t caused laughter.

"_Bose_, the great Norse harper, could give on his harp the Gyarslager,
or stroke of the sea gods, which produced mermaids' music."--O'Curry's
Lectures.

* * * * *

X

_The Fairy Tree of Dooros_

The forest of Dooros was in the district of Hy Fiera of the Moy (now the
barony of Tireragh, in Sligo).

On a certain occasion the Dedanns, returning from a hurling match
with the Feni, passed through the forest, carrying with them for
food during the journey crimson nuts, and arbutus apples, and scarlet
quicken-berries, which they had brought from the Land of Promise. One
of the quicken-berries dropped on the earth, and the Dedanns passed
on not heeding.

From this berry a great quicken-tree sprang up, which had the virtues of
the quicken-trees that grow in fairyland. Its berries had the taste of
honey, and those who ate of them felt a cheerful glow, as if they had
drunk of wine or old mead, and if a man were even a hundred years old he
returned to the age of thirty as soon as he had eaten three of them.

The Dedanns having heard of this tree, and not wishing that anyone
should eat of the berries but themselves, sent a giant of their own
people to guard it, namely, Sharvan the Surly of Lochlann.--"The
Pursuit of Diarmuid and Grania," "Old Celtic Romances," p. 313 (Joyce).

* * * * *

XI

_The Palace of the Little Cat_

The description of the rows of jewels ranged round the wall of the
palace of the Little Cat is taken from "The Voyage of Maildun."--See
Note XII.

* * * * *

XII

_The Birds of the Mystic Lake_

The incident of the birds coming to the mystic lake is taken from
"The Voyage of Maildun," a translation of which is given in Joyce's
"Old Celtic Romances." The operations of the birds were witnessed by
Maildun and his companions, who, in the course of their wanderings, had
arrived at the Isle of the Mystic Lake. One of Maildun's companions,
Diuran, on seeing the wonder, said to the others: "Let us bathe in the
lake, and we shall obtain a renewal of our youth like the birds."

But they said: "Not so, for the bird has left the poison of his old age
and decay in the water."

_Diuran_, however, plunged in, and swam about for some time; after which
he took a little of the water and mixed it in his mouth, and in the end
he swallowed a small quantity. He then came out perfectly sound a