Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 7, 1896.djvu/360

 330 ''Willie Kinsey of Drumaweel, parish of Kiltubbrid, co'. Leitrim.''

This is an elaboration of the details given in the Diarmuid and Grainne story about the Quicken-tree of Dubhros (as it is there). Dr. Hyde says this version is unknown to him, and appears to be genuine folklore.

I do not think it would be urged that our oral version could have been obtained from that of the Ossianic Society; but it contains certain elements of, to say the least of it, a highly suspicious nature. There is, for instance, the implied diminutive stature of the fairies, which is quite modern and un-Irish. The name of the heroine, Rosaline, is also not Gaelic; but this may be due to the translator adopting an equivalent, such as has been done with scores of Gaelic names.

The robin-incident I at first mistrusted; but in one of Dr. Hyde's folktales, "The Hags of the Long Teeth," there is a priest struck dumb for interfering with enchanted personages, and cured by a robin bringing him a small leaf to eat; so that the idea has undoubted folklore authority.

THE HOOD-GAME AT HAXEY, LINCOLNSHIRE.

BY MABEL PEACOCK.

(Read at Meeting of 19th May, 1896.)

interested observer of folk-custom who has lived for many years in the Isle of Axholme informs me that the ancient game traditionally known as "Haxey Hood" seems to be losing its popularity, and that there is reason to fear