless shore,
• 56:57
  Speaker 1: but meager were the burdens that they bore at even
• 57:00
  Speaker 1: to their dwellings to the west. But sorrow not, said Finn.
• 57:05
  Speaker 1: When all dismayed, they hastened on a drear and bootless quest.
• 57:08
  Speaker 1: With weary steps, they turned to their stockade. Tomorrow we
• 57:12
  Speaker 1: will hunt towards the east to hide unscathe, and then
• 57:15
  Speaker 1: make gladsome feast by night when we return, or ever
• 57:19
  Speaker 1: morn had broken, Finn arose, and on his horn blew loud.
• 57:22
  Speaker 1: The huntsman's blast that round the bend was echoed ore
• 57:25
  Speaker 1: and o'er. Then all his men gathered around him in
• 57:28
  Speaker 1: the dusk. Nor knew what dim forebodings filled his heart
• 57:31
  Speaker 1: and drew his brows in furrowed care, his eyes a gleam,
• 57:35
  Speaker 1: still stared upon the horrors of a dream of evil
• 57:38
  Speaker 1: omen that in vain he sought to solve. His voice
• 57:41
  Speaker 1: came faint from battling thought, and he to Gerry spake,
• 57:45
  Speaker 1: be thou the ward strong son of Morna, who like
• 57:49
  Speaker 1: thee can guard our women from all peril. Gary turned
• 57:53
  Speaker 1: from Finn in sullen silence, for he yearned to join
• 57:56
  Speaker 1: the chase once more. In stature, he was least of
• 57:59
  Speaker 1: all the tribe, but none could be more fierce in
• 58:01
  Speaker 1: conflict fighting in the van than that grim, wolfish and
• 58:05
  Speaker 1: misshapen man. Then Finn to chao Ot spake and gave
• 58:11
  Speaker 1: command to hasten forth before the Fian band. The king
• 58:14
  Speaker 1: of scouts was he, and like the deer, he sped
• 58:17
  Speaker 1: to find if Foemen had come near. Fierce swarthy hillman
• 58:21
  Speaker 1: waiting at the fords for combat, eager or red Viking
• 58:24
  Speaker 1: hoards from out the northern Ailes. In all but wide,
• 58:27
  Speaker 1: no runner could keep pace by Chaot's side. And ere
• 58:31
  Speaker 1: the Fians following in his path had wended from the
• 58:34
  Speaker 1: deep and dusky strath. He swept o'er cline and heard
• 58:37
  Speaker 1: the awesome owls that hoot afar and near in woody fowless.
• 58:42
  Speaker 1: And he had reached the slopes of fair roskien Ere
• 58:45
  Speaker 1: Finn by Firish game, the dawn broke green. For the
• 58:50
  Speaker 1: high huntsman of the Morn had flung his mantle o'er
• 58:52
  Speaker 1: his back. Stooping, he strung his silver bow. Then, rising
• 58:56
  Speaker 1: bright and bold, he shot a burning arrow of pure
• 58:59
  Speaker 1: gold that rent the heart of night. As far behind
• 59:03
  Speaker 1: the fiends followed chaolt like the wind sped on yon
• 59:08
  Speaker 1: sun of Ronan o'er the wide and marshy moor, and
• 59:11
  Speaker 1: thwart the mountain side by Downey's shore, far ebbed and
• 59:15
  Speaker 1: wan and brown, and through the woods of beauteous balnagown
• 59:19
  Speaker 1: the roaring streams, he vaulted on his spear, and foaming
• 59:22
  Speaker 1: torrents leapt. As he drew near the sandy slopes of
• 59:25
  Speaker 1: Nig he climbed and ran till high above Dunscaith. He
• 59:28
  Speaker 1: stood to scan the outer ocean for the Viking ships.
• 59:32
  Speaker 1: Peering below his hand with panting lips agape, but wide
• 59:36
  Speaker 1: and empty lay the sea beyond the barrier crags of Cromarty,
• 59:40
  Speaker 1: to the far sky line, lying blue and bare. For
• 59:43
  Speaker 1: no red pirate sought as yet to dare the gloomy
• 59:45
  Speaker 1: hazards of the fitful seas, the gusty terrors and the
• 59:49
  Speaker 1: treacheries of fickle April and its changing skies. And while
• 59:53
  Speaker 1: he scanned the waves with curious eyes, the sea wind
• 59:55
  Speaker 1: in his nostrils, who had spent a long bleak winter
• 59:58
  Speaker 1: in knock Farrow, pent over the snow wreathed strath and
• 1:00:01
  Speaker 1: buried wood, a sense of freedom tingled in his blood,
• 1:00:04
  Speaker 1: the large life of the ocean heaving wide, his heart
• 1:00:08
  Speaker 1: possessed with gladness and with pride, and he rejoiced to
• 1:00:11
  Speaker 1: be alive once more. He heard the drenching waves on
• 1:00:14
  Speaker 1: that rough shore, raking the shingles and the sea worn rocks,
• 1:00:17
  Speaker 1: sucking the brine through bared and lapping locks of bright
• 1:00:21
  Speaker 1: brown tangle, while the shelving ledges poured back the swirling
• 1:00:25
  Speaker 1: waters o'er their edges and billows, breaking on a precipice
• 1:00:28
  Speaker 1: in spouts of spray fell spreading like a fleece. Sullen
• 1:00:33
  Speaker 1: and sunken lay the reef with sleek and foaming lips
• 1:00:36
  Speaker 1: before the flooded creek, deep bunched with arrowy weed, its
• 1:00:40
  Speaker 1: green expanse wind wrinkled and translucent. A bright trance of
• 1:00:43
  Speaker 1: sun flung splendor lay athwart the wide blue ocean, swept
• 1:00:47
  Speaker 1: with loops of silver and tide, heavily heaving in a long,
• 1:00:50
  Speaker 1: slow swell. A lonely fissure in his coricle came round
• 1:00:55
  Speaker 1: a headland, lifted on a wave that bore him through
• 1:00:58
  Speaker 1: the shallows to his cave or other being. He saw
• 1:01:02
  Speaker 1: the birds that flew clamorous about the cliffs and diving
• 1:01:05
  Speaker 1: drew their prey from bounteous waters on him, cast cold
• 1:01:08
  Speaker 1: beady eyes of wonder, wheeling past and sliding down the wind. Two,
• 1:01:16
  Speaker 1: the warm sun shone on blind gray Ossian, musing all
• 1:01:19
  Speaker 1: alone upon a knoll before the high stockade. When Oscar's
• 1:01:22
  Speaker 1: son came nigh his hand. He laid on the boy's curls,
• 1:01:25
  Speaker 1: and then his fingers strayed over the face and round
• 1:01:28
  Speaker 1: the tender chin. Be thou as brave as Oscar, Wise
• 1:01:32
  Speaker 1: as Finn, said Ossian, with a sigh, nay, I would
• 1:01:36
  Speaker 1: be a bard. The boy made answer, like to thee
• 1:01:41
  Speaker 1: alas my son, the gentle Ossian said, my song was
• 1:01:44
  Speaker 1: born in sorrow for the dead. O may such grief
• 1:01:48
  Speaker 1: as Ossians ne'er be thine. If thou wouldst sing, May
• 1:01:51
  Speaker 1: thou below the pine, murmuring thy dreams conceive and happy
• 1:01:55
  Speaker 1: be nor hear but sorrow in the breaking sea, and
• 1:01:58
  Speaker 1: death sighs in the gale. Alas my song that rose
• 1:02:02
  Speaker 1: in sorrow must survive in wrong. My life is spent
• 1:02:05
  Speaker 1: and vain. A day of thine were better than a
• 1:02:08
  Speaker 1: long dark year of mine. But come, my son, so
• 1:02:12
  Speaker 1: lead me by the hand to hear the sweetest harbor
• 1:02:15
  Speaker 1: in the land, the wild, free wind of spring, all
• 1:02:18
  Speaker 1: o'er the hills, and under let us go by tuneful
• 1:02:21
  Speaker 1: rills will wander, and my heart shall sweeten be with
• 1:02:24
  Speaker 1: echoes of the moorland melody my clarsak wilt thou bear?
• 1:02:28
  Speaker 1: And so they went together from knach Ferrel. Long they
• 1:02:32
  Speaker 1: lay within the woods of Brahan, and by the shore
• 1:02:35
  Speaker 1: of Silvery Conan, wended crossing o'er the ford at Aclty,
• 1:02:38
  Speaker 1: where Ossian told the tale of Finn, who there had
• 1:02:41
  Speaker 1: slain the bold black archy in his youth. And ere
• 1:02:44
  Speaker 1: the tale was ended. They had crossed to Taradale, where dwelt,
• 1:02:48
  Speaker 1: a daughter of an ancient race, deep learned in lore
• 1:02:51
  Speaker 1: and with a gift to trace the thread of life
• 1:02:53
  Speaker 1: in the dark web of fate. And she to Ossian cried,
• 1:02:56
  Speaker 1: thou comest late too late. Alas this day, day of
• 1:03:00
  Speaker 1: all dark days, knock Farrel is before me all ablaze,
• 1:03:04
  Speaker 1: A fearsome vision flaming to mine eyes, O beating heart
• 1:03:07
  Speaker 1: that bleeds, I hear the cries of those that perish
• 1:03:10
  Speaker 1: in Yon high stockade, O many a tender lad, a
• 1:03:13
  Speaker 1: lonesome maid, sweet wife, and sleeping babe, and hero old
• 1:03:18
  Speaker 1: O Ossian couldst thou see, O child, behold Yon ruddy
• 1:03:22
  Speaker 1: closing clouds, so falls the fate of all the tribe.
• 1:03:25
  Speaker 1: Alas thou comest late three When Ossian from knach Farol
• 1:03:34
  Speaker 1: went a band of merry maidens, trooping hand in hand,
• 1:03:37
  Speaker 1: came forth with laughing eyes and flowing hair, to share
• 1:03:40
  Speaker 1: the freedom of the morning air. Adown the steep they went,
• 1:03:43
  Speaker 1: and through the wood, where Gary splintered logs in sullen mood,
• 1:03:47
  Speaker 1: pining to join the chase. His wrath, he wrought upon
• 1:03:50
  Speaker 1: the trees that morn, as if he fought against a
• 1:03:53
  Speaker 1: hundred foemen from the west till he grew weary and
• 1:03:56
  Speaker 1: was fain to rest. The maids were wont to shower
• 1:03:59
  Speaker 1: up on his head their merry taunts, and oft from
• 1:04:02
  Speaker 1: them he fled, for of their quips and jests. He
• 1:04:05
  Speaker 1: had more fear than e'er he felt before a foeman's spear,
• 1:04:09
  Speaker 1: and so he chose to be alone. The air was
• 1:04:12
  Speaker 1: heavily laden with the odor rare of deep wind, shaken
• 1:04:15
  Speaker 1: fir trees breathing sweet as through the wood. The maids,
• 1:04:18
  Speaker 1: with silent feet went treading needled sward in light and shade,
• 1:04:22
  Speaker 1: now bright, now dim, like flowers that gleam and fade,
• 1:04:26
  Speaker 1: and ever bloom and ever pass away. Upon a fairy hillock,
• 1:04:31
  Speaker 1: Gary lay in sunshine, fast asleep. His head was bare,
• 1:04:35
  Speaker 1: and the wind, rippling through his golden hair, laid out
• 1:04:37
  Speaker 1: the seven locks that were his pride, which one by
• 1:04:40
  Speaker 1: one the maid securely tied to tether pins. While Garry,
• 1:04:43
  Speaker 1: breathing deep, moaned low, and moved about in troubled sleep.
• 1:04:47
  Speaker 1: Then to a thicket, all the maidens crept and raised
• 1:04:50
  Speaker 1: the call of warning. Gary leapt from dreams that boded
• 1:04:53
  Speaker 1: ill with sudden fear that a fierce band of foemen
• 1:04:56
  Speaker 1: had come near the seven fetters of his golden hair.
• 1:04:59
  Speaker 1: He wrenched off as he and so laid bare a
• 1:05:01
  Speaker 1: shredded scalp of ruddy wounds that bled with bitter agony.
• 1:05:05
  Speaker 1: The maidens fled with laughter through the wood and climbed
• 1:05:08
  Speaker 1: the path of steep knock. Ferrell fierce was Garry's wrath
• 1:05:12
  Speaker 1: when he perceived who wronged him, with a shriek that
• 1:05:15
  Speaker 1: raised the eagles from the mountain peak. He shook his
• 1:05:17
  Speaker 1: spear and ran with stumbling feet, and sought for vengeance.
• 1:05:20
  Speaker 1: Speedy and complete. The lust of blood possessed him, and
• 1:05:24
  Speaker 1: he swore to slay them, but they shut the oaken
• 1:05:26
  Speaker 1: door ere he had reached that high and strong stockade.
• 1:05:29
  Speaker 1: From whence Alas, nor wife, nor child, nor maid came
• 1:05:33
  Speaker 1: forth again four soft couched upon a bank, lay chaowhilet
• 1:05:40
  Speaker 1: on the cliff top, while he drank the sweetness of
• 1:05:43
  Speaker 1: the morning air that brought a spell of dreamful ease
• 1:05:46
  Speaker 1: and pleasant thought, with memories from the deeps of other years.
• 1:05:49
  Speaker 1: When Durmaid, unforgotten by his peers, and Oscar fair and young,
• 1:05:53
  Speaker 1: went forth with mirth a hunting o'er the hills around
• 1:05:56
  Speaker 1: the firth. On such an april morn, he leapt to
• 1:06:01
  Speaker 1: hear the Fians shouting from a woodland near their hunting call.
• 1:06:04
  Speaker 1: Then swift he sped apace with bounding heart to join
• 1:06:07
  Speaker 1: the gladsome chase. Stooping, he ran with poised uplifted spear
• 1:06:11
  Speaker 1: as through the woods approached the nimble deer that swerved,
• 1:06:14
  Speaker 1: beholding him with startled toss of antlers down the slope,
• 1:06:18
  Speaker 1: it fled to cross the open vale before him to
• 1:06:21
  Speaker 1: the west. The Fians, merging from the woodland, pressed to
• 1:06:24
  Speaker 1: head it shoreward. All the fierce hounds bayed with hungry ardor,
• 1:06:28
  Speaker 1: and the deer, dismayed with foaming nostrils, leapt and strove
• 1:06:31
  Speaker 1: to flee towards the deep dark woods of Calrossi. But
• 1:06:35
  Speaker 1: Chao Olet, fresh from resting, was more fleet than deer
• 1:06:38
  Speaker 1: or dog's, and sped with naked feet until upon a
• 1:06:41
  Speaker 1: loose and sandy bank. Plunging his spear into the smoking
• 1:06:44
  Speaker 1: flank its flight, he stayed. He stabbed it as it sank,
• 1:06:48
  Speaker 1: the life blood spurting, and he saw it die. Or
• 1:06:51
  Speaker 1: ever dog or huntsman had come nigh. Then eager feast
• 1:06:56
  Speaker 1: they made, and after long and frequent fast of winter,
• 1:06:58
  Speaker 1: they grew strong as they had been of old, and
• 1:07:01
  Speaker 1: of their fare. The lean and scrambling hounds had ready
• 1:07:04
  Speaker 1: share nor overfed. They in their merry mood, but set
• 1:07:08
  Speaker 1: to hunt again, and through the wood scattered with eager pace.
• 1:07:12
  Speaker 1: Ere yet the sun had climbed to highest noon for low.
• 1:07:15
  Speaker 1: Each one had memory of the famished cheeks and white
• 1:07:18
  Speaker 1: of those who waited their return by night in steep
• 1:07:21
  Speaker 1: knock Ferrell's desolate stockade. Oh many a beauteous and betrothed
• 1:07:26
  Speaker 1: maid and mother's nursing babies, and warriors lying in winter
• 1:07:29
  Speaker 1: fever's spell, the old men dying, and slim fair lads
• 1:07:33
  Speaker 1: who waited to acclaim with gladsome shout the huntsmen when
• 1:07:37
  Speaker 1: they came with burdens of the chase. So they pursued
• 1:07:40
  Speaker 1: the hunt till eve was nigh Jinnie's wood. Another deer
• 1:07:43
  Speaker 1: they slew. Chaoualt, who stood on a high ridge alone,
• 1:07:48
  Speaker 1: with eager eyes, scanning the prospect wide in mute surprise,
• 1:07:51
  Speaker 1: saw rising o'er knock Ferrell a dark cloud of thick
• 1:07:54
  Speaker 1: and writhing smoke. Then fierce and loud upon his horn,
• 1:07:57
  Speaker 1: he blew the warning blast from out the word woods.
• 1:08:00
  Speaker 1: The Fians hastened fast, lo when they stared towards the
• 1:08:04
  Speaker 1: western sky, they saw their winter dwelling blazing high. Then
• 1:08:08
  Speaker 1: fear possessed them for their own and grief unutterable. And
• 1:08:12
  Speaker 1: thus spake their wise chief, to whom came knowledge, and
• 1:08:15
  Speaker 1: the swift sure thought alas Alas, an enemy hath wrought
• 1:08:19
  Speaker 1: black vengeance on our kind in yonder gleam of fearsome flame.
• 1:08:23
  Speaker 1: The horrors of my dream are now accomplished. All we
• 1:08:26
  Speaker 1: loved and cherished, and sought and fought for in that
• 1:08:29
  Speaker 1: pyre have perished. White lipped they heard, then wailing loud,
• 1:08:36
  Speaker 1: they ran, following the nimble Chao whalt man by man
• 1:08:39
  Speaker 1: towards knock Ferrell, leaping on their spears or Martian stream. Macrthon,
• 1:08:45
  Speaker 1: blind with tears, tumbled or leapt into a swollen flood
• 1:08:48
  Speaker 1: that swept him too the sea. But no man stood
• 1:08:50
  Speaker 1: to help or mourn him, for the eve grew dim,
• 1:08:53
  Speaker 1: and some there were, indeed who envied him. Five as
• 1:09:00
  Speaker 1: snarls the wolf at bay within the wood on huntsmen
• 1:09:03
  Speaker 1: and their hounds. So Garry stood raging before the women
• 1:09:05
  Speaker 1: who had made secure retreat within the high stockade. He
• 1:09:09
  Speaker 1: cursed them all, and their loud laughter rang more bitter
• 1:09:12
  Speaker 1: to his heart than e'en the pang of his fierce wounds. Then,
• 1:09:15
  Speaker 1: while his streaming blood half blinded him, he hastened to
• 1:09:18
  Speaker 1: the wood, and a small tree upon his shoulders bore
• 1:09:21
  Speaker 1: and fixed it fast against the oaken door, that none
• 1:09:24
  Speaker 1: might issue forth. Then, once again towards the wood he turned,
• 1:09:28
  Speaker 1: but all in vain the women waited his return till
• 1:09:31
  Speaker 1: they grew weary. For in pain and wrath he lay
• 1:09:34
  Speaker 1: in a close thicket, brooding o'er his shame and panting
• 1:09:37
  Speaker 1: for revenge. Then Finn's wife came to set the women
• 1:09:41
  Speaker 1: to the wheel and loom with angry chiding, and a
• 1:09:44
  Speaker 1: heavy gloom fell on them. All who knoweth Thus she spake,
• 1:09:48
  Speaker 1: What evil may the fian men o'ertake this day of evil? Omens?
• 1:09:52
  Speaker 1: Yester night, I saw the pale ghost of my sire,
• 1:09:55
  Speaker 1: with white and trembling lips. At morn before my sight
• 1:09:58
  Speaker 1: a raven darted from the wood and slew a brooding dove.
• 1:10:02
  Speaker 1: What fear is mine? For who would defend us? If
• 1:10:04
  Speaker 1: our fierce full men came when Garry is against us much,
• 1:10:08
  Speaker 1: I blame thy wanton deed. The women heard in shame
• 1:10:13
  Speaker 1: nor answer. Made the sun with fiery gleams, scattered the
• 1:10:18
  Speaker 1: feathery clouds, as in a dream. The spirits of the
• 1:10:20
  Speaker 1: dead are softly swept from severed visions. Sweet a low
• 1:10:25
  Speaker 1: wind crept around with faltering steps and pausing, sighed, then
• 1:10:28
  Speaker 1: fled to murmur from the mountain side amid the pine
• 1:10:31
  Speaker 1: tree shade, while all aglow ben wyvis bared a crest
• 1:10:35
  Speaker 1: of shining snow in barren splendor o'er the slumbering strath.
• 1:10:39
  Speaker 1: While some sat trembling fearing Garry's wrath, some feared the
• 1:10:43
  Speaker 1: coming of the foe, and some had vague forebodings and
• 1:10:45
  Speaker 1: were brooding, dumb, and longed to greet the huntsmen. Mothers
• 1:10:49
  Speaker 1: laid their babes to sleep, and many a gentle maid
• 1:10:52
  Speaker 1: sighed for her lover in that lone stockade. And one
• 1:10:56
  Speaker 1: who sat apart with pensive eye, thus saying to hear
• 1:10:59
  Speaker 1: the peewees plaintive cry, pee wee, pee wee, crying sweet,
• 1:11:04
  Speaker 1: crying early, crying late. Will your voice be never weary,
• 1:11:08
  Speaker 1: crying for your mate? Other hearts than thine are lonely.
• 1:11:12
  Speaker 1: Other hearts must wait. Pee wee peewee. I'd be flying
• 1:11:17
  Speaker 1: o'er the hills and o'er the sea till I found
• 1:11:19
  Speaker 1: the love I longed for. Wheresoe'er he'd be pee wee crying.
• 1:11:24
  Speaker 1: I'd be flying? Could I fly like thee? When Gary,
• 1:11:29
  Speaker 1: who had stanched his wounds, arose, he seized his axe
• 1:11:32
  Speaker 1: and gan with rapid blows to fell down fir trees
• 1:11:35
  Speaker 1: through the silent strath. The hollow echoes rang with fiendish wrath.
• 1:11:39
  Speaker 1: He made resolve to heap the splintered wood against the
• 1:11:41
  Speaker 1: door and burn the hated brood of his tormentors one
• 1:11:44
  Speaker 1: and all. He hewed an ample pyre, then piled it
• 1:11:47
  Speaker 1: thick and high, while the sun, sloping to the western sky,
• 1:11:50
  Speaker 1: proclaimed the closing of that fateful day. But the doomed
• 1:11:54
  Speaker 1: women little dreamed that they would have such a fearsome end.
• 1:11:57
  Speaker 1: As Gary lay rubbing the fire sticks till they gan
• 1:11:59
  Speaker 1: to glow, he heard a fie and mother singing, low, sleep,
• 1:12:04
  Speaker 1: O sleep, I'll sing to thee. Mulachi o mulaki sleep
• 1:12:09
  Speaker 1: O sleep like yon gray stone. Mulachi mine own sleep
• 1:12:14
  Speaker 1: O sleep nor sigh nor fret ye, and the goblins
• 1:12:18
  Speaker 1: will not get ye. I will shield ye, I will
• 1:12:21
  Speaker 1: pet ye mulaki mine own. The mother sang, the gentle
• 1:12:26
  Speaker 1: babe made moan, and Garry heard them with a heart
• 1:12:28
  Speaker 1: of stone, with fiendish laugh. He saw the leaping flames
• 1:12:32
  Speaker 1: possess the pyre. He heard the shrieking dames and maids
• 1:12:35
  Speaker 1: and children wailing in the gloom of smothering smoke. Ere
• 1:12:38
  Speaker 1: they had met their doom. Then, when the high stockade
• 1:12:41
  Speaker 1: was blazing red ere, yet their cries were silenced, Garry
• 1:12:45
  Speaker 1: fled and westward o'er the shouldering hills he sped six
• 1:12:52
  Speaker 1: a broad, faint twilight lingered to unfold the sun's slow
• 1:12:55
  Speaker 1: dying beams of tangled gold, and the long billowy hills
• 1:12:58
  Speaker 1: in gathering shade, their naked peaks and ebben crags displayed
• 1:13:02
  Speaker 1: sharp rimmed against the tender heaven, and pale and misty
• 1:13:06
  Speaker 1: shadows gathered in the veil. When Chao while to knock,
• 1:13:09
  Speaker 1: Farrell came and saw amid the dusk with sorrow and
• 1:13:12
  Speaker 1: with awe, the ruins of their winter dwelling laid in
• 1:13:15
  Speaker 1: smoldering ashes. While the high stockade around the rocky wall,
• 1:13:19
  Speaker 1: like ragged teeth, was crackling o'er the melting stones beneath,
• 1:13:22
  Speaker 1: still darting flame and flickering in the breeze, He sped
• 1:13:27
  Speaker 1: towards the wood and through the trees, called loud for
• 1:13:29
  Speaker 1: those who perished on his fair and gentle spouse. He
• 1:13:32
  Speaker 1: called in his despair his sweet son and his sire,
• 1:13:36
  Speaker 1: whose hair was white as with as snow. He called
• 1:13:38
  Speaker 1: for in the night, full, loud and long across the
• 1:13:42
  Speaker 1: strath he cried. The echoes mocked him from the mountain side. Ah.
• 1:13:48
  Speaker 1: When his last hope faded, like the wave of twilight,
• 1:13:50
  Speaker 1: ebbing o'er the hills, he gave his heart to utter
• 1:13:53
  Speaker 1: grief and deep despair, and the cold stars peered down
• 1:13:56
  Speaker 1: with pitiless stare, while sank the wind in silence on
• 1:13:59
  Speaker 1: its flight through the dark hollows of the spacious night,
• 1:14:02
  Speaker 1: and distant sounds seemed near. In his dismay, he heard
• 1:14:06
  Speaker 1: a fian calling far away. The night bird answered back
• 1:14:10
  Speaker 1: with dismal cry, like a wounded man about to die.
• 1:14:13
  Speaker 1: But Chaoat's lips were silent once again, and nearer came
• 1:14:17
  Speaker 1: the voice that cried in vain. Then swift steps climbed
• 1:14:21
  Speaker 1: knock Farrel's barren steep, and Alvin called with trembling voice
• 1:14:24
  Speaker 1: and deep to Chaoaut, crouching low with bended head, Who
• 1:14:29
  Speaker 1: liveth I am here alone? He said? Thus, Fian after
• 1:14:34
  Speaker 1: fian came to share their bitter grief in silence and despair.
• 1:14:39
  Speaker 1: All night they kept lone watch until the dawn, with
• 1:14:41
  Speaker 1: stealthy fingers o'er the east had drawn its dewy veil
• 1:14:44
  Speaker 1: and dim. Then Finn arose from deep and sleepless, brooding
• 1:14:48
  Speaker 1: o'er his woes, and spake unto the Fians, who shall
• 1:14:52
  Speaker 1: rest while flees our evil foemen farther west arise. But
• 1:14:57
  Speaker 1: who hath done this deed? They sighed, and Finn made
• 1:15:00
  Speaker 1: answer garry. Then they cried for vengeance, swift and terrible,
• 1:15:05
  Speaker 1: and leapt to answer Finn's command. A cold wind swept
• 1:15:09
  Speaker 1: from out the gates of morning, moaning loud as swift.
• 1:15:12
  Speaker 1: They hastened forth a ragged shroud of gathering tempest or
• 1:15:15
  Speaker 1: ben wives cast a sudden gloom, and round it. Falling fast,
• 1:15:20
  Speaker 1: it drifted o'er the darkened slopes, and bare and snowflake
• 1:15:23
  Speaker 1: swirled in the chill morning air. Then o'er the sea,
• 1:15:26
  Speaker 1: the sun leapt large and bright, scattering the storm and more,
• 1:15:30
  Speaker 1: and crag lay white as westward o'er the hills. The Fians,
• 1:15:34
  Speaker 1: all in quest of Garry, sped at evenfall they found
• 1:15:38
  Speaker 1: him on the bald and rocky side of steep scour woolen.
• 1:15:41
  Speaker 1: Gary lay to hide within a cave which backward o'er
• 1:15:45
  Speaker 1: the snow. He entered, that his steps might seem to
• 1:15:47
  Speaker 1: show he had fled eastward. By the path he came.
• 1:15:50
  Speaker 1: All day he sought to flee them in his shame,
• 1:15:52
  Speaker 1: Watching from lofty crag or deep ravine, and crouching in
• 1:15:56
  Speaker 1: the heath with haggard mien, he sought in vain to
• 1:15:59
  Speaker 1: hide till darkness cast its blinding cloak betwixt them. When
• 1:16:03
  Speaker 1: at last Finn cried, come forth, thou dog of evil deeds,
• 1:16:07
  Speaker 1: nor respit seek his limbs like wind swept reeds trembled
• 1:16:11
  Speaker 1: and bent beneath him. So he rose and came to
• 1:16:14
  Speaker 1: meet his friends, who were his foes. Then, unto Finn,
• 1:16:17
  Speaker 1: he spake with accents, meek, one last request I of
• 1:16:21
  Speaker 1: the Fian seek whom I have loved in peace and
• 1:16:24
  Speaker 1: served in strife. Tis thine, said Finn, but ask not
• 1:16:28
  Speaker 1: for thy life, for thou art mong the Fians. I
• 1:16:32
  Speaker 1: would die, said Gary, with my head laid on thy thigh,
• 1:16:35
  Speaker 1: and let young Alvin take thy sword, that he may
• 1:16:38
  Speaker 1: give the death that will mine honor be Twas so
• 1:16:42
  Speaker 1: he lay to die. But as the blade swept bright,
• 1:16:45
  Speaker 1: young Alvin, keen for vengeance, swayed and slipped upon the sword,
• 1:16:49
  Speaker 1: and his fierce blow that Gerry slew. The Fian chief
• 1:16:52
  Speaker 1: laid low a grievous wound was gaping on his thigh,
• 1:16:56
  Speaker 1: and poured his life blood forth. A low, weard cry
• 1:16:59
  Speaker 1: the eight Finn gave. As he fell back and swooned
• 1:17:03
  Speaker 1: in vain. They strove to staunch the fearsome wound. His
• 1:17:06
  Speaker 1: life ebbed slowly with the sun's last ray in gathering gloom,
• 1:17:11
  Speaker 1: and when in death he lay, the glory of the
• 1:17:13
  Speaker 1: Fians passed away. End of the Fians of Knockferrell. Recording
• 1:17:21
  Speaker 1: by matthieur Ree Davenport, Iowa. Chapter seventeen, of Elves and
• 1:17:31
  Speaker 1: Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie. This LibriVox recording is in
• 1:17:34
  Speaker 1: the public domain. Recording by matthiur Reice, Chapter seventeen, Her
• 1:17:41
  Speaker 1: Evil eye, O mayory do the weaver's wife will have
• 1:17:47
  Speaker 1: the evil eye. The fear will come about my heart.
• 1:17:50
  Speaker 1: When she'll be passing by, she'll have the piercing look
• 1:17:54
  Speaker 1: to wound the very birds that fly. I would not
• 1:17:59
  Speaker 1: have her evil wish. I would not have her praise,
• 1:18:03
  Speaker 1: for like the shadow, would her curse me follow all
• 1:18:06
  Speaker 1: my days? When she my churning will speak, well, no
• 1:18:11
  Speaker 1: butter can I raise, O mayory do we'll have the
• 1:18:16
  Speaker 1: eye to wound the very dear ah. Would she scowl
• 1:18:20
  Speaker 1: upon my bairns when her they would come near. They'll
• 1:18:24
  Speaker 1: have the red cords round their necks, so they'll have
• 1:18:26
  Speaker 1: naught to fear. Its murdo man, the luckless man against
• 1:18:31
  Speaker 1: her would prevail. And first her eye was on his churn,
• 1:18:35
  Speaker 1: then on the milking pail. When she would praise the
• 1:18:38
  Speaker 1: brindled cow, the cow began to ail. The trout that
• 1:18:43
  Speaker 1: gamble in the pool shall wound when she goes past.
• 1:18:45
  Speaker 1: Then weariness will come upon the fins that flicked so fast,
• 1:18:49
  Speaker 1: and one by one the lifeless things will on the
• 1:18:52
  Speaker 1: stones be cast, O mayory, do you gave yon sprain
• 1:18:58
  Speaker 1: to poor dun Paris arm It is myself would have
• 1:19:02
  Speaker 1: the work undoing of the harm. I'd twist around the
• 1:19:06
  Speaker 1: three ply cord well knotted, or the charm your eye
• 1:19:11
  Speaker 1: you'd put on. Yon sweet babe, O lachlan, O loch glass.
• 1:19:15
  Speaker 1: He'd fill the wooden ladle where the dead and living pass,
• 1:19:18
  Speaker 1: and with the water silver charmed. He'd save his little lass.
• 1:19:24
  Speaker 1: I'll lock my cheese within the chest my butter, I
• 1:19:27
  Speaker 1: will hide. I'll bar the buyer at milking time, although
• 1:19:30
  Speaker 1: you'll wait outside. You'll maybe go another way. Who'll care
• 1:19:35
  Speaker 1: for you to bide? End of her evil eye? Recording
• 1:19:41
  Speaker 1: by Matthew Ree, Davenport, Iowa. Chapter eighteen of Elves and
• 1:19:51
  Speaker 1: Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie. This LibriVox recording is in
• 1:19:55
  Speaker 1: the public domain. Recording by Matthew Ree, Chapter eighteen A cursing.
• 1:20:04
  Speaker 1: So you're coming, ye breavers and rogues, when the men
• 1:20:07
  Speaker 1: will be fighting afar? Oh all the mac quiverins are
• 1:20:11
  Speaker 1: bold when it's only with women, though, war weasels that
• 1:20:15
  Speaker 1: creep in the dark, foxes that prowl in the night,
• 1:20:19
  Speaker 1: rats that are hated and vile. Oh, hasten you out
• 1:20:22
  Speaker 1: of my sight? Oh my cow, you would take from
• 1:20:26
  Speaker 1: my buyer? This day will the beggars. Be brave, you'd
• 1:20:30
  Speaker 1: be lifting the thatch from the roof if you had
• 1:20:32
  Speaker 1: now a roof to your cave. Your chief, he's the
• 1:20:36
  Speaker 1: lord of the lies a wind bag his wife with
• 1:20:39
  Speaker 1: the brag your clan is the pride of the thieves.
• 1:20:43
  Speaker 1: Whose meal will you have in your bag? Now? Las
• 1:20:47
  Speaker 1: pugmckeon may blush. Oh, he'll be the sorrowful man. His
• 1:20:51
  Speaker 1: fame for the thieving is gone to the reavers and
• 1:20:54
  Speaker 1: rogues of your clan. You'll spare me, so old and
• 1:20:58
  Speaker 1: so frail, fitter to die than to live. But maybe
• 1:21:01
  Speaker 1: I'll slay with the tongue and the heart that will
• 1:21:04
  Speaker 1: never forgive. The curse of the frail will be strong.
• 1:21:08
  Speaker 1: The curse of the widow be sure, Oh, the curse
• 1:21:12
  Speaker 1: of the wronged will avenge black. Black is the curse
• 1:21:15
  Speaker 1: of the poor. Ha laugh at your ease while you
• 1:21:19
  Speaker 1: can laugh. It's the devil's turn next. For after I'm
• 1:21:23
  Speaker 1: done with you all, Oh who will be doleful and vexed,
• 1:21:28
  Speaker 1: bear need on the ground, will I go? My hair
• 1:21:30
  Speaker 1: on my shoulders let fall now hear me, and never
• 1:21:34
  Speaker 1: forget my curses. I'll cast on you all, little increase
• 1:21:38
  Speaker 1: to your clan, the down mouth, to you and to yours.
• 1:21:42
  Speaker 1: The blight on your little black cave. The luck o
• 1:21:45
  Speaker 1: a Friday on Moor's fire upon land, be your lot,
• 1:21:50
  Speaker 1: drowning in storm on the deep. Leave not a sun
• 1:21:54
  Speaker 1: to succeed, Leave not a daughter to weep. Here's the
• 1:21:58
  Speaker 1: bad meeting to you. Death without priest be your fate.
• 1:22:03
  Speaker 1: Go to your grandfather's house. The son of the cursing
• 1:22:06
  Speaker 1: will wait. Footnote to mcquifin's This clan, which had an
• 1:22:14
  Speaker 1: evil reputation, is extinct. End footnote. Footnote to Laspuigmichean, a
• 1:22:22
  Speaker 1: famous thief. End footnote, footnote to Grandfather's house the grave
• 1:22:31
  Speaker 1: end footnote, footnote to son of the Cursing the devil
• 1:22:38
  Speaker 1: end footnote. End of a cursing recording by Matthew Reice Davenport, Iowa,
• 1:22:52
  Speaker 1: Chapter nineteen of Elves and Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie.
• 1:22:56
  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Recording by
• 1:23:00
  Speaker 1: math eurysee Chapter nineteen. Leo Bag's warning, would Murdo make
• 1:23:06
  Speaker 1: the rye mouth is ili cross eyed? Oh mock no
• 1:23:11
  Speaker 1: more the beggar man you'll scorn wi pride the wind
• 1:23:15
  Speaker 1: that will be blowing west, might turn and blow south,
• 1:23:19
  Speaker 1: O AILI, it would fix your eyes and Murdo's rye mouth.
• 1:23:23
  Speaker 1: O mind ye of the Leo Bag and Yon rock
• 1:23:26
  Speaker 1: cod Ho, there's the mouth, the cute one cried for
• 1:23:31
  Speaker 1: the hook and the rod the tide. It would be turning,
• 1:23:35
  Speaker 1: while the Leo Bag would mock. And that is why
• 1:23:38
  Speaker 1: it's gaping as it gaped below the rock. Footnote to
• 1:23:44
  Speaker 1: Leo Bag the flounder end footnote end of Leo Bag's
• 1:23:52
  Speaker 1: warning recording by Matthieuryice Davenport, Iowa. Chapter twenty of Elves
• 1:24:04
  Speaker 1: and Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie. This LibriVox recording is
• 1:24:07
  Speaker 1: in the public domain. Recording by matthew Reys, Chapter twenty.
• 1:24:13
  Speaker 1: Tober Moire, Well of Saint Mary, tis for Thee. I
• 1:24:19
  Speaker 1: will be pining Tobermoire. Thou art deep and sweet and
• 1:24:23
  Speaker 1: shining Tobermoire. In the dimness. I'll be dying, and my
• 1:24:29
  Speaker 1: soul for THEE is sighing with the blessings on thee
• 1:24:32
  Speaker 1: lying Tobermire. O, thy cool sweet waters dripping Tobermoire. Now,
• 1:24:40
  Speaker 1: my sere lips would be sipping Tobermire. O. My lips
• 1:24:45
  Speaker 1: are sere and burning for thy waters. I'll be yearning
• 1:24:49
  Speaker 1: and yon road of no returning Tobermoire. O thy coolness
• 1:24:55
  Speaker 1: and thy sweetness, Tobermoire, O, thy sureness and complete weakness. Tobermire. Oh,
• 1:25:03
  Speaker 1: this life I would be leaving, with the grayness of
• 1:25:06
  Speaker 1: its grieving and the deeps of its deceiving Tobermoire. I
• 1:25:12
  Speaker 1: would sip thy waters wholy Tobermwire, while the drops of
• 1:25:17
  Speaker 1: life drip slowly toberm Wire, till the wings of angel whiteness,
• 1:25:22
  Speaker 1: with their softness and their lightness, blind me, fold me
• 1:25:26
  Speaker 1: in their brightness. Toberm Wire. End of Tobermoire recording by
• 1:25:34
  Speaker 1: Matthew Reee Davenport, Iowa. Chapter twenty one of Elves and
• 1:25:43
  Speaker 1: Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie. This LibriVox recording is in
• 1:25:47
  Speaker 1: the public domain. Recording by Matthew Reese, Chapter twenty one,
• 1:25:52
  Speaker 1: Sleepy song sung by Grain to Diarmid in their flight
• 1:25:56
  Speaker 1: from the fiends. Sleep a little, Oh Diarmid, Diarmid, Sleep
• 1:26:03
  Speaker 1: in the deep lone cave, Sleep a little, A little
• 1:26:07
  Speaker 1: little love whom my love I gave. Wearily falls, O Diarmid, Diarmid,
• 1:26:14
  Speaker 1: wearily falls the wave. Sleep a little O Diarmid Diarmid,
• 1:26:20
  Speaker 1: Sleep and have never a fear. Sleep a little, a
• 1:26:24
  Speaker 1: little little love whom I love so dear, A weary
• 1:26:29
  Speaker 1: wind O Diarmid Diarmid, a weary wind I hear, sleep
• 1:26:35
  Speaker 1: a little, oh Diarmid, diarmed, Sleep while I watch till
• 1:26:40
  Speaker 1: you wake. Sleep a little, a little little love whom
• 1:26:45
  Speaker 1: I'll ne'er forsake, Sleep a little, and blessings on you,
• 1:26:49
  Speaker 1: my lamb, or my heart will break. End of Sleepy Song.
• 1:26:56
  Speaker 1: Recording by Matthew Reys Davenport, Iowa. Chapter twenty two of
• 1:27:06
  Speaker 1: Elves and Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie. This LibriVox recording
• 1:27:10
  Speaker 1: is in the public domain. Recording by Matthew Reese, Chapter
• 1:27:14
  Speaker 1: twenty two, Song of the Sea. The sea sings loud,
• 1:27:20
  Speaker 1: the sea sings low and sweet is the chime of
• 1:27:24
  Speaker 1: its ebb and flow over the shingly strand for its strange,
• 1:27:29
  Speaker 1: sweet song that woos my ear. The first man heard
• 1:27:33
  Speaker 1: as the last shall hear seeking to understand. End of
• 1:27:41
  Speaker 1: Song of the Sea, recording by Matthew Ree Davenport, Iowa,
• 1:27:52
  Speaker 1: Chapter twenty three of Elves and Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie.
• 1:27:56
  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public Domain recording by B.
• 1:28:00
  Speaker 1: Matthew Reyes, Chapter twenty three, The Death of Kuchulin. Now,
• 1:28:06
  Speaker 1: when the last hour of his life drew nigh, Kuchullin
• 1:28:09
  Speaker 1: woke from dreams, forewarning death. As cold and awesome came
• 1:28:14
  Speaker 1: the night bird's cry and evil omen. The magician saith
• 1:28:18
  Speaker 1: a low gust, panted like a man's last breath, as
• 1:28:21
  Speaker 1: morning crept into the chamber black. Then all his weapons
• 1:28:25
  Speaker 1: clashed and tumbled from the rack for the last time.
• 1:28:29
  Speaker 1: His evil foemen came. The sons of Calatin by Lugaides
• 1:28:32
  Speaker 1: led the land lay smoldering with smoke and flame. The
• 1:28:36
  Speaker 1: duns were fallen, and the fords ran red, and widows fled,
• 1:28:40
  Speaker 1: lamenting for their dead, to fair Immania. On that fateful
• 1:28:44
  Speaker 1: day where all forsworn with fighting, Great Kuchulin lay lever Chan,
• 1:28:51
  Speaker 1: whom he loved a made most fair rose, lipped with
• 1:28:54
  Speaker 1: yellow hair and sea gray eyes. The evil tidings to
• 1:28:57
  Speaker 1: Kuchullin bear andling in her beauty, bade him rise ni'am
• 1:29:02
  Speaker 1: brave Conall's queen the Old the Wise urged him with
• 1:29:07
  Speaker 1: clamor of the land's alarms, and stirred with vengeful might.
• 1:29:10
  Speaker 1: The hero sprang to arms, his purple mantle o'er his
• 1:29:14
  Speaker 1: shoulders wide in haste, he flung, and towering o'er them
• 1:29:17
  Speaker 1: stood all scarred and terrible in battle, pride. His brooch
• 1:29:21
  Speaker 1: that clasped his mantle and his hood, then fell to
• 1:29:24
  Speaker 1: his foot to pierce, and his red blood followed like
• 1:29:27
  Speaker 1: fate behind him. As he stepped, Leverchen shrieked, and Ni'am
• 1:29:32
  Speaker 1: moaned his doom and wept. Thus sallying forth, he called
• 1:29:37
  Speaker 1: his charioteer and bade him yoke the war steeds of
• 1:29:40
  Speaker 1: his choice. The gray of Macha, shuddering in fear, had
• 1:29:44
  Speaker 1: scented death and pranced with fearsome noise. But when it
• 1:29:47
  Speaker 1: heard Kuchullin's chiding voice, meekly it sought the chariot to
• 1:29:51
  Speaker 1: be bound, and wept big tears of blood before him
• 1:29:54
  Speaker 1: on the ground. Then to his chariot leapt the lord
• 1:29:58
  Speaker 1: of war O le me not. Leverchen cried in woe.
• 1:30:03
  Speaker 1: Thrice fifty queens, who gathered from Afar moaned with one voice, Ah,
• 1:30:08
  Speaker 1: wouldst thou from us go? They smote their hands and
• 1:30:12
  Speaker 1: fast their tears did flow. Guchullin's chariot thunder'd o'er the plain.
• 1:30:17
  Speaker 1: Full well he knew that he would ne'er return again.
• 1:30:21
  Speaker 1: How vehement and how beautiful they swept the gray of
• 1:30:24
  Speaker 1: Macha and the black, most bold and keen eyed lake.
• 1:30:28
  Speaker 1: The watchful and adept, nor turned nor spake, as on
• 1:30:31
  Speaker 1: the chariot rolled the steeds. He urged with his red
• 1:30:33
  Speaker 1: goad of gold, stooping, he drave with winged cloak and
• 1:30:37
  Speaker 1: spheres slender and tall and red. The king of charioteers, Kuchulan,
• 1:30:44
  Speaker 1: stood impatient for the fray, his golden, hilted bronze sword
• 1:30:47
  Speaker 1: on his thigh, A sharp and venomous dart beside him
• 1:30:51
  Speaker 1: lay He clasped his ashen spear, bronze tipped and high
• 1:30:55
  Speaker 1: as flames the sun upon the western sky. His round
• 1:30:59
  Speaker 1: shield from Afar was flashing, bright, figured with radiant gold,
• 1:31:02
  Speaker 1: and rimmed with silver. White stern lipped. He stood, his
• 1:31:06
  Speaker 1: great broad head thrown back. The white pearls sprayed upon
• 1:31:10
  Speaker 1: his thick, dark hair, deep set. His eyes beneath his
• 1:31:13
  Speaker 1: eyebrows black, were swift and gray and fixed. His fearless
• 1:31:17
  Speaker 1: stare red edged, his white hood flamed, his tunic rare
• 1:31:21
  Speaker 1: of purple gleamed with gold, his cloak behind his shoulders
• 1:31:24
  Speaker 1: shone with silver, floating in the wind. Betimes three crones
• 1:31:29
  Speaker 1: him meet upon the way, half blind and evil eyed,
• 1:31:33
  Speaker 1: with matted hair. Workers of spells and witcheries. Are they
• 1:31:36
  Speaker 1: the brood of Calatin. Beware, beware, they proffer of their
• 1:31:41
  Speaker 1: fulsome food a share, and stay with us. Awhile a
• 1:31:45
  Speaker 1: false crone cries unseemly as the strong, who would the
• 1:31:48
  Speaker 1: weak despise? He fain would pass, but leapt upon the
• 1:31:54
  Speaker 1: ground the proud the fearless, for sweet Honor's sake, with
• 1:31:58
  Speaker 1: spells and poisons, had they cooked a hound of which
• 1:32:00
  Speaker 1: he was forbidden to partake, But his name charm the
• 1:32:03
  Speaker 1: brave Kuchulin brake and their foul food. He in his
• 1:32:07
  Speaker 1: left hand took eftsoons his former strength, that arm inside
• 1:32:12
  Speaker 1: forsook for o Kuchulin couldst Thou e'er forget. When fast
• 1:32:18
  Speaker 1: by Culan's fort on yon, black knight, thou fought'st and
• 1:32:21
  Speaker 1: slew the band dog dark as jet, which scared the
• 1:32:25
  Speaker 1: thief and put the foe to flight. A tender youth,
• 1:32:28
  Speaker 1: thou wert of warrior might, and all the land did
• 1:32:31
  Speaker 1: with thy fame resound as cathbad the magician named thee
• 1:32:35
  Speaker 1: Culan's hound loud o'er mid lucher rode the chariot rolled
• 1:32:41
  Speaker 1: round shab fuad, desolate and grand till ere with hate.
• 1:32:45
  Speaker 1: The hero did behold, hastening to sweep the foemen from
• 1:32:48
  Speaker 1: the land. His sword flashed red and radiant in his hand,
• 1:32:52
  Speaker 1: in sunny splendor. Was his spear upraised and hovering o'er
• 1:32:55
  Speaker 1: his head. The light of heroes blazed. He comes, He comes,
• 1:33:01
  Speaker 1: cried ayre as he draw near, await him. Men of
• 1:33:05
  Speaker 1: erin and be strong, Their faces blanched, their bodies shook
• 1:33:08
  Speaker 1: with fear. Now link thy shields and close together throng
• 1:33:12
  Speaker 1: and shout the war cry loud and fierce and long.
• 1:33:15
  Speaker 1: Then E'er, with cunning of his evil heart, set heroes
• 1:33:18
  Speaker 1: forth in pears to feign to fight apart, as furious
• 1:33:22
  Speaker 1: tempests that in deep woods roar. Assault the giant trees
• 1:33:26
  Speaker 1: and lay them low, as billows tossed the seaweed on
• 1:33:29
  Speaker 1: the shore, as sweeping sickles do the ripe fields mow Kuchulin,
• 1:33:33
  Speaker 1: rolling fiercely on the foe, broke through the linkid ranks
• 1:33:36
  Speaker 1: upon the plain to drench the field with blood, and
• 1:33:39
  Speaker 1: round him heap the slain. And when he reached a
• 1:33:43
  Speaker 1: warrior pair that stood in fained strife upon a knoll
• 1:33:46
  Speaker 1: of green, their weapons clashing, but unstained with blood. A
• 1:33:49
  Speaker 1: satirist him besought to intervene, whereat he slew them as
• 1:33:53
  Speaker 1: he drave between thy spear to me. The satirist cried
• 1:33:57
  Speaker 1: the while the hero, answering nay, he cried, I'll thee revile,
• 1:34:03
  Speaker 1: reviled for churlishness, I ne'er have been. Kuchullin called uprising
• 1:34:08
  Speaker 1: in his pride, and cast his ashen spear, bronze tipped
• 1:34:11
  Speaker 1: and keen, and slew the satirist and nine beside. Then
• 1:34:14
  Speaker 1: his fresh onslaught, made the host divide and flee before him,
• 1:34:18
  Speaker 1: clamoring with fear. The while the stealthy Lugade seized Kuchullin's spear.
• 1:34:24
  Speaker 1: O sons of Calatin, did Lugate call, what falleth by
• 1:34:27
  Speaker 1: the weapon? I hold here? Together they acclaimed a king
• 1:34:31
  Speaker 1: will fall, for so foretold, they said the aged seer.
• 1:34:36
  Speaker 1: Then at the chariot he flung the spear and lay
• 1:34:39
  Speaker 1: was stricken unto death, and fell Kuchullin drew the spear
• 1:34:42
  Speaker 1: and bade a last farewell the victor aye, and Eke
• 1:34:46
  Speaker 1: the charioteer. He cried and drave the war steeds fierce
• 1:34:50
  Speaker 1: and fast. Another pair he slew to me thy spear.
• 1:34:53
  Speaker 1: Again a satirist called. The spear was cast, and through
• 1:34:57
  Speaker 1: the satirist and nine men passed. But Lugaid Grass sit
• 1:35:00
  Speaker 1: and again doth call, what falleth by this spear? They shout?
• 1:35:04
  Speaker 1: A king will fall? Then fall, cried Lugaid, as he
• 1:35:09
  Speaker 1: flung the spear. The gray of Macha sank in death's
• 1:35:12
  Speaker 1: fierce throes, snapping the yoke. Though while the black ran clear,
• 1:35:16
  Speaker 1: Kuchullin groaned and dashed upon his foes. Another pair he
• 1:35:19
  Speaker 1: slew with rapid blows, and Eke the satirist and nine
• 1:35:23
  Speaker 1: men near. Then once more Lugad sprang to seize the
• 1:35:26
  Speaker 1: charmid spear. What falleth by this weapon? He doth call?
• 1:35:31
  Speaker 1: A king will fall? They answer him again, But twice
• 1:35:34
  Speaker 1: before ye said a king will fall? They cried the
• 1:35:38
  Speaker 1: king of steeds hath fled the plain, and lo, the
• 1:35:40
  Speaker 1: king of charioteers is slain. For the last time. He
• 1:35:44
  Speaker 1: drave the spear full well, and smote the great Kuchulin,
• 1:35:48
  Speaker 1: and Kuchullin fell the black steed snapped the yoke and
• 1:35:54
  Speaker 1: left alone the king of heroes, dying on the plain.
• 1:35:57
  Speaker 1: I fain would drink. They heard Kuchulin grown from out
• 1:36:01
  Speaker 1: yon loch. He thirsted in fierce pain. We give thee leave,
• 1:36:07
  Speaker 1: but thou must come again. His foemen said. Then lo
• 1:36:10
  Speaker 1: made answer he if I will not return, I'll bid
• 1:36:14
  Speaker 1: you come to me his wound. He bound, and to
• 1:36:18
  Speaker 1: the loch did high and drank his drink, and washed
• 1:36:21
  Speaker 1: and made no moan. Then came the brave Kuchulin forth
• 1:36:25
  Speaker 1: to die sublimely. Fearless, strengthless, and alone. He wended to
• 1:36:30
  Speaker 1: the standing pillar stone, clutching his sword and leaning on
• 1:36:34
  Speaker 1: his spear, and to his foemen called, come ye and
• 1:36:37
  Speaker 1: meet me here. A vision swept upon his fading brain,
• 1:36:42
  Speaker 1: a passing vision glorious and sweet. That hour of youth
• 1:36:45
  Speaker 1: returned to him again when he took arms with fearless heart,
• 1:36:48
  Speaker 1: a beat as Cathbad the magician did repeat, who taketh
• 1:36:52
  Speaker 1: arms upon this day of grief? His name shall live forever,
• 1:36:56
  Speaker 1: and his life be brief. Fronting his foe, he stood
• 1:37:00
  Speaker 1: with fearless eye, his body to the pillar stone he bound,
• 1:37:05
  Speaker 1: nor sitting nor down lying, would he die. He would
• 1:37:08
  Speaker 1: die standing. So they gathered round in silent wonder on
• 1:37:11
  Speaker 1: the blood drenched ground and watched the hero, who, with
• 1:37:15
  Speaker 1: death could strive, but no man durst approach. He seemed
• 1:37:20
  Speaker 1: to be alive. End of the Death of Kuchulin. Recording
• 1:37:26
  Speaker 1: by matthieur Reice Davenport, Iowa. Chapter twenty four of Elves
• 1:37:37
  Speaker 1: and Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie. This LibriVox recording is
• 1:37:40
  Speaker 1: in the public domain. Recording by matthiur Ree, Chapter twenty four,
• 1:37:46
  Speaker 1: Lost Songs harp of my father's on the moldering wall
• 1:37:52
  Speaker 1: of days forgotten, like a far off wind hushing the
• 1:37:56
  Speaker 1: fir wood at soft even fall, Thy low heard whisper
• 1:38:00
  Speaker 1: to my heart, recall the wistful songs to silence, old
• 1:38:04
  Speaker 1: consigned that Ossian sang when he was frail and blind.
• 1:38:09
  Speaker 1: Thy fitful notes from the melodious trees I fain would
• 1:38:12
  Speaker 1: echo in my feeble rhyme. The inner music quivering on
• 1:38:16
  Speaker 1: the breeze I hear, and throbbing from the beating seas
• 1:38:20
  Speaker 1: on ancient shores, The wearied pulse of time that mingles
• 1:38:24
  Speaker 1: with thy Melodies Sublime End of Lost Songs recording by
• 1:38:30
  Speaker 1: Matthew Reice, Davenport, Iowa. Chapter twenty five of Elves and
• 1:38:40
  Speaker 1: Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie. This LibriVox recording is in
• 1:38:43
  Speaker 1: the public domain. Recording by Matthew Reice, Chapter twenty five.
• 1:38:50
  Speaker 1: The Dream Twas when I woke, I knew it was
• 1:38:55
  Speaker 1: a dream measured by moments that to me did seem
• 1:38:59
  Speaker 1: a life long spell of joy and peace to be
• 1:39:04
  Speaker 1: will that last dream that comes ere death descends, from
• 1:39:07
  Speaker 1: which I shall not wake to know it ends, thus
• 1:39:10
  Speaker 1: seem to live on through eternity. End of the Dream
• 1:39:18
  Speaker 1: recording by Matthew Ree Davenport, Iowa. Chapter twenty six of
• 1:39:29
  Speaker 1: Elves and Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie. This LibriVox recording
• 1:39:32
  Speaker 1: is in the public domain. Recording by Matthew Reese, Chapter
• 1:39:37
  Speaker 1: twenty six. Free will say not. The will of man
• 1:39:42
  Speaker 1: is free within the limits of his soul. Who from
• 1:39:46
  Speaker 1: his heritage can flee? Who can his destiny control? In vain?
• 1:39:52
  Speaker 1: We wage perpetual strife against instincts, dumb and blind desires.
• 1:39:56
  Speaker 1: Who leads must serve the pulse of life thra with
• 1:40:00
  Speaker 1: the dictates of our sires since when the world began
• 1:40:04
  Speaker 1: to be, and life, through hidden purpose, came from sire
• 1:40:08
  Speaker 1: to son unceasingly, the task bequeathed hath been the same.
• 1:40:12
  Speaker 1: We strive while fetters bind us fast. We seek to
• 1:40:16
  Speaker 1: do what needs must be. We move through bondage with
• 1:40:20
  Speaker 1: the past in service to posterity. End of free Will.
• 1:40:27
  Speaker 1: Recording by Matthew Reice, Davenport, Iowa. Chapter twenty seven of
• 1:40:37
  Speaker 1: Elves and Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie. This LibriVox recording
• 1:40:41
  Speaker 1: is in the public domain. Recording by Matthew Reice, Chapter
• 1:40:45
  Speaker 1: twenty seven, Strife. Weary of strife, the surge and clash
• 1:40:53
  Speaker 1: of city life, I sought for peace in solitude, within
• 1:40:57
  Speaker 1: the hushed and darkened wood, and on the lone some more,
• 1:41:01
  Speaker 1: but found contending leaf and root engaged in conflict, fierce
• 1:41:05
  Speaker 1: though mute, while what was frail was slain by what
• 1:41:09
  Speaker 1: was strong. In dire dispute, I sought for peace in vain.
• 1:41:14
  Speaker 1: The world sustained by strife, endures in pain. All things
• 1:41:20
  Speaker 1: that are in conflict be I murmured on the shelving strand,
• 1:41:25
  Speaker 1: where struggling winds would fain be free. The tide in
• 1:41:28
  Speaker 1: conflict with the wind's command turned tossing wearily. I heard
• 1:41:33
  Speaker 1: the loud sea laboring to the land. I saw the
• 1:41:37
  Speaker 1: dumb land striving with the sea. End of Strife. Recording
• 1:41:46
  Speaker 1: by Matthew Reys Davenport, Iowa. Chapter twenty eight of Elves
• 1:41:55
  Speaker 1: and Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie. This LibriVox recording is
• 1:41:59
  Speaker 1: in the public domain. Recording by matthiur Ree, Chapter twenty eight,
• 1:42:05
  Speaker 1: sonnet written in the Stone Gallery of Saint Paul's. The
• 1:42:10
  Speaker 1: drowsing city sparkles in the heat, and murmur in mine
• 1:42:14
  Speaker 1: ears unceasingly the surging tides of that vast human sea,
• 1:42:18
  Speaker 1: the billows of life that break with muffled beat and
• 1:42:21
  Speaker 1: vibrate through this high and lone retreat, while overall, serene
• 1:42:26
  Speaker 1: and fair and free, thy dome is reared in naked majesty,
• 1:42:31
  Speaker 1: gray old Saint Paul's. In thee the ages meet, slumbering
• 1:42:36
  Speaker 1: amidst the trophies of their strife, and in their dreams,
• 1:42:39
  Speaker 1: Thou Hearest, while the cries of triumph and despair ascend
• 1:42:43
  Speaker 1: from life, the murmurings of immortality, Thou sentinel of hope,
• 1:42:49
  Speaker 1: that doth despise what was and is not waiting what
• 1:42:53
  Speaker 1: shall be? End of Sonnet recording by matthiur Ree, Davenport, Iowa.
• 1:43:06
  Speaker 1: Chapter twenty nine of Elves and Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie.
• 1:43:10
  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Recording by
• 1:43:14
  Speaker 1: Matthew Reys, chapter twenty nine. Out of the Mouths of Babes?
• 1:43:22
  Speaker 1: Is baby dead? He whispered, with wide eyes, tearless but
• 1:43:26
  Speaker 1: full of eloquent regret, his childish face grown prematurely wise,
• 1:43:32
  Speaker 1: pondering the problem death before him. Set baby is dead,
• 1:43:38
  Speaker 1: I answered, as I laid my hand on her frail
• 1:43:41
  Speaker 1: forehead with a sigh. Oh Daddy, Why did God do this?
• 1:43:47
  Speaker 1: He said? And silently my heart made answer why. He
• 1:43:54
  Speaker 1: touched her white worn face and said, how cold is
• 1:43:57
  Speaker 1: our we baby? Now his eyes were deep. Then came
• 1:44:02
  Speaker 1: his little brother, two years old. He looked and lisped,
• 1:44:07
  Speaker 1: the baby is asleep. End of Out of the Mouths
• 1:44:13
  Speaker 1: of Babes recording by Matthew Reice, Davenport, Iowa. Chapter thirty
• 1:44:24
  Speaker 1: of Elves and Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie. This LibriVox
• 1:44:27
  Speaker 1: recording is in the public domain. Recording by Matthew Reice,
• 1:44:32
  Speaker 1: Chapter thirty notes the wee folk in Gaelic, they are
• 1:44:38
  Speaker 1: usually called the peace people scyth Kian. Other names are
• 1:44:43
  Speaker 1: wee Folk, Dione, Biega, light Folk, slough Heutron, et cetera.
• 1:44:50
  Speaker 1: As in the Lowlands, they are referred to as greed
• 1:44:53
  Speaker 1: folk and greed neighbors. The Banshee Bien she sometimes referred
• 1:45:02
  Speaker 1: to as the Fairy Queen, sometimes as the Green Lady.
• 1:45:06
  Speaker 1: She sings a song while she washes the clothes of
• 1:45:08
  Speaker 1: one about to meet a swift and tragic fate. In
• 1:45:11
  Speaker 1: the Fian poems, she converses with those who see her
• 1:45:14
  Speaker 1: and foretells the fate of warriors going to battle. The
• 1:45:18
  Speaker 1: Blue Men of the minch g naw Feir Gorm between
• 1:45:22
  Speaker 1: the Shantiles, charmed Dials and Lewis is the stream of
• 1:45:26
  Speaker 1: the blue Men. They are the sea horses of the
• 1:45:29
  Speaker 1: island Gales. Their presence in the strait was believed to
• 1:45:33
  Speaker 1: be the cause of its billowy restlessness and swift currents.
• 1:45:39
  Speaker 1: The changeling. When the fairies robbed a mother of her babe,
• 1:45:43
  Speaker 1: they left behind a useless, old and peevish fairy who
• 1:45:46
  Speaker 1: took the form of a child. This belief may have
• 1:45:49
  Speaker 1: originated in the assumption that when a baby became ill
• 1:45:51
  Speaker 1: and fretful. It was a changeling. The urisk is, if anything,
• 1:45:57
  Speaker 1: a personification of fear. It is a silent, cloudy shape
• 1:46:01
  Speaker 1: which haunts lonely moors and follows travelers, but rarely does
• 1:46:05
  Speaker 1: more than scare them. My fairy lover fairies fell in
• 1:46:11
  Speaker 1: love with human beings and deserted them when their love
• 1:46:13
  Speaker 1: was returned. Women of unsound mind, given to wandering alone
• 1:46:17
  Speaker 1: in solitary places, were believed to be the victims of
• 1:46:20
  Speaker 1: fairy love. Yon fairy dog and Coucyth was heard howling
• 1:46:27
  Speaker 1: on stormy nights. He was big as a stirk. One
• 1:46:31
  Speaker 1: informant has declared the fearsome tale appears to have been
• 1:46:35
  Speaker 1: not the least impressive thing about it. The Macadrums were
• 1:46:38
  Speaker 1: brave and fearless, and were supposed to be descended from
• 1:46:40
  Speaker 1: the seals, which were believed to be human beings under spells.
• 1:46:46
  Speaker 1: My Gunna, this kindly but solitary elf, herded cattle by
• 1:46:51
  Speaker 1: night and prevented them from falling over the rocks. He
• 1:46:54
  Speaker 1: was seen only by those gifted with the faculty of
• 1:46:56
  Speaker 1: second sight. The Gunnah resembles the low and Brownie. Her
• 1:47:03
  Speaker 1: evil eye belief in the evil eye is still quite common,
• 1:47:07
  Speaker 1: even among educated people in the highlands. Not a few
• 1:47:10
  Speaker 1: children wear the cord to which a silver coin is
• 1:47:13
  Speaker 1: appended as a charm against the influence of the eye.
• 1:47:18
  Speaker 1: The little old man of the barn Borgen Sabael. Like
• 1:47:22
  Speaker 1: the Gunna, he has a variety of the kindly brownie
• 1:47:25
  Speaker 1: and assisted the needy. Nimble men. Nafiir CLIs are the
• 1:47:31
  Speaker 1: merry dancers or Aurora borealis. It was believed that when
• 1:47:36
  Speaker 1: the streamers were colored, the men and maids were dancing,
• 1:47:39
  Speaker 1: and that after the dance the lovers fought for the
• 1:47:41
  Speaker 1: love of the queen. When the streamers are particularly vivid,
• 1:47:44
  Speaker 1: a pink cloud is seen below them, and this is
• 1:47:47
  Speaker 1: called the pool of blood. It drips upon bloodstones, the
• 1:47:51
  Speaker 1: spots on which are referred to as fairy blood Fuilsiauchaire.
• 1:47:57
  Speaker 1: A wizard could by waving his wand summon them nimble
• 1:48:00
  Speaker 1: men to dance in the northern sky. The water horse
• 1:48:05
  Speaker 1: haunted lonely locks and lured human beings to a terrible death.
• 1:48:09
  Speaker 1: When a hand was laid on its mane, power to
• 1:48:12
  Speaker 1: remove it was withdrawn a cursing. The Gaelic curses are
• 1:48:18
  Speaker 1: quaint in translation, but terrible in the original bonarch Fallaide.
• 1:48:25
  Speaker 1: It was considered unlucky to throw away the remnants of
• 1:48:28
  Speaker 1: a baking, so the goodwife made a little bannock which
• 1:48:31
  Speaker 1: was pierced in the middle, as a charm against fairy influence.
• 1:48:36
  Speaker 1: It was given to a child for performing an errand,
• 1:48:38
  Speaker 1: but the charm would be broken if the reason for
• 1:48:40
  Speaker 1: gifting it were explained. That was the goodwife's secret. It
• 1:48:44
  Speaker 1: was also unlucky to count the bannockx, and when they
• 1:48:46
  Speaker 1: fell bad luck was foretold. Finlay's bannock was not kneaded
• 1:48:51
  Speaker 1: on the board or placed on the brander, but unlike
• 1:48:54
  Speaker 1: the other bannocks, was toasted in front of the fire.
• 1:48:59
  Speaker 1: The guruagach was a gentlemanly brownie who haunted buyers. It
• 1:49:03
  Speaker 1: was never seen, although its shadow occasionally danced on the
• 1:49:06
  Speaker 1: wall as it flitted about. Often when chased, it was
• 1:49:10
  Speaker 1: heard tittering round corners. In some barns Krachna Grugoch, the
• 1:49:15
  Speaker 1: Gruagoq's stone is still seen. Milkers pour an offering of
• 1:49:19
  Speaker 1: milk into the hollowed stone for luck. The cream might
• 1:49:22
  Speaker 1: not rise, and the churn yield no butter. If this
• 1:49:25
  Speaker 1: service were neglected. A favorite trick of the Gruagoch was
• 1:49:28
  Speaker 1: to untie the cattle in the byre so as to
• 1:49:30
  Speaker 1: bring out the milk maid, especially if she had forgotten
• 1:49:33
  Speaker 1: to leave the offering of milk. Tober Moire. Saint Mary's
• 1:49:38
  Speaker 1: Well is situated at Terradale, Rothschire. When a sick person
• 1:49:43
  Speaker 1: asks for a drink of tober Moire water, it is
• 1:49:45
  Speaker 1: taken as a sign of approaching death. It is a
• 1:49:48
  Speaker 1: curious thing that this reverence for holy water should be
• 1:49:51
  Speaker 1: perpetuated among a Presbyterian people. Wishing and curative wells are
• 1:49:56
  Speaker 1: numerous in the North. The Fians of Knockferrel. This story
• 1:50:02
  Speaker 1: belongs to the Oceanic or Fian cycle of Gaelic tales.
• 1:50:05
  Speaker 1: In prose and verse, Hugh Miller makes reference to it,
• 1:50:09
  Speaker 1: but speaks of the Fians as giants. In Strathpeffer District.
• 1:50:13
  Speaker 1: The tale is well known and it is referred to
• 1:50:15
  Speaker 1: in waifs and strays of Celtic tradition. It is also
• 1:50:19
  Speaker 1: localized in Sky. There are several Fien place names in
• 1:50:23
  Speaker 1: the Highlands. The warriors are supposed to lie in a
• 1:50:25
  Speaker 1: charmed sleep in Creegahoue cave near Munlochi, Rothshire. Kawalt the
• 1:50:31
  Speaker 1: swift Runner was a famous Fien. Finn was chief, and
• 1:50:35
  Speaker 1: Gaul and Garry were of Clanmorna, which united with the Fiens.
• 1:50:40
  Speaker 1: Mulachi is a little babe and Clarsach a harp Leobag's warning.
• 1:50:47
  Speaker 1: Children who twist their mouths or squint are warned that
• 1:50:49
  Speaker 1: if the wind changes, their contortions will remain. The fate
• 1:50:53
  Speaker 1: of the flounder which mocked the cod is cited as
• 1:50:56
  Speaker 1: a terrible example. Khan of the Red is a Fian
• 1:51:01
  Speaker 1: tale in which several old Gaelic versions have been collected. Gaul,
• 1:51:05
  Speaker 1: the first hero of the Fians, slew the red when Khan,
• 1:51:08
  Speaker 1: his son was seven years old. In the fullness of time.
• 1:51:11
  Speaker 1: The young hero, whom his enemies admire as well as fear,
• 1:51:15
  Speaker 1: crossed the sea to avenge his father's death and engaged
• 1:51:18
  Speaker 1: in a long and fierce duel with Gaul. Death of
• 1:51:22
  Speaker 1: Kuchulin is from the Kuchulin cycle of Bronze Age heroic tales.
• 1:51:27
  Speaker 1: The enemy have invaded and laid waste to the province
• 1:51:29
  Speaker 1: of Ulster, and the chief warriors of the Red Branch,
• 1:51:32
  Speaker 1: except Kuchullin who must needs fight alone, are laid under
• 1:51:35
  Speaker 1: spells by the magicians of the invaders. The poem is
• 1:51:38
  Speaker 1: suffused with evidences of magical beliefs and practices. Kuchulin goes forth,
• 1:51:43
  Speaker 1: knowing that he will meet his doom. His name signifies
• 1:51:47
  Speaker 1: hound of Kulan. In his youth, he slew Kulan's ferocious watchhound,
• 1:51:51
  Speaker 1: which attacked him and took its place until another was trained.
• 1:51:56
  Speaker 1: It was gaeus taboo for him to partake of the
• 1:51:59
  Speaker 1: flesh of a hound his totem, or eat at a
• 1:52:02
  Speaker 1: cooking hearth, But he must needs accept the hospitality of
• 1:52:05
  Speaker 1: the witches. The satirists are satirical bards who, it was believed,
• 1:52:09
  Speaker 1: could not only lampoon a hero, but infuse their compositions
• 1:52:12
  Speaker 1: with magical powers like incantations. Cuchullin cannot be slain except
• 1:52:17
  Speaker 1: by his own spear, which he must deliver up to
• 1:52:20
  Speaker 1: a satirist who demands it. Imania, the capital of Ulster,
• 1:52:24
  Speaker 1: was the home of the Red Branch warriors Sleepy Song.
• 1:52:29
  Speaker 1: When Diarmid eloped with grand as Peris did with Helen,
• 1:52:33
  Speaker 1: the Fians followed them so that Finn, their chief, might
• 1:52:36
  Speaker 1: be avenged Diarmid, who is the unwilling victim of Grain's spells,
• 1:52:41
  Speaker 1: dreads to meet Finn, and is in constant fear of discovery.
• 1:52:46
  Speaker 1: End of Notes Recording by Matthew Reys Davenport, Iowa. End
• 1:52:52
  Speaker 1: of Elves and Heroes by Donald A. Mackenzie h