Latest / Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry / 020 - The Black Lamb - Song of the Ghost

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020 - The Black Lamb - Song of the Ghost · Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry

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  Speaker 1: Section nineteen of The Fairy and Folk Tales of the
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  Speaker 1: Irish Peasantry. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
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  Speaker 1: are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteire,
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  Speaker 1: please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Christine G. Fairy
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  Speaker 1: and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry, edited and selected
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  Speaker 1: by W. B. Yates, Section nineteen. The Black Lamb by
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  Speaker 1: Lady Wylde. It is a custom amongst the people, when
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  Speaker 1: throwing away water at night, to cry out in a
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  Speaker 1: loud voice, take care of the water, or literally from
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  Speaker 1: the Irish away with yourself from the water, for they
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  Speaker 1: say that the spirits of the dead, last buried are
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  Speaker 1: then wandering about, and it would be dangerous if the
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  Speaker 1: water fell on them. One dark night, a woman suddenly
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  Speaker 1: threw out a pail of boiling water without thinking of
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  Speaker 1: the warning words. Instantly a cry was heard as of
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  Speaker 1: a person in pain, but no one was seen. However,
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  Speaker 1: the next night a black lamb entered the house, having
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  Speaker 1: the back all fresh scalded, and it laid down moaning
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  Speaker 1: by the hearth and died. Then they all knew that
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  Speaker 1: this was the spirit that had been scolded by the woman,
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  Speaker 1: and they carried the dead Lamb out irreverently and buried
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  Speaker 1: it deep in the earth. Yet every night, at the
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  Speaker 1: same hour it walked again into the house and lay down, moaned,
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  Speaker 1: and died. And after this had happened many times, the
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  Speaker 1: priests were sent for, and finally, by the strength of
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  Speaker 1: his exorcism, the spirit of the dead was laid to rest.
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  Speaker 1: The black Lamb appeared no more. Neither was the body
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  Speaker 1: of the dead Lamb found in the grave when they
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  Speaker 1: searched for it, though it had been laid by their
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  Speaker 1: own hands, deepened their earth, and covered with clay. Song
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  Speaker 1: of the Ghosts by Alfred Percival Graves. When all were
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  Speaker 1: dreaming but pasted in power, a light came streaming beneath
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  Speaker 1: her bower. A heavy foot at her door delayed, A
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  Speaker 1: heavy hand on the latch was laid. Now, Who dare
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  Speaker 1: venture at this dark hour and bid to enter my
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  Speaker 1: maiden bower? Dear pashtlyin open the door to me and
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  Speaker 1: your true lover. You'll surely see my own true lover,
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  Speaker 1: so tall and brave, lives exiled over the angry wave.
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  Speaker 1: Your true love's body lies on the bier, his faithful
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  Speaker 1: spirit is with you hair. His look was cheerful, his
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  Speaker 1: voice was gay. Your speech is fearful. Your face is
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  Speaker 1: gray and sad and sunken. Your eyes of blue. But Patrick, Patrick,
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  Speaker 1: alas tis you ere? Dawn was breaking. She heard below
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  Speaker 1: the two cocks shaking their wings to crow. Oh hush, you, hush,
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  Speaker 1: you both red and gray, Or you will hurry my
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  Speaker 1: love away. Oh hush your crowing, both gray and red,
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  Speaker 1: Or he'll be going to join the dead. Or cease
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  Speaker 1: from his gaze to the mold, and I'll come, crowning
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  Speaker 1: york hombs with gold. When all were dreaming but pasty
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  Speaker 1: in power, a light went streaming from out her bower.
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  Speaker 1: And on the morrow, when they awoke, they knew that
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  Speaker 1: sorrow her heart had broke. End of section nineteen