Roisín Dubh Trust

The Legend of the Vagabond.............................. .................... According to the Ancient Legends of the Mythological Cycle, they tell us of a Celtic Otherworld to the West. A place where happiness reigns. There is no age, sickness or death, and a hundred years are as one day. One day a rider approached from this Western world. A maiden, most beautiful to behold, dressed in a gown of gleaming gossamer, her steed pure white with golden hooves. "I have come for your son", she said to the Ruler of the Land, in a soft silver tone, "to carry him away with me to the Western World." Now when the Ruler's son saw the Maiden he fell deeply in love with her, and in that moment's weakness, he bade his father farewell taking the "Sacred Vow" never to return. On the journey she told him of a vision, where she was to be his wife, but his first born would be by another, he would break his "Sacred Vow". But when they reached the Western World, he was so overcome by its beauty that he quickly forgot her words of warning. In the time that passed they were wed and lived in great joy and happiness till his heart grew heavy with a longing to see his homeland once more. After much pleading she consented to let him go, with the white steed, on condition that he returned before a day had passed, or he would grow old and die. Returning to his homeland he found things greatly changed, for many hundreds of years had passed while he had been away. In the guise of a vagabond he took to the road, to see his world one final time. On his travels through the world, he beheld many strange and wondrous sights, winning the hearts of all the fairest maidens. Now when the time for his return to the Western world was nearing, he met a gypsy girl, her eyes were of clearest blue and with dark magic and her charms, she captured his soul. In the Spring of his last year she told him she was to bear his child. He knew then he must return for the child would be cursed. It was the night the child was born that he left. It is written from that day to this, all male descendants of the fatherless child are blessed in the art of love, to win the hearts of any, but cursed never to be in love, or they will grow old and wither.