Robert Collins – författare

This book explores the tensions that have arisen in the diaspora as a result of large numbers of Russian migrants entering established overseas parishes following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

These tensions, made more fervent by the increasing role of the Church as part of the expression of Russian identity and by the Church’s entry into the global ‘culture wars’, carry with them alternative views of a range of key issues – cosmopolitanism versus reservation, liberalism versus conservatism and ecumenism versus dogmatism.

The book focuses on particular disputes, discusses the broader debates and examines the wider context of how the Russian Orthodox Church is evolving overall.

This book explores the tensions that have arisen in the diaspora as a result of large numbers of Russian migrants entering established overseas parishes following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

These tensions, made more fervent by the increasing role of the Church as part of the expression of Russian identity and by the Church’s entry into the global ‘culture wars’, carry with them alternative views of a range of key issues – cosmopolitanism versus reservation, liberalism versus conservatism and ecumenism versus dogmatism.

The book focuses on particular disputes, discusses the broader debates and examines the wider context of how the Russian Orthodox Church is evolving overall.

Josh, king of Ulster held a feast in Armagh. King Leon, king of Leprechaun land held a feast at the same time. Leon was six and a half inches tall, half an inch taller than the rest of his people. He boasted and said. Have you ever seen a king superior to me? They all said they had not but David hearing such boasting laughed out loud. The king stopped choking with rage. Why do you laugh? he said, because I know of one province in Ireland and if one of them cam alone here tonight he could take from you and your people all your wealth.

David was arrested but said to the king as a result of the hands placed on me here tonight you will be forced to spend one year in Armagh and you will not leave it until you have left the best of your wealth and jewels behind with the Ulster king. Misfortune will befall because I will be kept in the house of Josh the Daring. I will swim in a goblet of wine and be almost drowned. Give me three days and three nights and I will go to Armagh and if I do not bring back proof you can do with me what you will.

David goes to Armagh and returns with Aodh a dwarf in Ulster but a giant in Leprechaun land. King Leon has to spend a year in Ulster and the leprechauns declare war on Ulster to get him back. They dry up the wells, dry out the cattle so they have no milk and cut the ears off the heads of corn.

A magic horse coloured yellow. with purple legs transports Leon, the Leprechaun KIng and his queen Anna. He can travel on land, sea, and and and can arrive before he departs. The horse extends by the number of people on his back.

Viking Gormlaith is married to Brian Boru and she has two sons from her previous marriage Sitric, King of the Dublin Danes and Olaf. Niamh falls in love with Olaf. He, however, becomes a Christian, then states he wishes to become a priest so he will have direct access to the sacristy, which contains a chalice ornamented with priceless jewels and which he wants to steal at his mothers behest. His mother is politically devious and wants one of her sons to become High King. Maelmorda, her brother, king of Leinster wants the High-kingship as well. Gormlaith decides to expedite Brians death by having him poisoned. Lonan, a physician, arrives in Sitrics palace and tells Sitric he is an expert in everything to do with poisoning. He also said that because of family rivalry he hates Brian. Sitric sends him to Gormlaith but little do they realise that Lonan is in fact a friend of Brian and saves him. Foreign kings and princes were aware that Gormlaith was high queen and whoever married her would be high king. Sitric told her I have promised you in marriage to Sigurd from the Orkneys then I promised you to Brodar, king of Denmark. Carrol Cnut and Anrud, sons of the king of Norway are looking after their fathers interests and didnt come here so that the others could have Ireland between them. Obviously someone will stay back from battle and move in to annihilate the others and have Ireland for themselves. However, they were all beaten in battle by Brian but he was slain by Brodar.

A ragged man visits the houses of the nobility. He entered ODonnels house unknown and asked the musicians to play for him. Then he took the harp from them and played far superior music with the harp between his feet, and he played the music with his toes. He insulted ODonnell and was surrounded by armed men, but he made some of the armed men assume his features, and they were attacked and killed. He restored them to life by getting the doorkeeper to rub their upper palates with an herb.

The beggar headed off to the earls house, went to bed, and began snoring heavily. When he met the household, he was given a book that was turned upside down and began reading it. He began playing chess with some of the best chess players in the area and beat them with only half of the pieces on the board.

The juggler plays various tricks on the household. He then moves onto the lawn and opens his bag. He throws a rope into the sky. A cat and mouse appear from the bag and race up the rope. The mouse rides on the cats back while the cat tries to unseat it. A hound and hare are released and race up the rope with the hare on the hounds back. The hound fails to dislodge the hare. The boy then goes up the rope but fails to carry out the jugglers instructions. He is restored to life by the juggler who departs.