Ranks among the world’s greatest collections of folk-lore. Of great scientific value to the folk-lorist, for each tale is “given as it was gathered in the rough.” (Preface). Moreover, the table of contents gives, besides title of story, name of teller and of collector, date and place of telling. Most, if not all of the stories are in origin Irish. The Gaelic text is given along with translation. Exceptionally interesting Introduction—untechnical, pleasantly written, and full of curious information.
CAMPBELL, J. F.
⸺ THE CELTIC DRAGON MYTH. Pp. li. + 172. (Edinburgh: Grant). 6s. net. Good illustr. in colour by Miss R. A. Grant-Duff. 1911.
The Author set down the whole Celtic Dragon legend—perhaps the most important and widespread of myths, and the basis of the state-myth of England, Russia, and Japan—in English, on the authority of many oral sources accessible between 1862 and 1884. To this is here added “The Geste of Fraoch and the Dragon” in Gaelic, with translation by G. Henderson, Lecturer in Celtic at Glasgow University. Also Gaelic text of “The Three Ways,” and “The Fisherman.” Introduction, 40 pp., and Notes. Full of Irish names, references, and incidents. The English of the translation is simple and pleasant. The whole book is very well turned out.
CAMPBELL, John Gregorson, of Tiree.
⸺ THE FIANS. Pp. xxxviii. + 292. (Nutt). 7s. 6d. net. One illustr. by E. Griset. 1891.
Introduction by A. Nutt treats of nature and antiquity of Gaelic folk-tales, theories about the Fenian cycle, and the classification of texts composing it, and makes some interesting remarks about its value and import. His notes at the end chiefly consist of references to D’Arbois de Jubainville’s List of Irish Sources, and to Campbell of Islay’s Leabhar na Féinne. The book collects a mass of floating and fragmentary oral tradition about the Fians. Sources entirely oral, many of the translators knowing no word of English. Through the greater part of the book the collector gives the substance of what he heard, but he gives also verbatim in Gaelic, with an English translation, many tales, poems, ballads. Nature-myth, God-myth, folk-fancy and hero tale, prose and poetry, are mingled. Naturally the quality varies a good deal. Some of the tales are extravagant and even silly. Many are so corrupted in oral transmission as no longer to be intelligible. Some are very archaic, some modern. A few are noble heroic legends in verse, but the literal prose translation makes them somewhat obscure. Index.
CAMPION, Dr. J. T. Born in Kilkenny, 1814. Contributed much verse and some prose stories to National papers, such as The Nation, United Irishman, The Irish Felon, Irish People, Shamrock, &c., &c.
⸺ THE LAST STRUGGLES OF THE IRISH SEA SMUGGLERS. Pp. 119. (Glasgow: Cameron & Ferguson). 1869.
Scene: Wicklow coast, around Bray head, “about 50 years ago.” Struggles between smugglers and Government officials, with a love interest, and a moral. Has the elements of a very good story, but is long drawn out, and is told in a turgid style repugnant to modern taste.