Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 5 1887.djvu/76

68 him under the water to the mainland, and gave him to his father, who sent him to his brother Gavida, who taught him his trade of smith.

A Druid told Ballor that MacKineely was the father of the children; he thereupon called his warriors together and crossed to the main, landing at Ballyconnell, where he seized MacKineely, one of his men catching him by the hair, another by his hands, another by his feet, when he was cast across a large block of stone, when Ballor with one stroke of his sword cut off his head. The stone is called Clagh-an-neely, and still has on it streaks of MacKineely's blood. Some years ago (1794) it was placed on a pillar sixteen feet high, where it still remains.

After the slaughter of MacKineely and his children, Ballor thought he might defy the fates, and frequently visited the mainland, his favourite haunt being the forge of Gavida. Here he met his grandchild without knowing his origin, and became very fond of him. The young smith knew who his father was, and that he was killed at Clagh-an-neely, which he often visited, but by whom he did not know. One day, however. Ballor came to the forge while Gavida was absent, and whiled away the time by telling his exploits to his grandson, and among others boasted of his seizure of MacKineely, and of how he killed him. On which the young smith watched his opportunity, and when Ballor was off his guard ran a red-hot iron into the "basilisk eye" and through his head, thus fulfilling the prophecy and avenging the death of his father.

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Tory Island is a favourable haunt of the good people, and no Toryite will go out alone after dark. Till lately there lived at Killult a woman who used to be carried off by the fairies. One dark night, when they were out looking for her with torches, Owen Kelly of Malin rescued her: she was in the grasp of a little man with a red cap, who disappeared as he came up.

On Tory Island there is a "cursing stone," visited by those who wish to curse their enemies.

G. H. K.