Legendary fictions of the Irish Celts

288 Fictions of the Irish Celts.
Our authority distinctly says that St. Brendain appeared
to him then and there, and after speaking some words
of kindness and encouragement, told him he would
grant him two wishes, and advised him to think them
over seriously before he would give them utterance. In
our opinion the apparition was that of one of the fairy
chiefs of the country. The lazy man returned thanks,
and getting the fagot on his back trudged homewards.
But the weight, multiplied by his native laziness, was
nearly intolerable, and forgetting the late occurrence, he
groaned out, " Oh, that this devil of a bresna was carrying
me instead of ftie the bresna " ! On the moment he
found himself astride of the bundle, which was using
the ends of its boughs as so many legs, and in a very
short space of time he was thundering from the " bawngap,"
to the door. " Oh, Donogha, honey," says Vauria,
" what's the meaning of this % " The fright inspired her
with some politeness and good nature. He told her his
good luck, and how they had still one wish left. " An',
you anointed onshuch," said she, " is that the way you
threw away your good fortune ? I wish the bresna was
in ! your stomach " " It is well for me," said the easy
man, " that it wasn't to you the saint appeared." Well,
she went on aggravating him till he fairly lost patience
and cried out, " Oh, you serpent o' the world, I wish we
were the length of Ireland separated from each other !
The next moment she and her cabin were at Teagh na
Vauria (Mary's House), at the extreme end of Kerry,
and he in the place called ever since Donaghadee (qu.
Teagh an Donogha). They never saw one another more.
THE BORROWED LAKE.
A young chief once wooed the daughter of another
chief, whose dun lay by the edge of Loch Ennel in
Westmeath. The damsel was rather haughty and fastidious,
and plainly told him that she would not require
possession of his grianan as its mistress till she could see
" ;