The Wonderful Tune facts for kids

The Wonderful Tune is a classic Irish fairy tale. It was first written down by Thomas Crofton Croker in his book Fairy Tales and Traditions of the South of Ireland between 1825 and 1828. Later, it was included in other famous collections, like The Lilac Fairy Book by Andrew Lang and A Book of Mermaids by Ruth Manning-Sanders, where it was called "The Magical Tune."

The Story of Maurice and the Mermaid

The tale is about a blind man named Maurice Connor, who was the best piper in the whole region of Munster, Ireland. Maurice knew a very special tune. When he played it, everyone who heard it simply had to dance!

One day, Maurice was playing his pipes at a lively wedding near the sea. He started to play his amazing tune. Suddenly, everyone and everything began to dance! Even the crabs, scallops, and oysters in the sea started to move to the music.

As the music played, a beautiful mermaid danced out of the ocean. She was so enchanted by Maurice's music that she convinced him to marry her and live with her under the sea.

Before he left, Maurice promised his old mother that he would send her a piece of burned wood every year. This would be a sign that he was still alive and well in his new home beneath the waves. His mother passed away not long after his wedding, but true to his word, a piece of burned wood drifted ashore at Trafraska every year for more than a century.