Show Drolleries of Don gal k t Series of Irish Folk Stories By Seumas Macffianus The Old Hag of the Forest G Copyright 1809 by 55 McClure Co Once on a time long long ago when there were more kings and queens in Ireland that pDonnells old castle has windows and when witches an enchantments en-chantments were as plentiful as blackthorn black-thorn bushes there was a king and a queen with three sons and to everyone every-one of these sons the queen had given B hound a hawk and a filly The filly could overtake anything the hound could catch anything pursued on dry land and the hawk could come up with i anything in the air or in the water In I i 1 7i C o rt I I t1 i i t1ll ll 1 Jw EI i E byE I I c d E I y J f TEe Queen Gave to Each of the Three Sons a Hound a Hawk and a Filly the course of time when these three lads had grown up to be fine able strapping young men the oldest said one day that he would go I way to push I his fortune The king and the queen were vexed at this and wrought him high up and low down to keep him from going but It was all no use he wouldnt besaid by them and so askIng I ask-ing their blessing he mounts the filly and with the hawk on his shoulder and the hound at Ms heels sets out And he told them as he was setting out to observe ob-serve from day to day the water that settled in the fillys hoof tracks outside out-side the gate for says lie as long I as that waterkeeps clear Im all right I but when you see it frothing Im fighting fight-Ing a hard battle and if ever you see it turn bloods Im either dead or under enchantment So himself the hound the hawk and the filly they started and off with them and they traveled away and away far further than I could tell you of or you could tell met me-t C at last one evening late lie comes insight in-sight of a great castle When he got sight of the castle he pulls up his filly and looking about him he sees a small wee house convaynient and he drew on this house and going in found only one old woman init and saw that it was a neat clean little house entirely God save ye young gentleman says the woman God save yerself kindly and 3 thanky and can I have lodging for the night for myself my hound my hawk my filly says he Well for yourself you can Mrs the old woman says she but I dont like them other animals ani-mals but sure you can house them outside out-side says she Very well and good he agreed to this When the old woman was getting his supper for him she said she supposed he was for the big fight the morrow He axed her What big fight And och says she is that ill you know about it commencing com-mencing and telling him how that the kings daughter of the castle beyond was to be killed by a great giant the next day unless there was a man there able to beat the giant and to any man that would fight him and beat him the king was to give his daughterin marriage and the weight of herself three times over in gold Och says he Ill find something better bet-ter to do Ill not go near it So the next morning early he was up betimes be-times and pretending he was going away to hunt doesnt he go instead to the kings castle and there he saw no end of a crowd gathered together from the four winds of the world some of them thinking to fight the giant and win the kings daughter and more of them only come out of curiosity just to look on But my gorras sir when the giant made his appearance and they saw the sight of him not a man of all the warriors there covered allover all-over as they were in coats of iron mail from the crown of their heads to the soles of their feetthe sorra resaive the one of them but went like that trembling with fear for the like of such a tarriffic saint none of them ever saw or heerd tell of before So my brave kings son waited on till he saw there was none of them present would venture to fight the giant and then out he steps himself and the giant and him to it and the like of their fight was never witnessed in Ireland before and he gave the giant enough to do and the giant gave him enough to do till at last when it was going hard with him he gave one leap into e the air and coming down with his N sword just right on the giants neck I ctL I 1111101 t > > y Jfl Jflb 4dD L9 h 0 all The Hare Came to the Window and Began Licking a Plate of Some Nice Dainties That Sat Cooling In the Window he cut off his head clean off and then when he had that done he disappeared in the crowd and after killing some game on the hills came home and gave the old woman the game for supper That night when the old woman was giving him his supper she told him about the great gentleman that had killed the giant that day and then disappeared all ofa suddint into the air And then she said that giants brother was < to be there the morra to i t < B r iii rIIIi i r c J fight any one that would fightfor the kings daughter and she told him he should go for it would be well worth seeing But Och says he Ill find something better worth doingIll not go near it So after his supper to bed he went and he was up again early betimes in the morning and making pretend he was going to hunt he went off to the castle again This day the crowd was biggerthan ever and when the giant appeared and iC the first giant was tarriffic this one was twice over double as tarriffle and he i could get no man with the I heart to venture to fight him i I till at length my brave kings I son had to step out this day again and I encounter him Well if the fight was I hard the first day it was this day double hard and the giant gave him his fill of it and he gave the giant his I fill of it till at long and at last when it was going hard on lilm lie takes oitF spring right up into the air and landing down with his sword on the giant neck he cuts the head right off from the body and then again disappeared i in the crowd and after a whiles hunting hunt-ing on the hills he come home with plenty of game and this night just like the nights before when the old i woman was giving him his supper she I I made great wonders of telling him ot the tarriffic fight that day again between I be-tween the strange gentleman and the I giant and how he killed the giant and then disappeared right up into the sky 11 I before all their ces And then she said that on the morra the third and last giant was to fight and she sale II this would be a wonderful day entirely I entire-ly and he shall surely go to see it and to see the wonderful gentleman that killed the other two giants But Och says he Ill find something better tc rIll not go near it to look at him or it And the third morning again he went to the castle purtending That it was to hunt he was goih and the third giant appeared and him far more tarriffic than the first two put together i to-gether And to make a long story short my brave kings son and himself went at it and the fighting was the most odious ever was witnessed beforeor since and the short and the long of it was that he sprung up at length into the air and coming down on the giants neck cut off his head and then again disappeared in the crowd and went I canno nnnna aaaaa a0ooo i r J I 1 S I BUT AT LENGTH THE OLD HAG OF THE FOREST WAS GETTING THE BETTER OF HIM home but as he was disappearing doesnt one of the kings men snap the shoe off his foot so home he had tc go that night wanting one shoe Next day and for eight days after the king had all his men out scouring the country coun-try far and wide to see if they could find the owner of the shoe but though they flocked to the castle in thousands not one of them would the shoe fit And every one of these days the kings son was out with his filly his hawk and his hounds on the hills hunting At last one day the old woman went to the castle and told how she had a lodger that come home the night the last giant was kilt with one boot wanting And the next day the king came there himself him-self with a carriage and four horses and took the kings son away to his castle and there when they tried on him the boot doesnt it fit him like as if it was made on his foot and the king gave him his daughter and the snarriage was performed and all the whole gentry I gen-try and nobility of all the land was invited in-vited in to a big foist But lo and be hould ye on that very night when all the spree was going on and the fun was at its hight in the ball room and al were as busy as bees in the kitchen what would ye have of it but at that very time doesnt there come to the kitchen window a hare and puts in its head and commenced licking a plate of some particular nice dainty that was cooling Inside the window and the cook was so enragedat one of her very best dishes being destroyed that she got up in a passion and put off all her sorts and said it was a nice how doe y do-e do that with a hairo in the house that killed giants a dirty hare would be allowed to come in and spoil her cooking cook-Ing The word soon came to the grooms ears in the ballroom and though the king and the queen and the bride and all the nobility and gentry tried to persuade him against it he wouldnt stpp and there was no hold ing of him He said he wouldnt stop two nights or eat two meals meat in the one house till he would catch that hare and bring it back dead or alive So mounting his filly and taking with him his hawk and his hound he started off hotfoot in pursuit He pursued the hare all that night and all the next day and at evening late he drew on a little wee house he saw in a hollow and he went in for he was tired and determined to rest that night He wasnt long in and he was warming himself at the fire with his hound his hawk and his filly When he hears a noise at the wee window of the house and there he sees a dirty wizened old hag of a woman trembling and shaking shak-ing down to her very finger tips Ooh och och its cold cold cold says she and her teeth rattling in her head Why dont you come in and warm I yourself says he Och I cant I I cant says she Im afraid of them wild animals of yours But here says I she pulling three long hairs out of her head and handing them in by the window to him here says she is three of the borochs we used to have in old times and if you tie them wild beasts of yours with them then Ill go in SO he took the three hairs and tied the hawk the hound and the filly with them and then the old hag cameJn but she was trembling no longer and says she with her eyes flashing fire Do you know who I am says she They call me the Old Hag of the Forest and it was my three sons you killed to win the kings daughter but youll pay dearly for it now says she With that he drew His sword and he hag drew another and both of them ell to it and I couldnt be able to describe scribe to you the terrible fight they had entirely Byt at length the Old Hag of the Forest was getting too many for him and he had to call on the help of the hound Hound hound says he says he where are you at my com at this Hair hair says the old ling I I says she hold tight 0 says the I hound its hard for me to do anything I and my throat acutting Then he called on the hawk Hawk hawk be called on the filly Filly filly mand And Hair hair says the rM11f r old hag says she hold tight O says the hawk sure Its hard for me to do anything and my throat acutting And then he called on the filly FillYI filly says he where are you at my command com-mand Hair hair says the old hag says she Mold tight Oh says the filly sure its hard for me to do anything any-thing and my throat acutting So the end of it all was that the hag overcame over-came him and then taking out of her pocket a little white rod she struck him with it and turned him into a gray rock just outside her door and then striking the hound Jhe hawk and the filly with the rod she turned them into white rocks rat beside him Now at home they watched the water wa-ter in the fillys hoof tracks as regularly reg-ularly as the sun rose every day day after day till at lastthey one day saw the water in the hoof tracks frothing and they said he was fighting a hard battle and so he was for that was the very day himself and the first giant had the encounter Next day it was frothing more than ever for that was the day he was fighting the second giant and on the third day the water frother right un out of the tracks and then they knew he was lighting a desperate I I des-perate big battle entirely and sure i enough himself and the third giant j were at it hard and fast at the same i instant But at length didnt they find I the water turning to blood and they thought must be killed So the next morning the second brother set out and he said he wouldnt stop two nights or eat two meals of meat in the one house till hed find out what happened to his brother He took his hound his hawk and his filly with him and he traveled on and on far further than I could tell I you till at length one evening late doesnt he como to the very wee house near a great castle where has brother I had put up before him And when he comes in the old woman that was in the j house flew at him and kissed him and welcomed him back with a hundred welcomes ten times over for he was so j like his brother she was sure it was him i was in it Then she told him that they I were all waiting for him anxiously at the castle expecting him back everyday every-day and that heshould lose no time I in going to them for that the bride in particular was dowiheartett entirely since he had went away thinking that I shed never see him any more SQ off he starts at once for the castle to find it all out and its there was the welcome wel-come and the rejoicing and the pretty daughter covered him all over with kisses and here was a great spread and all the gentry and nobility were asked in again but that night again what would you have of it butt the hare conies a second time and spoiled the cooks best dish and drove I the cook into a frightful rage and Its a nice how do ye do indeed says tire cook says she that with a hairo in the house that slew three < giants that hare would be allowed to come in and spoil my very choicest dish and then go off with itself scot free says she And this word came to the new groom in the ball room and By this and by that says he I wont stop till I go after that hare and Ill never stop two nights or eat two meals in the one house till I bring back that hare dead or alive And so off he starts himself the hound the hawk and the filly and all that night and the next day he purshued after the hare and late the next evening when he was feeling tired out and not able to follow fol-low any further doesnt he see in the hollow below him a little house and drawing on the house he went in and was warming himself by the fire with his hound his hawk and his filly about him when he hears a noise at the window win-dow and there he sees an old hag quaking quak-ing and shaking all over Och och och its cold cold cold says she trembling all over Why dont you come in and warm yourself says he Oh says she I couldnt go In for Im afraid of these wild animals of yours But here says she pulling three long hairs out of her head heres three of the kind of borochs we used to use long ago and tie your animals with them and then Ill come in1 So he takes the hairs and ties the hound the hawk and the filly with them and then the old hag came in and she not trembling tremb-ling at all now but her eyes flashing fire and says she Your brother killed my three sons and I made him pay dearly for it and Ill make you pay dearly says she too So with that shedrew sword and he drew a sword and both of them to it and they fought long and they fought hard but the hue was too many for him so at length he had toy call on the hound Hound hound says he where are you at my command Sez the old hag sez she Hair hair hold tight 0 sez the hound how can I do anything and my I throat dcutting Then he called on the hawk Hawk hawk sez he where are you at my command Hair hair sez the old hag sez she I hold tight 0 sez the hawk toow could I do anything and my throat a cutting Then he called on his filly Filly filly sex he where are you at my command Hair hair sez the old hag sez she hold tight 0 sez the filly sez he how could I do anything and my throat acutting So the end of it all was again that the hag got the better of him and taking out a wee bit of white rod out of her pocket she struck him with it and turned him into another gray stone outside the door and then struck the hound the hawk and the filly ahd turned them into three white stones just beside him Now at home as before they were watching his fillys hoof tracks everyday every-day regular and everything went well till at last l one day they observed the water in them turn bloody and then they were afreed he was Kilt Then the very next morning says the youngest son Jack says he Ill start off with my hound my hawk and my filly and wont sleep two nights in one bed or eat two meals in the one house till I find what has happened to my two older brothers So off he starts himself his filly his hawk and his houndand he traveled and traveled away far further than you could tell me or I could tell you till he came insight in-sight of the very same castle his two brothers reached before him and drawing draw-ing on the wee hut he saw near it he went in and the old woman jumped and threw her arms about his neck and welcomed him home with a hundred thousand welcomes and told him it was a poor thing to go away and leave his bride the way he did twice and that she was in a very bad way downhearted down-hearted entirely thinking and ruminating ruminat-Ing what had become of him or happened hap-pened to him at all at all And then + she hurried my brave Jack off to the castle And och its there the welcome was for him and the rejoicements be I kase he had come back again And this t t = > if j cIII l time just F as before the great feast 1 was given arid the gentry and nobility nobili-ty all asked in f Vlt and the play was I at Ifs height when the word come to the ballroom oncfc more about the un rtiahnerly hare spoiling the cooks best I dish the third time and how the cook said it was a party how de ye do entirely en-tirely that sucli a thing would be allowed al-lowed with a hairo in the house that slsw three giants And with that Jack insisted Starting and there was no holding of him good or bad for he said he have to fetch back that hared hare-d q or alive So off Jack starts him selfhis hak his hound and his filly aiid Jack haft a sort of notion in his eye that this same Uare was nothing good and that twas it led hips two brothers dstray whatever had happened to them So he traveled on and on and od for that night and all the next day g aill never come up with the hare till rat > length late that evening he saw from him the same wee hut in the hol lowj that his brothers drew xin before and > on it my brave Jack drejv too I And after he had been Jn the cabihr some time himself his hound his hawk and his filly he hears the noise at the winftqw and there he sees the old hag trembling and shaking and quaking and Och och och but its cold cold i cold l says she And why says he I dont you come in and warm your self Och says she Im afraid of I them wild animals of yours But here says she taking out of her head three I hairs heres three of the kind of bor oehS we used o uste in old times and r tie your animals with them and then r Ill go in Jack took from her the three hairs and pretending to tie the I hound the hawk and the filly with them he threw them instead intq the I fire Then the old hag came In her eyes blazing in her head and drawing I draw-ing sword she rushes at Jack to have I his life And Jack drew his sword and i rushed at her and both of them to it I I hard and fast and they fought long and they fought Hardtillat length I i Jack finding the hag putting too sore i on him called on hi hound Hound I hound where are you at my command Hair hair V says the old hag says I she hold tight Oh says the hair its hard for me to do good and me aburning in the fire And then Jack called on his hawk Hawk hawk says he where are you at my command com-mand Hair hair says the old bag says she hold tight Ohc says the hair its hard for me to do good and me aburning in the fire Them Jack called on his filly Filly filly says he where are you at my command I I Hair hair says the old hag says I sHe hold tight Oh says the hair I Ita hard for me to do good and me aburning in the fire So thevhound the hawk and the filly all rallied to my brave Jacks aid and the hound got hold of the hhg by the heel and nOuldnt I let her go all she could do and with one fling the filly broge her leg and the I hawk picked out her two eyes 30 she couldnt see what she was doing pr where she was striking So then she cried out Mercy mercy spare my life and nil give you back your two brothers All right says Jack tell me where they are and how Im to get them Do you see them two grgty stones says she outside the door with three smaller white ones round each of them 1 do says Jack Well says she the gray stones are your brothers and the others are their I hounds their hawks and their fillies and if you take water from the well at the foot of that tree below the house and sprinkle three drops of it on each of them stones theyll all be disenchanted disen-chanted again Jack you may suppose sup-pose didnt lose much time doing this and lo ana behold you from the stones camel up his two brothers every one ofJ them with his hounds > his hawk and his fllly just the same as they were before they had been enchanted by the old Hug of the Forest and that was the meeting and the greeting between Jack and his lost brothers that he thought hed never eel again But o i I they soon started all of them with I their hounds their hawks and their i fillies away back for the castle again f and the eldest brother got his bride and r the fajst was spraad this time again and all the gentry and nobility of hh that and the surrounding countries all come to attend it and do honor to the bride and groom < < and such a time fnr eating drinking dancrn singing fun and amusement wag never seen before or after Jack and the second brother started away off afterwards for home v th their hounds their hawks and their fillies with them and as much soold its that could carry I got rogues of brougham and slippers of bread a bit of a pie for telling a lie and then l come slithering home on my head Odious is a very comprehensive word in the mouth of a Donegal shan achy It generally means everything inexpressible by the English language uTl1e boroch is the rope uS d in tying a cow to the stake |