Title page (unn): 'Translated from the Gaedhlic'

"What a beautiful trout!" said puss to herself; "what a pity to boil it! I wonder how it would ate raw;" for pussy had a little of the Hibernian twang. Just then the trout gave another great bounce, but alighted somehow in Tibby's mouth this bout, instead of on the platter--"Loddy bless me," thought pussy, as she darted out of the door with the fish in her mouth, "how it frightened me!"

At the same instant, a wild but subdued voice repeated the words--"Krulagh! Krulagh!" and its owner sprung upon the luigha leamfheada, or (longhanded) as Cronac was named, with as much joy and agility as the animal had done; and turning to Bertram, said--"A tried friend, and at the moment of request, sir knight, uncomely, but faithful."

[…] concluding by vowing eternal fidelity to the great representative of Hibernian royalty, desiring no greater recompence for his services than to find them effectual in his cause, and beholding the fourfold regal dignities of Ireland concentrated in his own asion *, [to footnote: Crown.] won by his own sword, and maintained by his own people. "By the cross of St. Patrick, Rooke Duvegnan, but this Grimes O'Fergus is a gallant gentleman, and honours his breeding!" said the "great O'Neal," successor to the "mighty Shan;" "the clanamile",* [to footnote: Son of a line of heroes] as he handed the epistle to his family poet, the royal harper; "read, I crave you, my lord of the harp, and laud his noble daring; a knight so dutiful deserves the immortal verse.

The "tried friend" then approached Bertram, and taking his hand, placed it on his own bare breast, and looking first at one, and then at the other, said-- "Bersham Fishroy! Bersham Fishroy! hoi , hoi , hoi "
"Yes, Dathy, yes; sir Bertram Fitzroy, the same. Your honour remembers the Dathy ,* mayhap?"
*[Footnote] The nimble-footed
"The being in whose behalf Rathsheen interested herself, I think," replied Bertram. "The same, sir; and if you will allow him, he will convince you of his gratitude." Then taking him by the arm, and Dathy doing the same on the opposite side, they bore him lightly on his feet, and commenced their retreat, the beagle Krulagh bounding on before them.
At the same time, the sound of Fergus's party approaching was distinctly heard.
Our hero, grateful for this timely and providential assistance, exerted himself as much as possible, and could not but observe, and admire at the difference which habit creates; here were two beings, whose frames appeared less agile than his own, but who, from practice and necessity, had acquired the speed of another species.
"Can your friend inform us, sir, how matters stand at the fort?" inquired Bertram.
Cronac put the question in Irish; and Dathy replied, with a howl-- " Oich , oich , oich ! all for Fercus mans ! Dathy see, Dathy hear, and Dathy madt , madt , madt !"

[F]or no sooner did they observe the laird and his gillie ,* [to footnote: Lad, young man, attendant.] than their angry greetings changed into whinings and yelpings of joy

[…] seated at the farther side of a little peat fire, the witch Rathsheen, who, on beholding him almost borne in, dropped her head upon her lap, crying-- " Worroday , worroday , worroday ! -- the bloody Fergus! -- the bloody Grimes! Ochone ! ochone ! ochone ! -- oh , murther ! murther ! -- cruel murther ! -- Ochone !" and thus continuing to lament, she moved her spare, withered body, in sympathy, from side to side, unmindful of those who stood looking on.

"For this good deed, a vurneen , may all good luck be with you in your dangerous journey; and may God's blessing and my own presarve you from your enemies when you get there!"
Thank you, mother--thank you," said the young officer, giving his horse the rein.
She was unwilling, however, to quit him, without bestowing upon him some greater proof of her gratitude for his interference, and ran alongside, or rather ahead of his steed, until they came near the gate of the park, on the side next to the city, when placing herself directly in his path, she emphatically cried-- "Stop, my blessed child, till I tell you what"
Bertram did as he was desired, and, smiling, leaned over his steed's neck, to hear more distinctly what she appeared so anxious to impart.
"Now, noble youth," she said, "go not a fut near Killarney; for the evil that awaits you there is sure , but the good is uncertain ; you have already made yourself enemies that will meet you there--enemies on public grounds and private grounds--believe me fairly. And now tell me, will you go after this to Killarney, child?"
"Truly," replied Bertram, "the reasons for deterring me must carry with them much greater weight than what you have urged, good dame; so, with your leave, I'll pass: and hark ye , hie you home, lest you be again annoyed by the idlers in the grounds."
" Oh well , well ; an if you go you go, that's all; may be myself is wrong, and it's fate that calls you. But would you do another kind action to a poor fellow- cratchur , if I'd shew you where to find him?"
"Most certainly, mother," replied he; "but my time is short; say, how can I serve you?"
"Oh, well, follow me then, and we'll make the most of it." Thus saying, she turned towards the city, and proceeded at a rate which kept the horse on a trot.
Bertram greatly admired the speed of so old a woman, nor could he help smiling at the oddity of his adventure with a mendicant fortune-teller, for such he deemed her to be.
On nearing the city, she turned off to the left, taking care to observe if the horseman followed, and continued her course unabated, until she arrived at the depot where the prisoners of war were confined. This place had formerly been a barrack, but was now used as a prison. She then halted, saying, "A poor soul lies here in chains, that has too little wit to harm your countrymen; he was taken near Dunboyne, while striving to set free his master, when you and yours were liberated: no other harm did he do, and sure, my noble, you won't think harm of that?"

"Would yer honour set these two poor souls at liberty?" said the fortune-teller.
" Tese too pur sowlss ! Tese too pur sowlss !" repeated the Adonis, his eyes nearly starting from their sockets with pure anxiety.
"Poor souls indeed," said Bertram, pitifully eyeing the pair: "what is your name?"
"Krulagh, and Dathy Krulagh, and Dathy," replied the being, in a thin loud tone of voice.
"Where is your home?"
" Te hill, and te hole, and te pog . Let Krulagh ko --and Dathy."
"Governor," said Fitzroy, to an officer that approached, "will you accept my order of dismissal for this unfortunate, and give him the pass?"
The governor complied, and our hero quitted the yard, followed by the old woman, and Dathy, with the dog fast in his embrace, cautiously stealing after him, his person bent almost double, until the gate was cleared, when the old woman, seizing him by the breast of his thrumb jacket, and fixing her eyes upon his liberator, emphatically exclaimed--"Bertram Fitzroy! Bertram Fitzroy!"
" Woigh , woigh , Pertrap Mishroy! Pertrap Mishroy," yelled the Caliban.
"Bertram Fitzroy!" said the female, giving him a shake.
"Pertram Whitsroy! Pertram Whitsroy!" again he repeated. " Oigh Gaull morni ," he added, letting go the dog, who instantly took to flight, yelping, whining, and half turning his head towards his master, who, disengaging himself, sprung after it with a rapidity that utterly amazed the young Englishman, who, remounting his steed, sat observing them, until they became lost in the distance ; then bestowing on the old woman a small piece of silver, he returned towards the city, strongly impressed with the novelty of the adventure

The "tried friend" then approached Bertram, and taking his hand, placed it on his own bare breast, and looking first at one, and then at the other, said-- "Bersham Fishroy! Bersham Fishroy! hoi , hoi , hoi "
"Yes, Dathy, yes; sir Bertram Fitzroy, the same. Your honour remembers the Dathy ,* mayhap?"
*[Footnote] The nimble-footed
"The being in whose behalf Rathsheen interested herself, I think," replied Bertram. "The same, sir; and if you will allow him, he will convince you of his gratitude." Then taking him by the arm, and Dathy doing the same on the opposite side, they bore him lightly on his feet, and commenced their retreat, the beagle Krulagh bounding on before them.
At the same time, the sound of Fergus's party approaching was distinctly heard.
Our hero, grateful for this timely and providential assistance, exerted himself as much as possible, and could not but observe, and admire at the difference which habit creates; here were two beings, whose frames appeared less agile than his own, but who, from practice and necessity, had acquired the speed of another species.
"Can your friend inform us, sir, how matters stand at the fort?" inquired Bertram.
Cronac put the question in Irish; and Dathy replied, with a howl-- " Oich , oich , oich ! all for Fercus mans ! Dathy see, Dathy hear, and Dathy madt , madt , madt !"

"Would yer honour set these two poor souls at liberty?" said the fortune-teller.
" Tese too pur sowlss ! Tese too pur sowlss !" repeated the Adonis, his eyes nearly starting from their sockets with pure anxiety.
"Poor souls indeed," said Bertram, pitifully eyeing the pair: "what is your name?"
"Krulagh, and Dathy Krulagh, and Dathy," replied the being, in a thin loud tone of voice.
"Where is your home?"
" Te hill, and te hole, and te pog . Let Krulagh ko --and Dathy."
"Governor," said Fitzroy, to an officer that approached, "will you accept my order of dismissal for this unfortunate, and give him the pass?"
The governor complied, and our hero quitted the yard, followed by the old woman, and Dathy, with the dog fast in his embrace, cautiously stealing after him, his person bent almost double, until the gate was cleared, when the old woman, seizing him by the breast of his thrumb jacket, and fixing her eyes upon his liberator, emphatically exclaimed--"Bertram Fitzroy! Bertram Fitzroy!"
" Woigh , woigh , Pertrap Mishroy! Pertrap Mishroy," yelled the Caliban.
"Bertram Fitzroy!" said the female, giving him a shake.
"Pertram Whitsroy! Pertram Whitsroy!" again he repeated. " Oigh Gaull morni ," he added, letting go the dog, who instantly took to flight, yelping, whining, and half turning his head towards his master, who, disengaging himself, sprung after it with a rapidity that utterly amazed the young Englishman, who, remounting his steed, sat observing them, until they became lost in the distance ; then bestowing on the old woman a small piece of silver, he returned towards the city, strongly impressed with the novelty of the adventure

" Offen ahushla ," said she, shaking her grey head, "did poor Ilas O'Dunn--God be good to him!--see her in the divle 's bowl (Poule Iferon), wudth her tail spread all over her like a green peacock's; and never did she appear to him aroon , but the dear man had cause to grieve. The moment she appeared, skimming or floundering on the waters, his net would brake , or he kitch 'd nothin --or fell down the breaches --or strained his ankle, or his shoulder, or his back--or may be drank whiskey for spite, at Killarny yonder-- and the very night. before he was drownded , he dremt , that while closing his net, the waters rose up all at once't , and along wudth them her green ladyship, who, retching him fast by the ear, pulled him down to the bottom along wudth her, net an all. He wakened wudth the fright agra --for who wouldn't , God love him! but some way or other, he was tempted the same day to make a haul; and, sure enough, the waters rose up as mad as books, and green Shela along wudth them, according to his drame ; and sure enough she did the very thing that frightened him in the night; for from that hour to this, I never saw a stirn of him, asleep or awake! After that, she was many years, and never shewed her face, out of pure shame; but Quale there, the Lord presarve us, ses he offen sees her at the flowins ."
"At the flowings , mother!" said sir Bertram, one day when the smoke had occasioned an inundation in his eyes.
" Ay , honey; I mane when the waters rise to the brim, and run out of the mouth of ould mother Sullivan; for then is the time she loves to swim; but as poor Ilas (Heaven be his lot!) used to say--' That's the time she can't help it; for the waters of the sae pushes and pushes the waters of the lochs at the bottom, durin strong sae winds, and spring tides, and up comes all together.'God be wudth you, Ilas joy, for it was yourself that could read the waters."

"A short dark surtout," replied Bertram.
"Belted round him, and buckled wudth a large shining buckle on his left side?" said Mala, inquiringly.
"Just so, mother," replied Fitzroy.
" Troth , aroon , and ye fell in wudth Green Shela's luck, sure enough! I wonder you're here at all. Slip away, Quale, my cock, and see if it isn't Grimes Fergus."
" Ay is it, mother," said the youth, returning in haste; " ye've the divle 's guess and your own."
"Come in, honey," said the mother, closing the door. "Now cross winds to Fergus, what's this he wants at the Bend?"
" St. Cullumb knows, mother; no good I fear," said Quale.
"St. Cullumb knows nothin at all about him, my son, so never couple their names together again while you live. Muddy be his waters , what brings him here now!"
"And pray who is Grimes Fergus?" inquired Bertram; "and why do you seem to fear him?"
"Grimes O'Fergus," replied Quale, "is a descendant of the Ferguses, the natural standard-bearers of the great O'Neals, the kings of Ulster, and he claims the right now, and bears the royal spear before this earl of Tyrone, who is the acknowledged heir to the northern crown."

"Quale dear, what's all that paddlin about the lochs for to-day, I wonder."
" Faith , and I'm wondering at that myself," said Quale. "God forbid that the devil should already have put it into Grimes's head to insult the worthy Duvegnans with a visit!"
"Quale, Quale, joy, and that's the very thing that makes me sweat, and sweat, joy!" said she, wringing it from her forehead; "the cracher would die at once, if he laid his paws upon her!"
"His paws , mother!" cried the young man, springing up: "would he dare, de ye think, to lay his paws upon the lady Duvegnan?"
" Och ay , honey, Fergus would darr more than that: I'm quite miserable till I know what all this rowing among the islands is for; or de ye think, Quale, it was for you and I they were sarching ?"
"God knows; but maybe not," said Quale, rising, and proceeding to the water-side. "Oh, mother! come here, in God's name," he cried, "and tell me what's the manin of this?"
Hastily joining him, and casting her eyes down the lake, she beheld the flames of some hapless dwelling curling into the sky, and illumining a wide track of water, thence to where they stood.-- " Och , Quale, but my heart misgives me that fair Innismana is in flames!"
"And what then is to become of Eva, mother? No, no! the Lord will guard his own! No, no--it can't be; and yet the flames seem to rise near Innismana or Innismort."
"Oh, Quale, Quale, child! whattle we do?" cried the old woman, wringing her hands in an agony of terror.
" Will I take her skiff, mother, and skim down to see?" said the youth.
"Do--Heavens love you! do--and God speed you and bless your arrand , honey!" said she, as he unfurled the fairy-looking bark, and entering it, pushed off. "Quale, dear, don't forget to come back with the news to your poor ould mother, as soon as you can, for here will I stand till I see you again, dear."

"A short dark surtout," replied Bertram.
"Belted round him, and buckled wudth a large shining buckle on his left side?" said Mala, inquiringly.
"Just so, mother," replied Fitzroy.
" Troth , aroon , and ye fell in wudth Green Shela's luck, sure enough! I wonder you're here at all. Slip away, Quale, my cock, and see if it isn't Grimes Fergus."
" Ay is it, mother," said the youth, returning in haste; " ye've the divle 's guess and your own."
"Come in, honey," said the mother, closing the door. "Now cross winds to Fergus, what's this he wants at the Bend?"
" St. Cullumb knows, mother; no good I fear," said Quale.
"St. Cullumb knows nothin at all about him, my son, so never couple their names together again while you live. Muddy be his waters , what brings him here now!"
"And pray who is Grimes Fergus?" inquired Bertram; "and why do you seem to fear him?"
"Grimes O'Fergus," replied Quale, "is a descendant of the Ferguses, the natural standard-bearers of the great O'Neals, the kings of Ulster, and he claims the right now, and bears the royal spear before this earl of Tyrone, who is the acknowledged heir to the northern crown."

"Indeed, sir, and she's better than beautiful, if that's what you mane ; for she's a husband to the wuddow , and a mother to the orphans, and a balm to the sorrowing, when the winns blow wudth her."
"When what?" inquired Bertram.
"When she's free to visit where she likes, sir, for betimes she is much straitened."
"I feel interested in what you say, Quale--do be explicit, my good fellow."
"Why then you see, sir, she's like a cutter wudth too many rudders, and nare a keel at all; her sainted uncle manes her for the sarvice of Heaven; her uncle Pen thinks it would be better to be creatin young harpers to plase the people on earth, if any one good enough could be found for her; while her mighty kinsman, Rooke Duvegnan, oirpbedach to the great divle of Ulster, affiances her to Grimes O'Fergus, the simnach (fox) , the right hand spearman of the said Ulster Belzabub--
"Hold!" cried Bertram-- "Grimes, who sought to entrap the mermaid?"
"The very man, sir--fish or flesh, all's the same to him--the orphan maiden or green Shela--one or both; he has a shark's maw, they say; with the bard's leave, and a force from the king, he is here now, to storm the fort, and ensnare the person of the lady Eva. This is what I gathered from Rathsheen's Irish, as she held Pen by the loop yonder. He has been in the hills three days and nights concealed (his patience is quite new to me), and having information of your absence, comes pouncing down on little Tudor, like a pike on a pinkeen--

"Who, in Heaven's name, may you be, sir?" said Essex, eyeing what might be termed the remnant of a costume that originated with himself, and which was worn by his own regiment, a part of which had been intrusted to sir Bertram Fitzroy, on his nomination to Fort Tudor-- "who, in Heaven's name, may you be?"
"I'm Quale O'Dunn, from Killarney, your honour."
"Ha! were you one of the garrison?"
" Troth was I , sir! and the lovin sarvant of my lovin master, lord Fitzroy, the commander."
"Gentlemen," said the earl, addressing the council, "we will dispense with your further attendance this morning; I am persuaded this person brings information of some importance, which I would hear alone."
Being left with Quale, the earl addressed him, saying, "Now, sir, what of the garrison and its commander?--be brief."
"Grimes Fergus has taken the fort, your honour, and killed its commander."
"Poor Bertram!" sighed the earl.
"And the poor fellows," continued Quale, "whom he commanded, and who have escaped the murtherers , are hunted through Kerry like wolves, not daring to shew their faces."
"But when was this?"
"Six days ago, your honour."
"Saw you the commander fall?"
"I did, your honour, with my own eyes--God help me!--and a sorry sight it was--fall dead in the highlands."
"I am still uninformed," said the earl; "did you not say he fell in defence of the fort?"
" Och , no, your honour; the enemy was bate back from the fort; and we pursued them into the highlands, where they never stopped a minnit till they reached the great moorland flat, where we were soon surrounded by shoals of the Ulster troops, and borne down like weeds. I saw our noble commander bate down, as I tould you, like a rush, by that divle Grimes O'Fergus, and myself was driven along with all that was left, without being able to assist my poor master in his last moments!-- Och , an it was himself that was a good, and a kind, and a noble gentleman!-- an it's himself that now lies stiff and cold upon that divle 's moor flat, without a friend to spill a tear, or a mother to sing his cronan !-- Och that I was but your honour for one short week, and you was Quale, an it's myself that would make a mummy of Grimes Fergus, and cut him into smithereens! for bad luck goes before and behind him, and hangs at his tail on every side."
"Fergus, the lieutenant of Tyrone--eh, young man?"
"The same sprig, your honour; he burnt the beautiful island of Innismana down to the ground--threw the holy father Duvegnan into the flames--tore away the lovely Eva, that was as dear to my master as his own heart's blood--and has her tied up in his camp, where she now laments day and night."

Stiff as a post, he stood still, until, as he thought, she had time to pass by, when opening his eyes, he beheld the impudent jilt perched close at his feet, purring quite comfortably, and staring him full in the face.-- " Oh , blessed Mary," he cried, "and isn't this a cruel thing? Isn't it plain, bad luck to them all, that they're worse than I am! All the pleasure they have in the world is to provoke me! One stales my fish--another kicks up a dust in the chapel--a third aggravates me in the very sate of government--a fourth imprisons me in my own native city--and here a fifth." Quale's resolution began now to melt; and looking round, and seeing no one near-- "One whack of my pikestaff," thought he; but just at this instant he beheld at a distance sir Bertram and another officer observing his motions, and shaking with laughter.--"Ah," thought Quale, "this was all a skame of theirs, to make me brake my promise; but I'll disappoint them--the divle a bit of my resolution shall fail; no, never whilst I live," he said, grinding his teeth, and squinting sideways after her ladyship, as she leaped down from the ramparts, and made off towards the little keep.

"Quale dear, what's all that paddlin about the lochs for to-day, I wonder."
" Faith , and I'm wondering at that myself," said Quale. "God forbid that the devil should already have put it into Grimes's head to insult the worthy Duvegnans with a visit!"
"Quale, Quale, joy, and that's the very thing that makes me sweat, and sweat, joy!" said she, wringing it from her forehead; "the cracher would die at once, if he laid his paws upon her!"
"His paws , mother!" cried the young man, springing up: "would he dare, de ye think, to lay his paws upon the lady Duvegnan?"
" Och ay , honey, Fergus would darr more than that: I'm quite miserable till I know what all this rowing among the islands is for; or de ye think, Quale, it was for you and I they were sarching ?"
"God knows; but maybe not," said Quale, rising, and proceeding to the water-side. "Oh, mother! come here, in God's name," he cried, "and tell me what's the manin of this?"
Hastily joining him, and casting her eyes down the lake, she beheld the flames of some hapless dwelling curling into the sky, and illumining a wide track of water, thence to where they stood.-- " Och , Quale, but my heart misgives me that fair Innismana is in flames!"
"And what then is to become of Eva, mother? No, no! the Lord will guard his own! No, no--it can't be; and yet the flames seem to rise near Innismana or Innismort."
"Oh, Quale, Quale, child! whattle we do?" cried the old woman, wringing her hands in an agony of terror.
" Will I take her skiff, mother, and skim down to see?" said the youth.
"Do--Heavens love you! do--and God speed you and bless your arrand , honey!" said she, as he unfurled the fairy-looking bark, and entering it, pushed off. "Quale, dear, don't forget to come back with the news to your poor ould mother, as soon as you can, for here will I stand till I see you again, dear."