SPIRITS APPEARING IN DREAMS.
A deceased sister’s ghost appeared to a woman in a dream, and told her, their brother had been buried the day before in Ireland. She also told the signs, by which next day the truth of the dream was to be proved. The words of the ghost form in Gaelic a singularly beautiful and plaintive song. Each line is repeated twice in singing, first with one and then another of those meaningless choruses to be found in Gaelic melody, and suiting well with the genius of the language.
E ha na hoo-roo
Loving sister, are you sleeping?
Ho lo va, hoo-roo,
E ha na hao-lo-ro hee.
Loving sister, are you sleeping?
The brother, whom we had in Erin,
Went yesterday away on bearers.
I was there, but no one saw me.
A while on foot, a while on horseback,
Another while my hands wringing.
I will give proofs of thy vision,
The big byre, where the kine are,
Will be wrapped in flames to-morrow,
And the infant in your bosom,
You’ll find dead on your bedside.
It is told of a widower, who was unkind to his children, that the ghost of his deceased wife in a similar manner appeared to him, and said:
“Man, who hast shut the door upon me,
And left me lying here!
Before the Christmas comes
A greater loss will befall you.
Man, who hast the children,
Rearing them unpeaceably,
If oft your hand be raised,
I will not be long at peace with you.”