rish by inflection. But I
hope to have accomplished the main object of distinguishing the verse from
the prose without sacrifice of the thought by the simple device of turning
the verse-passages into lines of the same syllabic length as those of the
original--which is most often the normal seven-syllable line--but without
any attempt at imitating the rhyme-system or alliteration.

In order not to swell the volume of the book, the notes have been reduced
to the indispensable minimum, reserving the commentary and the apparatus of
illustrative material for another volume, which we hope some day to be able
to issue, wherein more definitely critical questions can be discussed.
There are a few Irish words which have been retained in the translation and
which require a word of explanation: The Old Irish _geis_ (later, also
_geas_[12]; plural _geasa_) has as much right to a place in the English
vocabulary as the Polynesian word _tabu_, by which it is often translated.
It is sometimes Englished "injunction," "condition," "prohibition," "bond,"
"ban," "charm," "magical decree," or translated by the Scots-Gaelic
"spells," none of which, however, expresses the idea which the word had
according to the ancient laws of Ireland. It was an adjuration by the
honour of a man, and was either positive or negative. The person adjured
was either compelled or made in duty bound to do a certain thing, or, more
commonly, was prohibited from doing it. The Old Irish _gilla_ is often
translated "vassal," "youth," "boy," "fellow," "messenger," "servant,"
"page," "squire" and "guide," but these words bear false connotations for
the society of the time, as does the Anglicised form of the word, "gillie,"
which smacks of modern sport. It meant originally a youth in the third of
the six ages of man. Compare the sense of the word _varlet_ or _valet_ in
English, which was once "a more honourable title; for all young gentlemen,
untill they come to be eighteen years of age, were termed so" (Cotgrave),
and of the same word in Old French, which was "un jeune homme de condition
honorable" (J. Loth, _Les Mabinogion_, I, page 40, note). A _liss_ or
_rath_ is a fortified place enclosed by a circular mound or trench, or
both. A _dun_ is a fortified residence surrounded by an earthen rampart.
In the case of names of places and persons, I have thought it best to
adhere as closely as possible to the spellings used in the LL. manuscript
itself. It is of the utmost import