FUN O' THE FORGE
STORIES
BY
BRIAN
O'HIGGINS
All Rights Reserved
DUBLIN
WHELAN AND SON
17 UPPER ORMOND QUAY
Cahill & Co., Ltd., Printers, Dublin.
FOREWORD
In addition to many other blessings, God hasgiven to us, Gaels of the Irish land, thepriceless gift of humour, the saving grace oflaughter. May we never lose them! Theyhave been good friends to us in the days ofdarkness; let it be one of our duties to nurtureand strengthen them in the brighter day thathas already dawned in Eirinn. Throughoutthe land, in forge and workshop, in field andby fireside, there is many a Ned McGrane—witty,wise and laughter-loving—who has thepower to pull aside the gloomy curtains ofmelancholy and moodiness and to pour intothe hearts of all who will listen to him thesunshine of merriment and mirth, while neversaying a word that would offend the mostsensitive ear or leave a bad impression on themost susceptible mind. In this, as in athousand other ways, we differ from the enemythat is still within our gates. His best humouris coarse or smutty, his heartiest laughter isjarring and hurtful, his outlook on life is verydifferent to that of the genial blacksmith ofBalnagore. God speed the day when thesmutty wit of the Sasanach shall be heard nolonger in our land, when the laughter of theopen-hearted, clean-minded Gael shall ringfrom end to end of Eirinn, lighting every mind,lifting up every heart, and softening for all whohave suffered the memory of those sadder daysthat they have known.
Brian O hUiginn.
Samhain, 1917.
CONTENTS
| PAGE | |
|---|---|
| THE BLACKSMITH'S CHARM | 9 |
| HOW JIMMY SETTLED THE SOJER | 24 |
| THE CONFISCATED BACON | 35 |
| "BOW-WOW" | 50 |
| HOW JOHNNIE GOT HIS DEGREE | 61 |
| THE BEST OF A BARGAIN | 71 |
| WHEN DENIS TURNED TO THE TAY | 78 |
| A GLORIOUS VICTORY | 85 |
| ON ELECTIONS | 94 |
| NED'S TRIP TO DUBLIN | 98 |
| THE LAWYER FOR THE DEFENCE | 104 |
| THE FIRST PLUM PUDDING | 110 |