Emerald Magic_ Great Tales of Irish Fantasy - Andrew M. Greeley [0]
Magic
Also by Andrew M. Greeley
from Tom Doherty Associates
All About Women
Angel Fire
Angel Light
Contract with an Angel
Faithful Attraction
The Final Planet
Furthermore!: Memories of a Parish Priest
God Game
The Priestly Sins
Star Bright!
Summer at the Lake
White Smoke
Sacred Visions (editor with Michael Cassutt)
The Book of Love (editor with Mary G. Durkin)
Bishop Blackie Ryan Mysteries
The Bishop and the Missing L Train
The Bishop and the Beggar Girl of St. Germain
The Bishop in the West Wing
Nuala Anne McGrail Novels
Irish Gold
Irish Lace
Irish Whiskey
Irish Mist
Irish Eyes
Irish Love
Irish Stew!
The O’Malleys in the Twentieth Century
A Midwinter’s Tale
Younger than Springtime
A Christmas Wedding
September Song
Second Spring
Emerald
Magic
GREAT TALES of
IRISH FANTASY
Edited by Andrew M. Greeley
This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in these stories are either fictitious or are used fictitiously.
EMERALD MAGIC: GREAT TALES OF IRISH FANTASY
Copyright © 2004 by Andrew M. Greeley Enterprises, Ltd., and Tekno Books All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form.
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
A Tor Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
www.tor.com
Tor® is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Emerald magic : great tales of Irish fantasy / edited by Andrew M. Greeley.—1st ed.
p. cm.
“A Tom Doherty Associates book.”
ISBN 0-765-30504-6
1. Fantasy fiction, English—Irish authors. 2. Ireland—Fiction. I. Greeley, Andrew M., 1928–
PR8876.5.F35E44 2004
823'.0876608—dc22
2003061477
First Edition: February 2004
Printed in the United States of America
0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Acknowledgments
Introduction, copyright © 2004 by Andrew M. Greeley.
“Herself,” copyright © 2004 by Diane Duane.
“Speir-Bhan,” copyright © 2004 by Tanith Lee.
“Troubles,” copyright © 2004 by Jane Yolen and Adam Stemple.
“The Hermit and the Sidhe,” copyright © 2004 by Judith Tarr.
“The Merrow,” copyright © 2004 by Elizabeth Haydon.
“The Butter Spirit’s Tithe,” copyright © 2004 by Charles de Lint.
“Banshee,” copyright © 1986 by Ray Bradbury. First published in Woman’s Own, February 1986. Reprinted by permission of the author and his agents, the Don Congdon Agency.
“Peace in Heaven?” copyright © 2004 by Andrew M. Greeley.
“The Lady in Grey,” copyright © 2004 by Jane Lindskold.
“A Drop of Something Special in the Blood,” copyright © 2004 by Fred Saberhagen.
“For the Blood Is the Life,” copyright © 2004 by Peter Tremayne.
“Long the Clouds Are over Me Tonight,” copyright © 2004 by Cecilia DartThornton.
“The Swan Pilot,” copyright © 2004 by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
“The Isle of Women,” copyright © 2004 by Jacqueline Carey.
“The Cat with No Name,” copyright © 1989 by Morgan Llywelyn. First published in The Irish Times. Reprinted by permission of the author.
For Colm O’Muircheartaigh,
Up Kerry!
Contents
INTRODUCTION Andrew M. Greeley
The Little People
HERSELF Diane Duane
SPEIR-BHAN Tanith Lee
TROUBLES Jane Yolen and Adam Stemple
THE HERMIT ANDTHE SIDHE Judith Tarr
THE MERROW Elizabeth Haydon
THE BUTTER SPIRIT’S TITHE Charles de Lint
BANSHEE Ray Bradbury
PEACE IN HEAVEN? Andrew M. Greeley
Literar y Fantastics
THE LADY IN GREY Jane Lindskold
A DROP OF SOMETHING SPECIAL IN THE BLOOD Fred Saberhagen
FOR THE BLOOD IS THE LIFE Peter Tremayne
LONG THE CLOUDS ARE OVER ME TONIGHT Cecilia Dart-Thornton
THE SWAN PILOT L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
THE ISLEOF WOMEN Jacqueline Carey
THE CAT WITH NO NAME Morgan Llywelyn
About The Auther
Introduction
When I was a small one,my mother told me stories about “the little people” in Ireland, stories she had heard from her own mother. I don’t think she believed the stories, at least not that much. Her mother before may have told them at least half in fun. Even if they were not altogether true, they were good stories. So I