64 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



" For that reason they had nobody in whom to trust, except Crom Dubh ; 

 for they thought that, bad though he was, he brought them light of day, 

 darkness of night, and change of seasons." ' 



St. Patrick proceeded to Crom's dwelling-place ; and, as he approached, 

 Saidhthe Suaraighe gave a loud bark, while Crom and Teidheae urged him 

 against the Saint. " "With that Teidheae put his right finger in his mouth 

 and whistled for Coinn lothair, who was hunting with Clonnach on the top 

 of Gleann Lasaire. She wasn't while you would be saying ' rainy day ' in 

 coming, when she heard the sound of the whistle." 



" The two dogs made for St. Patrick, flames of fire issuing from their 

 mouths, and a blue poisonous light shining in their eyes." 



St. Patrick described a circle around them with his crozier, commanding 

 " A lock on your claws, a lock on your teeth " ; - 



while "a fermented froth came from their mouths, and their hair stood erect 

 like harrow-pins." 



" When Clonnach saw the misfortune that had befallen his father he was 

 so frightened of St. Patrick that he commenced to burn the mountain, and 

 to set that whole side of the country on fire." Hence the name Gleann 

 Lasaire, or Glenlosser (blazing glen). 



" The people gathered everywhere in crowds paying honour to St. Patrick ; 

 and they felt very sorry when Crom Dubh was no more." Then the Saint 

 baptized them all at a well close by.' 



If Crom Dubh be interpreted as the Thunder-god,* this folk -romance 

 becomes instinct with true poetry — the poetry whose aliment is supplied by 

 direct observation of nature.' So, likewise, will the obscurest lines of the 



' Compare the following lines, which I translate from stanza 5 of the poem already 

 cited {supra, pp. 49 and 55) : — 



Loquitur Crom : — 



" 'Tis I, alas ! black Crom of the Rick, 

 Who was brought low in Umhall. 

 If the spell of the Evil One has fled from the Rick, 

 Has not the spell parted from the Sun (or Eye ? Irish sul) ?" 



Much more of this poem might deservedly be put in evidence. 



- " Glas ar d'iongain, glas ar d'fhiacail." In a supposed " St. Patrick's prayer against 

 cross dogs," which Mr. Walker copied down, close to Magh Sleacht, the self-same words 

 are used : Glas ar d'ionga as ar d'fhiacail." 



^ For further extracts vide supra, p. 51. 



'' Sylvester O'Halloran ("Introd. to the Hist, and Antiqs. of Ireland," p. 34) 

 formulated this hypothesis, on the strength of " Cruim's being obsolete Irish for 

 Thunder " ; but he developed the theory no farther. 



'•The "chimney-piece" (Clonnach) figure seems to me to be particularly apt and 

 beautiful, as imaging the columnar cloud-erections that get piled up from the sea, and 



