Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms, and Superstitions of IrelandFolk Magic / White MagicLegend / Oral TraditionEnglish with Irish folklore source materialShareAncient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 41919 edition - EnglishMoreVersion - 1 available1919 editionLanguageEnglishEspañol‹Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 1Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 2Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 3Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 4Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 5Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 6Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 7Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 8Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 9Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 10Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 11Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 12Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 13Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 14Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 15Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 16Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 17Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 18Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 19Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 20Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 21Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 22Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 23Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 24Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 25Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 26Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 27Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 28Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 29Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 30Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 31Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 32Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 33Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 34Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 35Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 36Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 37Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 38Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 39Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 40Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 41Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 42Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 43Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 44Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 45Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 46Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 47Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 48Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 49Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 50Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 51Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 52Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 53Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 54Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 55Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 56Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 57Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 58Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 59Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 60Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 61Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 62Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 63Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 64Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 65Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 66Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 67Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 68Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 69Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 70Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 71Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 72Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 73Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 74Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 75Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 76Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 77Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 78Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 79Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 80Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 81Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 82Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 83Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 84Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 85Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 86Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 87Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 88Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 89Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 90Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 91Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 92Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 93Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 94Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 95Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 96Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 97Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 98Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 99Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 100Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 101Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 102Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 103Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 104Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 105Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 106Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 107Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 108Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 109Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 110Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 111Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 112Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 113Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 114Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 115Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 116Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 117Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 118Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 119Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 120Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 121Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 122Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 123Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 124Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 125Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 126Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 127Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 128Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 129Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 130Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 131Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 132Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 133Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 134Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 135Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 136Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 137Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 138Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 139Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 140Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 141Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 142Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 143Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 144Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 145Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 146Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 147Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 148Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 149Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 150Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 151Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 152Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 153Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 154Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 155Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 156Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 157Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 158Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 159Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 160Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 161Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 162Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 163Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 164Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 165Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 166Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 167Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 168Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 169Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 170Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 171Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 172Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 173Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 174Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 175Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 176Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 177Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 178Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 179Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 180Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 181Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 182Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 183Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 184Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 185Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 186Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 187Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 188Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 189Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 190Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 191Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 192Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 193Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 194Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 195Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 196Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 197Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 198Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 199Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 200Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 201Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 202Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 203Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 204Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 205Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 206Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 207Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 208Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 209Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 210Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 211Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 212Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 213Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 214Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 215Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 216Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 217Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 218Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 219Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 220Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 221Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 222Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 223Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 224Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 225Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 226Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 227Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 228Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 229Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 230Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 231Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 232Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 233Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 234›A Wolf Story.Ancient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 4ListenPlay this chapter in spoken English.Save chapterListen to chapter1Transformation into wolves is a favourite subject of Irish legend, and many a wild tale is told by the peasants round the turf fire in the winter nights of strange adventures with wolves. Stories that had come down to them from their forefathers in the old times long ago; for there are no wolves existing now in Ireland. 2A young farmer, named Connor, once missed two fine cows from his herd, and no tale or tidings could be heard of them anywhere. So he thought he would set out on a search throughout the country; and he took a stout blackthorn stick in his hand, and went his way. All day he travelled miles and miles, but never a sign of the cattle. And the evening began to grow very dark, and he was wearied and hungry, and no place near to rest in; for he was in the midst of a bleak, desolate heath, with never a habitation at all in sight, except a long, low, rude shieling, like the den of a robber or a wild beast. But a gleam of light came from a chink between the boards, and Connor took heart and went up and knocked at the door. It was opened at once by a tall, thin, grey-haired old man, with keen, dark eyes. 3“Come in,” he said, “you are welcome. We have been waiting for you. This is my wife,” and he brought him over to the hearth, where was seated an old, thin, grey woman, with long, sharp teeth and terrible glittering eyes. 4“You are welcome,” she said. “We have been waiting for you—it is time for supper. Sit down and eat with us.” 5Now Connor was a brave fellow, but he was a little dazed at first at the sight of this strange creature. However, as he had his stout stick with him, he thought he could make a fight for his life any way, and, meantime, he would rest and eat, for he was both hungry and weary, and it was now black night, and he would never find his way home even if he tried. So he sat down by the hearth, while the old grey woman stirred the pot on the fire. But Connor felt that she was watching him all the time with her keen, sharp eyes. 6Then a knock came to the door. And the old man rose up and opened it. When in walked a slender, young black wolf, who immediately went straight across the floor to an inner room, from which in a few moments came forth a dark, slender, handsome youth, who took his place at the table and looked hard at Connor with his glittering eyes. 7“You are welcome,” he said, “we have waited for you.” 8Before Connor could answer another knock was heard, and in came a second wolf, who passed on to the inner room like the first, and soon after, another dark, handsome youth came out and sat down to supper with them, glaring at Connor with his keen eyes, but said no word. 9“These are our sons,” said the old man, “tell them what you want, and what brought you here amongst us, for we live alone and don’t care to have spies and strangers coming to our place.” 10Then Connor told his story, how he had lost his two fine cows, and had searched all day and found no trace of them; and he knew nothing of the place he was in, nor of the kindly gentleman who asked him to supper; but if they just told him where to find his cows he would thank them, and make the best of his way home at once. 11Then they all laughed and looked at each other, and the old hag looked more frightful than ever when she showed her long, sharp teeth. 12On this, Connor grew angry, for he was hot tempered; and he grasped his blackthorn stick firmly in his hand and stood up, and bade them open the door for him; for he would go his way, since they would give no heed and only mocked him. 13Then the eldest of the young men stood up. “Wait,” he said, “we are fierce and evil, but we never forget a kindness. Do you remember, one day down in the glen you found a poor little wolf in great agony and like to die, because a sharp thorn had pierced his side? And you gently extracted the thorn and gave him a drink, and went your way leaving him in peace and rest?” 14“Aye, well do I remember it,” said Connor, “and how the poor little beast licked my hand in gratitude.” 15“Well,” said the young man, “I am that wolf, and I shall help you if I can, but stay with us to-night and have no fear.” 16So they sat down again to supper and feasted merrily, and then all fell fast asleep, and Connor knew nothing more till he awoke in the morning and found himself by a large hay-rick in his own field. 17“Now surely,” thought he, “the adventure of last night was not all a dream, and I shall certainly find my cows when I go home; for that excellent, good young wolf promised his help, and I feel certain he would not deceive me.” 18But when he arrived home and looked over the yard and the stable and the field, there was no sign nor sight of the cows. So he grew very sad and dispirited. But just then he espied in the field close by three of the most beautiful strange cows he had ever set eyes on. “These must have strayed in,” he said, “from some neighbour’s ground;” and he took his big stick to drive them out of the gate off the field. But when he reached the gate, there stood a young black wolf watching; and when the cows tried to pass out at the gate he bit at them, and drove them back. Then Connor knew that his friend the wolf had kept his word. So he let the cows go quietly back to the field; and there they remained, and grew to be the finest in the whole country, and their descendants are flourishing to this day, and Connor grew rich and prospered; for a kind deed is never lost, but brings good luck to the doer for evermore, as the old proverb says: 19“Blessings are won, By a good deed done.” 20But never again did Connor find that desolate heath or that lone shieling, though he sought far and wide, to return his thanks, as was due to the friendly wolves; nor did he ever again meet any of the family, though he mourned much whenever a slaughtered wolf was brought into the town for the sake of the reward, fearing his excellent friend might be the victim. At that time the wolves in Ireland had increased to such an extent, owing to the desolation of the country by constant wars, that a reward was offered and a high price paid for every wolf’s skin brought into the court of the justiciary; and this was in the time of Queen Elizabeth, when the English troops made ceaseless war against the Irish people, and there were more wolves in Ireland than men; and the dead lay unburied in hundreds on the highways, for there were no hands left to dig them graves. ‹Previous chapterAncient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 3Next chapterAncient Legends and Mystic Charms of Ireland 5›Similar passagesBy tradition and source labelFind similarCompare selectedCompare with similarAsk Deep ThoughtSelect passages to search for parallels.Tap any verse to select it, then compare selected passages or ask Deep Thought. Public domain in the United States via Project Gutenberg