Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: September 25, 2025
And Connla and Nora caught up the little mother in their arms, and they carried her into the hall and set her down on the floor. "Oh, Nora!" said the little mother, "you are a head over me; and as for you, Connla, you look almost as tall as one of the round towers of Erin." "That's what the fairy queen said, mother," said Nora. "Blessings on the fairy queen," said the little mother.
And that night, when they were sitting down by the fire together, you may be sure that in the whole world no people were half as happy as Nora, Connla, and the little mother. Once upon a time the fairies of the west, going home from a hurling-match with the fairies of the lakes, rested in Dooros Wood for three days and three nights.
And no little house was there; but in its stead was standing a lime-white mansion. "What can this mean?" said Nora. But before Connla could reply, the steed had galloped up to the door of the mansion, and, in the twinkling of an eye, Connla and Nora were standing on the ground outside the door, and the steed had vanished.
Connla and Nora kissed the fairy queen, and Connla, wearing his golden helmet and silken cloak, and carrying his shield and spear, led Nora with him. They passed from the palace through the garden of roses, through the flowery meadow, through the dark grey rocks, until they reached the golden strand; and there, sitting and singing the strange, sweet song, was Liban the Mermaid.
"Now," said the little man to the children, "clasp me tight, Nora, and do you, Connla, cling on to Nora, and both of you shut your eyes." The children did as they were bidden, and the little man cried: "Swish! swash!" And the steed went down and down until at last his feet struck the bottom. "Now open your eyes," said the little man.
And then the children knew that what they thought was a plain in the realms of cloudland was the sleeping sea unstirred by wind or tide, dreaming of the purple clouds and stars of the sunset sky above it. When Connla and Nora reached the strand they saw the nine little pipers marching out towards the sea, and they wondered where they were going to.
"It was Connla saved you," said Nora, "for he slew the hawk with his sling." "I owe my life to both of you," said the thrush. "You like my song, and you say you have never heard anything so sweet; but wait till you hear the nine little pipers playing." "And when shall we hear them?" said the children.
"Now," said the little man to the children, "clasp me tight, Nora, and do you, Connla, cling on to Nora, and both of you shut your eyes." The children did as they were bidden, and the little man cried: "Swish! swash!" And the steed went down and down until at last his feet struck the bottom. "Now open your eyes," said the little man.
Away and away, till eye could see it no longer, and Connla and the Fairy Maiden went their way on the sea, and were no more seen, nor did any know where they came. There was once a boy in the County Mayo; Guleesh was his name. There was the finest rath a little way off from the gable of the house, and he was often in the habit of seating himself on the fine grass bank that was running round it.
"Oh, not so tall and handsome as you are, Connla," said Nora, as she flung her white arms round his neck and kissed her brother's lips. Then they drew back to get a better look of each other, and who should step between them but the fairy queen. "Oh, Nora, Nora," said she, "I am not as high as your knee, and as for you, Connla, you look as straight and as tall as one of the round towers of Erin."
Word Of The Day
Others Looking