"
"And how are you sure, mother?"
"Kathleen could never die," Mrs. O'Brien said, "without I'ld hear the
banshee."
"The banshee?" said John. "There's no banshee here. There's banshees
only in Ireland."
"Our banshee is here," his mother answered. "I know she is here.
You've heard me tell of her. She's the sad, mourning woman of the Good
People that weeps and wails about the house when anybody of the family
is to die, anywhere in the world. It's true, as you say, that the
banshees mostly stay in Ireland, though they are heard to cry and moan
for those of the family who are to die in any part of the world. But
sometimes the banshee leaves Ireland with the family that she belongs
to, and so did ours. Wouldn't I know her voice? Didn't I hear her wail
and scream before your father died, so many, many years ago? Oh, I'ld
never forget it. I'ld know her voice."
"Then why didn't you hear her," John asked "before Kitty died, and why
didn't you know before that she was to die?"
"I did hear the banshee that time," his mother answered, "but I
couldn't tell that it was Kitty that was to die.
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