A ROMANCE OF KILLARNEY

Dunstan Times, Issue 1192, 2 January 1885, Page 3

A ROMANCE OF KILLARNEY

In one of the Killarney lakes is a small island, rocky and woody, which is believed by the tenantry to represent the top of the highest tower of the castle which sank under a spell to the bottom In certain states of the atmosphere, educated people say, when in a b ait, you have reached a great distance, the island appears to rise some feet from the water, its rocks assume the appearance of ruasonary, and the whole circuit presents very much the effect of the battlements of a castle rising above the lake. It is believed that the gr-at Karl of Desmond lives to this hour enchanted in this castle with all his household at the bottom of the lake There was not in his day so accomplished a magician as he His fairest castle stood upon an island in the lake, and to tins he brought his young and beautiful bride, wire prevailed upon his folly to risk all to gratify her imperious caprice. They had not been long in this castle when she one d iy presented herself in rise chamber in which her husband studied his art, and there implored him to ex hi ids. before her some of the wonders of magic. He resisted long, but at length consented. But before be ginuiiur those astonishing transformations with which lie was about to amaze her he explained to her the awful conditions and dangers of the experim n , Alone in this vast apartment, the walls of which were lapped tar below by the lake, she must witness a certain series of fr.ghtful phenomena, which once commerced he could neither abridge nor mitigate ; and if throughout their ghastlysuccession she spoke one word or uttered one exclamation the castle and all that it contained would in one instant subside to the bottom of the lake, there to remain under the S'Tvitud.t of a strong spell for ages. The curiosity of the lady having and the oaken door of the study being locked and barred, the fatal expoinieuts commenced. Muttering a spell as lie atond before her, feathers sprouted thickly over him, his face became contracted an I hooked, a cadaverous smell tilled the air and with heavy winnowing wings a gigantic vulture rose in his stead, and swept round the room as if on the point of pouncing upon Imr. Tk« lady commanded herself through this tria-, and instantly another began. The bird alighted near the door, and in Jess than a minute changed, she saw i ot how, into a horribly deformed and dwarfish hag, who swung herself upon crutches towards the lady ; her mouth foaming with fury, and her grimaces and contortions becoming moie and more hideous every moment, till she rolled with a yell oa the floor in a horrible conpntsion at the lady’s feet, and then changing into a huge serpent which came sweeping and arching towards her with crest erect and quivering tongue. Suddenly, as it, seemed on the point of darting at her, she saw her husband in its head, stand iag pale before her, with his finger on ids lip, enforcing the continued ueces shy of silence. He then put himself at his lengthen the floor ; and began to stretch himself our, longer and longer, until his head nearly reached to the end of the vast room and his feet to the other. The hornr came over her. The ill-starred lady uttered a wild scream, whereupon the castle and all that was within sank in a moment to the bottom of the lake. But once in every seven years, by night, the Earl of Desmond and his retinue, emerge and cross the lake in a shadowy cavalcade. His white horse is shod with silver. On that night the Desmond may ride to daybreak, and it behoves him to make good use of his time, for, until the silver shoes of his steed be worn through, the spell that holds him and his below the lake will retain its power.