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Tha an Ceatharnach Caol Riabhach a' toirt dùbhlan dha na h-È...

Date March 1970
Track ID 13557
Part 1

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1970.50.A

Original Tape ID

SA1970.050

Summary

The Ceatharnach Caol Riabhach challenges the Irish people to magic feats.

O'Donnell in Ireland had the best magicians gathered. The Ceatharnach Caol Riabhach arrived. He shook his leg and asked if anyone else could do it. One man tried and his leg fell off. The same happened when he shook his ear. He produced a silk thread, a girl and a boy from his pockets. He threw the thread over a beam and sent the girl climbing up with the boy after her. The boy attacked her. The Ceatharnach put the girl away and pulled off the boy's head. He asked O'Donnell for money to put his head back on. He agreed and the Ceatharnach put the head on back to front, and then the right way round. O'Donnell gave him the money; he took a handful and left.

The next night he went to O'Kelly, who had the best musicians gathered and was offering prize money. The Ceatharnach played the harp and put everyone but O'Kelly to sleep. O'Kelly gave him money. He took a handful and, as he left, woke a man who began to kill people with an axe. The next day he met a man who was going to see O'Kelly. He told him about the situation there and gave him a plant to revive the dead. He said he should see O'Kelly paid him well first, which he did.

Seathan needed a servant to go on a raid with him. The Ceatharnach came and said he would be his servant as long as he showed him hospitality in his house. The raid was successful. When they returned, Seathan went into the house, ate a meal and forgot all about the Ceatharnach who was outside. He left.

He met a man with a broken leg which no one could mend. The Ceatharnach mended it using a plant. The man offered his daughter's hand in return. The Ceatharnach made no commitment, but her father sent invitations to the wedding. When he saw the guests arriving, he said he wasn't going to marry the girl and that he was leaving. The man made a verse for him before he left.

Language

Gaelic

Genre

Story

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good