Taken from The Wonders of Ireland by P. W. Joyce, 1911
Once there was a poet who, while journeying across the country, came across a flock of wild swans as he stood on the banks of the River Boyne. They flew very near him so he picked up a rock, took aim, and threw it. It struck one of them and knocked it to the ground. When he hurried to his prize, however, it was not a swan at all, but a lovely woman in white clothing, and she was perfectly well. She explained to him that some time ago she was sticken with a terrible illness. As she lay on her bed, a group of demons gathered her up and took her away. To her friends, however, she appeared to be dead. The demons took her on their wild flights and she had been flying with them ever since until the poet happened to strike her and bring her back.
He took her home and restored her to her friends.
This is one Irish story with a happy ending! But like every other Irish story, this one probably has a deeper meaning. What do you think?
