Skip to main content
Read page text
page 92
A N HUMBLE PETITION TO THE FAIRY OFF ICERS Well into the last century, Irish country people had an explanatory framework for mental ‘alienation’ that was at least as coherent as anything proposed by the medicine of their time; namely, that the afflicted person had been exchanged or ‘taken’ by the Fairies. Potent bewildering kindly Sirs, Inspirers of springs, hidden lords Of milking and crops, arbiters Of sea-peril and in music supreme; We, a family at wits’ end, entreat Your honoured ears to our petition: That, after such interval as may please Your Graces, you graciously restore Our child to his family and powers. As to our boldness in addressing Your high persons, we can only plead We have been at every pain to consult Philosophers wise in such things And not one has a better thought Than you have spirited our son away To enjoy your hospitality awhile; So great, so undeserved a privilege That, grateful, we request you name Any consideration in clinking coin Or buttermilk or finest flour of oats Or eggcups brimming with potcheen 82
page 93
To be left by whatever threshold, Well, lost shoe, thorn bush Or rare isolated flower that you May be pleased to designate. Have we offended your ways, Be gentle to clarify the cause And resolve amicably; for Do we not live on the same land? We are already knocking, stone By stone, our most recent barn Lest it had unwarily blocked Some natural lane of yours For this, his family, truth to tell, Is pining with grief to see him again As once he was, charming, selfPossessed as you have him now. We are growing to accept it may Please your Excellencies to prolong The honour of his sojourn with you For a far while yet in our time. You will find him clever company, Knowledged in the kinds of fiddle; Just ask him to chat about his cat Or traveller’s tales in democracy. May we, however, with respect, From out of merely human hearts Invite you to weigh in intellect: That he was not raised in your world 83

Page Text

View plaintext

A N HUMBLE PETITION TO THE FAIRY OFF ICERS

Well into the last century, Irish country people had an explanatory framework for mental ‘alienation’ that was at least as coherent as anything proposed by the medicine of their time; namely, that the afflicted person had been exchanged or ‘taken’ by the Fairies.

Potent bewildering kindly Sirs, Inspirers of springs, hidden lords Of milking and crops, arbiters Of sea-peril and in music supreme;

We, a family at wits’ end, entreat Your honoured ears to our petition:

That, after such interval as may please Your Graces, you graciously restore Our child to his family and powers.

As to our boldness in addressing Your high persons, we can only plead We have been at every pain to consult Philosophers wise in such things

And not one has a better thought Than you have spirited our son away To enjoy your hospitality awhile; So great, so undeserved a privilege

That, grateful, we request you name Any consideration in clinking coin Or buttermilk or finest flour of oats Or eggcups brimming with potcheen

82

read next page

My Bookmarks

Buy this Book
Skip to main content