Celts -- Folklore; Fairy tales; Fairy tales -- Great Britain; Folklore -- Great Britain; Tales -- Great Britain
Presently there rose a wild strain of unearthly melody upon the ear of
little Lusmore; he listened, and he thought that he had never heard such
ravishing music before. It was like the sound of many voices, each
mingling and blending with the other so strangely that they seemed to be
one, though all singing different strains, and the words of the song
were these--
_Da Luan, Da Mort, Da Luan, Da Mort, Da Luan, Da Mort;_
when there would be a moment's pause, and then the round of melody went
on again.
Lusmore listened attentively, scarcely drawing his breath lest he might
lose the slightest note. He now plainly perceived that the singing was
within the moat; and though at first it had charmed him so much, he
began to get tired of hearing the same round sung over and over so often
without any change; so availing himself of the pause when the _Da Luan,
Da Mort_, had been sung three times, he took up the tune, and raised it
with the words _augus Da Cadine_, and then went on singing with the
voices inside of the moat, _Da Luan, Da Mort_, finishing the melody,
when the pause again came, with _augus Da Cadine_.
[Illustration: [Lyrics on sheet music: Da Luan Da Mort Da Luan Da Mort
Da Luan Da Mort augus Da Cadine Da Luan Da Mort Da Luan Da Mort Da Luan
Da Mort augus Da Cadine]]
The fairies within Knockgrafton, for the song was a fairy melody, when
they heard this addition to the tune, were so much delighted that, with
instant resolve, it was determined to bring the mortal among them,
whose musical skill so far exceeded theirs, and little Lusmore was
conveyed into their company with the eddying speed of a whirlwind.
Glorious to behold was the sight that burst upon him as he came down
through the moat, twirling round and round, with the lightness of a
straw, to the sweetest music that kept time to his motion. The greatest
honour was then paid him, for he was put above all the musicians, and he
had servants tending upon him, and everything to his heart's content,
and a hearty welcome to all; and, in short, he was made as much of as if
he had been the first man in the land.
Presently Lusmore saw a great consultation going forward among the
fairies, and, notwithstanding all their civility, he felt very much
frightened, until one stepping out from the rest came up to him and
said,--
"Lusmore! Lusmore!
Doubt not, nor deplore,
For the hump which you bore
On your back is no more;
Look down on the floor,
And view it, Lusmore!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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