Editor’s Note: Count John de Salis gave these legends and they were written out by Evans-Wentz with the help of Rev J.F. Lynch

The Buachailleen is most likely one of the many forms assumed by the shape-shifting Fer Fi, the Lough Gur Dwarf, who at Tara, according to the Dinnshenchas of Tuag Inbir (see Folk-Lore, iii ; and A. Nutt, Voyage of Bran, i. 195 ff.), took the shape of a woman; and we may trace the tales of Ceroid larla to Fer Fi, who, and not Ceroid, is believed by the oldest of the Lough Cur peasantry to be the owner of the lake. Fer Fi is the son of Eogabal of Sidh Eogabail, and hence brother to Aine. He is also foster-son of Manannan Mac Lir, and a Druid of the Tuatha De Danann (cf. Silva Gadelica,n. 225; also Dinnshenchas of Tuag Inbir). At Lough Gur various tales are told by the peasants concerning the Dwarf, and he is still stated by them to be the brother of Aine. For the sake of experiment I once spoke very disrespectfully of the Dwarf to John Punch, an old man, and he said to me in a frightened whisper: ‘Whisht! he’ll hear you.’ Edward Fitzgerald and other old men were very much afraid of the Dwarf.’ J. F. Lynch. Evans-Wentz 81-82