Three Irish Bardic Tales :: :: University of Virginia Library

Three Irish Bardic Tales

Being Metrical Versions of the Three Tales known as The Three Sorrows of Story-telling. By John Todhunter

Todhunter, John (1839-1916)

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THE DOOM OF THE CHILDREN OF LIR

THE TUNING OF THE HARP.

THE FIRST DUAN. THE DOOM OF THE CHILDREN OF LIR.

THE WITCH-SONG OF OIFA.

OIFA'S SONG OF DOOM.

THE SECOND DUAN. THE SWANS ON DERRYVARRAGH.

THE SONG OF THE SWANS.

THE THIRD DUAN. THE SWANS ON SRUTH-NA-MOYLE.

THE FOURTH DUAN. THE SWANS IN THE BANNA.

THE FIFTH DUAN. THE SWANS IN ERRIS DOMNANN.

THE SIXTH DUAN. THE COMING OF THE FAITH.

THE SEVENTH DUAN. THE SWANS' DELIVERANCE.

THE FATE OF THE SONS OF USNA

THE LAMENTATION FOR THE THREE SONS OF TURANN

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OIFA'S SONG OF DOOM.

1

The doom of the Children of Lir,
Thus Oifa dooms them,
Go pine in the feathers of swans
Till the North shall wed the South.

2

Three hundred years shall ye float
On the stillness of Derryvarragh:

A lake in Westmeath; Sruth-na-Moyle, the tide-way between Ireland and Scotland; Erris Domnann, possibly Erris Head, in Mayo; Inis Glory, an island on the coast of Kerry.

On the tossing of Sruth-na-Moyle,
Unsheltered, three hundred years.

3

Three hundred years shall ye keene
With the curlews of Erris Domnann;
Till the bell rings in Inis Glory
I curse you: nine hundred years!

17

The four Swans heard their doom, and huddled by the shore
Wept at the feet of Oifa. Fianoula weeping said:
‘This is a mighty curse, O mother of our tears!
Unmothered, comfortless, cold through the age-long night!’