



Produced by Matthias Grammel, Ted Garvin, Digital
Library@Villanova and the Online Distributed Proofreading
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                                  THE
                         POEM-BOOK OF THE GAEL




                             The Poem Book

                              of the Gael

                                  by

                             Eleanor Hull.


                                 1913




                  Printed by BALLANTYNE, HANSON & CO.
                      at Paul's Work, Edinburgh




  [Illustration: Opening passage of the "Saltair na Rann."
                 from the MS. in the Bodleian Library.]




                            THE POEM-BOOK OF
                                THE GAEL

              Translations from Irish Gaelic Poetry into
                        English Prose and Verse

                        SELECTED AND EDITED BY

                             ELEANOR HULL

          AUTHOR OF "THE CUCHULLIN SAGA IN IRISH LITERATURE,"
                "A TEXT-BOOK OF IRISH LITERATURE," ETC.

  [Illustration: Decoration]

                          WITH A FRONTISPIECE


                                LONDON
                           CHATTO & WINDUS

                                 1913




                          A NEW IMPRESSION


                        _All rights reserved_




CONTENTS

  (_Where not otherwise indicated, the translation or
          poetic setting is by the author._)

                                                           PAGE
  INTRODUCTION                                               XV


              THE SALTAIR NA RANN, OR PSALTER
                       OF THE VERSES

    I. The Creation of the Universe                           3

   II. The Heavenly Kingdom                                  11

  III. The Forbidden Fruit                                   20

   IV. The Fall and Expulsion from Paradise                  22

    V. The Penance of Adam and Eve                           31

   VI. The Death of Adam                                     43


                   ANCIENT PAGAN POEMS

  The Source of Poetic Inspiration (founded on translation
    by _Whitley Stokes_)                                     53

  Amorgen's Song (founded on translation by _John
    MacNeill_)                                               57

  The Song of Childbirth                                     59

  Greeting to the New-born Babe                              61