Legendary fictions of the Irish Celts

Witchcrafts Sorcery, Ghosts, and Fetches. 149
THE PROPHET BEFORE HIS TIME.
About a hundred years ago lived Mr. Diarmuidh K.,
a strong gentleman-farmer of this family. His place was
not far from Slieve Buie (Yellow Hill). He was much
addicted to the study of astrology, and the occult works
of Cornelius Agrippa. When his only son was about a
month old, one of his servant boys ran into the parlour
one day to tell him a circumstance that had greatly
astonished himself : " Oh, master," said he, " the black
cow was just while ago under the old thorn-tree in the
meadow, and all of a sudden a fog came round herself
and the tree, while all the rest of the field was in the sunshine.
I was going over to try what was the matter,
when what should I see but a big sea-gull flying into the
fog, and making ever so much noise with his wings. For
fear he'd pick out the poor beast's eyes I ran over, but
just as I got to the edge of the fog it all cleared as if
there was some magic in it, and Blacky was walking away
on the other side." " Oh, ho " ! said the master ; " what I
have been long wishing for has happened at last. Now,
Pat, attend to what I say. Watch that cow close ; and
when she calves, be sure to bring me some of the first
beestings, and I'll give you more money than you have
ever seen at once in your own possession."
The boy did his duty, such as it was. He brought
the first beestings to his master, and received 10/. for his
pains ; and Mr. K. ordering the child to be brought to
him, rhade it take a spoonful or two of this first milk of
the black cow. When the child began to speak intelligibly,
the master of the house called all the family
together one day, and charged them as they valued his
favour, or dreaded his resentment, never to ask his son a
question till he was full fourteen years of age. " The
questions, I mean," said he, "are such as he could not
answer without being a prophet. He is gifted with a
spirit of prophecy, and when he reaches his fifteenth
birthday, you will be at liberty to get all the information