THE MAN WHO LEAPED FROM BEANN EDAIR.

New Zealand Tablet, 17 July 1919, Page 19

THE MAN WHO LEAPED FROM BEANN EDAIR.

I watched from Beann Edair's dizzy height, Where Fionn once strode in his haughty might, The blue-white waves kissed by sunset's glow Laughed as they broke on the strand below. ■ In the Sun's pavilion a giant youth trod, 'TwasLugh Lamh Fadha, the great Sun God And the white and blue in the waves astir Was the mantle of Manannan, son of Lir.

The hand of Lugh waved along the sea And I knew at the moment it waved to me, Then he closed eyes of flame and sank to rest Behind a blue curtain out in the West. O the laughing waves I won't forget Or the gleam of Manannan's chariot; For he called my name and showed his face And I leaped to the waters for his embrace.

Soon a corpse was washed up by the sea And they waked a body they said was me ; But I— sought not the shore to boast That the thing was not me, but just my ghost. For now I'm* at Manannan's right hand, And with Niamh by moonlight I often stand. Now you won't deny me a fine, sly rogue, I who dine with splendor in Tir-na-n-og. —R.M., in New Ireland.