Hob-Goblins 8

Fenodyree, Fenoderee, Grogach (Abundant Hair) Yn Foldyr Gastey (The Nimble Mower)

Cap for the head; alas! poor head
Coat for the back; alas! poor back;
Breeches for the breech; alas! poor breech
If these be all thine, thine cannot be
The merry glen of Rushen.

Bayrn dán chione, dy doogh dán chione
Cooat dán dreeym, dy doogh dán dreeym
Breechyn dán toyn, dy doogh dán toyn;
Agh my she lhiat ooilley, shoh cha vel lhiat
Glion reagh Rushen.

His was the wizrd that toil’d
At midnight’s witching hour;
That gatherd the sheep from the coming storm
Ere the shepherd saw it lower
Yet asked no fee save a scatter’d sheaf
From the peasants’ garner’d hoard,
Or cream-bowl kissed by a virgin lip
To be left on the household board.

Isle of Man hobgoblin that can take the form of a little old man, a huge, strong, ugly, hairy giant, or the height of a small child, covered with matted red hair and twigs. He may help out around the house and do chores.

As an Elfin Knight he fell in love with one of the daughters of the Isle of Man, as she sat in her bowery home beneath the blue tree of Glen Aldyn. ‘Offering to abandon the Fairies for a domestic life with this sweet nymph, and absenting himself from Fairy-Court during the celebration of the Re-hollys vooar yn ouyr, or royal high harvest festival (kept by the Fairies with dancing in the merry Glen Rushen), he so offended the little people that the Elfin King expelled him from Fairy Hall, and cursed him with an undying existence on the Manx mountains in the form of a satyr, thus metamorphosed he became a strange, sad, solitary wanderer, known as the Phynnodderee. We compassionate his misfortune, as it fell upon him in consequence of his true love for a Manx maiden.’ (31, 53)