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FAMOUS SONGS
many that will last as long as music has exist-ence. In this category may be cited "The Battle of Argan Mor," a very old melody set to words of Ossianic tradition. The weird exulta-tion in this air is entirely characteristic of the daring instincts of the primitive Irish. Then there are "The Return from Fingal," "Awake, Awake, Fianna," " The Sword," and others too numerous to detail, all charged with wild en-thusiasm and impetuosity.
But let us speak of some songs that are more universally known, though in calling attention to the forgotten, mayhap it will tend to make them remembered. "The Twisting of the Rope." Tradition thus speaks of its origin: A Connaught harper having once put up at the residence of a rich farmer, began to pay such attention to the daughter of the house as greatly to displease the mother, who instantly conceived a plan for the summary ejectment of the minstrel. She provided some hay, and requested the harper to twist the rope which she set about making. As the work progressed and the rope lengthened, the harper, of course, retired backward till he went beyond the door of the dwelling, when the crafty matron sud-denly shut the door in his face and then threw his harp out of the window. The " Song of the
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