A Harvest of Irish Folk-Lore 325 



(for example, " There was a blacksmith in Dun- 

 kenealy, beyond Killybegs," etc., page 244). 



As to the antiquity and the primitive character 

 of Mr. Curtin's stories an experienced observer can 

 entertain no doubt. His book is certainly the 

 most considerable achievement in the field of Gae- 

 lic mythology since the publication, thirty years 

 ago, of Campbell's "Tales of the West High- 

 lands ; " and it does for the folk-lore of Ireland 

 what Asbjbrnsen and Moe's collection (the English 

 translation of which is commonly, and with some 

 injustice, known by the name of the translator as 

 Dasent's " Norse Tales ") did for the folk-lore of 

 Norway. This is, of course, very high praise, but 

 we do not believe it will be called extravagant by 

 any competent scholar who reads Mr. Curtin's book. 

 The stories have evidently been reduced to writing 

 with most scrupulous and loving fidelity. In turn- 

 ing the Gaelic into English some of the character- 

 istic Hibernian phrases and constructions of our 

 language have been employed, and this has been 

 done with such perfect good taste that the effect 

 upon the ear is like that of a refined and delicate 

 brogue. 



The mythical material in the stories is largely 

 that with which the student of Aryan folk-lore is 

 familiar. We have variants of Cinderella, the 



