fromLeprechauns and Irish Folklore by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce
Ireland is an island near the coast of Great Britain. Because it rains a lot, Ireland is a very green country. It is so green that people call it the Emerald Isle. Emeralds are deep green stones that sparkle in the light. People often see rainbows shining over the green hills and valleys of the Emerald Isle.
There was a time in Ireland when many people believed in fairies. They claimed that on summer nights fairies danced in their gardens. When they saw clouds of dust blowing down the road, they said, “The fairies are riding their horses today.” Even the rustling of leaves sounded like little fairy feet running through the woods.
Stories about fairies are an important part of Irish folklore. Folklore is the customs and stories of a people that are passed down through the years. Among the stories are tales of magical creatures that the Irish call the wee folk. The wee folk include tricky leprechauns and beautiful fairies that live in shining kingdoms under the hills.
The Irish Oral Tradition
Many Irish fairy stories were first told by the Celts (KELTZ). The Celts came from mainland Europe and settled in Ireland over two thousand years ago. Even though the Celts were mighty warriors, they loved to tell stories, recite poems, sing and dance. They spoke an ancient language called Irish, or Gaelic (GAY-lik).
Because the early Celts did not have books and did not write, they told stories to each other. Telling stories instead of reading them is called the oral tradition. For thousands of years, the oral tradition has played a large part in Irish culture. The Irish are famous the world over for their storytelling.
About sixteen hundred years ago...monks and priests also wrote down many old Celtic myths and stories. Their writings would later help people to research ancient Irish folklore. Stories in Danger
Most people in Ireland spoke Irish until about 150 years ago. The English ruled Ireland for
many years. They wanted Ireland to become more English and wanted to do away with old Irish customs. In 1871, the English made strict laws against the use of the Irish language. Children were punished if they spoke it in school. All signs and legal papers had to be English.
English began to replace Irish as the most common language. It looked as if the language of the Celts would not survive. Because the old stories were in Irish, they, too, were in danger of fading away.
Douglas Hyde
Douglas Hyde was born in Ireland in 1860. When Douglas was a boy, he lived in the country. He often visited the cottage of an old gamekeeper named Seamus (SHAYmus) Hart. Douglas loved to hear Seamus tell stories. Seamus told him about the adventures of mighty warriors, gods, and goddesses. He also told old Celtic tales about the wee folk, who had strange and magical powers.
Because of Seamus, Douglas wanted to learn all he could about his country’s rich past. When he grew up, Douglas became a famous teacher of Irish folklore. But he knew that the old stories and the Irish language were in danger of slipping away forever. To keep them alive, Douglas wrote popular books about Irish folklore. He also urged people to speak Irish and to remember Irish music and dancing. In 1938, when Douglas was an old man, he became the first president of Ireland.
gamekeeper—a person in charge of birds used for sport on private land
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Question 2
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Question 3
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Question 4
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Question 5
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Question 6
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Question 7
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Question 8
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Question 9
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Question 10
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Question 11
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Which choice provides a summary of the passage?
Ireland is a country where leprechauns and fairies live. The Celts wrote many stories about them thousands of years ago.
Ireland is a country with a long history of interesting customs and folk stories. People have worked to keep the stories from being forgotten.
Ireland is a country that is most famous for its fairy stories. Douglas Hyde spent his life listening to Irish fairy stories and writing poems about them.
Ireland is a country where people speak two languages. Old Irish folk stories are now told in both English and Irish.
How did the earliest Celts pass down stories?
They drew pictures of the stories.
They told the stories to each other.
They recorded the stories in books.
They performed dances of the stories.
How does the image help the reader understand the passage?
The reader can see who lived in Ireland before the Celts arrived from Europe.
The reader can understand how Ireland changed after the Celts arrived.
The reader can see where the Celts came from before they were in Ireland.
The reader can understand why the Celts came from Europe to Ireland.
Part A Why did people in Ireland stop speaking Irish in the 1800s?
England controlled Ireland and wanted the Irish people to become more like them.
People from Ireland wanted to learn English because it was easier to speak and write.
England did not like folk stories and forced the Irish people to stop telling them.
People from Ireland were ashamed of their language and preferred to learn English.
Part B Which quotation from the passage supports the answer to Part A?
"For thousands of years, the oral tradition has played a large part in Irish culture. The Irish are famous the world over for their storytelling." (paragraph 5)
"About sixteen hundred years ago...monks and priests also wrote down many old Celtic myths and stories. Their writings would later help people to research ancient Irish folklore." (paragraph 6)
"The English ruled Ireland for many years. They wanted Ireland to become more English and wanted to do away with old Irish customs." (paragraph 7)
"English began to replace Irish as the most common language. It looked as if the language of the Celts would not survive." (paragraph 8)
According to the passage, which two creatures were part of Irish folklore?
dwarves
elves
fairies
leprechauns
wizards
What does the word recite mean as it is used in paragraph 4?
begin with
forget about
speak aloud
write down
Which quotation supports the point that Irish folklore could have been lost?
"Telling stories instead of reading them is called the oral tradition. For thousands of years, the oral tradition has played a large part in Irish culture." (paragraph 5)
"About sixteen hundred years ago...monks and priests also wrote down many old Celtic myths and stories." (paragraph 6)
"Seamus told him about the adventures of mighty warriors, gods, and goddesses. He also told old Celtic tales about the wee folk, who had strange and magical powers." (paragraph 9)
"But he knew that the old stories and the Irish language were in danger of slipping away forever." (paragraph 10)
Why is Ireland known as the Emerald Isle?
The grass covering the hills of the island is a deep green color.
The hills on the island have green gems buried within them.
The island has large trees with leaves that look like green gems.
The ocean surrounding the island is a deep green color
What point do the authors make about why the Celts were important to Irish folklore?
The Celts were the first to create songs about the Irish fairy stories.
The Celts were the first to research the Irish fairy stories.
The Celts were the first to record in writing the Irish fairy stories.
The Celts were the first to tell the Irish fairy stories.
What text structure do the authors use in the “Douglas Hyde” section?
The authors use cause and effect to explain how Seamus Hart's stories had a strong impact on Douglas Hyde’s life.
The authors use chronological order to explain how Douglas Hyde overcame many obstacles in life before becoming president of Ireland.
The authors use compare and contrast to explain the differences between the lives of Seamus Hart and Douglas Hyde.
The authors use problem and solution to explain the reasons why Douglas Hyde began researching the Celtic stories about the wee folk.