Enchanted Lakes

transcribed at

Enchanted Lakes  [duchas:4607071]

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Enchanted Lakes

"I knew the man who caught a sea-horse in Moate Lake," said an old man to me one evening, "an' I don't care what any wan says there are mer-maids, sea-horses, an' every other other quare (queer) animal you could think of in that lake.  Well to continue me sthory this man was walkin' alony be the lake an' he saw a lovely little foal that came up out o' the lake; the man caught him and brought him home.  The foal grew up to be a big strong horse an' his master taught him to plough an' do other work.  One evenin' after a hard day's work the man brought his sea-horse down to the lake for a dhrink.  The horse started to drink an' he drank so much that the lake began to get smaller an' smaller until the poor man thought that his horse would soon empty it so he said to him, "that you may never sthop".  The words were hardly out of his mouth when the horse jumped into the lake, and as soon as he'd gone in the lake filled up again.  The horse was never seen again.  (Ana)  Two other lakes are connected with Moate (at least it is said) by an under-ground channel.  The names of the other lakes are Lough Lorigeen which is a bogland lake an' is about three miles from Moate, Briggane Lake which is about six miles from Moate an' three from Lough Lorigeen.  They are also supposed to be inhabited by sea-horses.  It is said that one evening many years ago a few women were washing clothes by Briggane Lake (which

Enchanted Lakes  [duchas:4607072]

was the custom then) when all of a sudden a big black shapless monster came out o'the lake.  The women became afraid an' ran for their lives.  The animal lay on the shore for a short time an' then went back to the lake again.