THE FAIRY GREYHOUND
by Unknown · from Irish Fairy Tales
Adapted Version
Paddy was a farmer. But Paddy did not like to work. He liked to sleep. His farm was not good. He lost many things.
One day, Paddy was very sleepy. He slept on a magic hill. He had a dream. He dreamt of gold. A pot of gold was there.
Paddy went to the magic hill. He made a special circle. He used a spade. He dug in the ground. He hit something hard.
A Magic Dog came. It sat near Paddy. "Hello, Paddy," said the dog. "I know your wish." The dog asked Paddy to move. Paddy stepped out of his circle.
The Magic Dog made a loud noise. Paddy was very scared. He ran away fast. He left the magic hill.
Next night, Paddy came back. He made a new special circle. The Magic Dog came again. "I will give you money," it said. "Lots of money."
The Magic Dog brought a pot. It was full of gold coins. Paddy pulled the pot inside. He took it home fast. The coins turned to dry leaves.
Paddy was very cross. He went back to the magic hill. He wanted real money. He would not stop.
The Magic Dog spoke to Paddy. "Come inside with me," it said. "It is cold here. You will find treasure."
Paddy went down some steps. He saw a big house. It was under the ground. The house was beautiful. It had shiny furniture.
A kind lady was there. She gave Paddy a drink. Paddy took a little sip. He drank a small bit.
Paddy drank his drink. The people changed. They looked surprised. They pushed Paddy out. They sent him away.
Paddy was outside the hill. He felt a bit dizzy. He did not know how. The magic was strong.
Paddy went home. He was not hurt. He was not greedy now. He learned a big lesson. He changed his ways.
Paddy learned that it is not good to be greedy. It is better to work hard.
Original Story
THE FAIRY GREYHOUND
addy M'Dermid was one of the most rollicking boys in the whole county of Kildare. Fair or pattern[3] wouldn't be held barring he was in the midst of it. He was in every place, like bad luck, and his poor little farm was seldom sowed in season; and where he expected barley, there grew nothing but weeds. Money became scarce in poor Paddy's pocket; and the cow went after the pig, until nearly all he had was gone. Lucky however for him, if he had gomch (sense) enough to mind it, he had a most beautiful dream one night as he lay tossicated (drunk) in the Rath[4] of Monogue, because he wasn't able to come home. He dreamt that, under the place where he lay, a pot of money was buried since long before the memory of man. Paddy kept the dream to himself until the next night, when, taking a spade and pickaxe, with a bottle of holy water, he went to the Rath, and, having made a circle round the place, commenced diggin' sure enough, for the bare life and sowl of him thinkin' that he was made up for ever and ever. He had sunk about twice the depth of his knees, when whack the pickaxe struck against a flag, and at the same time Paddy heard something breathe quite near him. He looked up, and just fornent him there sat on his haunches a comely-looking greyhound.
"FORNENT HIM THERE SAT ON HIS HAUNCHES A COMELY-LOOKING GREYHOUND."
'God save you,' said Paddy, every hair in his head standing up as straight as a sally twig.
'Save you kindly,' answered the greyhound—leaving out God, the beast, bekase he was the divil. Christ defend us from ever seeing the likes o' him.
'Musha, Paddy M'Dermid,' said he, 'what would you be looking after in that grave of a hole you're diggin' there?'
'Faith, nothing at all, at all,' answered Paddy; bekase you see he didn't like the stranger.
'Arrah, be easy now, Paddy M'Dermid,' said the greyhound; 'don't I know very well what you are looking for?'
'Why then in truth, if you do, I may as well tell you at wonst, particularly as you seem a civil-looking gentleman, that's not above speaking to a poor gossoon like myself.' (Paddy wanted to butter him up a bit.)
'Well then,' said the greyhound, 'come out here and sit down on this bank,' and Paddy, like a gomulagh (fool), did as he was desired, but had hardly put his brogue outside of the circle made by the holy water, when the beast of a hound set upon him, and drove him out of the Rath; for Paddy was frightened, as well he might, at the fire that flamed from his mouth. But next night he returned, full sure the money was there. As before, he made a circle, and touched the flag, when my gentleman, the greyhound, appeared in the ould place.
'Oh ho,' said Paddy, 'you are there, are you? but it will be a long day, I promise you, before you trick me again'; and he made another stroke at the flag.
'Well, Paddy M'Dermid,' said the hound, 'since you will have money, you must; but say, how much will satisfy you?'
Paddy scratched his conlaan, and after a while said—
'How much will your honour give me?' for he thought it better to be civil.
'Just as much as you consider reasonable, Paddy M'Dermid.'
'Egad,' says Paddy to himself, 'there's nothing like axin' enough.'
'Say fifty thousand pounds,' said he. (He might as well have said a hundred thousand, for I'll be bail the beast had money gulloure.)
'You shall have it,' said the hound; and then, after trotting away a little bit, he came back with a crock full of guineas between his paws.
'Come here and reckon them,' said he; but Paddy was up to him, and refused to stir, so the crock was shoved alongside the blessed and holy circle, and Paddy pulled it in, right glad to have it in his clutches, and never stood still until he reached his own home, where his guineas turned into little bones, and his ould mother laughed at him. Paddy now swore vengeance against the deceitful beast of a greyhound, and went next night to the Rath again, where, as before, he met Mr. Hound.
'So you are here again, Paddy?' said he.
'Yes, you big blaggard,' said Paddy, 'and I'll never leave this place until I pull out the pot of money that's buried here.'
'Oh, you won't,' said he. 'Well, Paddy M'Dermid, since I see you are such a brave venturesome fellow I'll be after making you up if you walk downstairs with me out of the could'; and sure enough it was snowing like murder.
'Oh may I never see Athy if I do,' returned Paddy, 'for you only want to be loading me with ould bones, or perhaps breaking my own, which would be just as bad.'
''Pon honour,' said the hound, 'I am your friend; and so don't stand in your own light; come with me and your fortune is made. Remain where you are and you'll die a beggar-man.' So bedad, with one palaver and another, Paddy consented; and in the middle of the Rath opened up a beautiful staircase, down which they walked; and after winding and turning they came to a house much finer than the Duke of Leinster's, in which all the tables and chairs were solid gold. Paddy was delighted; and after sitting down, a fine lady handed him a glass of something to drink; but he had hardly swallowed a spoonful when all around set up a horrid yell, and those who before appeared beautiful now looked like what they were—enraged 'good people' (fairies). Before Paddy could bless himself, they seized him, legs and arms, carried him out to a great high hill that stood like a wall over a river, and flung him down. 'Murder!' cried Paddy; but it was no use, no use; he fell upon a rock, and lay there as dead until next morning, where some people found him in the trench that surrounds the mote of Coulhall, the 'good people' having carried him there; and from that hour to the day of his death he was the greatest object in the world. He walked double, and had his mouth (God bless us) where his ear should be.
FOOTNOTES.
[3] A merry-making in the honour of some patron saint.
[4] Raths are little fields enclosed by circular ditches. They are thought to be the sheep-folds and dwellings of an ancient people.
Story DNA
Moral
Beware of supernatural bargains and the allure of easy wealth, for they often lead to ruin.
Plot Summary
Paddy M'Dermid, a lazy Irish farmer, dreams of buried treasure and begins digging in a local Rath. He encounters a talking greyhound, who is actually the devil or a malevolent fairy, and is tricked multiple times, first by being driven away from his protective holy circle, then by receiving money that turns into bones. Driven by greed and vengeance, Paddy is eventually lured into a magnificent underground dwelling by the greyhound. After drinking a potion, the beautiful inhabitants reveal their true, enraged fairy forms, seize Paddy, and fling him from a high hill, leaving him permanently disfigured and a pitiable object for the rest of his life.
Themes
Emotional Arc
recklessness to fear to suffering
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Reflects Irish folklore beliefs about fairies (the 'good people') and the devil, often intertwined. Raths were historically significant sites believed to be portals to the otherworld.
Plot Beats (14)
- Paddy M'Dermid is a lazy farmer whose farm is failing, and he is losing all his possessions.
- While drunk in the Rath of Monogue, Paddy dreams of a buried pot of money.
- Paddy goes to the Rath, makes a holy water circle, and begins digging, striking a flag.
- A talking greyhound appears, claiming to know what Paddy seeks, and tricks him into stepping outside the holy circle.
- The greyhound, revealed as the devil, drives Paddy away with fire from its mouth.
- Paddy returns the next night, makes a new circle, and the greyhound offers him 50,000 pounds.
- The greyhound brings a crock of guineas, which Paddy pulls into his circle, but they turn into bones when he gets home.
- Enraged, Paddy returns to the Rath, vowing to get the real money.
- The greyhound persuades Paddy to come 'downstairs' out of the snow, promising fortune.
- Paddy descends a beautiful staircase into a magnificent underground house with golden furniture.
- A fine lady offers Paddy a drink, which he sips.
- Upon drinking, the beautiful people turn into enraged fairies, who seize Paddy.
- Paddy is carried to a high hill and flung down onto a rock.
- Paddy is found next morning, disfigured with his mouth where his ear should be, and lives out his days as a broken man.
Characters
Paddy M'Dermid
A man of average height and build, likely with a sturdy, somewhat unkempt appearance due to his rollicking lifestyle and neglect of his farm. His posture is initially confident but becomes hunched and distorted after his encounter with the fairies, walking 'double' with his mouth where his ear should be.
Attire: Typical 19th-century Irish peasant attire: likely a coarse linen shirt, woolen trousers, a waistcoat, and a tattered frieze coat. He wears 'brogues' (sturdy leather shoes). His clothes would be worn and possibly dirty from his lifestyle and digging.
Wants: To get rich quickly and easily, driven by his dwindling finances and a desire to escape his impoverished state.
Flaw: Greed, foolishness, and a lack of caution. He is easily swayed by promises of wealth and falls for tricks despite his initial wariness.
Transforms from a rollicking but poor farmer into a grotesquely disfigured 'object in the world' due to his encounters with the fairy greyhound and the 'good people'. He learns a harsh lesson about greed and meddling with the supernatural.
Rollicking, reckless, greedy, easily frightened, somewhat foolish ('gomulagh'), but also persistent and venturesome. He is initially charming and attempts to 'butter up' the greyhound.
The Fairy Greyhound
A comely-looking greyhound, sleek and graceful, with a deceptive appearance of normalcy. Its true nature is revealed by the fire flaming from its mouth and its ability to speak and manipulate.
Attire: None, as it is an animal, but its appearance is always pristine and 'comely'.
Wants: To trick and torment humans, particularly those seeking forbidden wealth, and to assert its power as one of the 'good people' (fairies/devils).
Flaw: Cannot cross a circle made with holy water, indicating a vulnerability to sacred objects.
Remains consistently malevolent and manipulative throughout the story, serving as the primary antagonist and agent of Paddy's downfall.
Deceitful, cunning, manipulative, mischievous, malevolent, and powerful. It enjoys tricking humans and preying on their weaknesses.
Locations
Rath of Monogue
A small, circular field enclosed by ditches, typical of ancient Irish earthworks. The ground is likely uneven from digging, with a fresh hole twice the depth of a man's knees. It is cold and snowing heavily at one point.
Mood: Mysterious, eerie, potentially dangerous, but also promising of fortune.
Paddy dreams of buried treasure, digs for it, and first encounters the fairy greyhound here.
Underground Fairy Dwelling
Accessed by a beautiful winding staircase from the Rath. The house is described as much finer than the Duke of Leinster's, with all tables and chairs made of solid gold. It initially appears beautiful but transforms into a terrifying place inhabited by enraged fairies.
Mood: Initially opulent and inviting, rapidly shifting to terrifying, hostile, and magical.
Paddy is lured here by the greyhound, attempts to drink, and is then attacked and disfigured by the fairies.
Great High Hill over a River (near Mote of Coulhall)
A very tall hill that stands like a wall above a river. Paddy is flung from its summit onto a rock below. He is later found in the trench surrounding the Mote of Coulhall, an ancient circular earthwork.
Mood: Desolate, dangerous, and a place of punishment and abandonment.
Paddy is violently thrown from the hill by the fairies and left for dead, suffering permanent disfigurement.