IfouoryofthetessCathleeninrofessedtobeacolleofIrishfolk?loreinanIrishneersomeyearsago.Iwrotetothepiler,askingaboutitssource,butgotnoanswer,buthavesihatitwastranslatedfromLesMatiimoth`eTrimmagoodmanyyearsago,andhasbeendriftingabouttheIrishpresseversince.L`eoLesp`esgivesitasanIrishstory,andthoughtheeditorofFolklorehaskindlyadvertisedforinformation,theonlyChristianvariantIknowofisaDoale,givenbyMr.LarminieinhisWestIrishFolkTalesandRomances,ofawomanwhogoestohellforteosaveherhusband,andstaysthereaen,havingbeengrantedpermissiontocarryawayasmanysoulsascouldgtoherskirt.L`eoLesp`esmayhaveaddedafewdetails,butIhavenodoubtoftheessentialantiquityofwhatseemstomethemostimpressiveformofohesupremeparablesoftheworld.TheparablecametotheGreeksinthesacrificeofAlcestis,buthersacrificewaslessoverwhelming,lessapparentlyirremediable.L`eoLesp`estellsthestoryasfollows:??

    Cequejevaisvousdireestuducar`emeIrlandais.Leboiteux,laveugle,leparalytiquedesruesdeDublinoudeLimerick,vouslediraientmieuxquemoi,cherlecteur,sivousalliezleleurdemander,un

    sixpensedargent`alamain.?Ilpasunejeunefillecatholique`alaquelleoapprispendantles

    joursdepr`eparation`alaunionsainte,pasunbergerdesbordsdelaBlackwaterquinelepuisseredire`alaveill`ee.

    Ilyabienlongtempsquilapparuttout?`a?coupdanslavielleIrlandedeuxmardsinusdont

    personnenavaitouiparler,etquiparlaientn`eanmoinsaveclaplusgrandeperfelalanguedupays.Leurscheveux`etaientnoirsetferr`esavecdeloretleursrobesdunegrandemagnifice.

    Tousdeuxs