School: Clonmellon (C.) (roll number 9501)

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1. The Split Hills (continued)

   

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   As time went on a constant stream of suitors came to see Mella that the strain on her father's hospitality became a worry to him, so he commanded her to make a choice in the morrow. She told him that her choice was made so he told her she might put them all to a test and if Aulinn came out best she might marry him. Secretly he hoped that Aulinn's maimed hand would prevent his winning any test of skill or combat.
   Mella, to make sure, went for help to a wise woman named Nenctua who lived with her daughter Dervorra on a small hilly island in a lake that is now called Newtown Lake. Nenctua's husband had been a De Danaan chief who was killed by the Firbolg. Nenctua hated the Firbolg but they feared her as she was highly skilled in magic.
   Mella told Nenctua about the test and of her own wish to save Aulinn. The old woman was delighted. She now saw a chance to have revenge on the Firbolg including Aulinn, while pretending to help Mella.
   She bade Mella to go home and send her 40 young saplings from the Hill of the Sycamores. This was a round hill in Kilrush now called Cnoc Mellion. She gave Mella a powder to put in the wine of the 40 young chiefs to make them strong and vigorous

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. genre
      1. narratives (~478)
   2. objects
      1. man-made structures
         1. historical and commemorative structures (~6,794)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Mrs O' Reilly

   Gender

   Female

   Occupation

   Teacher

   Address

   Kilrush Lower, Co. Westmeath

   Informant

   Mr P. Mulvany

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   50

   Address

   Kells, Co. Meath