Quinn Armagh Folk Tales

1. Auflage 2014
ISBN: 978-0-7509-5822-6
Verlag: THP Ireland
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 6 - ePub Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, 192 Seiten

County Armagh, the Orchard County, abounds in folk tales, myths and legends and a selection of the best, drawn from historical sources and newly recorded local reminiscences, have been brought to life here by local storyteller Frances Quinn. Armagh is the place where, legend has it, the warrior king Conor Mac Nessa once ruled and where Deirdre of the Sorrows met her lover Naoise. It is where St Mochua's Well was said by some to curse as well as cure and where evidence of St Patrick's disagreement with a bull can still be seen. And it is where Mrs Lester was rudely awakened in her grave. It is also said to be the home of a plethora of strange and magical creatures and stories abound of encounters with fairies, ghosts, dragons, witches and even a giant pig. From age-old legends and fantastical myths to amusing anecdotes and cautionary tales, this collection is a heady mix of bloodthirsty, funny, passionate and moving stories. It will take you into a remarkable world where you can let your imagination run wild.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Quinn, Frances

Leseproben

1

LEGENDS

THE CHILDREN OF LIR

This story is the best known of the ‘three sorrows of storytelling’ in Ireland but many people don’t know of its connection to County Armagh. Tradition has it that King Lir’s dwelling, Sí Finachaidh, lay outside Newtownhamilton.

Long ago, at a time when there were five provinces in Ireland, their representatives gathered to elect a king from their midst. The contenders were: Bodb Dearg, Angus, Ilbrec, Lir and Midir. Bodb Dearg was elected and Lir stormed off in high dudgeon at not having been chosen. The chieftains thought to pursue him and punish him severely for his lack of courtesy and sportsmanship but Bodb Dearg thought better of it and preferred to bide his time for an opportunity to win Lir over.

Some time later Lir’s wife fell suddenly ill and after a short period she died. When Lir had spent time grieving for her, Bodb Dearg thought that he might take this opportunity to befriend him in his time of need. He invited him to visit and to take one of his foster daughters as a wife to console him in his grief. These young women were the three daughters of Aillil of the islands in Galway Bay. When Lir arrived from Sí Finachaidh with a large band of followers he was welcomed by Bodb Dearg and introduced to three beautiful young women in Bodb Dearg’s palace. Spoilt for choice, he could only think to choose Eve, the eldest, saying that she must be the noblest. He spent some time in the court of Bodb Dearg getting to know them all, but especially Eve, and then he brought her back with him to Sí Finachaidh to celebrate their union with a royal feast.

Some time later she gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl, whom they called Fionnuala and Aed. The children brought great delight to them and to the whole court and when Eve was due to give birth to twins again, a few years later, the event was eagerly awaited. Although the twin boys, Fiachra and Conn, arrived safely, Eve, tragically, died. Lir was heartbroken and inconsolable now that he had lost two lovely wives.

Only the children could break through the cloud of his grief and they say that, were it not for them, he would have died of sorrow. Bodb Dearg, who had since established a close relationship with Lir through his foster daughter and grandchildren, really felt for him and wondered how he could help. Like everyone else, he adored the children of Lir and he availed of every opportunity to see them. After discreetly giving him time to mourn this second loss he spoke to him, gently suggesting he take Aoife for a companion, stressing that it was not good to bear his sorrow alone.

Aoife was the next of Bodb’s foster daughters and who better to look after Lir’s children than the sister of his wife? The sad King Lir saw the sense of this and took Aoife for his wife. And indeed she was no disappointment; she looked after both him and the children and showed them great love. In turn Lir’s grief faded and he was able to enjoy life again. His children were such a source of delight to him! He had them sleep near him and he rose early in the morning to play with them. It was not only their father who loved them, the whole court did too, as did their grandfather Bodb Dearg and his court, and all who visited were utterly charmed by them.

Although she loved the children of her dead sister dearly, Aoife began to feel neglected by the two men in her life: her husband and foster father. It was with her they should be besotted, she thought, yet their every thought was for the children. Jealousy began to eat at her heart and twist her mind against the children. Jealousy can make one ill and Aoife took to her bed for a year with a mysterious illness. During that time her thoughts festered and her attitude soured towards the children and she carefully planned to behave in the most deceitful and deceptive of ways.

At the end of the year she rose from her bed – apparently cured. She waited until Lir was away from home, then she announced to the children that she was taking them on a surprise visit to their grandfather, Bodb Dearg. The boys were excited but Fionnuala had had a troubling dream the night before, which left her feeling that Aoife did not mean them well.

When they had left Sí Finachaidh far behind Aoife was so maddened and blinded by jealousy and, in turn, hatred, that she drew her servants to one side away from the children. In her mind the children had become the only obstacle standing between her and the love of Lir and Bodb Dearg and she now tried to persuade the servants to kill them.

They were utterly incredulous. Not only would they not do it but they couldn’t understand how Aoife could conceive of such a thing. What Aoife went through then can scarcely be imagined: she had voiced her most evil thoughts and had them denounced by her own servants. She was alone in her misery and hatred and so took a sword with the intention of killing herself, but her courage failed her, so in her desperation she decided to use the dark arts which she had gleaned from her foster father.

When they drew alongside Lake Derravaragh (in County Westmeath), she feigned affection for the children and told them they could have a lovely, refreshing swim. The boys, cooped up so long on the journey, rushed excitedly towards the water but Fionnuala, with a sense of dread and foreboding, hung back. Aoife, however, with cruel determination, urged her forward and there was no denying her. As soon as Fionnuala entered the water, Aoife drew a wand from under her cloak and, pointing to one after the other of the children, she cried fearfully:

‘Children of Lir, your good fortune is now at an end

From now on your companions will be the birds of the air.

Your home will be a watery one

You will never more tread dry land.’

The children, in alarm, felt their bodies changing. Fionnuala turned back: ‘Oh Aoife, for the love you once had for us, don’t do this to us!’

‘It’s done!’ cried Aoife.

‘Oh Aoife, for the love you have for our father, don’t do this to us!’ begged Fionnuala.

‘It’s done!’ cried Aoife, knowing that that was why she was doing it.

‘Oh Aoife, for the love you had for our mother, don’t leave us like this!’ pleaded Fionnuala as the arms of the children grew into wings. ‘How long must we endure it?’

‘You will spend 300 years on Lake Derravaragh, 300 years on the Sea of Moyle and 300 years on the Western ocean, and not until a prince from Connaght marries a princess from Munster and you hear the voice of the bell of a new religion will you regain your human form.’

Then Aoife realised what she had done to her sister’s undeserving children and she began to feel remorse.

‘The spell is cast,’ she said. ‘It cannot be undone. I will, however, grant you the gift of beautiful music to calm all minds and you can keep your voices and sensibilities.’ Then she fled from the four beautiful white swans. She left her revenge behind her and she went towards her own fate.

When she arrived at Bodb Dearg’s he looked around for the children and asked her where they were. What could she do now but lie, although she knew her fate was sealed. She told him Lir had not wanted her to bring them to see their grandfather. Bodb Dearg was concerned; this was not characteristic; there was something wrong. He sent word to Lir in Sí Finachaidh asking him why he hadn’t let the children come with Aoife.

The alarm was raised because Lir had been informed that the children had left with Aoife. Everyone was aware of the strange illness she had had and of her recent erratic behaviour. He set off in haste with his followers and was confounded when they passed Lake Derravaragh and heard the voices of his children. They searched all around before realising that the voices came from the four beautiful swans flying above their heads. Fionnuala, always their spokesperson, explained what had happened and Lir urged them to come and live, just as they were, among their own people who would care for them. Fionnuala told him sadly of their sentence to live on water for 900 years. She pressed him and his followers to stay by the lake that night so that they might hear the sweet, otherworldly music of the swans who could chant away their sorrow and bring them peace.

At first light of dawn next morning, Lir stirred and rose and headed south-west to Bodb Dearg’s palace and there he confronted Aoife, obliging her to admit her deed of sorcery. He unfolded the evil web of cruelty and deceit before her foster father and instead of the love that Aoife craved from these two men, she met with terrifying vengeance. Bodb Dearg, with his great powers, forced her to declare her worst fear. It was, she said, to be turned into a demon of the air, a horrid thing. Instantly the powerful magician Bodb Dearg sent her spinning and shrieking, hither and thither on every wind to be hurled about in tempests forever more.

From that day on Bodb Dearg and his followers, in the company of Lir and all his people, camped out by Lake Derravaragh to converse with the swans and listen to their healing music. So while the children could not take on their human form, they lived just like humans in the loving company of all their friends and relations. A settlement grew up by the lake and life was tolerable for everyone, in spite of the transformation. But all things must come to an end and one day Fionnuala knew their time was up there. She informed her brothers and all four spoke their last words to Bodb Dearg and Lir. They rose high into the air, hovered, then flew north to the Mull of Kintyre, leaving the lamentation of their people behind.

The grey seas...