180 Mr. Petrie on the History and Antiquities of Tara Hill. 



the giants of Tara." They are each about 2f. 6 in. in height, and about the 

 same in breadth. 



i^c^ 



^^/.^"-^^Uf'^^-' '■■■ 



To the east of these stones, according to the prose account, was situated 

 The Monument of the Dwarf, but of which there are now no remains. This 

 tomb is stated to have been three feet in length, on the first measurement, and 

 three feet and a half on the second ! To the understanding of this statement, it 

 will be necessary to observe, that the miraculous power of this tomb to adapt 

 itself to the size of every person is recorded in many ancient Irish poems and 

 prose tracts, as one of the thirteen wonders of Ireland. In one of these 

 poetical accounts called Mirabilia Hibernice, which is given in a Latin transla- 

 tion by O'Flaherty, the tomb of the dwarf at Tara is thus described : 



" Temoriae Nani tumulutn lapis obtegit, in quo 

 Vir, puer, aut infans tres, et non amplius, aequat, 

 Quisque pedes longo : numerum discrimine nuUo 

 Multiplicat, minuitve pedum proportio dispar." 



Ogygia, p. 290. 



The same statement occurs in the Book of Ballymote, fol. 140, page b. col. b., 

 and is also thus given in an ancient poem on Tara, ascribed to Caoilte Mac 

 Ronain, In the Library of Trinity College, H. 1, 15, p. 38. 



Ciji an aBaic a Ceaihpaij, The tomb of the Dwarf at Temur, 



Ni cuala ingna aiiilaijj; : I have heard no wonder hke it : 



In uaip DO lui5 pop m lie From the hour that lay under the flag 



Sen bee Scarpa, ua Bibpic, Little Sen of Seaghais, grandson of Eibric, 



In pectp ip mo o'peapaib fa'^ '^'^ ^^^ largest man of the men of Fail 



Qn peap ap luj in a oail The smallest man along with him, 



Curpuime ooib ceaccap oe Its adaptation to either of them 



6a o'lnjancaib na lije. Is of the wonders of the tomb. 



