up the head.

"Do not touch me," said the head, "for we are commanded by the King of
the Plains of Heaven to make music to-night for our lord, the King of
Erin, the shining one who lies dead beside us; and though all of us are
lying dead likewise, no faintness or feebleness shall prevent us from
obeying that command. Disturb me not."

"The hosts of Leinster are asking thee to make minstrelsy for them, as
thou didst promise yesternight," said the messenger.

"When my minstrelsy here is done, I will go with thee," saith the head;
"but only if Christ, the Son of God, in whose presence I now am, go with
me, and if thou takest me to my body again." "That shall be done,
indeed," saith the messenger, and when it had ceased chanting for the
King of Erin he carried away the head.

When the messenger came again amongst the warriors they stopped their
feasting and gathered round him. "Hast thou brought anything from the
battle-field?" they cried.

"I have brought the head of Donn-bo," said the man.

"Set it upon a pillar that we may see and hear it," cried they all; and
they said, "It is no luck for thee to be like that, Donn-bo, and thou
the most beautiful minstrel and the best in Erin. Make music, for the
love of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Amuse the Leinster men to-night as
thou didst amuse thy lord a while ago."

Then Donn-bo turned his face to the wall, that the darkness might be
around him, and he raised his melody in the quiet night; and the sound
of that minstrelsy was so piteous and sad that the hosts sat weeping at
the sound of it. Then was the head taken to his body, and the neck
joined itself to the shoulders again, and Donn-bo was at rest.

This is the story of the "Talking Head of Donn-bo."

ELEANOR HULL.

The Bracket Bull

I wrote this story carefully down, word for word, from the telling of
two men--the first, Shawn Cunningham, of Ballinphuil, and the second,
Martin Brennan of Ballinlocha, in the barony of Frenchpark. They each
told the same story, but Martin Brennan repeated the end of it at
greater length than the other. The first half is written down word for
word from the mouth of Cunningham, the second half from that of Brennan.

AN CHRAOIBHIN AOIBHINN.

There was a man in it long ago, and long ago it was, and if he was in it
then he would not be in it now. He was married, and his wife was lost
(i.e., died), and he had only one son by the first wife. Then he married
the second wife.