Legendary fictions of the Irish Celts

Witchcraft, Sorcery, Ghosts, and Fetches. 177
who would tear asunder the veil that divides the visible
from the invisible world.*
An ancient Ossianic story is the original on which
Carroll O'Daly or Hugh Duff O'Reilly founded the tale
of the "Son of Evil Counsel." Such legends passed
from the mouths of the professed bards and story-tellers
to those of a lower rank and less talent ; and again de-
scended from their keeping to the care of uneducated
peasants. We cite the last degraded form of this old
fiction, as told by a sccuhddhe of the lowest rank.
THE MISFORTUNES OF BARRETT THE PIPER.
Barrett the Piper, you see, lost his skill, and was
advised to go to the Black North to recover it (Barrett
was a Munster man). Well, he took his little boy with
him, and they walked and they walked till the dark came,
and they went into a cabin by the roadside to look for
lodging. " God save all here ! " says they. " Save you
kindly !
" says the man of the house, but he left out the
Holy Name. " How are you. Jack Barrett % " " Musha,
pure and hearty, sir; many thanks for the axing, but how
did you know me ?" " Och, I knew you before you were
weaned. Sit down and make yourself at home ; here
you stay till morning." Well, faith, they got a good
supper of pyatees and milk, and a good bed of straw
was made for them by the wall up near the fire, and they
lay down quite comfortable to get a good sleep. But
some bad thoughts came over Jack Barrett in the dead
* Classic scholars will find the memory of the Incubi, and Succiibi,
and Nympholepts of the Pagan system, preserved in these Lianans
and the persons possessed by them.
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