Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 25, 1914.djvu/126

 1 1 4 Collectanea.

4. Tim Kelly\ Alike Connor, and the Cliitharacdn.

Tim Kelly was one day in the woods picking some firing, for the coal was very dear. So he was working away, as hard as ever he could, when he heard some terrible noise behind him in the bushes. So he looked behind him, and to his great surprise he see a little man about two feet high with a big tall red hat on him and small little breeches he had on him. So he looked behind him and he said, — " Begob ! I'm done for now," says he. And he made an attempt to hunt him, and instead of that the Chctharacdn made a grasp at him, and he had every tooth as long as him. And they had a tough tustle in the middle of the bushes. And the Clutharacdn was getting the best of him, and Tim shouted as loud as he could, and his shouts were heard all over Ireland, his screams were. So the Connors heard him, who were living down below him. So up comes Mike Connor, and he was as slow in coming as an old camel. So when he came up, instead of helping poor Tim that was roaring and bawling, away with Mike Connor back again ! You can be sure there was life in him going which wasn't in him coming, and away with the Clutharacdn after him. So Mike fell, because he was an awful kind of a feller like that, and up with the Chitharacdti with one spring upon his back. And he commenced to choke him. So Mike shouted, and he said, — "Well," says he, "spare me my life! "says he, "and I'll give all ever I had." So the Clutharacdn said he would if he'd offer him twenty pounds away there on the spot. " I couldn't," says Mike, " because I havn't it. But I'll give ye the two best cows I have, and then I'll be a poor man after you then. But, no matter ; spare me my life ! " And Mike went away ofif home.

So soon as Tim came to himself, he made his way home ; and he was so far gone that his wife nor nobody could know him. So begar ! he told his wife what he went through, and what he suffered since. So he told her anyway to put down a hot cup o' tea for him. So he took the cup o' tea, and he went away off to bed, and he fell off asleep, and begob ! when he got up in the morning, he never thought he ever met a Clutharacdn and he was as gay as a lark and went whistling away up the road, in the field, harrowing the oats. So ever since, he never thought that he ever saw a Clutharacdn in his life, but he wouldn't go alone in the woods again.