'lab COURTSHIP OF FERE.
The Courtship of _Perk. Translated from the Old Irish by A. H. Leahy. Illustrated by Caroline Watts. (D. Nutt. 2s. net.)— Mr. Leahy has translated an interesting tale from the cycle of the wars of Maev and the "Red Branch" of Ulster. The subject is the wedding feast of Mani Morgor, son of Maev and lover of Ferb, daughter of Gerg, a chieftain who dwelt at Rath Mi within the Ulster border. Conor, King of Ulster, with a band of warriors descends upon the house of Gerg, and after a scene of savage slaughter Ferb is left to lament her nnwedded lover, her brothers, and her father, who falls through the treachery of a servant. It is interesting to compare Mr. Leahy's translation with Lady Gregory's free rendering of the story entitled "The Wedding of Maine Morgor." The author has translated the laments of the original into English rhymed verse, but we prefer Lady Gregory's unrhymed translation, which seems to convey the tone of the original Gaelic version more thoroughly. Mr. Leahy's preface b well worth reading, especially when he deals with the attitude ot the early Irish towards the supernatural world:—" It need hardly be said that the introduction of a supernatural element into these old stories does not necessarily imply any craving for mysticism
or magic on the part of the writers But since, on the representations of observers of the Western Irish of to-day, the idea that the Celt is necessarily mystical has got firmly rooted, the mere mention of anything supernatural, like the Druidic mild in the tale of Deirdre, is held to be an example of the Celtic love of mysticism and magic ; while an apparition of Odin to break Sigmund's sword in Teutonic legend is not considered to be due to any such craving for mysticism, because the Teutons are supposed to be a practical people." In conclusion, a word of praise is due to Miss Watts, whose two illustrations are in keeping with the spirit of the tale.
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