70 EEMINISCEXCES OF A SPOETSMAN". 



He steals with the caution of a cat, nor will you hear 

 him, but the dog will, and give him the first fall. II, 

 therefore, you are not active when he is down to rivet 

 his neck to the ground with this spear, he will rise up 

 and kill both you and the dog ; so good night." " I'll 

 do what I can,"' said the little boy, as he took the spear 

 from the wolf-hunter's hand. Tlie boy immediately threw 

 open the gate of the fold, and took his seat in the inner 

 part close to the entrance, his faithful companion 

 crouching at his side, and seemed perfectly aware of 

 the dangerous business he was engaged in. The night 

 was very dark and cold, and the poor little boy being 

 benumbed with the chill air, was beginning to fall into 

 a kind of sleep ; when at that instant the dog with a 

 roar leaped across, and laid his mortal enemy upon the 

 earth. The boy was roused into double activity by the 

 voice of his companion, and drove the spear through the 

 w^olf's neck as he had been directed; at which time 

 Grarragh appeared, bearing the head of the other. This 

 anecdote is taken from a biography of a Tyrone family, 

 published in Belfast, 1829. 



" His truth and beauty speaks no vulgar praise. 



" Oh ! had you seen him, vigorous, bold, and young, 

 Swift as a stag, and as a lion strong ; 

 Him no fell savage in the plain withstood, 

 None 'scaped him, bosomed in the gloomy wood ; 

 His eye how piercing !" — Pope. 



A certain degree of romance will always be attached to 

 the history of the Irish wolf dog; but so contradictory 

 are the reports handed to us respecting it, that, with 

 every disposition to do justice to the character of this 

 noble animal, the task is one of no small difficulty. This 



