Ireland's "rich heritage of mythology" is in large part responsible for the genre well represented in this anthology. Each of these 24 stories is prefaced by a brief history of the legend that inspired it and a short biography of its author. In the section titled "Gods and Heroes," Standish James O'Grady depicts Cuchulain, the legendary hero of Irish folklore, in "The Hound of Ulster"; W.B. Yeats relates the tale of the Sidhe-"the people of the hills," also known as the fairies-in "The Wisdom of the King"; and in "The Call of Oisin," Lady Gregory tells of the great Fenian warrior/poet Oisin and his pursuit of a beautiful golden-haired stranger. Collected under "The Romantic Sagas" are stories by Sinead de Valera (wife of the former President of Ireland), who, in "A Prince in Disguise," tells of Prince Cormac of Ulster and his courtship of Etain. Julia O'Faolain (daughter of writer Sean O'Faolain) writes of a fair lady being rescued from a dragon by a valiant knight in "Legend for a Painting"; and Maurice Walsh's "The Woman Without Mercy" pits brother-against-brother in a quest for the love of a black-hearted woman. An episode from the "Cyclops" section of James Joyce's Ulysses is among the tales grouped under "The Wonder-Quests." An interesting and varied collection, this volume will be of special interest to those interested in Celtic mythology.
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