Fantasy Irish tales for Children by James J. Deeney

Fantasy Irish tales for Children by James J. Deeney

Author:James J. Deeney
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fairies, Goblins, Owls, Magic, Ireland
Publisher: james J. Deeney
Published: 2019-05-20T00:00:00+00:00


The Magic of the Harp

Over five hundred and eleven years before Human-Kynd came, and when life in Ireland wasn't so peaceful, Aoibe was resting in the shade of a chestnut tree. She was tired, for she had been teaching the birds to sing all week. It was another beautiful Irish morning and the hills, valleys and forests buzzed with the magic.

The sun filtered through the branches onto the leafy ground where Aoibe lay. With a smile she stretched, waving away the one thousand flitting moths that had been flying above her to keep her cool. It is time, she thought. Today was to be the final lesson for the young birds. Today they would show their Queen how well they could sing. Little did they, and Aoibe, know the lesson would be rudely interrupted.

Stepping out from under the chestnut tree that was twice as tall as any growing today, Aoibe smiled at her handmaidens who were hovering around awaiting her command.

“The last lesson of the year, your Majesty,” said Onagh, smiling and bowing before her.

“Yes,” said Aoibe smiling. “Come, let us fly to the rhubarb glen. The fledglings will be impatient.”

In the wink of an eye, the queen, with fifty handmaidens on each side of her was flying up and out of the trees. Seconds later they were darting over green meadows dotted with daisies, daffodils, buttercups and other flowers that no longer grow in Ireland. Soon they were flying over a broad river of clear, clean, sparkling water that was hiving with leaping salmon and trout. The fairies headed up the side of a beautiful valley. A minute later they were at the glen. The thick rhubarb leaves seemed to bow to Aoibe and her handmaidens as they landed in a clearing among the tallest rhubarb.

Chirping, hooting, cawing, screeching, excited young birds immediately surrounded Aoibe all dying to show their Queen how well they could sing. Aoibe settled on a carpet of soft moss. Smiling happily, she looked around the birds. Above, sitting on the broad rhubarb leaves, her handmaidens settled to listen to the birds sing. Now raising her right hand Aoibe commanded the birds to be quiet. The noise stopped immediately and thousands of alert birds waited for their Queen to begin the last lesson.

“Well my young feathered ones,” she began. “Today is the final day of your schooling. By now you all should know how to sing and fly.”

All the birds nodded and smiled happily at each other. Several of them hopped up and down impatient to show Aoibe how well they could fly.

“So,” Aoibe continued. “Today I would like to hear you sing together. I know you all can fly very well, but I would be very pleased to hear you sing the Dawn Chorus. You all should know it. Yes, I would be pleased if for your last lesson you would sing, the Dawn Chorus.”

The red-breasted robins immediately stuck out their chests and took deep chirping breaths. The beady-eyed crows cawed quietly, to get their voices in tune.



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