94 ENNIS NA SHIA. 



acquainted with every locality and every cir- 

 cumstance of the neighbourhood. Every 

 one, too, had some confused idea of having 

 seen him at some period or other of their 

 lives, but no one could say exactly where 

 or when; and the name which he gave — 

 Slievan — which signifies merely a moun- 

 taineer, gave no clue to the curious, as it 

 might apply equally well to any individual 

 of the mountain tribes. 



"People, however, soon ceased wondering, 

 and Slievan, popular from the first, soon 

 became indispensable in the castle, and was 

 permitted to remain on his own terms, de- 

 lighting the ears of the rivals with his un- 

 earthly melodies, and taming down even the 

 hard, scheming, political soul of the lord of 

 Annagh Buie. 



'* In process of time he was requested to 

 teach the mysteries of his art to the fair 

 Bragelah, the young lady of the castle. 

 What these three old ignorant statesmen 

 could have been thinking about, or how 

 they could be so ignorant of human nature 

 as to place a fair -haired youth of lightsome 

 temper, gay conversation, and wonderful 

 skill on the harp, in such close communion 



