It was a true home touch, though not exactly a classical reading of the passage.
In the same way, in my boyish days at Dingle, we all of us firmly believed that King John had asked in what part of Kerry Ireland was. That question was our local Magna Charta, though what the origin of the tradition was I have no idea.
But then things do differ according to the point of view, and ours of history was not stranger than many others of far more importance.
As an example of lack of comprehension I would cite the following incident.
An English gentleman was shooting grouse in Ireland. He got very few birds, and said to the keeper:—
'Why, these actually cost me a pound apiece.'
'Begorra, your honour, it's lucky there are not more of them,' was the unexpected answer.
This allusion to sport reminds me of the Frenchman's description of hunting in Ireland, which was to the effect that about thirty horsemen and sixty dogs chased a wretched little animal ten miles, which resulted in seven casualties, and when they caught the poor beast not one of them would eat him.
The French do not always appreciate our institutions. One of them landing at Queenstown in the middle of the day asked if there was anything he could amuse himself with between then and dinner-time.
'Certainly,' said the waiter; 'which would you like, wine or spirits?'