S. It is difficult to say which are oldest.

G. I here were these engraved stones found, do you say?

S. I will tell you, Sir. About a mile from the place where we live, a cave was found, on the brow of a hill, by a person who was digging round a stone, about ten years ago. No person thought or knew that such a place was there, until it happened to be found thus; a long, narrow cave, without bone, or relic, or trace of any thing in it, but empty walls, covered with great stones. There was a

neat, little chamber, of a round form, like a beehive, on one side of the cave, and a little, narrow door, to enter by, empty also, as the rest. However, there was found one broad, smooth flag on the top of the place; and, on the lower side of that flag there were three lines engraved, of clean, well formed letters; nor has any person been found since, who could read or explain the inscription.

R. It is perfectly true. For I saw the cave, the flag, and the inscription, when it was discovered.

G. I have no doubt of it, as I have also seen an account of that cave which you mention, and a fac simile of those letters printed in copper-plate, in the new history of the county Down.

S. A learned gentleman came from Annuhilt, who took a copy of it on paper.

G. Was there not a cromleac found, under a carn, near that place? (4.)

S. There was, indeed, about two miles from it, (about seven years before,) an exceeding large, broad, level, smooth stone, as polished as the pebbles on the sea-coast: I am persuaded there is no other cromleac in Ireland so neat as it is; as the gentle man asserted, who came to view it.

There was an enclosure of long equal stones, standing strait up round the great cromleac,

an uair a fuaras i; faoid ċarnan mòr, do mion cloċuib.

D. U. Nar togbad na leaca fada sin?

Mac G. Nil aoin diob naċar tugad cum oibre a bi 'ga deanam laim leis an àit.

D. U. Niar brisead an uamaig mo doiġ.

Mac G. Do brisead, is millead i; agus niar fàgad aoin leac, no cloẻ, a bfiu an dadam, načav togad air siubal, an nòs cead na.

D. U. Is iongnad liom gur brisead an uaim. Mac G. Dar ndoig go leagad go talam an tòrcruin aig Dùn padruic. Agus saoilinnse, a duine uasail, nać mbiad se sona bainte le na leitid.

D. U. Nil mise 'ga rad go bfuil se miośona; aċ togar dam gur naireać do daoinib uaisle, foglamta, gan cion no meas a beit, air bfuigioll oibreaċ arsaigte na tìre.

Mac G. Maisead, a duine uasail, d'fiafrainse ein ni diotsa, da ma toil leat aitris dam.

D. U. Go de b'aill leat fiafraid, a maigistir Mhic gaban?

Mac G. Measan tusa, no saoilean tu, go mbiad se ceart no dlistionać na sean sciteoga a ngearrad, no a dtoċailt as talaṁ.

D. U. Ni fios damsa dligead, no react air bit, anaġaid a nġearrad, no sgrios, as do cuid fearainn fein, ma ta siad ann do bealač, no feidm agad orrta.

Mac G. Is fior è, a saoi, acd is minic a cualamar gur tuar tubaiste baint le hionad tataig, no didion na ndaoine beaga ùd.

D. U. A maigistir Mhic gaban, na creid agus naċ geil do raidtib diomaoin, geasrogača; no sgeultaib fabuill, caillċcamiaca don tscort sin. Nac dtug Dia an talam, agus gaċ crann, agus luib a fasas, cum feadma don duine? Agus go d' cuige saoiltid go mbiad crannair bit crusta, no tabuisteac, muna guirfead Dia toirmeasg air?

when

when it was found; under a great carn of small

stones.

G. Were these long stones lifted?

S. They were all carried away to a building near the place.

G. Surely the cave was not broken.

S. It was broken and destroyed; neither flag nor stone was left, of any value, that was not carried away in the same manner.

G. I am surprised that the cave was broken.

S. Why even the round tower at Downpatrick was thrown down; and I think, Sir, that it is not lucky to touch such things. (5).

G. I do not say that it is unlucky; but I think it a disgrace to literary gentlemen, to pay no respect or attention to the remains of the ancient works of their country.

S. Well, Sir, I would ask you one question, if you will please to answer me.

G. What would you wish to ask, Mr. Smyth?

S. Do you think, or suppose, that it is right or lawful to cut or root out old thorns? (6.)

G. I know no law, nor statute, against cutting or destroying them out of your own land, or if you have occasion for them.

S. That is true, Sir, but we have frequently heard that it is an omen of ill luck, to disturb the haunt or shelter of these little people. (7.)

G. Mr. Smyth, do not regard nor believe these silly, superstitious sayings, or fabulous old wives' tales of this kind. Did not God give the earth, and every tree and plant that grows, for the use of man? And why should you think that any tree is forbidden or unlucky, unless God should prohibit it?

Mac G.

Mac G. Is fior è; agus ni geillin an cleir úd aguinne da leitid. Acd's è an fat a bfuil misi tract air, go bfuil aniomad crann sgiteoga àrsaige, ann mo cuid fearainn fèin; agus ba mait liom cuid aca buaint as mo bealac; agus, d'aindeoin sin, admuigim go mbionn faitčios orm bacail leo; oir ta fios agam go mait gur ionad uasal è, agus gur mòr a biad na daoine beaga tataig ann, a nallod.

D. U. Na siteoga ta romad, mo doig. Agus a bfaca tu fein aon duine aca ariam?

Mac G. Maisead ni facas. Acd tiucfad liom sgeul beag, greanmar a innse duitse, a cuala me o mo sean atair, a crutugad le finne go raib a leitid ann, le na linn fèin.

D. U. Maisead, aitris duinn è, a maigistir Mhic Gaban, is biom buideaċ diot, agus eistfeam leat go fonmar.

Mac G. Ta cnocan beag, san fearann a mbiamsa mo comnaig, da ngoirean siad cnocan na Feadalaig. Bhi duine còir, craifeać na comnaig anallod ann, a gcois amna, le taob a cnocan sin; agus ta lorg a tig le faiceal gus andiu. Tadg o Haod ba hainm don duine; gan bean, no muirin aige, aed a matair, na sean mnaoi, ag cuingbeal tige.

Chuaid Tadg amaċ, oidċe Shaṁna, deanaṁ úrnaig, mar gnas leis, fa bruac na haimne, no 'geois a leasa. Ag dearcain suas do breatnad rèultan, do connaire neul dorca o ndeas, ag gluasact cuige, le sigdead gaoite; agus do ċuala se torman na neaċ, mar buidin mòir marc śluad, teact san gleann gaċ ndìreac. D'airiġ Tadg go dtangadar uile tairis an ata, agus tort fa'n mbinn go hat laim.

Cuimnigeas an duine gur minic a cualaid ga rad, da dtilgfead an luait biad faoi do cois, na nadaig, san am sin, da mbiad neaċ air bit daonda leo, gur b'eigin doib sgarmuin leis. Togbas sesean làn duirn don grinniol bi faoi na cois, agus tilgeas è go tinneasnać, anainm an atair, agus an mhic, agus an spioraid naoim, anaġaid an tsiġdein;

S. That

S. That is true, and our clergy believe no such thing. But the reason of my speaking of it is, that I have several old thorns in my land, and I would wish to take some of them out of my way; nevertheless, I confess that I am shy to disturb them; for I know very well that it is a gentle place, and that it was greatly haunted by the little people, in former times. (8.)

G. You mean the fairies, I suppose. And did you ever see any of them?

S. I never did. But I could tell you a pleasant little story, which I heard from my grandfather; to prove the truth of such things being in

his time.

G. Well tell it to us, Mr. Smyth, and we will thank you, and hear you with pleasure.

S. There is a little hill in the farm where I live, which is called Knock-na-feudalea. (9.) There was an honest, pious man living there formerly, near the river, by the side of the hill; and the vestige of his house may yet be seen. His name was Thady Hughes; he had no wife nor family, but his mother, an old woman keeping his house.

Thady went out, on Halloweve night, (10.) to pray, as he was accustomed, on the bank of the river, or at the foot of the forth. Looking up to observe the stars, (11.) he saw a dark cloud from the south, moving towards him with a whirlwind; and he heard the sound of horses, as a great troop of cavalry, coming straight along the valley. (12.) Thady observed that they all came over the ford, and quickly round about the mount.

He remembered that he had often heard it said, if you cast the dust that is under your foot against it, at that instant, if they have any human being with them, that they are obliged to release him. He lifts a handful of the gravel that was under his foot, and throws it stoutly, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, against the whirl

agus,