[From Manx Soc vol 16, 1869]

THE OLD MAN.

There are yet men in the Isle of Man !

CASTLE RUSHEN has long been famous for its subterraneous passages, and there'are individuals amongst the Islanders who still firmly believe'that they lead to a beautiful country underground, inhabited by giants. Amongst the many tales they relate, is one, that several attempts being made to explore the passages, which in general proved unsuccessful, a number of daring fellows agreed to attempt the enterprise in company. Having armed themselves with staves, etc., etc., and procuring torches, they descended. After proceeding a little way, they found an old man, of great size, with a long beard, and blind, sitting on a rock as if fixed there. He hearing them approach, inquired of them as to the state of the Island, and at last asked one to put forth his hand, on which one of them gave him a ploughshare which he had, when the old giant squeezed the iron together with the greatest ease, exclaiming at the same time

There are yet men in the Isle of Man."

This is often said when anything has been done of a more difficult nature than usual

The same tradition, under varied forms, prevails in Scotland, Denmark, France, etc, -see also the tale of " The spell-bound Giant," under Castle Rushen, in the Manx Society's reprint of Waldron's Isle of Man (vol. xi. 1864).