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diff --git a/38041.txt b/38041.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..34c16e3 --- /dev/null +++ b/38041.txt @@ -0,0 +1,15510 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Old Celtic Romances, by Unknown + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Old Celtic Romances + +Author: Unknown + +Translator: P. W. Joyce + +Release Date: November 17, 2011 [EBook #38041] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OLD CELTIC ROMANCES *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Rory OConor and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + + + OLD CELTIC ROMANCES + + + + + OLD + CELTIC ROMANCES + + translated from the gaelic + + BY + + P.W. JOYCE, M.A., LL.D., T.C.D. + M.R.I.A. + + _One of the Commissioners for the Publication of + the Ancient Laws of Ireland + President of the Royal Society of Antiquaries, Ireland_ + + Author of + + "A SOCIAL HISTORY OF ANCIENT IRELAND" + "THE STORY OF ANCIENT IRISH CIVILISATION" + "A SHORT HISTORY OF IRELAND" + "A CHILD'S HISTORY OF IRELAND" + "IRISH NAMES OF PLACES" + "ANCIENT IRISH MUSIC" + AND OTHER WORKS RELATING TO IRELAND + + "I shall tell you a pretty tale" + --Coriolanus. + + DUBLIN + THE EDUCATIONAL CO. + OF IRELAND, LIMITED + 89 TALBOT STREET + + LONDON + LONGMANS, GREEN, AND + COMPANY + 39 PATERNOSTER ROW + + 1920 + + + + +PREFACE. + + +Among the Celtic people of Ireland and the north-west of Scotland, +story-telling has always been a favourite amusement. In the olden time, +they had professional story-tellers, variously designated according to +rank--ollaves, shanachies, files, bards, etc.--whose duty it was to know +by heart a number of old tales, poems, and historical pieces, and to +recite them at festive gatherings, for the entertainment of the chiefs +and their guests. These story-tellers were always well received at the +houses of princes and chiefs, and treated with much consideration; and +on occasions when they acquitted themselves well, so as to draw down the +applause of the audience, they were often rewarded with costly presents. + +To meet the demand for this sort of entertainment, ingenious "men of +learning," taking legends or historical events as themes, composed +stories from time to time; of which those that struck the popular fancy +were caught up and remembered, and handed down from one generation of +story-tellers to another. In course of time, a body of romantic +literature grew up, consisting chiefly of prose tales, which were +classified, according to subject, into Battles, Voyages, Tragedies, +Military Expeditions, Cattle-Raids, Courtships, Pursuits, Adventures, +Visions, etc.[I.] + +Some of these tales were historical, _i.e._ founded on historical +events, and corresponded closely with what is now called the historical +romance; while others were altogether fictitious--pure creations of the +imagination. But it is to be observed that even in the fictitious tales, +the main characters are always historical, or such as were considered +so. The old ollaves wove their fictions round Conor Mac Nessa and his +Red Branch Knights, or Finn and his Fena, or Luga of the Long Arms and +his Dedannans, or Conn the Hundred-fighter, or Cormac Mac Art; like the +Welsh legends of Arthur and his Round Table, or the Arabian romances of +Haroun-al-Raschid and his Court. + +The greater number of the tales were, as I have said, in prose. But some +were in poetry; and in many of the prose tales the leading characters +are often made to express themselves in verse, or some striking incident +of the story is repeated in a poetical form. Not unfrequently the +fragments of verse introduced into a prose tale are quotations from an +older poetical version of the same tale; and hence it often happens that +while the prose may be plain enough, the poetry is often archaic and +obscure. + +At some very early period in Ireland--how early we have now no means of +determining with certainty--Celtic thought began to be committed to +writing; and as everything seems to have been written down that was +considered worth preserving, manuscripts accumulated in course of time, +which were kept either in monasteries, or in the houses of the +hereditary professors of learning. But in the dark time of the Danish +ravages, and during the troubled centuries that followed the +Anglo-Norman invasion, the manuscript collections were gradually +dispersed, and a large proportion lost or destroyed. Yet we have +remaining--rescued by good fortune from the general wreck--a great body +of manuscript literature. Our two most important collections are those +in Trinity College and in the Royal Irish Academy, Dublin; where we have +manuscripts of various ages, from the year 1100 down to the present +century, on every conceivable subject--Annals, History, Biography, +Theology, Romance, Legend, Science, etc. These manuscripts, which, it +should be remarked, are nearly all copies from older books, contain a +vast collection of romantic literature: it may, indeed, be said that +there is scarcely one important event in our early history, or one +important native personage or native legend, that has not been made the +subject of some fanciful story. + +The volume I now offer to the notice of the public contains eleven +tales, selected and translated from the manuscripts of Trinity College +and of the Royal Irish Academy. Some have been already published, with +original text and _literal_ translation, and are to be found in the +Transactions of various literary societies, where, however, they are +inaccessible to the general run of readers; and even if they were +accessible, they are almost unreadable, the translations having been +executed, not for literary, but for linguistic purposes. Others have +never been translated or given to the public in any shape or form till +now. + +Of the whole collection of eleven tales, therefore, it may be said that +they are quite new to the general mass of the reading public. And +furthermore, this is the first collection of the old Gaelic prose +romances that has ever been published in fair English translation. + +Scraps and fragments of some of these tales have been given to the world +in popular publications, by writers who, not being able to read the +originals, took their information from printed books in the English +language. But I am forced to say that many of these specimens have been +presented in a very unfavourable and unjust light--distorted to make +them look _funny_, and their characters debased to the mere modern +conventional stage Irishman. There is none of this silly and odious +vulgarity in the originals of these fine old tales, which are high and +dignified in tone and feeling--quite as much so as the old romantic +tales of Greece and Rome.[II.] + +A translation may either follow the very words, or reproduce the life +and spirit, of the original; but no translation can do both. If you +render word for word, you lose the spirit; if you wish to give the +spirit and manner, you must depart from the exact words, and frame your +own phrases. I have chosen this latter course. My translation follows +the original closely enough in narrative and incident; but so far as +mere phraseology is concerned, I have used the English language freely, +not allowing myself to be trammelled by too close an adherence to the +very words of the text. The originals are in general simple in style; +and I have done my best to render them into simple, plain, homely +English. In short, I have tried to tell the stories as I conceive the +old shanachies themselves would have told them, if they had used English +instead of Gaelic. + +In the originals, the stories run on without break or subdivision;[III.] +but I have thought it better to divide the longer ones into chapters, +with appropriate headings. + +In almost all cases I had at my command several copies of the same +story, some of them differing in phraseology and in minor points of +detail, though agreeing, in the main, in narrative and incident. I found +this a considerable advantage, as it gave me more freedom in the choice +of expression. + +I have made full use of the literal translations of those tales that +have been already published in the Transactions of the Ossianic Society, +in the _Atlantis_, in the Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, and in +the Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of +Ireland. But, in order to secure the advantage of various readings, I +compared, in every case, the published text with at least one copy of +the story, in the Royal Irish Academy, in Trinity College, or in my own +private manuscript collection. + + +The ancient institution of professional story-telling held its ground +both in Ireland and in Scotland down to a very recent period; and it is +questionable if it be even yet quite extinct. Within my own memory, +this sort of entertainment was quite usual among the farming classes of +the south of Ireland. The family and workmen, and any neighbours that +chose to drop in, would sit round the kitchen fire after the day's +work--or perhaps gather in a barn on a summer or autumn evening--to +listen to some local shanachie reciting one of his innumerable Gaelic +tales. The story-teller never chose his own words--he always had the +story by heart, and recited the words from memory, often gliding into a +sort of recitative in poetical passages, or when he came to some +favourite grandiose description abounding in high-sounding alliterative +adjectives. And very interesting it was to mark the rapt attention of +the audience, and to hear their excited exclamations when the speaker +came to relate some mighty combat, some great exploit of the hero, or +some other striking incident. Three years ago, I met a man in Kilkee, +who had a great number of these stories by heart, and who actually +repeated for me, without the slightest hitch or hesitation, more than +half--and if I had not stopped him would have given me the whole--of +"Cuirt an Mheadhon-Oidhche" ("The Midnight Court"), a poem about six +times as long as Gray's "Elegy." + +I will now proceed to give a few particulars concerning these tales, +including a short account of the manuscript or manuscripts from which +each has been translated. + + +THE THREE TRAGIC STORIES OF ERIN. + +Among the ancient Gaelic tales, three were known as "the three most +sorrowful (tales) of story-telling," or "The Three Tragic Stories of +Erin;" viz., "The Fate of the Children of Usna," "The Fate of the +Children of Lir," and "The Fate of the Children of Turenn." I have not +included the first in this volume, but a poetical version of it has been +written and published by my brother.[IV.] + + +THE FATE OF THE CHILDREN OF LIR. + +Two translations of this tale have been published: one literal, with the +Gaelic text, by Professor O'Curry, in the _Atlantis_ (Nos. vii. and +viii.); and another, less literal, by Gerald Griffin, in his "Tales of a +Jury-Room." + +The oldest known copies of the tale are, one in the Catholic University, +Dublin, made by Andrew Mac Curtin, a well-known Gaelic scholar and +scribe of the county Clare, who lived between 1680 and 1740; one in +Trinity College, Dublin, made by Hugh O'Daly, in 1758; and one in the +British Museum, made by Richard Tipper of Dublin, in 1718.[V.] There is +also a very good copy in the Royal Irish Academy (23. C. 26), of which I +made considerable use, written in or about 1782, by Peter O'Connell, a +good Gaelic scholar of the county Clare. From a comparison of several of +these versions, O'Curry made his copy of the text as published in the +_Atlantis_. + +There may be, and there probably are, older copies, in Trinity College, +in the British Museum, or elsewhere, if we knew only where to find them. +And this observation applies to several of the tales that follow, of +which we have at hand only modern copies. + + +THE FATE OF THE CHILDREN OF TURENN. + +In the Book of Lecan (folio 28), which was compiled by the Mac Firbises, +about A.D. 1416, is a short account, partly in prose and partly in +verse, of the celebrated eric-fine imposed on the three sons of Turenn, +by Luga of the Long Arms, for killing his father Kian; but this old book +does not give the story of the quest for the fine. The full tale, text +and literal translation, has been published by O'Curry in the +_Atlantis_. There are several good copies in the Royal Irish Academy: +one in 23. G. 10, transcribed by Patrick Brown of the county Clare, in +1805; another in 23. E. 16, written out by Michael Oge O'Longan, in +1797; and a third (imperfect) in 23. M. 47, copied by Andrew Mac Curtin, +in 1734. + +There are references to these three sons of Turenn, and to the manner of +their death, in two very old authorities, viz., Cormac's "Glossary" +(about A.D. 900); and a poem by Flann of Monaster-boice (who died A.D. +1056), a copy of which is in the Book of Leinster, written about A.D. +1130. + +In the older references to the sons of Turenn, they are called Brian, +Iuchar, Iucharba; but in some comparatively modern copies of the tale +the names are a little different--for instance, Peter O'Connell calls +them Uar, Iuchar, and Iucharba; and they vary still further in other +copies. I have taken advantage of this variety to give the names in a +more pronounceable form in my translation. + +In the original, this tale is introduced by an anecdote of Nuada of the +Silver Hand and the two great Dedannan leeches, Midac and Armedda (see +page 92, _infra_), which has nothing whatever to do with the story, and +which I have omitted. + + +THE OVERFLOWING OF LOUGH NEAGH. + +"Leabhar na h-Uidhre," or "The Book of the Dun Cow," from which this and +the two following tales are taken, is the oldest manuscript of +miscellaneous Gaelic literature we possess. It was transcribed from +older books by Maelmuire Mac Ceilechair, who died A.D. 1106; and it is +now deposited in the Royal Irish Academy, Dublin--or rather, I should +say, a large fragment of it, for the book has suffered much mutilation. +This venerable book may now be said to be in the hands of the public, as +it has been lately reproduced in lithograph fac-simile, and published by +the Council of the Royal Irish Academy, at the Government expense. + +The story of "The Overflowing of Lough Neagh" (called in the original +"The Destruction of Eocho Mac Mairedo") has been published, with text +and literal translation, by the late J. O'Beirne Crowe, in the Kilkenny +Archaeological Journal volume for 1870-1. + +In this story I have been obliged to make a few transpositions in the +mere order of the incidents, for the narrative in the original is in +some places very ill arranged. + +It is now nearly eight hundred years since this story was _transcribed_ +from some old authority into "The Book of the Dun Cow;" and it is +singular that the tradition of the formation of Lough Neagh, by the +overflow of an enchanted well which was neglected by the woman in charge +of it, still maintains a vivid existence among the peasantry. (See on +this subject the author's "Origin and History of Irish Names of Places," +Series I. 4th edition, page 176.) + + +CONNLA OF THE GOLDEN HAIR, AND THE FAIRY MAIDEN. + +This tale (called in the original "Echtra Condla Cain," "The Adventures +of Connla the Comely") is taken from "The Book of the Dun Cow." It has +been published, with text and literal translation, by the late J. +O'Beirne Crowe, in the Kilkenny Archaeological Journal (volume 1874-5, +page 128). + +This is one of the many tales that illustrate the ancient and widespread +superstition that fairies sometimes take away mortals to their palaces +in the fairy forts and pleasant green hills;[19] of which the last story +in this book--"Oisin in Tirnanoge"--is another example. This +superstition prevailed in Ireland and the Scottish Highlands as far back +as either history or tradition reaches; it flourished in full vigour +within my own memory; and it is scarcely quite extinct--in Ireland at +least--at the present day.[VI.] In connection with the antiquity of this +superstition, it must be borne in mind that the present story was +transcribed into "The Book of the Dun Cow" in or about the year 1100, +from some older book; and that it relates to the time of Conn the +Hundred-fighter, king of Ireland, who reigned in the second century of +the Christian era. + + +THE VOYAGE OF MAILDUN. + +Of this tale (which is now given to the public for the first time) the +oldest copy is in "The Book of the Dun Cow" (about the year 1100); but +it is imperfect at both beginning and end--a portion having been torn +away when the book was mutilated at some former time. There is a perfect +copy in the Yellow Book of Lecan, in Trinity College, Dublin, and +another in the British Museum (MS. Harl. 5280). + +After I had made a rough translation of the greater part of this piece, +I discovered a good literal translation in manuscript in the Royal Irish +Academy, made by the late J. O'Beirne Crowe, which was of great use to +me, as it helped to explain some strange terms, and to clear up some +obscure passages. + +This voyage would appear from internal evidence to have been made in the +beginning of the eighth century (O'Curry says about the year 700); for I +think it likely that Maildun did actually go on a voyage, which was +afterwards made the framework of the story. On my translation of this +tale, Lord Tennyson founded his poem "The Voyage of Maeldune." + +Of the _Imrama_ or voluntary sea expeditions (to which the present story +belongs) there are, according to O'Curry (Lect. MS. Mat. 289), only four +remaining, all very ancient. Of these the best known is the "Voyage of +St. Brendan," undertaken in the sixth century, which was at one time +celebrated all over Europe, and which has been lately made the theme of +a fine poem by Denis Florence McCarthy. + +Another of these _Imrama_ is the "Voyage of the Sons of O'Corra," which +has been described at some length by Professor O'Curry (Lect. MS. Mat. +289). Of this I have a copy which I made from the MS. 23. M. 50, Royal +Irish Academy (and which I afterwards carefully compared with another +copy lent me by my friend, Mr. W.M. Hennessy). I made a translation of +this story, intending to print it in the present volume; but as there is +a much older and better copy in the ancient "Book of Fermoy," which I +had not time to consult in detail, I have thought it better to hold back +for the present the strange adventures of the sons of O'Corra. A +beautiful poetical translation of the whole tale has been made by Mr. +T.D. Sullivan of Dublin, and published in his volume of Poems. + + +THE FAIRY PALACE OF THE QUICKEN TREES. + +The "Bruighean Caerthainn," or "The Fairy Palace of the Quicken Trees," +which is now translated for the first time, is one of the most popular +of the Gaelic romances. I had three of the Royal Irish Academy MSS. +before me when translating it--viz., 23. C. 30, transcribed in 1733, by +the Irish writer and lexicographer, Andrew Mac Curtin of the county +Clare; 24. B. 15, written in 1841; and 23. L. 24, copied in 1766, by +Dermot O'Mulqueen of the county Clare. + +This is one of a type of stories very common in Gaelic romantic +literature:--One or more of the heroes are entrapped by some enchanter +and held under a spell in a castle, or a cave, or a dungeon; till, after +a series of adventures, they are released by the bravery or mother-wit +of some of their companions. "The Chase of Slieve Fuad" and "The Chase +of Slieve Cullinn" are two other examples of this class of Gaelic tales. + + +THE PURSUIT OF THE GILLA DACKER AND HIS HORSE. + +This is a humorous story of a trick--a very serious practical +joke--played by Avarta, a Dedannan enchanter, on sixteen of the Fena, +whom he carried off to "The Land of Promise;" and of the adventures of +Finn, Dermat O'Dyna, and the others, in their pursuit of Avarta (who had +taken the shape of the Gilla Dacker) to recover their companions. It may +be regarded as belonging to the same class as the last story. + +O'Curry described the opening of this tale in his Lectures (MS. Mat. +316); and he was the first, so far as I know, to draw attention to it. I +think it strange that such a story should not have been noticed before +by writers on Gaelic literature; for as a work of imagination, it seems +to me a marvellous and very beautiful creation. + +The battles fought by the king of Sorca, aided by Finn and his Fena, +against the King of the World, are described at much length in the +original; but I have cut them down to a very short compass; and I have +omitted altogether a long episode towards the end, which travels away +from the main story. + +This tale has never been translated till now. I translated it chiefly +from the Royal Irish Academy MS., 24. B. 28, a well-written manuscript, +which was copied out by Edmond Terry, in 1728: but I kept another good +copy beside me for comparison, viz., that contained in the Royal Irish +Academy MS., 23. G. 21, written in 1795, by Michael Oge O'Longan of +Cork, father of Mr. Joseph O'Longan, now the Irish scribe in the Royal +Irish Academy, and the transcriber in fac-simile of "Leabhar na +h-Uidhre," "Leabhar Breac," and "Leabhar Laighneach." + + +THE PURSUIT OF DERMAT AND GRANIA. + +This tale is one of those mentioned in the list contained in the Book of +Leinster, which was written about A.D. 1130 (see note, page iv.); but +though this proves the tale to be an ancient one, I have never come +across a copy older than the last century. + +"The Pursuit of Dermat and Grania" has been published, with text and a +very racy idiomatic literal translation, by Mr. Standish Hayes O'Grady, +in the Transactions of the Ossianic Society for 1855, from a comparison +of two manuscripts, one of 1780 and the other of 1842. In addition to +Mr. O'Grady's published text, I made use of another good copy (MS. Royal +Irish Academy, 23. G. 21) written in 1795, by Michael Oge O'Longan, +already spoken of. + +I cannot help believing that this fine story originally ended with the +death of Dermat; though in all the current versions (including Mr. +O'Grady's printed text) there is an additional part recounting the +further proceedings of Grania and her sons, after the death of the hero. +But this part is in every respect inferior to the rest--in language, in +feeling, and in play of imagination. It seems to me very clear that it +was patched on to the original story by some unskilful hand; and I have +accordingly omitted it, and ended the story with the death of Dermat. I +have also omitted two short episodes--that of the _cnumh_ or reptile of +Corca Divna, as a mere excrescence; and Finn's expedition to Scotland +for aid against Dermat. And, for the sake of clearness, I have slightly +changed the place of that part of the tale which recounts the origin of +the Fairy Quicken Tree of Dooros. There are one or two other trifling +but very necessary modifications, which need not be mentioned here. + + +THE CHASE OF SLIEVE CULLINN: THE CHASE OF SLIEVE FUAD: OISIN IN +TIRNANOGE. + +In the original Gaelic these are three poetical tales. All three have +been printed, with Gaelic text and literal translation, in the +Transactions of the Ossianic Society: the two first by the late John +O'Daly, and "Oisin in Tirnanoge" by Professor O'Looney. There are many +good copies of these tales in the manuscripts of the Royal Irish +Academy; though of not one of them have I seen a copy older than the +last century. + +"The Chase of Slieve Cullinn" (commonly known as "The Poem of the +Chase") has been translated into English verse by Miss Brooke; and there +is another metrical translation in the _Irish Penny Journal_ (page 93). +And of "Oisin in Tirnanoge," Mr. T.D. Sullivan has given a graceful +poetical rendering in his volume of Poems, already mentioned. + + +PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION. + +In this edition there is an additional tale, "The Fate of the Sons of +Usna," a notice of which will be found at page x, above. + +LYRE-NA-GRENA, LEINSTER ROAD, RATHMINES, 1907. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[I.] In the Book of Leinster, a manuscript now in Trinity College, +Dublin, which was transcribed about the year 1130, there is a very +interesting list of ancient historic tales--187 in all--classified in +the manner indicated above, which an ollave was obliged to master, so as +to be able to repeat any one of them from memory, whenever his patron +required him to do so. (See O'Curry, "Lectures on the MS. Materials of +Irish History," pages 243 and 584.) + +[II.] Macpherson never sinned in this way. He caught the true keynote; +and his "Poems of Ossian," however perverted in other respects, are +always dignified in thought and expression. Among other examples of the +true interpretation of the spirit of these old romances, prose and +poetry, I may mention Miss Brooke's "Reliques of Irish Poetry," +published in the end of the last century; the Rev. Dr. Drummond's +"Ancient Irish Minstrelsy," published in 1852; Lady Ferguson's graceful +and interesting book, "The Story of the Irish before the Conquest" +(1868); and Mr. Standish O'Grady's ably written volume, the "History of +Ireland" (Vol. I., The Heroic Period 1878). + +[III.] With one partial exception. In "The Book of the Dun Cow," "The +Voyage of Maildun" is divided into parts or chapters, which are numbered +on the margin in Roman numerals, each chapter relating to one particular +island; but no spaces are left, and the chapters have no headings. In +this tale I have followed the old sub-division. + +[IV.] "Deirdre," by Robert D. Joyce, M.D., M.R.I.A. Boston: Roberts +Brothers. Dublin: M.H. Gill and Son. + +[V.] O'Curry, _Atlantis_, Nos. vii. and viii., page 390. + +[VI.] See the ballad and air of "The Fairy King's Courtship," in the +author's "Ancient Irish Music," page 1. + + + + + CONTENTS. + + + THE FATE OF THE CHILDREN OF LIR; OR, THE FOUR WHITE SWANS. + + + CHAPTER PAGE + + I. Bove Derg chosen King of the Dedannans, 1 + + II. The Children of Lir, 4 + + III. The Four Children of Lir are turned into Four White 6 + Swans by their Stepmother, + + IV. The Four White Swans on Lake Darvra, 10 + + V. The Four White Swans on the Sea of Moyle, 18 + + VI. The Four White Swans on the Western Sea, 26 + + VII. The Children of Lir regain their Human Shape and die, 32 + + + THE FATE OF THE CHILDREN OF TURENN; OR, THE QUEST FOR THE ERIC-FINE. + + + I. The Lochlanns invade Erin, 37 + + II. The Murder of Kian, 42 + + III. Defeat and Flight of the Lochlanns, 47 + + IV. The Eric-Fine on the Sons of Turenn for the Slaying of 51 + Kian, + + V. The Sons of Turenn obtain Mannanan's Canoe, the 60 + Wave-Sweeper, + + VI. The Apples of the Garden of Hisberna, 63 + + VII. The Gifted Skin of the Pig, 67 + + VIII. The Blazing Spear of the King of Persia, 71 + + IX. The Chariot and Steeds of the King of Sigar, 74 + + X. The Seven Pigs of the King of the Golden Pillars, 78 + + XI. The Hound-Whelp of the King of Iroda, 81 + + XII. Return of the Sons of Turenn, with part of the 84 + Eric-Fine, + + XIII. The Cooking-Spit of the Women of Fincara, 87 + + XIV. The Three Shouts on Midkena's Hill, 89 + + XV. Return and Death of the Sons of Turenn, 91 + + + THE OVERFLOWING OF LOUGH NEAGH, AND THE STORY OF LIBAN + THE MERMAID. 97 + + + CONNLA OF THE GOLDEN HAIR AND THE FAIRY MAIDEN. 106 + + + THE VOYAGE OF MAILDUN. + + + I. Maildun's Childhood and Youth. He begins his Voyage in 112 + Quest of the Plunderers who slew his Father, + + II. The First Island. Tidings of the Plunderers, 117 + + III. The Island of the Monstrous Ants, 119 + + IV. The Terraced Isle of Birds, 120 + + V. A Monster, 121 + + VI. The Demon Horse-Race, 122 + + VII. The Palace of Solitude, 124 + + VIII. The Island of the Wonderful Apple Tree, 125 + + IX. The Island of Bloodthirsty Quadrupeds, 126 + + X. An Extraordinary Monster, 127 + + XI. The Isle of Red-Hot Animals, 129 + + XII. The Palace of the Little Cat, 131 + + XIII. An Island that dyed Black and White, 133 + + XIV. The Island of the Burning River, 135 + + XV. The Miller of Hell, 136 + + XVI. The Isle of Weeping, 137 + + XVII. The Isle of the Four Precious Walls, 139 + + XVIII. The Palace of the Crystal Bridge, 139 + + XIX. The Isle of Speaking Birds, 143 + + XX. The Aged Hermit and the Human Souls, 143 + + XXI. The Island of the Big Blacksmiths, 145 + + XXII. The Crystal Sea, 147 + + XXIII. A Lovely Country beneath the Waves, 147 + + XXIV. An Island guarded by a Wall of Water, 148 + + XXV. A Water-Arch in the Air, 149 + + XXVI. The Silver Pillar of the Sea, 150 + + XXVII. An Island standing on One Pillar, 151 + + XXVIII. The Island Queen detains them with her Magic 152 + Thread-Clew, + + XXIX. The Isle of Intoxicating Wine-Fruits, 156 + + XXX. The Isle of the Mystic Lake, 157 + + XXXI. The Isle of Laughing, 163 + + XXXII. The Isle of the Blest, 164 + + XXXIII. The Hermit of the Sea-Rock, 164 + + XXXIV. Signs of Home, 174 + + XXXV. Maildun meets his Enemy, and arrives Home, 175 + + + THE FAIRY PALACE OF THE QUICKEN TREES. + + + I. Colga, King of Lochlann, invades Erin, and is slain, 177 + + II. Midac, the Son of Colga, meditates Revenge, 181 + + III. Finn is entrapped by Midac, and held by Enchantment in 189 + the Palace of the Quicken Trees, + + IV. Innsa, Finn's Foster Son, defends the Ford leading to 196 + the Palace of the Quicken Trees, + + V. Ficna, the Son of Finn, defends the Ford, 203 + + VI. Dermat O'Dyna slays the Three Kings of the Island of 213 + the Torrent, breaks the Spell with their Blood, and + frees Finn, + + VII. The Fight at the Ford with the Foreign Army, 219 + + + THE PURSUIT OF THE GILLA DACKER AND HIS HORSE. + + + I. Arrival of the Gilla Dacker and his Horse, 223 + + II. Conan and Fifteen of the Fena are carried off by the 235 + Gilla Dacker's Horse, + + III. Pursuit, 239 + + IV. Dermat O'Dyna, in Quest of the Gilla Dacker, 245 + encounters the Wizard-Champion at the Well, + + V. Dermat O'Dyna in Tir-fa-tonn, 253 + + VI. Finn, in Quest of Dermat, fights many Battles, 259 + + VII. Finn and Dermat meet, 265 + + VIII. Conan and his Companions found and rescued, 267 + + + THE PURSUIT OF DERMAT AND GRANIA. + + + I. Finn, the Son of Cumal, seeks the Princess Grania to 274 + Wife, + + II. Dermat O'Dyna secretly espouses the Princess Grania, 277 + + III. Flight and Pursuit, 285 + + IV. The Fastness of the Seven Narrow Doors, 289 + + V. The Three Sea-Champions and their Three Venomous 296 + Hounds on the Track of Dermat and Grania, + + VI. What Befell the Three Sea-Champions and their Three 305 + Venomous Hounds, + + VII. Sharvan, the Surly Giant, and the Fairy Quicken Tree 313 + of Dooros, + + VIII. The Attack of the Witch-Hag, 330 + + IX. Peace and Rest at Last, 332 + + X. The Death of Dermat, 334 + + + THE CHASE OF SLIEVE CULLINN, 351 + + + THE CHASE OF SLIEVE FUAD, 362 + + + OISIN IN TIRNANOGE; OR, THE LAST OF THE FENA, 385 + + + THE VOYAGE OF THE SONS OF O'CORRA, 400 + + + THE FATE OF THE SONS OF USNA, 427 + + + NOTES, 455 + + + LIST OF PROPER NAMES, 471 + + + + +THE FATE OF THE CHILDREN OF LIR; +OR, +_THE FOUR WHITE SWANS._ + + Silent, O Moyle, be the roar of thy water; + Break not, ye breezes, your chain of repose; + While murmuring mournfully, Lir's lonely daughter + Tells to the night-star her tale of woes. + + MOORE. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +BOVE DERG CHOSEN KING OF THE DEDANNANS. + + +After the battle of Tailltenn,[VII.] the Dedannans[1][VIII.] of the five +provinces of Erin assembled in one place of meeting, to consider on +their state, and to choose a king. For their chiefs said it was better +for them to have one king over all, than to be divided, as they were, +serving sundry lords and princes. + +Now of those who expected the sovereignty for themselves, the following +chiefs were the noblest, namely:--Bove Derg,[IX.] son of the Dagda; his +brother Angus, of Bruga on the Boyne, who, however, had no earnest wish +to become king, preferring to remain as he was; Ilbrec of Assaroe; Lir +of Shee Finnaha; and Midir the Haughty of Bri-Leth.[1] + +Then the chief people went into council, all except the five above +named; and the decision they came to was to elect Bove Derg, son of the +Dagda, king over the whole of the Dedannan race. When the election was +made known, none of those who were disappointed took the matter to heart +except Lir of Shee Finnaha alone. And when Lir found that the chiefs had +chosen Bove Derg, he was greatly offended, and straightway left the +assembly in anger, without taking leave of any one, and without showing +any mark of respect or obedience to the new king. + +When the chiefs heard this, they were wroth; and they said they would +follow him to Shee Finnaha,[X.] and slay him with spear and sword, and +burn his house, because he did not yield obedience to the king they had +elected in lawful council. + +But Bove Derg would not permit them to do so. "This man," he said, "will +defend his territory, and many will be slain; and I am none the less +your king, although he has not submitted to me." + +Matters remained so for a long time. But at last a great misfortune +happened to Lir, for his wife died after an illness of three days. This +weighed heavily on him, and his heart was weary with sorrow after her. +Her death, moreover, was a great event at that time, and was much spoken +of throughout Erin. + +When the tidings reached the mansion of Bove Derg, where the chief men +of the Dedannans were then assembled, the king said-- + +"As Lir's wife is now dead, my friendship would be of service to him, if +he were willing to accept it. For I have in my house three maidens, the +most beautiful and the best instructed in all Erin, namely, Eve, Eva, +and Alva, my own foster children, and daughters of Allil of Ara."[XI.] + +The Dedannans agreed to this, and said that their king had spoken wisely +and truly. + +Messengers were accordingly sent to Lir, and they were told to say to +him-- + +"If thou art willing to submit to the king, he will give thee for a wife +one of his three foster children; and thou shalt have his friendship for +ever." + +It was pleasing to Lir to make this alliance; and accordingly he set out +next day from Shee Finnaha with a company of fifty chariots; and they +never halted or turned aside till they reached the palace of Bove Derg, +on the shore of the Great Lake.[XII.] Their arrival gave much joy and +happiness to the king and his household; for although Lir did not submit +at first to Bove Derg, he was a good man, and was greatly beloved by +the king himself and by all his subjects. So Lir and his followers got a +kindly welcome; and they were supplied with everything necessary, and +were well attended to that night. + +Next day, the three daughters of Allil of Ara sat on the same couch with +the queen their foster mother; and the king said to Lir-- + +"Take thy choice of the three maidens, and whichever thou choosest, she +shall be thy wife." + +"They are all beautiful," said Lir, "and I cannot tell which of them is +best; but I will take the eldest, for she must be the noblest of the +three." + +Then the king said, "Eve is the eldest, and she shall be given to thee +if it be thy wish." + +So Lir chose Eve for his wife, and they were wedded that day. + +Lir remained a fortnight in the king's palace, and then departed with +his wife to his own house, Shee Finnaha, where he celebrated his +marriage by a great royal wedding feast. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[VII.] Now Teltown, on the river Blackwater, between Kells and Navan, in +Meath. (See note 1 at the end, for this battle.) + +[VIII.] The numbers refer to the notes at the end of the book. + +[IX.] At the end of the book will be found an alphabetical list of all +the names of persons and places mentioned through the volume, with their +Gaelic forms, and, in many cases, their meanings. + +[X.] Shee Finnaha, Lir's residence, is thought to have been situated +near the boundary of Armagh and Monaghan, not far from Newtown Hamilton. + +[XI.] Ara, the islands of Aran, in Galway Bay. + +[XII.] The Great Lake, _i.e._ Lough Derg, on the Shannon, above +Killaloe. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE CHILDREN OF LIR. + + +In course of time, Lir's wife bore him two children at a birth, a +daughter and a son, whose names were Finola and Aed. A second time she +brought forth twins, two sons, who were named Ficra and Conn: and she +died in giving them birth. This was a cause of great anguish to Lir; and +he would almost have died of grief, only that his mind was turned from +his sorrow by his great love for his four little children. + +When the news of Eve's death reached the mansion of Bove Derg, the king +was in deep grief, and the people of his household raised three great +cries of lamentation for her. And when their mourning was ended, the +king said-- + +"We grieve for our foster child, both on her own account, and for the +sake of the good man to whom we gave her; for we are thankful for his +alliance and his friendship. But our acquaintance shall not be ended, +and our alliance shall not be broken; for I will give him her sister to +wife, my second foster child, Eva." + +Messengers were sent to Lir to Shee Finnaha, to tell him of this; and he +consented. So after some time he came to the king's house to espouse +her, and they were united; and he brought her home with him to his own +house. + +The four children grew up under Eva's care. She nursed them with great +tenderness, and her love for them increased every day. They slept near +their father; and he would often rise from his own bed at the dawn of +morning, and go to their beds, to talk with them and to fondle them. + +The king, Bove Derg, loved them almost as well as did their father. He +went many times every year to Shee Finnaha to see them; and he used to +bring them often to his palace, where he kept them as long as he could +on each occasion, and he always felt sad when he sent them home. + +At this time, too, the Dedannans used to celebrate the Feast of Age[2] +at the houses of their chiefs by turns; and whenever it happened that +the festival was held at Shee Finnaha, these children were the delight +and joy of the Dedannans. For nowhere could four lovelier children be +found; so that those who saw them were always delighted with their +beauty and their gentleness, and could not help loving them with their +whole heart. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE FOUR CHILDREN OF LIR ARE TURNED INTO FOUR WHITE SWANS BY THEIR +STEPMOTHER. + + +Now when Eva saw that the children of Lir received such attention and +affection from their father, and from all others that came to his house, +she fancied she was neglected on their account; and a poisonous dart of +jealousy entered her heart, which turned her love to hatred; and she +began to have feelings of bitter enmity for her sister's children. + +Her jealousy so preyed on her that she feigned illness, and lay in bed +for nearly a year, filled with gall and brooding mischief; and at the +end of that time she committed a foul and cruel deed of treachery on the +children of Lir. + +One day she ordered her horses to be yoked to her chariot, and she set +out for the palace of Bove Derg, bringing the four children with her. + +Finola did not wish to go, for it was revealed to her darkly in a dream +that Eva was bent on some dreadful deed of fratricide;[XIII.] and she +knew well that her stepmother intended to kill her and her brothers that +day, or in some other way to bring ruin on them. But she was not able to +avoid the fate that awaited her. + +When they had gone some distance from Shee Finnaha on their way to the +palace, Eva tried to persuade her attendants to kill the children. "Kill +them, and you shall be rewarded with all the worldly wealth you may +desire; for their father loves me no longer, and has neglected and +forsaken me on account of his great love for these children." + +But they heard her with horror, and refused, saying, "We will not kill +them. Fearful is the deed thou hast contemplated, O Eva; and evil will +surely befall thee for having even thought of killing them." + +Then she took the sword to slay them herself; but her woman's weakness +prevented her, and she was not able to strike them. + +So they set out once more, and fared on till they came to the shore of +Lake Darvra,[XIV.] where they alighted, and the horses were unyoked. + +She led the children to the edge of the lake, and told them to go to +bathe; and as soon as they had got into the clear water, she struck them +one by one with a druidical[3] fairy wand, and turned them into four +beautiful snow-white swans. And she addressed them in these words-- + + Out to your home, ye swans, on Darvra's wave; + With clamorous birds begin your life of gloom: + Your friends shall weep your fate, but none can save; + For I've pronounced the dreadful words of doom. + +After this, the four children of Lir turned their faces to their +stepmother; and Finola spoke-- + +"Evil is the deed thou hast done, O Eva; thy friendship to us has been a +friendship of treachery; and thou hast ruined us without cause. But the +deed will be avenged; for the power of thy witchcraft is not greater +than the druidical power of our friends to punish thee; and the doom +that awaits thee shall be worse than ours." + + Our stepmother loved us long ago; + Our stepmother now has wrought us woe: + With magical wand and fearful words, + She changed us to beautiful snow-white birds; + And we live on the waters for evermore, + By tempests driven from shore to shore. + +Finola again spoke and said, "Tell us now how long we shall be in the +shape of swans, so that we may know when our miseries shall come to an +end." + +"It would be better for you if you had not put that question," said Eva; +"but I shall declare the truth to you, as you have asked me. Three +hundred years on smooth Lake Darvra; three hundred years on the Sea of +Moyle, between Erin and Alban;[XV.] three hundred years at Irros Domnann +and Inis Glora[XVI.] on the Western Sea. Until the union of Largnen, the +prince from the north, with Decca, the princess from the south; until +the Taillkenn[XVII.] shall come to Erin, bringing the light of a pure +faith; and until ye hear the voice of the Christian bell. And neither by +your own power, nor by mine, nor by the power of your friends, can ye be +freed till the time comes." + +Then Eva repented what she had done; and she said, "Since I cannot +afford you any other relief, I will allow you to keep your own Gaelic +speech; and ye shall be able to sing sweet, plaintive, fairy music, +which shall excel all the music of the world, and which shall lull to +sleep all that listen to it. Moreover, ye shall retain your human +reason; and ye shall not be in grief on account of being in the shape of +swans." + +And she chanted this lay-- + + Depart from me, ye graceful swans; + The waters are now your home: + Your palace shall be the pearly cave, + Your couch the crest of the crystal wave, + And your mantle the milk-white foam! + + Depart from me, ye snow-white swans + With your music and Gaelic speech: + The crystal Darvra, the wintry Moyle, + The billowy margin of Glora's isle;-- + Three hundred years on each! + + Victorious Lir, your hapless sire, + His lov'd ones in vain shall call; + His weary heart is a husk of gore, + His home is joyless for evermore, + And his anger on me shall fall! + + Through circling ages of gloom and fear + Your anguish no tongue can tell; + Till Faith shall shed her heavenly rays, + Till ye hear the Taillkenn's anthem of praise, + And the voice of the Christian bell! + +Then ordering her steeds to be yoked to her chariot she departed +westwards, leaving the four white swans swimming on the lake. + + Our father shall watch and weep in vain; + He never shall see us return again. + Four pretty children, happy at home; + Four white swans on the feathery foam; + And we live on the waters for evermore, + By tempests driven from shore to shore. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[XIII.] The word "fratricide" is the nearest English equivalent to the +original word, _fionghal_, which means the murder of a relative. + +[XIV.] Lake Darvra, now Lough Derravaragh, in Westmeath. + +[XV.] The sea between Erin and Alban (Ireland and Scotland) was +anciently called the Sea of Moyle, from the Moyle, or Mull, of Cantire. + +[XVI.] Irros Domnann; Erris, in the county Mayo. Inis Glora; a small +island about five miles west from Belmullet, in the same county, still +known by the same name. + +[XVII.] Taillkenn, a name given by the druids to St. Patrick. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE FOUR WHITE SWANS ON LAKE DARVRA. + + +When Eva arrived at the house of Bove Derg, the chiefs bade her welcome; +and the king asked her why she had not brought the Children of Lir to +him. + +"Because," she replied, "Lir no longer loves thee; and he does not wish +to intrust his children to thee, lest thou shouldst harm them." + +The king was greatly astonished and troubled at this, and he said, "How +can that be? For I love those children better than I love my own." + +But he thought in his own mind that Eva had played some treachery on +them. And he sent messengers with all speed northwards to Shee Finnaha, +to inquire for the children, and to ask that they might be sent to him. + +When the messengers had told their errand, Lir was startled; and he +asked, "Have the children not reached the palace with Eva?" + +They answered, "Eva arrived alone, and she told the king that you +refused to let the children come." + +A sad and sorrowful heart had Lir when he heard this; and he now felt +sure that Eva had destroyed his four lovely children. So, early next +morning, his chariot was yoked for him, and he set out with his +attendants for the king's palace; and they travelled with all speed till +they arrived at the shore of Lake Darvra. + +The children of Lir saw the cavalcade approaching; and Finola spoke +these words-- + + I see a mystic warrior band + From yonder brow approach the strand; + I see them winding down the vale, + Their bending chariots slow advancing; + I see their shields and gilded mail, + Their spears and helmets brightly glancing. + + Ah! well I know that proud array; + I know too well their thoughts to-day: + The Dannan host and royal Lir; + Four rosy children they are seeking: + Too soon, alas! they find us here, + Four snowy swans like children speaking! + + Come, brothers dear, approach the coast, + To welcome Lir's mysterious host. + Oh, woful welcome! woful day, + That never brings a bright to-morrow! + Unhappy father, doomed for aye + To mourn our fate in hopeless sorrow! + +When Lir came to the shore, he heard the birds speaking, and, wondering +greatly, he asked them how it came to pass that they had human voices. + +"Know, O Lir," said Finola, "that we are thy four children, who have +been changed into swans and ruined by the witchcraft of our stepmother, +our own mother's sister, Eva, through her baleful jealousy." + +When Lir and his people heard this, they uttered three long mournful +cries of grief and lamentation. + +After a time, their father asked them, "Is it possible to restore you to +your own shapes?" + +"It is not possible," replied Finola; "no man has the power to release +us until Largnen from the north and Decca from the south are united. +Three hundred years we shall be on Lake Darvra; three hundred years on +the sea-stream of Moyle; three hundred years on the Sea of Glora in the +west. And we shall not regain our human shape till the Taillkenn come +with his pure faith into Erin, and until we hear the voice of the +Christian bell." + +And again the people raised three great cries of sorrow. + +"As you have your speech and your reason," said Lir, "come now to land, +and ye shall live at home, conversing with me and my people." + +"We are not permitted to leave the waters of the lake, and we cannot +live with our people any more. But the wicked Eva has allowed us to +retain our human reason, and our own Gaelic speech; and we have also the +power to chant plaintive, fairy music, so sweet that those who listen to +us would never desire any other happiness. Remain with us to-night, and +we will chant our music for you." + +Lir and his people remained on the shore of the lake; and the swans sang +their slow, fairy music, which was so sweet and sad, that the people, as +they listened, fell into a calm, gentle sleep. + +At the glimmer of dawn next morning, Lir arose, and he bade farewell to +his children for a while, to seek out Eva. + + The time has come for me to part:-- + No more, alas! my children dear, + Your rosy smiles shall glad my heart, + Or light the gloomy home of Lir. + + Dark was the day when first I brought + This Eva in my home to dwell! + Hard was the woman's heart that wrought + This cruel and malignant spell! + + I lay me down to rest in vain; + For, through the livelong, sleepless night, + My little lov'd ones, pictured plain, + Stand ever there before my sight. + + Finola, once my pride and joy; + Dark Aed, adventurous and bold; + Bright Ficra, gentle, playful boy; + And little Conn, with curls of gold;-- + + Struck down on Darvra's reedy shore, + By wicked Eva's magic power: + Oh, children, children, never more + My heart shall know one peaceful hour! + +Lir then departed, and travelled south-west till he arrived at the +king's palace, where he was welcomed; and Bove Derg began to reproach +him, in presence of Eva, for not bringing the children. + +"Alas!" said Lir; "it was not by me that the children were prevented +from coming. But Eva, your own foster child, the sister of their mother, +has played treachery on them; and has changed them by her sorcery into +four white swans on Lake Darvra." + +The king was confounded and grieved at this news; and when he looked at +Eva, he knew by her countenance that what Lir had told him was true; and +he began to upbraid her in a fierce and angry voice. + +"The wicked deed thou hast committed," said he, "will be worse for thee +than for the children of Lir; for their suffering shall come to an end, +and they shall be happy at last." + +Again he spoke to her more fiercely than before; and he asked her what +shape of all others, on the earth, or above the earth, or beneath the +earth, she most abhorred, and into which she most dreaded to be +transformed. + +And she, being forced to answer truly, said, "A demon of the +air."[XVIII.] + +"That is the form you shall take," said Bove Derg; and as he spoke he +struck her with a druidical magic wand, and turned her into a demon of +the air. She opened her wings, and flew with a scream upwards and away +through the clouds; and she is still a demon of the air, and she shall +be a demon of the air till the end of time. + +Then Bove Derg and the Dedannans assembled on the shore of the lake, and +encamped there; for they wished to remain with the birds, and to listen +to their music. The Milesian people[XIX.] came and formed an encampment +there in like manner; for historians say that no music that was ever +heard in Erin could be compared with the singing of these swans. + +And so the swans passed their time. During the day they conversed with +the men of Erin, both Dedannans and Milesians, and discoursed lovingly +with their friends and fellow nurselings; and at night they chanted +their slow, sweet, fairy music, the most delightful that was ever heard +by men; so that all who listened to it, even those who were in grief, or +sickness, or pain, forgot their sorrows and their sufferings, and fell +into a gentle, sweet sleep, from which they awoke bright and happy. + +So they continued, the Dedannans and the Milesians, in their +encampments, and the swans on the lake, for three hundred years.[XX.] +And at the end of that time, Finola said to her brothers-- + +"Do you know, my dear brothers, that we have come to the end of our time +here; and that we have only this one night to spend on Lake Darvra?" + +When the three sons of Lir heard this, they were in great distress and +sorrow; for they were almost as happy on Lake Darvra, surrounded by +their friends, and conversing with them day by day, as if they had been +in their father's house in their own natural shapes; whereas they should +now live on the gloomy and tempestuous Sea of Moyle, far away from all +human society. + +Early next morning, they came to the margin of the lake, to speak to +their Father and their friends for the last time, and to bid them +farewell; and Finola chanted this lay-- + + I. + + Farewell, farewell, our father dear! + The last sad hour has come: + Farewell, Bove Derg! farewell to all, + Till the dreadful day of doom![XXI.] + We go from friends and scenes beloved, + To a home of grief and pain; + And that day of woe + Shall come and go, + Before we meet again! + + II. + + We live for ages on stormy Moyle, + In loneliness and fear; + The kindly words of loving friends + We never more shall hear. + Four joyous children long ago; + Four snow-white swans to-day; + And on Moyle's wild sea + Our robe shall be + The cold and briny spray. + + III. + + Far down on the misty stream of time, + When three hundred years are o'er, + Three hundred more in storm and cold, + By Glora's desolate shore; + Till Decca fair is Largnen's spouse; + Till north and south unite; + Till the hymns are sung, + And the bells are rung, + At the dawn of the pure faith's light. + + IV. + + Arise, my brothers, from Darvra's wave, + On the wings of the southern wind; + We leave our father and friends to-day + In measureless grief behind. + Ah! sad the parting, and sad our flight + To Moyle's tempestuous main; + For the day of woe + Shall come and go, + Before we meet again! + +The four swans then spread their wings, and rose from the surface of the +water in sight of all their friends, till they reached a great height in +the air, then resting, and looking downwards for a moment, they flew +straight to the north, till they alighted on the Sea of Moyle between +Erin and Alban. + +The men of Erin were grieved at their departure, and they made a law, +and proclaimed it throughout the land, that no one should kill a swan in +Erin from that time forth. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[XVIII.] demon of the air was held in great abhorrence by the ancient +Irish. + +[XIX.] The Milesian people; the colony who conquered and succeeded the +Dedannans. (See note 1 at end.) + +[XX.] The Dedannans were regarded as gods, and were immortal or +semi-immortal. (See note 1 at the end.) + +[XXI.] It must be remembered that the children of Lir had some obscure +foreknowledge of the coming of Christianity. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE FOUR WHITE SWANS ON THE SEA OF MOYLE. + + +As to the children of Lir, miserable was their abode and evil their +plight on the Sea of Moyle. Their hearts were wrung with sorrow for +their father and their friends; and when they looked towards the steep, +rocky, far-stretching coasts, and saw the great, dark wild sea around +them, they were overwhelmed with fear and despair. They began also to +suffer from cold and hunger, so that all the hardships they had endured +on Lake Darvra appeared as nothing compared with their suffering on the +sea-current of Moyle. + +And so they lived, till one night a great tempest fell upon the sea. +Finola, when she saw the sky filled with black, threatening clouds, thus +addressed her brothers-- + +"Beloved brothers, we have made a bad preparation for this night; for it +is certain that the coming storm will separate us; and now let us +appoint a place of meeting, or it may happen that we shall never see +each other again." + +And they answered, "Dear sister, you speak truly and wisely; and let us +fix on Carricknarone, for that is a rock that we are all very well +acquainted with." + +And they appointed Carricknarone as their place of meeting. + +Midnight came, and with it came the beginning of the storm. A wild, +rough wind swept over the dark sea, the lightnings flashed, and the +great waves rose, and increased their violence and their thunder. + +The swans were soon scattered over the waters, so that not one of them +knew in what direction the others had been driven. During all that night +they were tossed about by the roaring winds and waves, and it was with +much difficulty they preserved their lives. + +Towards morning the storm abated, and the sea became again calm and +smooth; and Finola swam to Carricknarone. But she found none of her +brothers there, neither could she see any trace of them when she looked +all round from the summit of the rock over the wide face of the sea. + +Then she became terrified, for she thought she should never see them +again; and she began to lament them plaintively in these words-- + + The heart-breaking anguish and woe of this life + I am able no longer to bear: + My wings are benumbed with this pitiless frost; + My three little brothers are scattered and lost; + And I am left here to despair. + + My three little brothers I never shall see + Till the dead shall arise from the tomb: + How I sheltered them oft with my wings and my breast, + And I soothed their sorrows and lulled them to rest, + As the night fell around us in gloom! + + Ah, where are my brothers, and why have I lived, + This last worst affliction to know? + What now is there left but a life of despair?-- + For alas! I am able no longer to bear + This heart-breaking anguish and woe.[XXII.] + +Soon after this she looked again over the sea, and she saw Conn coming +towards the rock, with his head drooping, and his feathers all drenched +with the salt spray; and she welcomed him with joyful heart. + +Not long after, Ficra appeared, but he was so faint with wet and cold +and hardship, that he was scarce able to reach the place where Finola +and Conn were standing; and when they spoke to him he could not speak +one word in return. So Finola placed the two under her wings, and she +said-- + +"If Aed were here now, all would be happy with us." + +In a little time they saw Aed coming towards them, with head erect and +feathers all dry and radiant and Finola gave him a joyful welcome. She +then placed him under the feathers of her breast, while Conn and Ficra +remained under her wings; and she said to them-- + +"My dear brothers, though ye may think this night very bad, we shall +have many like it from this time forth." + +So they continued for a long time on the Sea of Moyle, suffering +hardships of every kind, till one winter night came upon them, of great +wind and of snow and frost so severe, that nothing they ever before +suffered could be compared to the misery of that night. And Finola +uttered these words-- + + Our life is a life of woe; + No shelter or rest we find: + How bitterly drives the snow; + How cold is this wintry wind! + + From the icy spray of the sea, + From the wind of the bleak north east, + I shelter my brothers three, + Under my wings and breast. + + Our stepmother sent us here, + And misery well we know:-- + In cold and hunger and fear; + Our life is a life of woe! + +Another year passed away on the Sea of Moyle; and one night in January, +a dreadful frost came down on the earth and sea, so that the waters were +frozen into a solid floor of ice all round them. The swans remained on +Carricknarone all night, and their feet and their wings were frozen to +the icy surface, so that they had to strive hard to move from their +places in the morning; and they left the skin of their feet, the quills +of their wings, and the feathers of their breasts clinging to the rock. + +"Sad is our condition this night, my beloved brothers," said Finola, +"for we are forbidden to leave the Sea of Moyle; and yet we cannot bear +the salt water, for when it enters our wounds, I fear we shall die of +pain." + +And she spoke this lay-- + + Our fate is mournful here to-day; + Our bodies bare and chill, + Drenched by the bitter, briny spray, + And torn on this rocky hill! + + Cruel our stepmother's jealous heart + That banished us from home; + Transformed to swans by magic art, + To swim the ocean foam. + + This bleak and snowy winter day, + Our bath is the ocean wide; + In thirsty summer's burning ray, + Our drink the briny tide. + + And here 'mid rugged rocks we dwell, + In this tempestuous bay; + Four children bound by magic spell;-- + Our fate is sad to-day! + +They were, however, forced to swim out on the stream of Moyle, all +wounded and torn as they were; for though the brine was sharp and +bitter, they were not able to avoid it. They stayed as near the coast as +they could, till after a long time the feathers of their breasts and +wings grew again, and their wounds were healed. + +After this they lived on for a great number of years, sometimes visiting +the shores of Erin, and sometimes the headlands of Alban. But they +always returned to the sea-stream of Moyle, for it was destined to be +their home till the end of three hundred years. + +One day they came to the mouth of the Bann, on the north coast of Erin, +and looking inland, they saw a stately troop of horsemen approaching +directly from the south-west. They were mounted on white steeds, and +clad in bright-coloured garments, and as they wound towards the shore +their arms glittered in the sun. + +"Do ye know yonder cavalcade?" said Finola to her brothers. + +"We know them not," they replied; "but it is likely they are a party of +the Milesians, or perchance a troop of our own people, the Dedannans." + +They swam towards the shore, to find out who the strangers were; and the +cavalcade on their part, when they saw the swans, knew them at once, and +moved towards them till they were within speaking distance. + +Now these were a party of the Dedannans; and the chiefs who commanded +them were the two sons of Bove Derg, the Dedannan king, namely, Aed the +Keen-witted, and Fergus the Chess-player, with a third part of the Fairy +Host.[XXIII.] They had been for a long time searching for the children +of Lir along the northern shores of Erin, and now that they had found +them, they were joyful; and they and the swans greeted each other with +tender expressions of friendship and love. The children of Lir inquired +after the Dedannans, and particularly after their father Lir, and Bove +Derg, and all the rest of their friends and acquaintances. + +"They are all well," replied the chiefs; "and they and the Dedannans in +general are now gathered together in the house of your father, at Shee +Finnaha, celebrating the Feast of Age,[2] pleasantly and agreeably. +Their happiness would indeed be complete, only that you are not with +them, and that they know not where you have been since you left Lake +Darvra." + +"Miserable has been our life since that day," said Finola; "and no +tongue can tell the suffering and sorrow we have endured on the Sea of +Moyle." + +And she chanted these words-- + + Ah, happy is Lir's bright home to-day, + With mead and music and poet's lay: + But gloomy and cold his children's home, + For ever tossed on the briny foam. + + Our wreathed feathers are thin and light + When the wind blows keen through the wintry night: + Yet oft we were robed, long, long ago, + In purple mantles and furs of snow. + + On Moyle's bleak current our food and wine + Are sandy sea-weed and bitter brine: + Yet oft we feasted in days of old, + And hazel-mead drank from cups of gold. + + Our beds are rocks in the dripping caves; + Our lullaby song the roar of the waves: + But soft rich couches once we pressed, + And harpers lulled us each night to rest. + + Lonely we swim on the billowy main, + Through frost and snow, through storm and rain: + Alas for the days when round us moved + The chiefs and princes and friends we loved! + + My little twin brothers beneath my wings + Lie close when the north wind bitterly stings, + And Aed close nestles before my breast; + Thus side by side through the night we rest. + + Our father's fond kisses, Bove Derg's embrace, + The light of Mannanan's[1] godlike face, + The love of Angus[1]--all, all are o'er; + And we live on the billows for evermore! + +After this they bade each other farewell, for it was not permitted to +the children of Lir to remain away from the stream of Moyle. As soon as +they had parted, the Fairy Cavalcade returned to Shee Finnaha, where +they related to the Dedannan chiefs all that had passed, and described +the condition of the children of Lir. And the chiefs answered-- + +"It is not in our power to help them; but we are glad that they are +living; and we know that in the end the enchantment will be broken, and +that they will be freed from their sufferings." + +As to the children of Lir, they returned to their home on the Sea of +Moyle, and there they remained till they had fulfilled their term of +years. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[XXII.] Many of these old poems begin and end with the same line or +couplet. + +[XXIII.] Fairy host; _i.e._ the Dedannans. (See note 1 at the end of the +book.) + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE FOUR WHITE SWANS ON THE WESTERN SEA. + + +And when their three hundred years were ended, Finola said to her +brothers-- + +"It is time for us to leave this place, for our period here has come to +an end." + + The hour has come; the hour has come; + Three hundred years have passed: + We leave this bleak and gloomy home, + And we fly to the west at last! + + We leave for ever the stream of Moyle; + On the clear, cold wind we go; + Three hundred years round Glora's isle, + Where wintry tempests blow! + + No sheltered home, no place of rest, + From the tempest's angry blast: + Fly, brothers, fly, to the distant west, + For the hour has come at last! + +So the swans left the Sea of Moyle, and flew westward, till they reached +Irros Domnann and the sea round the isle of Glora. There they remained +for a long time, suffering much from storm and cold, and in nothing +better off than they were on the Sea of Moyle. + +It chanced that a young man named Ebric, of good family, the owner of a +tract of land lying along the shore, observed the birds and heard their +singing. He took great delight in listening to their plaintive music, +and he walked down to the shore almost every day, to see them and to +converse with them; so that he came to love them very much, and they +also loved him. This young man told his neighbours about the speaking +swans, so that the matter became noised abroad; and it was he who +arranged the story, after hearing it from themselves, and related it as +it is related here. + +Again their hardships were renewed, and to describe what they suffered +on the great open Western Sea would be only to tell over again the story +of their life on the Moyle. But one particular night came, of frost so +hard that the whole face of the sea, from Irros Domnann to Achill, was +frozen into a thick floor of ice; and the snow was driven by a +north-west wind. On that night it seemed to the three brothers that they +could not bear their sufferings any longer, and they began to utter loud +and pitiful complaints. Finola tried to console them, but she was not +able to do so, for they only lamented the more; and then she herself +began to lament with the others. + +After a time, Finola spoke to them and said, "My dear brothers, believe +in the great and splendid God of truth, who made the earth with its +fruits, and the sea with its wonders; put your trust in Him, and He will +send you help and comfort." + +"We believe in Him," said they. + +"And I also," said Finola, "believe in God, who is perfect in +everything, and who knows all things." + +And at the destined hour they all believed, and the Lord of heaven sent +them help and protection; so that neither cold nor tempest molested them +from that time forth, as long as they abode on the Western Sea. + +So they continued at the point of Irros Domnann, till they had fulfilled +their appointed time there. And Finola addressed the sons of Lir-- + +"My dear brothers, the end of our time here has come; we shall now go to +visit our father and our people." + +And her brothers were glad when they heard this. + +Then they rose lightly from the face of the sea, and flew eastward with +joyful hopes, till they reached Shee Finnaha. But when they alighted +they found the place deserted and solitary, its halls all ruined and +overgrown with rank grass and forests of nettles; no houses, no fire, no +mark of human habitation. + +Then the four swans drew close together, and they uttered three loud +mournful cries of sorrow. + +And Finola chanted this lay-- + + What meaneth this sad, this fearful change, + That withers my heart with woe? + The house of my father all joyless and lone, + Its halls and its gardens with weeds overgrown,-- + A dreadful and strange overthrow! + + No conquering heroes, no hounds for the chase, + No shields in array on its walls, + No bright silver goblets, no gay cavalcades, + No youthful assemblies or high-born maids, + To brighten its desolate halls! + + An omen of sadness--the home of our youth + All ruined, deserted, and bare. + Alas for the chieftain, the gentle and brave; + His glories and sorrows are stilled in the grave, + And we left to live in despair! + + From ocean to ocean, from age unto age, + We have lived to the fulness of time; + Through a life such as men never heard of we've passed, + In suffering and sorrow our doom has been cast, + By our stepmother's pitiless crime! + +The children of Lir remained that night in the ruins of the palace--the +home of their forefathers, where they themselves had been nursed; and +several times during the night they chanted their sad, sweet, fairy +music. + +Early next morning they left Shee Finnaha, and flew west to Inis Glora, +where they alighted on a small lake. There they began to sing so sweetly +that all the birds of the district gathered in flocks round them on the +lake, and on its shore, to listen to them; so that the little lake came +to be called the Lake of the Bird-flocks. + +During the day the birds used to fly to distant points of the coast to +feed, now to Iniskea of the lonely crane,[XXIV.] now to Achill, and +sometimes southwards to Donn's Sea Rocks,[XXV.] and to many other +islands and headlands along the shore of the Western Sea, but they +returned to Inis Glora every night. + +They lived in this manner till holy Patrick came to Erin with the pure +faith; and until Saint Kemoc came to Inis Glora. + +The first night Kemoc came to the island, the children of Lir heard his +bell at early matin time, ringing faintly in the distance. And they +trembled greatly, and started, and ran wildly about; for the sound of +the bell was strange and dreadful to them, and its tones filled them +with great fear. The three brothers were more affrighted than Finola, so +that she was left quite alone; but after a time they came to her, and +she asked them-- + +"Do you know, my brothers, what sound is this?" + +And they answered, "We have heard a faint, fearful voice, but we know +not what it is." + +"This is the voice of the Christian bell," said Finola; "and now the end +of our suffering is near; for this bell is the signal that we shall soon +be freed from our spell, and released from our life of suffering; for +God has willed it." + +And she chanted this lay-- + + Listen, ye swans, to the voice of the bell, + The sweet bell we've dreamed of for many a year; + Its tones floating by on the night breezes, tell + That the end of our long life of sorrow is near! + + Listen, ye swans, to the heavenly strain; + 'Tis the anchoret tolling his soft matin bell: + He has come to release us from sorrow, from pain, + From the cold and tempestuous shores where we dwell! + + Trust in the glorious Lord of the sky; + He will free us from Eva's druidical spell: + Be thankful and glad, for our freedom is nigh, + And listen with joy to the voice of the bell! + +Then her brothers became calm; and the four swans remained listening to +the music of the bell, till the cleric had finished his matins. + +"Let us sing our music now," said Finola. + +And they chanted a low, sweet, plaintive strain of fairy music, to +praise and thank the great high King of heaven and earth. + +Kemoc heard the music from where he stood; and he listened with great +astonishment. But after a time it was revealed to him that it was the +children of Lir who sang that music; and he was glad, for it was to seek +them he had come. + +When morning dawned he came to the shore of the lake, and he saw the +four white swans swimming on the water. He spoke to them, and asked them +were they the children of Lir. + +They replied, "We are indeed the children of Lir, who were changed long +ago into swans by our wicked stepmother." + +"I give God thanks that I have found you," said Kemoc; "for it is on +your account I have come to this little island in preference to all the +other islands of Erin. Come ye now to land, and trust in me; for it is +in this place that you are destined to be freed from your enchantment." + +So they, filled with joy on hearing the words of the cleric, came to the +shore, and placed themselves under his care. He brought them to his own +house, and, sending for a skilful workman, he caused him to make two +bright, slender chains of silver; and he put a chain between Finola and +Aed, and the other chain he put between Ficra and Conn. + +So they lived with him, listening to his instructions day by day, and +joining in his devotions. They were the delight and joy of the cleric, +and he loved them with his whole heart; and the swans were so happy that +the memory of all the misery they had suffered during their long life on +the waters caused them neither distress nor sorrow now. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[XXIV.] Iniskea; a little rocky island near the coast of Erris, in Mayo. +"The lonely crane of Iniskea" was one of the "Wonders of Ireland." +According to an ancient legend, which still lives among the peasantry of +Mayo, a crane--one lonely bird--has lived on the island since the +beginning of the world, and will live there till the day of judgment. + +[XXV.] Donn's Sea Rocks--called in the text _Teach-Dhuinn_, or Donn's +House, which is also the present Irish name; a group of three rocks off +Kenmare Bay, where Donn, one of the Milesian brothers, was drowned. +These remarkable rocks are now called in English the "Bull, Cow, and +Calf." + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE CHILDREN OF LIR REGAIN THEIR HUMAN SHAPE AND DIE. + + +The king who ruled over Connaught at this time was Largnen, the son of +Colman; and his queen was Decca, the daughter of Finnin,[XXVI.] king of +Munster,--the same king and queen whom Eva had spoken of in her prophecy +long ages before. + +Now word was brought to queen Decca regarding these wonderful speaking +swans, and their whole history was related to her; so that even before +she saw them, she could not help loving them, and she was seized with a +strong desire to have them herself. So she went to the king, and +besought him that he would go to Kemoc and get her the swans. But +Largnen said that he did not wish to ask them from Kemoc. Whereupon +Decca grew indignant; and she declared that she would not sleep another +night in the palace till he had obtained the swans for her. So she left +the palace that very hour, and fled southwards towards her father's +home. + +Largnen, when he found she had gone, sent in haste after her, with word +that he would try to procure the swans; but the messengers did not +overtake her till she had reached Killaloe. However, she returned with +them to the palace; and as soon as she had arrived, the king sent to +Kemoc to request that he would send the birds to the queen; but Kemoc +refused to give them. + +Largnen became very angry at this; and he set out at once for the +cleric's house. As soon as he had come, he asked the cleric whether it +was true that he had refused to give the swans to the queen. And when +Kemoc answered that it was quite true, the king, being very wroth, went +up to where the swans stood, and seizing the two silver chains, one in +each hand, he drew the birds from the altar, and turned towards the door +of the church, intending to bring them by force to the queen; while +Kemoc followed him, much alarmed lest they should be injured. + +The king had proceeded only a little way, when suddenly the white +feathery robes faded and disappeared; and the swans regained their human +shape, Finola being transformed into an extremely old woman, and the +three sons into three feeble old men, white-haired and bony and +wrinkled. + +When the king saw this, he started with affright, and instantly left the +place without speaking one word; while Kemoc reproached and denounced +him very bitterly. + +As to the children of Lir, they turned towards Kemoc; and Finola spoke-- + +"Come, holy cleric, and baptise us without delay, for our death is near. +You will grieve after us, O Kemoc; but in truth you are not more +sorrowful at parting from us than we are at parting from you. Make our +grave here and bury us together; and as I often sheltered my brothers +when we were swans, so let us be placed in the grave--Conn standing near +me at my right side, Ficra at my left, and Aed before my face."[XXVII.] + + Come, holy priest, with book and prayer; + Baptise and shrive us here: + Haste, cleric, haste, for the hour has come, + And death at last is near! + + Dig our grave--a deep, deep grave, + Near the church we loved so well; + This little church, where first we heard + The voice of the Christian bell. + + As oft in life my brothers dear + Were sooth'd by me to rest-- + Ficra and Conn beneath my wings, + And Aed before my breast; + + So place the two on either hand-- + Close, like the love that bound me; + Place Aed as close before my face, + And twine their arms around me. + + Thus shall we rest for evermore, + My brothers dear and I: + Haste, cleric, haste, baptise and shrive, + For death at last is nigh! + +Then the children of Lir were baptised, and they died immediately. And +when they died, Kemoc looked up; and lo, he saw a vision of four lovely +children, with light, silvery wings, and faces all radiant with joy. +They gazed on him for a moment; but even as they gazed, they vanished +upwards, and he saw them no more. And he was filled with gladness, for +he knew they had gone to heaven; but when he looked down on the four +bodies lying before him, he became sad and wept. + +And Kemoc caused a wide grave to be dug near the little church; and the +children of Lir were buried together, as Finola had directed--Conn at +her right hand, Ficra at her left, and Aed standing before her face. And +he raised a grave-mound over them, placing a tombstone on it, with +their names graved in Ogam;[XXVIII.] after which he uttered a lament for +them, and their funeral rites were performed. + + +So far we have related the sorrowful story of the Fate of the Children +of Lir. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[XXVI.] These are well-known historical personages, who flourished in +the seventh century. + +[XXVII.] Among the ancient Celtic nations, the dead were often buried +standing up in the grave. It was in this way Finola and her brothers +were buried. + +[XXVIII.] Ogam, a sort of writing, often used on sepulchral stones to +mark the names of the persons buried. + + + + +THE FATE OF THE CHILDREN OF TURENN; + +OR, + +_THE QUEST FOR THE ERIC-FINE._ + + For the blood that we spilled, + For the hero we killed, + Toil and woe, toil and woe, till the doom is fulfilled! + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE LOCHLANNS INVADE ERIN. + + +When the Dedannans[1] held sway in Erin, a prosperous free-born king +ruled over them, whose name was Nuada of the Silver Hand.[4] + +In the time of this king, the Fomorians,[5] from Lochlann,[6] in the +north, oppressed the Dedannans, and forced them to pay heavy tributes; +namely, a tax on kneading-troughs, a tax on querns, and a tax on baking +flags; and besides all this, an ounce of gold for each man of the +Dedannans. These tributes had to be paid every year at the Hill of +Usna;[XXIX.] and if any one refused or neglected to pay his part, his +nose was cut off by the Fomorian tyrants. + +At this time a great fair-meeting was held by the king of Ireland, Nuada +of the Silver Hand, on the Hill of Usna. Not long had the people been +assembled, when they saw a stately band of warriors, all mounted on +white steeds, coming towards them from the east; and at their head, high +in command over all, rode a young champion, tall and comely, with a +countenance as bright and glorious as the setting sun. + +This young warrior was Luga of the Long Arms.[7] He was accompanied by +his foster brothers, namely, the sons of Mannanan Mac Lir; and the troop +he led was the Fairy Host from the Land of Promise.[8] + +Now in this manner was he arrayed. He rode the steed of Mannanan Mac +Lir,[8] namely, Enbarr of the Flowing Mane: no warrior was ever killed +on the back of this steed, for she was as swift as the clear, cold wind +of spring, and she travelled with equal ease on land and on sea. He wore +Mannanan's coat of mail: no one could be wounded through it, or above +it, or below it. He had on his breast Mannanan's breast-plate, which no +weapon could pierce. His helmet had two glittering precious stones set +in front, and one behind; and whenever he took it off, his face shone +like the sun on a dry day in summer. Mannanan's sword, The Answerer, +hung at his left side: no one ever recovered from its wound; and those +who were opposed to it in the battle-field were so terrified by looking +at it, that their strength left them till they became weaker than a +woman in deadly sickness. + +This troop came forward to where the king of Erin sat surrounded by the +Dedannans, and both parties exchanged friendly greetings. + +A short time after this they saw another company approaching, quite +unlike the first, for they were grim and fierce and surly looking; +namely, the tax-gatherers of the Fomorians, to the number of nine nines, +who were coming to demand their yearly tribute from the men of Erin. +When they reached the place where the king sat, the entire assembly--the +king himself among the rest--rose up before them. For the whole Dedannan +race stood in great dread of these Fomorian tax-collectors; so much so +that no man dared even to chastise his own son without first seeking +their consent. + +Then Luga of the Long Arms spoke to the king and said, "Why have ye +stood up before this hateful-looking company, when ye did not stand up +for us?" + +"We durst not do otherwise," replied the king; "for if even an infant of +a month old remained seated before them, they would deem it cause enough +for killing us all." + +When Luga heard this he brooded in silence for a little while, and then +he said, "Of a truth, I feel a great desire to kill all these men!" + +Then he mused again, and after a time, said, "I am strongly urged to +kill these men!" + +"That deed would doubtless bring great evil on us," said the king, "for +then the Fomorians would be sure to send an army to destroy us all." + +But Luga, after another pause, started up, exclaiming, "Long have ye +been oppressed in this manner!" and so saying, he attacked the +Fomorians, dealing red slaughter among them. Neither did he hold his +hand till he had slain them all except nine. These he spared, because +they ran with all speed and sat nigh the king, that he might protect +them from Luga's wrath. + +Then Luga put his sword back into its scabbard, and said, "I would slay +you also, only that I wish you to go and tell your king, and the +foreigners in general, what you have seen." + +These nine men accordingly returned to their own country, and they told +their tale to the Fomorian people from beginning to end--how the +strange, noble-faced youth had slain all the tax-collectors except nine, +whom he spared that they might bring home the story. + +When they had ended speaking, the king, Balor[9] of the Mighty Blows and +of the Evil Eye, asked the chiefs, "Do ye know who this youth is?" + +And when they answered, "No," Kethlenda,[9] Balor's queen, said-- + +"I know well who the youth is: he is the Ildana,[XXX.] Luga of the Long +Arms, the son of your daughter and mine; and it has been long foretold +that when he should appear in Erin, our sway over the Dedannans should +come to an end." + +Then the chief people of the Fomorians held council; namely, Balor of +the Mighty Blows, and his twelve sons, and his queen Kethlenda of the +Crooked Teeth; Ebb and Sencab, the grandsons of Neid; Sotal of the Large +Heels; Luath the Long-bodied; Luath the Story-teller; Tinna the Mighty, +of Triscadal; Loskenn of the Bare Knees; Lobas, the druid; besides the +nine prophetic poets and philosophers of the Fomorians. + +After they had debated the matter for some time, Bres, the son of Balor, +arose and said, "I will go to Erin with seven great battalions of the +Fomorian army, and I will give battle to the Ildana, and I will bring +his head to you to our palace of Berva."[6] + +The Fomorian chiefs thought well of this proposal, and it was agreed to. + +So the ships were got ready for Bres; abundant food and drink and war +stores were put into them, their seams were calked with pitch, and they +were filled with sweet-smelling frankincense. Meantime the two Luaths, +that is to say, Luath the Story-teller and Luath of the Long Body, were +sent all over Lochlann to summon the army. And when all the fighting men +were gathered together, they arrayed themselves in their battle-dresses, +prepared their arms, and set out for Erin. + +Balor went with them to the harbour where they were to embark, and when +they were about to go on board, he said to them-- + +"Give battle to the Ildana, and cut off his head. And after ye have +overcome him and his people, put your cables round this island of Erin, +which gives us so much trouble, and tie it at the sterns of your ships: +then sail home, bringing the island with you, and place it on the north +side of Lochlann, whither none of the Dedannans will ever follow it." + +Then, having hoisted their many-coloured sails and loosed their +moorings, they sailed forth from the harbour into the great sea, and +never slackened speed or turned aside from their course till they +reached the harbour of Eas-Dara.[XXXI.] And as soon as they landed, they +sent forth an army through West Connaught, which wasted and spoiled the +whole province. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[XXIX.] The Hill of Usna, in the parish of Conry, in Westmeath, one of +the royal residences of Ireland. + +[XXX.] Luga of the Long Arms is often called The Ildana, _i.e._ the Man +of many sciences, to signify his various accomplishments. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE MURDER OF KIAN. + + +Now the king of Connaught at that time was Bove Derg, the son of the +Dagda,[XXXII.] a friend to Luga of the Long Arms. It chanced that Luga +was then at Tara,[XXXIII.] and news was brought to him that the +Fomorians had landed at Eas-Dara, and were spoiling and wasting the +province. He immediately got ready his steed, Enbarr of the Flowing +Mane; and early in the morning, when the point of night met the day, he +went to the king and told him that the foreigners had landed, and that +they had wasted and plundered the province of Bove Derg. + +"I shall give them battle," said Luga; "and I wish to get from thee some +help of men and arms." + +"I will give no help," said the king; "for I do not wish to avenge a +deed that has not been done against myself." + +When Luga heard this reply he was wroth, and departing straightway from +Tara, he rode westward. He had not travelled long when he saw at a +distance three warriors, fully armed, riding towards him. Now these were +three brothers, the sons of Canta; namely, Kian and Cu and Kethen; and +Kian was Luga's father. And they saluted each other, and conversed +together for a time. + +"Why art thou abroad so early?" said they. + +"Cause enough have I," replied Luga; "for the Fomorians have landed in +Erin, and have wasted the province of Bove Derg, the son of the Dagda. +It is well indeed that I have met you, for I am about to give them +battle, and I wish now to know what aid I shall get from you." + +"We will go into the battle with you," said they; "and each of us will +ward off from you a hundred of the Fomorian warriors." + +"That, indeed, is good help," said Luga; "but, for the present, I wish +you to go to the several places throughout Erin where the Fairy +Host[XXXIV.] are abiding, and summon them all to me." + +The three brothers accordingly separated, Cu and Kethen going south, +while Luga's father, Kian, turned his face northwards, and rode on till +he came to Moy Murthemna.[XXXV.] He had not been long travelling over +the plain when he saw three warriors, clad in armour and fully armed, +coming towards him. These were three Dedannan chiefs, the sons of +Turenn, and their names were Brian, Ur, and Urcar. Now these three and +the three sons of Canta were at deadly feud with each other, on account +of an old quarrel, and whenever they met there was sure to be a fight +for life or death. + +As soon as Kian saw these three, he said, "If my two brothers were now +with me, we should have a brave fight; but as they are not, and as I am +only one against three, it is better to avoid the combat." So saying, he +looked round, and seeing near him a herd of swine he struck himself with +a golden druidical[3] wand, and changed himself into a pig; and he +quickly joined the herd. + +No sooner had he done so than Brian, the eldest of the sons of Turenn, +said to his brothers, "Tell me, my brothers, do you know what has become +of the warrior that we saw just now approaching us on the plain?" + +"We saw him," said they, "but we know not whither he has gone." + +"You deserve great blame," said he, "that you are not more watchful +while traversing the country during this time of war. Now I know what +has happened to this warrior; he has changed himself, by a druidical +spell, into a pig; and he is now among yonder herd. And whoever he may +be, of this be sure--he is no friend of ours." + +"This is an unlucky matter," said they; "for as these pigs belong to one +of the Dedannans, it would be wrong for us to kill them; and even if we +should do so, the enchanted pig might escape after all." + +"But," answered Brian, "I think I can manage to distinguish any +druidical beast from a natural one; and if you had attended well to your +learning, you would be able to do the same." + +Saying this, he struck his brothers one after the other with his golden +druidical wand, and turned them into two fleet, slender, sharp-nosed +hounds. The moment he had done so they put their noses to the earth, +and, yelping eagerly, set off towards the herd on the trail of their +enemy. When they had come near, the druidical pig fell out from the +herd, and made towards a thick grove that grew hard by; but Brian was +there before him, and drove his spear through his chest. + +The pig screamed and said, "You have done an ill deed to cast your spear +at me, for you know well who I am." + +"Your voice, methinks, is the voice of a man," said Brian; "but I know +not who you are." + +And the pig answered, "I am Kian, the son of Canta; and now I ask you to +give me quarter." + +Ur and Urcar, who had regained their shape and come up, said, "We will +give you quarter indeed, and we are sorry for what has happened to you." + +But Brian, on the other hand, said, "I swear by the gods of the air, +that if your life returned to you seven times, I would take it from you +seven times." + +"Then," said Kian, "as you will not grant me quarter, allow me first to +return to my own shape." + +"That we will grant you," said Brian; "for I often feel it easier to +kill a man than to kill a pig." + +Kian accordingly took his own shape; and then he said, "You indeed, ye +sons of Turenn, are now about to slay me; but even so, I have outwitted +you. For if you had slain me in the shape of a pig, you would have to +pay only the eric-fine[10] for a pig; whereas, now that I am in my own +shape, you shall pay the full fine for a man. And there never yet was +killed, and there never shall be killed, a man for whom a greater fine +shall be paid, than you will have to pay for me. The weapons with which +I am slain shall tell the deed to my son; and he will exact the fine +from you." + +"You shall not be slain with the weapons of a warrior," said Brian; and +so saying, he and his brothers laid aside their arms, and smote him +fiercely and rudely with the round stones of the earth, till they had +reduced his body to a disfigured mass; and in this manner they slew him. + +They then buried him a man's height in the earth; but the earth, being +angry at the fratricide,[XXXVI.] refused to receive the body, and cast +it up on the surface. They buried him a second time, and again the body +was thrown up from beneath the clay. Six times the sons of Turenn buried +the body of Kian a man's height in the earth, and six times did the +earth cast it up, refusing to receive it. But when they had buried him +the seventh time, the earth refused no longer, and the body remained in +the grave. + +Then the sons of Turenn prepared to go forward after Luga of the Long +Arms to the battle. But as they were leaving the grave, they thought +they heard a faint, muffled voice coming up from the ground beneath +their feet-- + + The blood you have spilled, + The hero you've killed, + Shall follow your steps till your doom be fulfilled! + +FOOTNOTES: + +[XXXI.] Eas-Dara, now Ballysodare, in the county Sligo. + +[XXXII.] See page 1. + +[XXXIII.] Tara, in Meath, the chief seat of the kings of Ireland. + +[XXXIV.] Fairy Host, _i.e._ the Dedannans. (See notes 1 and 8 at end.) + +[XXXV.] Moy Murthemna, a plain in the county of Louth. + +[XXXVI.] Fratricide; Gaelic, _fionghal_, the murder of a relative. (See +note, page 7.) The sons of Turenn and the sons of Canta appear to have +been related to each other (see the third stanza of the poem, page 94). + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +DEFEAT AND FLIGHT OF THE LOCHLANNS. + + +Now as to Luga. After parting from his father, he journeyed westward +till he reached Ath-Luan,[XXXVII.] thence to Ros-Coman, and over +Moy-Lurg to the Curlieu Hills, and to the mountain of Kesh-Corran, till +he reached the "Great Plain of the Assembly," where the foreigners were +encamped, with the spoils of Connaught around them. + +As he drew nigh to the Fomorian encampment, Bres, the son of Balor, +arose and said-- + +"A wonderful thing has come to pass this day; for the sun, it seems to +me, has risen in the west." + +"It would be better that it were so," said the druids,[3] "than that +matters should be as they are." + +"What else can it be, then?" asked Bres. + +"The light you see," replied the druids, "is the brightness of the face, +and the flashing of the weapons of Luga of the Long Arms, our deadly +enemy, he who slew our tax-gatherers, and who now approaches." + +Then Luga came up peacefully and saluted them. + +"How does it come to pass that you salute us," said they, "since you +are, as we know well, our enemy?" + +"I have good cause for saluting you," answered Luga; "for only one half +of my blood is Dedannan; the other half comes from you; for I am the son +of the daughter of Balor of the Mighty Blows, your king.[7] And now I +come in peace, to ask you to give back to the men of Connaught all the +milch cows you have taken from them." + +"May ill luck follow thee," said one of the Fomorian leaders, in a voice +loud and wrathful, "until thou get one of them, either a milch cow or a +dry cow!" + +And the others spoke in a like strain. + +Then Luga put a druidical spell upon the plundered cattle; and he sent +all the milch cows home, each to the door of her owner's house, +throughout all that part of Connaught that had been plundered. But the +dry cows he left, so that the Fomorians might be cumbered, and that they +might not leave their encampment till the Fairy Host should arrive to +give them battle. + +Luga tarried three days and three nights near them, and at the end of +that time the Fairy Host arrived, and placed themselves under his +command. They encamped near the Fomorians, and in a little time Bove +Derg, son of the Dagda, joined them with twenty-nine hundred men. + +Then they made ready for the fight. The Ildana put on Mannanan's coat of +mail and his breast-plate; he took also his helmet, which was called +Cannbarr, and it glittered in the sun with dazzling brightness; he slung +his broad, dark-blue shield from his shoulder at one side; his long, +keen-edged sword hung at his thigh; and lastly, he took his two long, +heavy-handled spears, which had been tempered in the poisonous blood of +adders. The other kings and chiefs of the men of Erin arrayed their men +in battle ranks; hedges of glittering spears rose high above their +heads; and their shields, placed edge to edge, formed a firm fence +around them. + +Then at the signal they attacked the Fomorians, and the Fomorians, in no +degree dismayed, answered their onset. At first a cloud of whizzing +javelins flew from rank to rank across the open space, and as the +warriors rushed together in closer conflict, their spears were shivered +in their hands. Then they drew their gold-hilted swords, and fought foot +to foot and shield to shield, so that a forest of bright flashes rose +high above their helmets, from the clashing of their keen-tempered +weapons. + +In the midst of the fight, Luga looked round, and seeing at some +distance, Bres, surrounded by his Fomorian warriors, dealing havoc and +death among the Dedannans, he rushed through the press of battle, and +attacked first Bres's guards so fiercely that in a few moments twenty of +them fell beneath his blows. + +Then he struck at Bres himself, who, unable to withstand his furious +onset, cried aloud-- + +"Why should we be enemies, since thou art of my kin? Let there be peace +between us, for nothing can withstand thy blows. Let there be peace, and +I will undertake to bring my Fomorians to assist thee at Moytura,[11] +and I will promise never again to come to fight against thee." + +And Bres swore by the sun and the moon, by the sea and land, and by all +the elements,[XXXVIII.] to fulfil his engagement; and on these +conditions Luga granted him his life. + +Then the Fomorians, seeing their chief overcome, dropped their arms, and +sued for quarter. The Fomorian druids and men of learning next came to +Luga to ask him to spare their lives; and Luga answered them-- + +"So far am I from wishing to slay you, that in truth, if you had taken +the whole Fomorian race under your protection, I would have spared +them." + +And after this, Bres, the son of Balor, returned to his own country with +his druids, and with those of his army who had escaped from the battle. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[XXXVII.] _Ath-Luan_, now Athlone; _Ros-Coman_, now Roscommon; +_Moy-Lurg_, a plain in the county Roscommon; Curlieu Hills, a range of +hills near Boyle, in Roscommon; Kesh-Corran, a well-known mountain in +Sligo. The "Great Plain of the Assembly" must have been near +Ballysodare, in Sligo. + +[XXXVIII.] A usual form of oath among the ancient Irish. (See, for an +account of this oath, the author's "Origin and History of Irish Names of +Places," Series II. chap. XIV.) + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE ERIC-FINE ON THE SONS OF TURENN FOR THE SLAYING OF KIAN. + + +Towards the close of the day, when the battle was ended, Luga espied two +of his near friends; and he asked them if they had seen his father, +Kian, in the fight. And when they answered, "No," Luga said-- + +"My father is not alive; for if he lived he would surely have come to +help me in the battle. And now I swear that neither food nor drink will +I take till I have found out who has slain him, and the manner of his +death." + +Then Luga set out with a small chosen band of the Fairy Host, and he +halted not till he reached the place where he had parted from his +father. And from that he travelled on to the plain of Murthemna, where +Kian had been forced to take the shape of a pig to avoid the sons of +Turenn, and where they had slain him. + +When he had come near to the very spot, he walked some little way before +his companions, and the stones of the earth spoke beneath his feet, and +said-- + +"Here thy father lies, O Luga. Grievous was Kian's strait when he was +forced to take the shape of a pig on seeing the three sons of Turenn; +and here they slew him in his own shape!" + + The blood that they spilled, + The hero they killed, + Shall darken their lives till their doom be fulfilled! + +Luga stood for a while silent, pondering on these words. But as his +companions came up, he told them what had happened; and having pointed +out the spot from which the voice came, he caused the ground to be dug +up. There they found the body, and raised it to the surface; and when +they had examined it, they saw that it was covered all over with gory +wounds and bruises. + +Then Luga spoke after a long silence, "A cruel and merciless death has +my beloved father suffered at the hands of the sons of Turenn!" + +He kissed his father's face three times, and again spoke, grieving, "Ill +fare the day on which my father was slain! Woful is this deed to me, for +my eyes see not, my ears hear not, and my heart's pulse has ceased to +beat, for grief. Why, O ye gods whom I worship, why was I not present +when this deed was done? Alas! an evil thing has happened, for the +Dedannans have slain their brother Dedannan. Ill shall they fare of this +fratricide, for its consequences shall follow them, and long shall the +crime of brother against brother continue to be committed in Erin!" + +And he spoke this speech-- + + A dreadful doom my father found + On that ill-omened even-tide; + And here I mourn beside the mound, + Where, whelmed by numbers, Kian died,-- + This lonely mound of evil fame, + That long shall bear the hero's name! + + Alas! an evil deed is done, + And long shall Erin rue the day: + There shall be strife 'twixt sire and son, + And brothers shall their brothers slay; + Vengeance shall smite the murderers too, + And vengeance all their race pursue! + + The light has faded from mine eyes; + My youthful strength and power have fled + Weary my heart with ceaseless sighs; + Ambition, hope, and joy are dead; + And all the world is draped in gloom-- + The shadow of my father's tomb! + +Then they placed the hero again in the grave, and they raised a tomb +over him with his name graved in Ogam;[XXXIX.] after which his +lamentation lays were sung, and his funeral games were performed. + +When these rites were ended, Luga said to his people, "Go ye now to +Tara, where the king of Erin sits on his throne with the Dedannans +around him; but do not make these things known till I myself have told +them." + +So Luga's people went straightway to Tara, as he had bade them; but of +the murder of Kian they said naught. Luga himself arrived some time +after, and was received with great honour, being put to sit high over +the others, at the king's side; for the fame of his mighty deeds at the +battle of the Assembly Plain had been noised over the whole country, and +had come to the ears of the king. + +After he was seated, he looked round the hall, and saw the sons of +Turenn in the assembly. Now these three sons of Turenn exceeded all the +champions in Tara, in comeliness of person, in swiftness of foot, and in +feats of arms; and, next to Luga himself, they were the best and bravest +in the battles against the Fomorians; wherefore they were honoured by +the king beyond most others. + +Luga asked the king that the chain of silence[XL.] should be shaken; and +when it was shaken, and when all were listening in silence, he stood up +and spoke-- + +"I perceive, ye nobles of the Dedannan race, that you have given me your +attention, and now I have a question to put to each man here present: +What vengeance would you take of the man who should knowingly and of +design kill your father?" + +They were all struck with amazement on hearing this, and the king of +Erin said-- + +"What does this mean? For that your father has not been killed, this we +all know well!" + +"My father has indeed been killed," answered Luga; "and I see now here +in this hall those who slew him. And furthermore, I know the manner in +which they put him to death, even as they know it themselves." + +The sons of Turenn, hearing all this, said nothing; but the king spoke +aloud and said-- + +"If any man should wilfully slay my father, it is not in one hour or in +one day I would have him put to death; but I would lop off one of his +members each day, till I saw him die in torment under my hands!" + +All the nobles said the same, and the sons of Turenn in like manner. + +"The persons who slew my father are here present, and are joining with +the rest in this judgment," said Luga; "and as the Dedannans are all now +here to witness, I claim that the three who have done this evil deed +shall pay me a fitting eric-fine for my father. Should they refuse, I +shall not indeed transgress the king's law nor violate his protection; +but of a certainty they shall not leave this hall of Micorta[XLI.] till +the matter is settled." + +And the king of Erin said, "If I had killed your father, I should be +well content if you were willing to accept an eric-fine from me." + +Now the sons of Turenn spoke among themselves; and Ur and Urcar said, +"It is of us Luga speaks this speech. He has doubtless found out that we +slew his father; and it is better that we now acknowledge the deed, for +it will avail us naught to hide it." + +Brian, however, at first set his face against this, saying that he +feared Luga only wanted an acknowledgment from them in presence of the +other Dedannans, and that afterwards he might not accept a fine. But the +other two were earnest in pressing him, so that he consented, and then +he spoke to Luga-- + +"It is of us thou speakest all these things, Luga; for it has been said +that we three have been at enmity with the three sons of Canta. Now, as +to the slaying of thy father Kian, let that matter rest; but we are +willing to pay an eric-fine for him, even as if we had killed him." + +"I shall accept an eric-fine from you," said Luga, "though ye indeed +fear I shall not. I shall now name before this assembly the fine I ask, +and if you think it too much, I shall take off a part of it. + +"The first part of my eric-fine is three apples; the second part is the +skin of a pig; the third is a spear; the fourth, two steeds and a +chariot; the fifth, seven pigs; the sixth, a hound-whelp; the seventh, a +cooking-spit; and the eighth, three shouts on a hill. That is my eric," +said Luga; "and if ye think it too much, say so now, that I may remit a +part; but if not, then it will be well that ye set about paying it." + +"So far," said Brian, "we do not deem it too great. It seems, indeed, so +small that we fear there is some hidden snare in what you ask, which may +work us mischief." + +"I do not deem my eric too small," said Luga; "and now I engage here, +before the assembled Dedannans, that I will ask no more, and that I will +seek no further vengeance for my father's death. But, as I have made +myself answerable to them for the faithful fulfilment of my promise, I +demand the same guarantee from you, that you also be faithful to me." + +"Alas that you should doubt our plighted word!" said the sons of Turenn. +"Are we not ourselves sufficient guarantee for the payment of an +eric-fine greater even than this?" + +"I do not deem your word sufficient guarantee," answered Luga; "for +often have we known great warriors like you to promise a fine before all +the people, and afterwards to go back of their promise." + +And the sons of Turenn consented, though unwillingly, for they grieved +that their word should be doubted. So they bound themselves on either +side--Luga not to increase his claims; and the sons of Turenn, on their +part, to pay him the full fine. And the king of Erin and Bove Derg, son +of the Dagda, and the nobles of the Dedannans in general, were witnesses +and sureties of this bond. + +Then Luga stood up and said, "It is now time that I give you a full +knowledge of this eric-fine. + +"The three apples I ask are the apples of the Garden of +Hisberna,[XLII.] in the east of the world, and none others will I have. +There are no apples in the rest of the world like them, for their beauty +and for the secret virtues they possess. Their colour is the colour of +burnished gold; they have the taste of honey; and if a wounded warrior +or a man in deadly sickness eat of them, he is cured immediately. And +they are never lessened by being eaten, being as large and perfect at +the end as at the beginning. Moreover any champion that possesses one of +them may perform with it whatsoever feat he pleases, by casting it from +his hand, and the apple will return to him of itself. And though you are +three brave warriors, ye sons of Turenn, methinks you will not find it +easy to bring away these apples; for it has been long foretold that +three young champions from the Island of the West would come to take +them by force, so that the king has set guards to watch for your coming. + +"The pig's skin I seek from you belongs to Tuis, the king of Greece. +When the pig was alive, every stream of water through which she walked +was turned into wine for nine days, and all sick and wounded people that +touched her skin were at once cured, if only the breath of life +remained. Now the king's druids told him that the virtue lay, not in the +pig herself, but in her skin; so the king had her killed and skinned, +and he has her skin now. This, too, ye valiant champions, is a part of +my eric-fine which you will find it hard to get, either by force or by +friendship. + +"The spear I demand from you is the venomed spear of Pezar, king of +Persia. Its name is Slaughterer. In time of peace, its blazing, fiery +head is always kept in a great caldron of water, to prevent it from +burning down the king's palace; and in time of war, the champion who +bears it to the battle-field can perform any deed he pleases with it. +And it will be no easy matter to get this spear from the king of Persia. + +"The two steeds and the chariot belong to Dobar, king of Sigar.[XLIII.] +The chariot exceeds all the chariots in the world for beauty of shape +and goodliness of workmanship. The two noble steeds have no equal for +strength and fleetness, and they travel with as much ease on sea as on +land. + +"The seven pigs I demand are the pigs of Asal, the king of the Golden +Pillars. Whoever eats a part of them shall not suffer from ill health or +disease; and even though they should be killed and eaten to-day, they +will be alive and well to-morrow. + +"The hound-whelp belongs to the king of Iroda,[XLIV.] and his name is +Failinis. He shines as brightly as the sun in a summer sky; and every +wild beast of the forest that sees him falls down to the earth powerless +before him. + +"The cooking-spit belongs to the warlike women of the island of Fincara. +They are thrice fifty in number, and woe to the champion who approaches +their house; for each of them is a match for three good warriors in +single combat; and they never yet gave a cooking-spit to any one without +being overcome in battle. + +"The hill on which I require you to give three shouts is the Hill of +Midkena, in the north of Lochlann.[6] Midkena and his sons are always +guarding this hill, for they are under gesa[12] not to allow any one to +shout on it. Moreover, it was they that instructed my father in +championship and feats of arms, and they loved him very much; so that +even if I should forgive you his death they would not. And, though you +should be able to procure all the rest of the eric-fine, you will not, I +think, succeed in this, for they will be sure to avenge on you my +father's death. + +"And this, ye sons of Turenn, is the eric-fine I demand from you!" + +FOOTNOTES: + +[XXXIX.] A kind of writing. (See note, page 36.) + +[XL.] Chain of silence; a chain, probably hung with little bells, which +the lord of a mansion shook when he wished to get silence and attention. + +[XLI.] Mic[=o]'rta; the name of the great banqueting hall of Tara, the +ruins of which are to be seen to this day. + +[XLII.] The Garden of the Hesperides. + +[XLIII.] Sigar, _i.e._ Sicily. + +[XLIV.] Iroda was the name given by the Irish to some country in the far +north of Europe, probably Norway. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE SONS OF TURENN OBTAIN MANNANAN'S CANOE, "THE WAVE-SWEEPER." + + +The sons of Turenn were so astounded on hearing this eric-fine that they +spoke not one word; but rising up, they left the meeting, and repaired +to the house of their father Turenn. + +He heard their story to the end, and then said, "Your tidings are bad, +my sons, and I fear me you are doomed to meet your death in seeking what +the Ildana asks. But the doom is a just one, for it was an evil thing to +kill Kian. Now as to this eric-fine: it cannot be obtained by any living +man without the help of either Luga himself or of Mannanan Mac Lir;[8] +but if Luga wishes to aid you, ye shall be able to get it. Go ye now, +therefore, and ask him to lend you Mannanan's steed, Enbarr of the +Flowing Mane. If he wishes you to get the full eric-fine, he will lend +you the steed; otherwise he will refuse, saying that she does not belong +to him, and that he cannot lend what he himself has got on loan. Then, +if ye obtain not the steed, ask him for the loan of Mannanan's canoe, +the Wave-sweeper, which would be better for you than the steed; and he +will lend you that, for he is forbidden to refuse a second request." + +So the sons of Turenn returned to Luga, and having saluted him, they +said-- + +"It is not in the power of any man to obtain this eric-fine without thy +own aid, O Luga; we ask thee, therefore, to lend us Mannanan's steed, +Enbarr of the Flowing Mane." + +"That steed is not my own," said Luga; "and I cannot lend that which I +have myself obtained on loan." + +"If that be so," said Brian, "then I pray thee lend us Mannanan's canoe, +the Wave-sweeper." + +"I shall lend you that," replied Luga; "it lies at Bruga of the +Boyne;[XLV.] and ye have my consent to take it." + +So they came again to their father, and this time Ethnea, their sister, +was with him; and they told them that Luga had given them the canoe. + +"I have much fear," said Turenn, "that it will avail you little against +the dangers of your quest. Nevertheless, Luga desires to obtain that +part of the eric that will be useful to him at the battle of +Moytura,[11] and so far he will help you. But in seeking that which is +of no advantage to him, namely, the cooking-spit, and the three shouts +on Midkena's Hill, therein he will give you no aid, and he will be glad +if ye perish in your attempts to obtain it." + +They then set out for Bruga of the Boyne, accompanied by their sister +Ethnea, leaving Turenn lamenting after them. The canoe they found lying +in the river; and Brian went into it and said-- + +"It seems to me that only one other person can sit here along with me;" +and he began to complain very bitterly of its smallness. He ceased, +however, at the bidding of Ethnea, who told him that the canoe would +turn out large enough when they came to try it, and that it was under +strict command not to let any one grumble at its smallness. And she went +on to say-- + +"Alas, my beloved brothers, it was an evil deed to slay the father of +Luga of the Long Arms! and I fear you will suffer much woe and hardship +on account of it." + + ETHNEA. + + The deed was a dark one, a deed full of woe, + Your brother Dedannan to slay; + And hard and relentless the heart of your foe, + The bright-faced Ildana, that forced you to go, + This eric of vengeance to pay! + + THE BROTHERS. + + Oh, cease, sister Ethnea, cease thy sad wail; + Why yield to this terror and gloom? + Long, long shall the poets remember the tale, + For our courage and valour and swords shall prevail, + Or win us a glorious tomb! + + ETHNEA. + + Then search ye, my brothers, go search land and sea; + Go search ye the isles of the East.-- + Alas, that the cruel Ildana's decree + Has banished my three gentle brothers from me, + On this fearful and perilous quest! + +FOOTNOTES: + +[XLV.] Bruga of the Boyne, the palace of Angus, the great Dedannan +magician, was situated on the north shore of the Boyne, not far from +Slane. (See note 1 at end.) + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE APPLES OF THE GARDEN OF HISBERNA. + + +After this the three brothers entered the canoe, which they now found +large enough to hold themselves and their arms, and whatsoever else they +wished to bring; for this was one of its secret gifts. They then bade +their sister farewell, and, leaving her weeping on the shore, they rowed +swiftly till they had got beyond the beautiful shores and bright +harbours of Erin, out on the open sea. + +Then the two younger brothers said, "Now our quest begins: what course +shall we take?" + +Brian answered, "As the apples are the first part of the fine, we shall +seek them first." + +And then he spoke to the canoe, "Thou canoe of Mannanan, thou Sweeper of +the waves, we ask thee and we command thee, that thou sail straightway +to the Garden of Hisberna!" + +The canoe was not unmindful of the voice of its master, and obeyed the +command without delay, according to its wont. It took the shortest way +across the deep sea-chasms, and, gliding over the green-sided waves more +swiftly than the clear, cold wind of March, it stayed not in its course +till it reached the harbour near the land of Hisberna. + +Brian now spoke to his brothers, "Be sure that this quest is a perilous +one, since we know that the best champions of the country, with the king +at their head, are always guarding the apples. And now in what manner, +think you, is it best for us to approach the garden?" + +"It seems to us," answered his brothers, "that we had better go straight +and attack these champions, and either bring away the apples, or fall +fighting for them. For we cannot escape the dangers that lie before us; +and if we are doomed to fall in one of these adventures, it may, +perchance, be better for us to die here than to prolong our hardships." + +But Brian answered, "Not so, my brothers; for it becomes a warrior to be +prudent and wary as well as brave. We should now act so that the fame of +our skill and valour may live after us, and that future men may not say, +'These sons of Turenn did not deserve to be called brave champions, for +they were senseless and rash, and sought their own death by their +folly.' In the present case, then, what I counsel is this: Let us take +the shape of strong, swift hawks; and as we approach the garden, have ye +care of the light, sharp lances of the guards, which they will certainly +hurl at us: avoid them actively and cunningly, and when the men have +thrown all, let us swoop down and bring away an apple each." + +They approved this counsel; and Brian, striking his two brothers and +himself with a druidical magic wand, all three were changed into three +beautiful hawks. Then, flying swiftly to the garden, they began to +descend in circles towards the tops of the trees; but the sharp-eyed +guards perceived them, and with a great shout they threw showers of +venomous darts at them. The hawks, however, mindful of Brian's warning, +watched the spears with keen glances, and escaped them every one, until +the guards had thrown all their light weapons. Then, swooping suddenly +down on the trees, the two younger brothers carried off an apple each, +and Brian two, one between his talons and the other in his beak; and the +three rose again into the air without wound or hurt of any kind. Then, +directing their course westward, they flew over the wide sea with the +speed of an arrow. + +The news spread quickly through the city, how three beautiful hawks had +carried off the apples; and the king and his people were in great wrath. +Now the king had three daughters, very skilful in magic and cunning in +counsel; and they forthwith transformed themselves into three +swift-winged, sharp-taloned griffins, and pursued the hawks over the +sea. But the hawks, when they saw they were pursued, increased their +speed, and flew like the wind, and left their pursuers so far behind +that they appeared to the griffins like three specks on the sky. Then +the angry griffins let fly from their eyes, and from their open beaks, +bright flashes of flame straight forward, which overtook and blinded the +hawks, and scorched them, so that they could bear the heat no longer. + +"Evil is our state now," said Ur and Urcar, "for these sheets of flame +are burning us, and we shall perish if we do not get relief." + +"I will try whether I cannot relieve you," said Brian; and with that he +struck his brothers and himself with his golden druidical wand; and all +three were instantly turned into swans. The swans dropped down on the +sea; and when the griffins saw the hawks no longer straight before them, +they gave up the chase. And the sons of Turenn went safely to their +canoe, bringing the apples with them. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE GIFTED SKIN OF THE PIG. + + +After resting a little while, they held council as to their next +journey; and what they resolved on was to go to Greece, to seek the skin +of the pig, and to bring it away, either by consent or by force. So they +went into the canoe, and Brian spoke-- + +"Thou canoe of Mannanan, thou Sweeper of the Waves, we ask thee and we +command thee that thou sail with us straightway to Greece!" + +And the canoe, obeying as before, glided swiftly and smoothly over the +waves, till the sons of Turenn landed near the palace of the king of +Greece. + +"In what shape, think you, should we go to this court?" said Brian. + +"We think it best," answered the others, "to go in our own shapes; that +is to say, as three bold champions." + +"Not so," said Brian. "It seems best to me that we should go in the +guise of learned poets from Erin; for poets are held in much honour and +respect by the great nobles of Greece." + +"It is, indeed, hard for us to do that," answered his brothers, "for as +to poems, we neither have any, nor do we know how to compose them." + +However, as Brian would have it so, they consented, though unwillingly; +and, tying up their hair after the manner of poets, they knocked at the +door of the palace. The door-keeper asked who was there. + +"We are skilful poets from Erin," said Brian, "and we have come to +Greece with a poem for the king." + +The door-keeper went and gave the message. + +"Let them be brought in," said the king, "for it is to seek a good and +bountiful master whom they may serve faithfully that they have come so +far from Erin." + +The sons of Turenn were accordingly led in to the banquet hall, where +sat the king surrounded by his nobles; and, bowing low, they saluted +him; and he saluted them in return, and welcomed them. They sat at the +table among the company, and joined the feast at once, drinking and +making merry like the others; and they thought they had never seen a +banquet hall so grand, or a household so numerous and mirthful. + +At the proper time the king's poets arose, according to custom, to +recite their poems and their lays for the company. And when they had +come to an end, Brian, speaking low, said to his brothers-- + +"As we have come here as poets, it is meet that we should practise the +poetic art like the others; therefore now arise, and recite a poem for +the king." + +"We have no poems," they replied, "and we do not wish to practise any +art except the art we have learned and practised from our youth, namely, +to fight like brave champions, and to take by valour and force of arms +that which we want, if we be stronger than our enemies, or to fall in +battle if they be the stronger." + +"That is not a pleasant way of making poetry," said Brian; and with that +he arose and requested attention for his poem. And when they sat +listening, he said-- + + To praise thee, O Tuis, we've come to this land: + Like an oak among shrubs, over kings thou dost stand: + Thy bounty, great monarch, shall gladden the bard; + And the _Imnocta-fessa_ I claim as reward. + + Two neighbours shall war, with an O to an O; + A bard unrequited--how dreadful a foe! + Thy bounty shall add to thy wealth and thy fame; + And the _Imnocta-fessa_ is all that I claim. + +"Your poem would doubtless be thought a very good one," said the king, +"if we were able to judge of it; but it is unlike all other poems I have +ever heard, for I do not in the least understand its sense." + +"I will unfold its sense," said Brian. + + To praise thee, O Tuis, we've come to this land: + Like an oak among shrubs, over kings thou dost stand: + +"This means that as the oak excels all the other trees of the forest, so +dost thou excel all the other kings of the world for greatness, +nobility, and generosity. + +"'_Imnocta-fessa._' _Imnocta_ means 'skin,' and _fessa_ 'a pig.' That is +to say; thou hast, O king, the skin of a pig, which I desire to get from +thee as a guerdon for my poetry. + + Two neighbours shall war, with an O to an O; + A bard unrequited--how dreadful a foe! + +"_O_ means 'an ear;' that is to say, thou and I shall be ear to ear +fighting with each other for the skin, if thou give it not of thy own +free will. + +"And that, O king, is the sense of my poem." + +"Thy poem would have been a very good one," said the king, "and I would +have given it due meed of praise if my pig's skin had not been mentioned +in it. But it is a foolish request of thine, O ferdana,[XLVI.] to ask +for that skin; for, even though all the poets and men of science of +Erin, and all the nobles of the whole world were to demand it from me, I +would refuse it. Nevertheless, thou shalt not pass unrewarded, for I +will give thee thrice the full of the skin of red gold--one for thyself, +and one for each of thy brothers." + +"Thy ransom is a good one, O king," said Brian; "but I am a near-hearted +and suspicious man, and I pray thee let me see with my eyes thy servants +measure the gold, lest they deal unfairly with me." + +The king agreed to this; so his servants went with the three sons of +Turenn to the treasure-room, and one of them drew forth the skin from +its place, to measure the gold. As soon as Brian caught sight of it, he +sprang suddenly towards the servant, and, dashing him to the ground with +his right hand, he snatched the skin with his left, and bound it hastily +over his shoulders. + +Then the three drew their keen swords, and rushed into the banquet hall. +The king's nobles, seeing how matters stood, surrounded and attacked +them; but the sons of Turenn, nothing daunted by the number of their +foes, hewed down the foremost and scattered the rest, so that scarce one +of the whole party escaped death or deadly wounds. + +Then at last Brian and the king met face to face, nor was either slow to +answer the challenge of the other. They fought as great champions fight, +and it was long doubtful which should prevail; but the end of the combat +was, that the king of Greece fell by the overpowering valour of Brian, +the son of Turenn. + +After this victory, the three brothers rested in the palace till they +had regained their strength, and healed up their wounds by means of the +apples and the pig's skin; and at the end of three days and three nights +they found themselves able to undertake the next adventure. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[XLVI.] Ferdana, a poet; literally, "a man of verse." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE BLAZING SPEAR OF THE KING OF PERSIA. + + +So, after holding council, they resolved to go to seek the spear of the +king of Persia; and Brian reminded his brothers that now, as they had +the apples and the skin to aid them, it would be all the easier to get +the spear, as well as the rest of the fine. + +Leaving now the shores of Greece with all its blue streams, they went on +board the canoe, which, at Brian's command, flew across the wide seas; +and soon they made land near the palace of Pezar, king of Persia. And +seeing how they had fared so well in their last undertaking, they +resolved to put on the guise of poets this time also. + +And so they put the poet's tie on their hair, and, passing through the +outer gate, they knocked at the door of the palace. The door-keeper +asked who they were, and from what country they had come. + +"We are poets from Erin," answered Brian; "and we have brought a poem +for the king." + +So they were admitted and brought to the presence of the king, who +seated them among the nobles of his household; and they joined in the +drinking and the feasting and the revelry. + +The king's poets now arose, and chanted their songs for the king and his +guests. And when the applause had ceased, Brian, speaking softly, said +to his brothers-- + +"Arise, now, and chant a poem for the king." + +But they answered, "Ask us not to do that which we are unable to do; but +if you wish us to exercise the art we have learned from our youth, we +shall do so, namely, the art of fighting and overcoming our foes." + +"That would be an unusual way of reciting poetry," said Brian; "but I +have a poem for the king, and I shall now chant it for him." + +So saying, he stood up; and when there was silence, he recited this +poem-- + + In royal state may Pezar ever reign, + Like some vast yew tree, monarch of the plain; + May Pezar's mystic javelin, long and bright, + Bring slaughter to his foes in every fight! + + When Pezar fights and shakes his dreadful spear, + Whole armies fly and heroes quake with fear: + What shielded foe, what champion can withstand, + The blazing spear in mighty Pezar's hand! + +"Your poem is a good one," said the king; "but one thing in it I do not +understand, namely, why you make mention of my spear." + +"Because," answered Brian, "I wish to get that spear as a reward for my +poem." + +"That is a very foolish request," said the king, "for no man ever +escaped punishment who asked me for my spear. And as to your poetry, the +highest reward I could now bestow on you, and the greatest favour these +nobles could obtain for you, is that I should spare your life." + +Thereupon Brian and his brothers started up in great wrath and drew +their swords, and the king and his chiefs drew their swords in like +manner; and they fought a deadly fight. But Brian at last, drawing forth +one of his apples, and taking sure aim, cast it at the king and struck +him on the forehead; so that Pezar fell, pierced through the brain. + +After this Brian fought on more fiercely than before, dealing +destruction everywhere around him; but when the chiefs saw that their +king had fallen, they lost heart and fled through the doors, till at +length none remained in the banquet hall but the three sons of Turenn. + +Then they went to the room where the spear was kept; and they found it +with its head down deep in a great caldron of water, which hissed and +bubbled round it. And Brian, seizing it boldly in his hand, drew it +forth; after which the three brothers left the palace and went to their +canoe. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE CHARIOT AND STEEDS OF THE KING OF SIGAR. + + +Resting now for some days from their toil, they resolved to seek the +steeds and chariot of the king of Sigar; for this was the next part of +the Ildana's eric-fine. So they commanded the canoe, and the canoe, +obedient to their behest, glided swiftly and smoothly over the green +waves till they landed in Sigar. Brian bore the great, heavy, venomed +spear in his hand; and the three brothers were of good heart, seeing how +they had succeeded in their last quest, and that they had now three +parts of the fine. + +"In what shape think you we should go to this court?" said Brian. + +"How should we go," answered the others, "but in our own shapes, namely, +as three hostile champions, who have come to get the chariot and +steeds, either by force or by good will?" + +"That is not what seems best to me," said Brian. "My counsel is, that we +go as soldiers from Erin, willing to serve for pay; and should the king +take us into his service, it is likely we shall find out where the +chariot and steeds are kept." + +His brothers having agreed to this, the three set out for the palace. + +It happened that the king was holding a fair-meeting on the broad, level +green before the palace; and when the three warriors came near, the +people made way for them. They bowed low to the king; and he asked them +who they were, and from what part of the world they had come. + +"We are valiant soldiers from Erin," they answered, "seeking for service +and pay among the great kings of the world." + +"Do you wish to enter my service?" asked the king: and they answered, +"Yes." So they made a covenant with each other--the king to place them +in a post of honour and trust, and they to serve him faithfully, and to +name their own reward. Whereupon the brothers entered the ranks of the +king's body-guard. + +They remained in the palace for a month and a fortnight, looking round +and carefully noting everything; but they saw nothing of the chariot and +steeds. At the end of that time Brian said to his brothers-- + +"It fares ill with us here, my brothers; for we know nothing of the +chariot and steeds at this hour, more than when we first came hither." + +The others said this was quite true, and asked if he meant to do +anything in the matter. + +"This is what I think we should do," answered Brian. "Let us put on our +travelling array, and take our arms of valour in our hands; and in this +fashion let us go before the king, and tell him that unless he shows us +the chariot and steeds, we shall leave his service." + +This they did without delay; and when they had come before the king, he +asked them why they came to his presence so armed and in travelling +gear. + +"We will tell thee of that, O king," answered Brian. "We are valiant +soldiers from Erin, and into whatsoever lands we have travelled, we have +been trusted with the secret counsels of the kings who have taken us +into their service; and we have been made the guardians of their rarest +jewels and of all their gifted arms of victory. But as to thee, O king, +thou hast not so treated us since we came hither; for thou hast a +chariot and two steeds, which exceed all the chariots and steeds in the +world, and yet we have never seen them." + +"A small thing it is that has caused you to prepare for departure," said +the king; "and there is, moreover, no need that you should leave my +service; for I would have shown you those steeds the day you came, had I +only known that you wished it. But ye shall see them now; for I have +never had in my service soldiers from a distant land, in whom I and my +people have placed greater trust than we have placed in you." + +He then sent for the steeds, and had them yoked to the chariot--those +steeds that were as fleet as the clear, cold wind of March, and which +travelled with equal speed on land and on sea. + +Brian, viewing them narrowly, said aloud, "Hear me, O king of Sicily. We +have served thee faithfully up to this time; and now we wish to name our +own pay, according to the covenant thou hast made with us. The guerdon +we demand is yonder chariot and steeds; these we mean to have, and we +shall ask for nothing more." + +But the king, in great wrath, said, "Foolish and luckless men! Ye shall +certainly die because you have dared to ask for my steeds!" + +And the king and his warriors drew their swords, and rushed towards the +sons of Turenn to seize them. + +They, on the other hand, were not taken unaware; and a sore fight began. +And Brian, watching his opportunity, sprang with a sudden bound into the +chariot, and, dashing the charioteer to the ground, he seized the reins +in his left hand; then, raising the venomed spear of Pezar in his right, +he smote the king with its fiery point in the breast, so that he fell +dead. And the three brothers dealt red slaughter among the king's +guards, till those who were not slain scattered and fled in all +directions. So they fared in this undertaking. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE SEVEN PIGS OF THE KING OF THE GOLDEN PILLARS. + + +After resting till their wounds were healed, Ur and Urcar asked where +they should go next. + +"We shall go," said Brian, "to Asal, the king of the Golden Pillars, to +ask him for his seven pigs; for this is the next part of the Ildana's +eric-fine." + +So they set out; and the canoe brought them straightway to the land of +the Golden Pillars, without delay and without mishap. As they drew nigh +to the harbour, they saw the shore lined with men all armed. For the +fame of the deeds of these great champions had begun to be noised +through many lands; how they had been forced to leave Erin by the hard +sentence of the Ildana; and how they were seeking and bearing away the +most precious and gifted jewels of the world to pay the fine. Wherefore +the king of the Golden Pillars had armed his people, and had sent them +to guard the harbours. + +The king himself came down to the beach to meet them. As soon as they +had come within speaking distance, he bade them stay their course; and +then he asked them, in an angry and chiding tone, if they were the three +champions from Erin, who had overcome and slain so many kings. + +Brian answered, "Be not displeased with us, O king for in all this +matter we are not to blame. The Ildana has demanded a fine which we +perforce must pay; for we have promised, and the Dedannans are our +guarantee. If the kings to whom he sent us had given us peaceably the +precious things we demanded, we would gladly have departed in peace; but +as they did not, we fought against them, unwillingly indeed and +overthrew them; for no one has as yet been able to withstand us." + +"Tell me now," said the king, "what has brought you to my country?" + +"We have come for thy seven pigs," answered Brian; "for they are a part +of the fine." + +"And in what manner do you think ye shall get them?" asked the king. + +Brian answered, "Thou hast heard, O king, how the Ildana has brought us +to these straits, and we must pay him the fine, every jot, or else we +shall die at the hands of our people. Thou, perchance, wilt have pity on +our hardships, and give us these pigs in token of kindness and +friendship, and if so we shall be thankful; but if not, then we will +fight for them, and either bring them away by force, after slaying thee +and thy people or fall ourselves in the attempt." + +Hearing this, the king and his people went into council; and after +debating the matter at full length, they thought it best to give the +pigs peaceably, seeing that no king, however powerful, had as yet been +able to withstand the sons of Turenn. + +The three champions wondered greatly when this was told to them; for in +no other country had they been able to get any part of the fine without +battle and hardship, and without leaving much of their blood behind +them. So they were now very glad; and thanked Asal and his people. + +The king then brought them to his palace, and gave them a kind welcome; +and they were supplied with food and drink to their hearts' desire, and +slept on soft, downy beds. So they rested after all their weary journeys +and toils. + +When they arose next morning, they were brought to the king's presence, +and the pigs were given to them; and Brian addressed the king in these +words-- + + The prizes we've brought to this land, + We have won them in conflict and blood; + But the gift we have sought at thy hand, + That gift thou hast freely bestowed. + + The red spear rewarded our deeds, + When Pezar the mighty we slew; + And the fight for the chariot and steeds, + Ah, long shall the Sigarites rue! + + Great Asal! in happier days, + When our deeds bring us glory and fame, + Green Erin shall echo thy praise, + And her poets shall honour thy name! + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE HOUND-WHELP OF THE KING OF IRODA. + + +"Whither do you go next, ye sons of Turenn?" asked Asal. + +"We go," answered Brian, "to Iroda, for Failinis, the king's +hound-whelp." + +"Then grant me this boon," said the king, "namely, that ye let me go +with you to Iroda. For my daughter is the king's wife; and I will try to +prevail on him that he give you the hound-whelp freely and without +battle." + +This they agreed to. But the king wished that they should go in his own +ship; so it was got ready, and they went on board with all their wealth; +and it is not told how they fared till they reached the borders of +Iroda. The shores were covered with fierce, armed men, who were there by +orders of the king to guard the harbour; and these men shouted at the +crew, warning them to come no farther; for they knew the sons of Turenn, +and well they knew what they came for. + +Asal then requested the three champions to remain where they were for a +time, while he went on shore to talk with his son-in-law. Accordingly he +landed, and went to the king, who, after he had welcomed him, asked what +had brought the sons of Turenn to his country. + +"They have come for your hound-whelp," answered Asal. + +And the king of Iroda said, "It was an evil counsel you followed, when +you came with these men to my shores; for to no three champions in the +world have the gods given such strength or such good luck as that they +can get my hound-whelp, either by force or by my own free will." + +"It will be unwise to refuse them," replied Asal. "They have overpowered +and slain many great kings; for they have gifted arms that no warrior, +however powerful, can withstand; and behold, I have come hither to tell +you what manner of men these are, that you might be advised by me, and +give them your hound-whelp in peace." + +So he pressed him earnestly; but his words were only thrown away on the +king of Iroda, who spoke scornfully of the sons of Turenn, and refused +Asal's request with wrathful words. + +Asal, much troubled at this, went and told the sons of Turenn how +matters stood. And they, having without delay put on their battle-dress, +and taken their arms in their hands, challenged the king of Iroda and +his people. Then began a very fierce and bloody battle; for though +nothing could stand before the sons of Turenn, yet the warriors of Iroda +were many and very brave. So they fought till the two younger brothers +became separated from Brian, and he was quite surrounded. But as he +wielded the dreadful spear of Pezar, with its blazing, fiery point, his +enemies fell back dismayed, and the ranks were broken before him, so +that those who crossed his path stood in a gap of danger. + +At length he espied the king of Iroda, where he fought hedged round by +spears; and he rushed through the thick of the battle straight towards +him, striking down spears and swords and men as he went. And now these +two valiant warriors fought hand to hand a stout and watchful and fierce +battle--for the others fell back by the king's command; and it was long +before any advantage was gained on either side. But though to those who +looked on, Brian seemed the more wrathful of the two, yet he held back +his hand, so as not to slay his foe; and this it was, indeed, that +prolonged the combat, for he sought to tire out the king. At length, +watching his opportunity, Brian closed suddenly, and, seizing the king +in his strong arms, he lifted him clean off the ground, and bore him to +where Asal stood. Then, setting him down, he said-- + +"Behold thy son-in-law; it would have been easier to kill him three +times over than to bring him to thee once!" + +When the people saw their king a prisoner, they ceased fighting; and the +end of all was that peace was made, and the hound-whelp was given over +to the sons of Turenn. Then they took their leave, and left the shores +of Iroda in friendship with the king and with Asal his father-in-law. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +RETURN OF THE SONS OF TURENN, WITH PART OF THE ERIC-FINE. + + +Now we shall speak of Luga of the Long Arms. It was revealed to him that +the sons of Turenn had obtained all those parts of the fine which he +wanted for the battle of Moytura;[11] but that they had not yet got the +cooking-spit, or given the three shouts on Midkena's Hill. So he sent +after them a druidical spell, which, falling on them soon after they had +left Iroda, caused them to forget the remaining part of the fine, and +filled them with a longing desire to return to their native home. +Accordingly they went on board their canoe, bringing with them every +part of the fine they had gotten already; and the canoe glided swiftly +over the waves to Erin. + +At this time Luga was with the king at a fair-meeting on the plain +before Tara; and it was made known to him secretly that the sons of +Turenn had landed at Bruga of the Boyne. He left the assembly anon, +telling no one; and he went direct to Caher-Crofinn[XLVII.] at Tara, +and, closing the gates and doors after him, he put on his battle array, +namely, the smooth Greek armour of Mannanan Mac Lir, and the enchanted +mantle of the daughter of Flidas. + +Soon after, the sons of Turenn were seen approaching; and as they came +forward, the multitude flocked out to meet them, gazing with wonder at +the many marvellous things they had brought. When the three champions +had come to the royal tent, they were joyfully welcomed by the king and +by the Dedannans in general; and then the king spoke kindly to them, and +asked if they had brought the eric-fine. + +"We have obtained it after much hardship and danger," they replied; "and +now we wish to know where Luga is, that we may hand it over to him." + +The king told them that Luga was at the assembly; but when they sent to +search for him, he was nowhere to be found. + +"I can tell where he is," said Brian. "It has been made known to him +that we have arrived in Erin, bringing with us gifted arms that none can +withstand; and he has gone to one of the strongholds of Tara, to avoid +us, fearing we might use these venomed weapons against himself." + +Messengers were then sent to Luga to tell him that the sons of Turenn +had arrived, and to ask him to come forth to the meeting, that they +might give him the fine. + +But he answered, "I will not come to the meeting yet; but go ye back, +and tell the sons of Turenn to give the fine to the king for me." + +The messengers returned with this answer; and the sons of Turenn gave to +the king for Luga all the wonderful things they had brought, keeping, +however their own arms; after which the whole company went into the +palace. + +When Luga was told how matters stood, he came to where the king and all +the others were; and the king gave him the fine. Then Luga, looking +narrowly at everything that had been given up to him, said-- + +"Here, indeed, is an eric enough to pay for any one that ever yet was +slain, or that shall be slain to the end of time. But yet there is one +kind of fine that must be paid to the last farthing, namely, an +eric-fine; for of this it is not lawful to hold back even the smallest +part. And moreover, O king, thou and the Dedannans whom I see here +present, are guarantees for the full payment of my eric-fine. Now I see +here the three apples, and the skin of the pig, and the fiery-headed +spear, and the chariot and steeds, and the seven pigs, and the +hound-whelp; but where, ye sons of Turenn, is the cooking-spit of the +women of Fincara? And I have not heard that ye have given the three +shouts on Midkena's Hill." + +On hearing this, the sons of Turenn fell into a faintness like the +faintness before death. And when they had recovered they answered not +one word, but left the assembly and went to their father's house. To him +and their sister Ethnea they told all that had befallen them; and how +they should set out on another quest, as they had forgotten part of the +eric-fine through the spells of Luga. + +At this Turenn was overwhelmed with grief; and Ethnea wept in great +fear and sorrow. And so they passed that night. Next day, they went down +to the shore, and their father and sister went with them to their ship, +and bade them farewell. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[XLVII.] Caher-Crofinn, otherwise called Rath-ree, the principal +fortress at Tara, the remains of which are still to be seen. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE COOKING-SPIT OF THE WOMEN OF FINCARA. + + +Then they went on board their ship--for they had Mannanan's canoe no +longer--and they sailed forth on the green billowy sea to search for the +Island of Fincara. For a whole quarter of a year they wandered hither +and thither over the wide ocean, landing on many shores and inquiring of +all they met; yet they were not able to get the least tidings of the +island. + +At last, they came across one very old man, who told them that he had +heard of the Island of Fincara in the days of his youth; and that it lay +not on the surface, but down deep in the waters, for it was sunk beneath +the waves by a spell in times long past.[13] + +Then Brian put on his water-dress, with his helmet of transparent +crystal on his head, and, telling his brothers to await his return, he +leaped over the side of the ship, and sank at once out of sight. He +walked about for a fortnight down in the green salt sea, seeking for +the Island of Fincara; and at last he found it. + +There were many houses on the island; but one he saw larger and grander +than the rest. To this he straightway bent his steps, and found it open. +On entering, he saw in one large room a great number of beautiful +ladies, busily employed at all sorts of embroidery and needlework; and +in their midst was a long, bright cooking-spit lying on a table. + +Without speaking a word, he walked straight to the table, and, seizing +the spit in one hand, he turned round and walked towards the door. The +women neither spoke nor moved, but each had her eyes fixed on him from +the moment he entered, admiring his manly form, his beauty, and his +fearlessness; but when they saw him about to walk off with the spit, +they all burst out laughing; and one, who seemed chief among them, +said-- + +"Thou hast attempted a bold deed, O son of Turenn! Know that there are +thrice fifty warlike women here, and that the weakest among us would be +able of herself to prevent thee taking this cooking-spit, even if thy +two brothers were here to help thee. But thou art a brave and courageous +champion, else thou wouldst not have attempted, unaided, to take it by +force, knowing the danger. And for thy boldness and valour, and for the +comeliness of thy person, we will let thee take this one, for we have +many others besides." + +So Brian, after thanking them, brought away the spit joyfully, and +sought his ship. + +Ur and Urcar waited for Brian in the same spot the whole time, and when +he came not, they began to fear that he would return no more. With these +thoughts they were at last about to leave the place, when they saw the +glitter of his crystal helmet down deep in the water, and immediately +after he came to the surface with the cooking-spit in his hand. They +brought him on board, and now all felt very joyful and courageous of +heart. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +THE THREE SHOUTS ON MIDKENA'S HILL. + + +The three brothers next sailed away towards the north of Lochlann, and +never abated speed till they moored their vessel near the Hill of +Midkena, which rose smooth and green over the sea-shore. When Midkena +saw them approaching, he knew them at once, and, coming towards them +armed for battle, he addressed them aloud-- + +"You it was that slew Kian, my friend and pupil; and now come forth and +fight, for you shall not leave these shores till you answer for his +death." + +Brian, in no degree daunted by the fierce look and threatening speech of +Midkena, sprang ashore, and the two heroes attacked each other with +great fury. When the three sons of Midkena heard the clash of arms, +they came forth, and, seeing how matters stood, they rushed down to aid +their father; but just as they arrived at the shore, Midkena fell dead, +cloven through helmet and head by the heavy sword of Brian. + +And now a fight began, three on each side; and if men were afar off, +even in the land of Hisberna, in the east of the world, they would +willingly come the whole way to see this battle, so fierce and haughty +were the minds of those mighty champions, so skilful and active were +they in the use of their weapons, so numerous and heavy were their +blows, and so long did they continue to fight without either party +giving way. The three sons of Turenn were at last dreadfully +wounded--wounded almost to death. But neither fear nor weakness did this +cause them, for their valour and their fury arose all the more for their +wounds, and with one mighty onset they drove their spears through the +bodies of their foes; and the sons of Midkena fell before them into the +long sleep of death. + +But now that the fight was ended, and the battle-fury of the victors had +passed off--now it was that they began to feel the effects of their +wounds. They threw themselves full length on the blood-stained sward, +and long they remained without moving or speaking a word, as if they +were dead; and a heavy curtain of darkness fell over their eyes. + +At last Brian, raising his head, spoke to his brothers to know if they +lived, and when they answered him feebly, he said-- + +"My dear brothers, let us now arise and give the three shouts on the +hill while there is time, for I feel the signs of death." + +But they were not able to rise. + +Then Brian, gathering all his remaining strength, stood up and lifted +one with each hand, while his own blood flowed plentifully; and then +they raised three feeble shouts on Midkena's Hill. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +RETURN AND DEATH OF THE SONS OF TURENN. + + +Making no further delay, he led them to their ship, and they set sail +for Erin. While they were yet far off, Brian, gazing over the sea +towards the west, suddenly cried out-- + +"Lo, I see Ben Edar[XLVIII.] yonder, rising over the waters; and I see +also Dun Turenn farther towards the north." + +And Ur answered from where he reclined with Urcar on the deck, "If we +could but get one sight of Ben Edar methinks we should regain our health +and strength; and as thou lovest us, and as thou lovest thy own renown, +my brother, come and raise our heads and rest them on thy breast, that +we may see Erin once more. After that, we shall welcome either life or +death." + + UR. + + O brother, torch of valour, strong of hand, + Come, place our weary heads upon thy breast; + And let us look upon our native land, + Before we sink to everlasting rest! + + BRIAN. + + Beloved sons of Turenn, woe is me! + My wounds are deep, my day of strength is past; + Yet not for this I grieve, but that I see + Your lives, my noble brothers, ebbing fast! + + UR. + + Would we could give our lives to purchase thine; + Ah, gladly would we die to ease thy pain! + For art thou not the pride of Turenn's line, + The noblest champion of green Erin's plain? + + BRIAN. + + That mighty Dannan healer, Dianket;[XLIX.] + Or Midac, who excelled his sire in skill; + The maiden-leech, Armedda, mightier yet, + Who knew the herbs to cure, the herbs to kill: + + Oh, were they here; or had we now at hand + Those gifted apples from the distant East; + Then might we hope to reach our native land, + And live again in joy and peace and rest! + + UR. + + Brother, methinks could we but see once more + Ben Edar's slopes, or Bregia's[L.] dewy plain, + Tailltenn,[LI.] or Bruga's[LII.] mystic mansion hoar, + Our blood would course in health and strength again. + + Or let us once behold our father's home, + Or winding Liffey down by Ahaclee,[LIII.] + Old Frevan's hill,[LIV.] or Tara's[LV.] regal dome; + Then welcome death or life, whiche'er may be! + +So Brian raised their heads and rested them on his breast, and they +gazed on the rocky cliffs and green slopes of Ben Edar while the ship +wafted slowly towards land. + +Soon after this they landed on the north side of Ben Edar, from which +they made their way slowly to Dun Turenn. And when they had reached the +green in front of the house, Brian cried out-- + +"Father, dear father, come forth to thy children!" + +Turenn came forth and saw his sons all wounded and pale and feeble. + +And Brian said, "Go, beloved father--go quick to Tara, and quickly +return. Bring this cooking-spit to Luga, and tell him that we have given +the three shouts on Midkena's Hill. Say that we have now paid the full +eric-fine, and bring back from him the apples of the Garden of Hisberna, +to heal our wounds, else we die." + + BRIAN. + + Father, our wounds are deadly; nought can save + Thy children's lives but Luga's friendly hand: + Go, seek him, father--fare thee fast--and crave + The healing apples from Hisberna's land! + + TURENN. + + In vain, my sons, ye seek to fly your doom; + The stern Ildana's mind too well I know: + Alas! far liefer would he see your tomb, + Than all the treasures all this world could show! + + BRIAN. + + But he is just; and though his sire we slew, + Have we not paid full eric for the deed? + The great Ildana is our kinsman too, + And will relent in this our time of need. + + Then go, my father, thou art swift and strong; + Speed like the wind--why linger here to mourn? + Go straight to Luga's home, nor tarry long; + Or, father, we shall die ere thou return! + +Turenn set out and travelled like the wind till he reached Tara, where +he found Luga. + +He gave him the cooking-spit, and said, "Behold, my three sons have now +paid thee the full eric-fine, for they have given the three shouts on +Midkena's Hill. But they are wounded even unto death; and now give me, +I pray thee, the apples from the Garden of Hisberna, to cure them, else +they die." + +But Luga refused, and turned away from Turenn. + +Turenn hastened back to his sons with a sorrowful heart, and told them +that he had failed to get the apples. + +Then Brian said, "Take me with thee to Tara. I will see him, and +perchance he may have pity on us, and give us the apples." + +And it was done so. But when Brian begged for the apples, Luga said-- + +"I will not give them to thee. If thou shouldst offer me the full of the +whole earth of gold, I would not give them to thee. Thou and thy +brothers committed a wicked and pitiless deed when you slew my father. +For that deed you must suffer, and with nothing short of your death +shall I be content." + + For the blood that you spilled, + For the hero you killed-- + The deed is avenged, and your doom is fulfilled! + +Brian turned away and went back to his brothers, and, lying down between +them, his life departed; and his brothers died at the same moment. + +Then their father and their sister stood hand in hand over their bodies, +lamenting. And Turenn spoke this lay-- + + Oh, pulseless is my heart this woful hour, + My strength is gone, my joy for ever fled; + Three noble champions, Erin's pride and power, + My three fair youths, my children, cold and dead! + + Mild Ur, the fair-haired; Urcar, straight and tall; + The kings of Banba[LVI.] worthy both to be; + And Brian, bravest, noblest, best of all, + Who conquered many lands beyond the sea: + + Lo, I am Turenn, your unhappy sire, + Mourning with feeble voice above your grave; + No life, no wealth, no honours I desire; + A place beside my sons is all I crave! + +After this Turenn and Ethnea fell on the bodies of the three young +heroes and died. + +And they were all buried in one grave. + + +This is the story of the Fate of the Children of Turenn. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[XLVIII.] Ben Edar, now Howth Hill, near Dublin. Dun Turenn, the +fortress of their father Turenn. + +[XLIX.] Dianket, the great Dedannan physician. His son Midac and his +daughter Armedda were still more skilful than their father. (See note 1 +at the end.) + +[L.] Bregia, the plain lying between the Liffey and the Boyne. + +[LI.] Tailltenn, now Teltown, on the Blackwater, about midway between +Navan and Kells, in Meath. Here annual meetings were held from the most +ancient times, on the first of August, and for some days before and +after, at which games were celebrated, like the Olympic games of Greece. + +[LII.] Bruga on the Boyne, where Angus or Mac Indoc, the great Dedannan +enchanter, had his "mystic mansion hoar." (See note 1 at the end.) + +[LIII.] Ahaclee, the old name of Dublin. + +[LIV.] Frevan, now the hill of Frewen, rising over Lough Owei, near +Mullingar, where the ancient Irish kings had one of their palaces. + +[LV.] Tara, in Meath, the chief seat of the Irish kings. + +[LVI.] Banba, one of the ancient names of Ireland. + + + + +THE + +OVERFLOWING OF LOUGH NEAGH, + +AND THE + +STORY OF LIBAN THE MERMAID. + + +In the days of old a good king ruled over Muman,[LVII.] whose name was +Marid Mac Carido. He had two sons, Ecca and Rib. Ecca was restless and +unruly, and in many ways displeased the king; and he told his brother +Rib that he had made up his mind to leave his home, and win lands for +himself in some far off part of the country. Rib tried hard to dissuade +him; but though this delayed his departure for a while, he was none the +less bent on going. + +At last Ecca, being wrought upon by his stepmother Ebliu (from whom +Slieve Eblinne[LVIII.] was afterwards named), did a grievous wrong to +his father, and fled from Muman with all his people; and his brother Rib +and his stepmother Ebliu went with him. Ten hundred men they were in +all, besides women and children; and they turned their faces towards +the north. + +After they had travelled for some time, their druids[3] told them that +it was not fated for them to settle in the same place; and accordingly, +when they had come to the Pass of the two Pillar Stones, they parted. + +Rib and his people turned to the west, and they journeyed till they came +to the plain of Arbthenn. And there the water of a fountain burst forth +over the land, and drowned them all; and a great lake was formed, which +to this day is called the Lake of Rib.[LIX.] + +Ecca continued his journey northwards; and he and his people fared +slowly on till they came near to Bruga[LX.] of the Boyne, the palace of +Mac Indoc, where they were fain to rest. No sooner had they halted, than +a tall man came forth from the palace, namely, Angus Mac Indoc of the +Bruga, son of the Dagda, and commanded them to leave the place without +delay. But they, being spent with the toil of travel, heeded not his +words, and, pitching their tents, they rested on the plain before the +palace. Whereupon Angus, being wroth that his commands were unheeded, +killed all their horses that night. + +Next day, he came forth again, and he said to them, "Your horses I slew +last night; and now, unless ye depart from this place, I will slay your +people to-night." + +And Ecca said to him, "Much evil hast thou done to us already, for thou +hast killed all our horses. And now we cannot go, even though we desire +it, for without horses we cannot travel." + +Then Angus brought to them a very large horse in full harness, and they +put all their goods on him. And when they were about to go, he said to +them-- + +"Beware that ye keep this great steed walking continually; not even a +moment's rest shall ye give him, otherwise he will certainly be the +cause of your death."[14] + +After this they set out again, on a Sunday in the mid-month of autumn, +and travelled on till they reached the Plain of the Grey Copse,[LXI.] +where they intended to abide. They gathered then round the great steed +to take their luggage off him, and each was busy seeing after his own +property, so that they forgot to keep the horse moving. And the moment +he stood still, a magic well sprang up beneath his feet.[14] + +Now Ecca, when he saw the well spring up, was troubled, remembering +Angus's warning. And he caused a house to be built round it, and near it +he built his palace, for the better security. And he chose a woman to +take care of the well, charging her strictly to keep the door locked, +except when the people of the palace came for water. + +After that the King of Ulad,[LXII.] that is to say, Muridach, the son +of Fiaca Findamnas (who was grandson of Conal Carna of the Red +Branch[15]) came against Ecca to drive him forth from Ulad. But Ecca +made a stout fight, so that he won the lordship of half of Ulad from +Muridach. And after that his people settled down on the Plain of the +Grey Copse. + +Now Ecca had two daughters, Ariu and Liban, of whom Ariu was the wife of +Curnan the Simpleton. And Curnan went about among the people, +foretelling that a lake would flow over them from the well, and urging +them earnestly to make ready their boats. + + Come forth, come forth, ye valiant men; build boats, and build ye fast! + I see the water surging out, a torrent deep and vast; + I see our chief and all his host o'erwhelmed beneath the wave; + And Ariu, too, my best beloved, alas! I cannot save. + But Liban east and west shall swim + Long ages on the ocean's rim, + By mystic shores and islets dim, + And down in the deep sea cave! + +And he ceased not to warn all he met, repeating this verse continually; +but the people gave no heed to the words of the Simpleton. + +Now the woman who had charge of the well, on a certain occasion forgot +to close the door, so that the spell was free to work evil. And +immediately the water burst forth over the plain, and formed a great +lake, namely the Lake of the Copse. And Ecca and all his family and all +his folk were drowned, save only his daughter Liban, and Conang, and +Curnan the Simpleton. And they buried Ariu, and raised a mound over her, +which is called from her Carn-Arenn. + +Of Conang nothing more is told. But as to Curnan, he died of grief after +his wife Ariu; and he was buried in a mound, which is called Carn-Curnan +to this day in memory of him. + +And thus the great Lake of the Copse was formed, which is now called +Lough Necca,[LXIII.] in memory of Ecca, the son of Marid. And it was the +overflow of this lake which, more than all other causes, scattered the +Ultonians over Erin. + +Now as to Liban. She also was swept away like the others; but she was +not drowned. She lived for a whole year with her lap-dog, in her chamber +beneath the lake, and God protected her from the water. At the end of +the year she was weary; and when she saw the speckled salmon swimming +and playing all round her, she prayed and said-- + +"O my Lord, I wish I were a salmon, that I might swim with the others +through the clear green sea!" + +And at the words she took the shape of a salmon, except her face and +breast, which did not change. And her lap-dog was changed to an otter, +and attended her afterwards whithersoever she went, as long as she lived +in the sea. + +And so she remained swimming about from sea to sea for three hundred +years; that is to say, from the time of Ecca, the son of Marid, to the +time of Comgall of Bangor.[16] + +Now on one occasion, Comgall sent Beoc, the son of Indli, from Bangor +to Rome, to talk with Gregory[LXIV.] concerning some matters of order +and rule. And when Beoc's curragh[17] was sailing over the sea, he and +his crew heard sweet singing in the waters beneath them, as it were the +chanting of angels. + +And Beoc, having listened for a while, looked down into the water, and +asked what the chant was for, and who it was that sang. + +And Liban answered, "I am Liban, the daughter of Ecca, son of Marid; and +it is I who sang the chant thou hast heard." + +"Why art thou here?" asked Beoc. + +And she replied, "Lo, I have lived for three hundred years beneath the +sea; and I have come hither to fix a day and a place of meeting with +thee. I shall now go westward; and I beseech thee, for the sake of the +holy men of Dalaradia,[LXV.] to come to Inver Ollarba[LXVI.] to meet me, +on this same day at the end of a year. Say also to Comgall and to the +other holy men of Bangor, all that I say to thee. Come with thy boats +and thy fishing-nets, and thou shalt take me from the waters in which I +have lived." + +"I shall not grant thee the boon thou askest," said Beoc, "unless thou +give me a reward." + +"What reward dost thou seek?" asked Liban. + +"That thou be buried in one grave with me in my own monastery," +answered Beoc. + +"That shall be granted to thee," said Liban. + +Beoc then went on his way to Rome. And when he had returned, he related +to Comgall and to the other saints of the monastery at Bangor, the story +of the mermaid. And now the end of the year was nigh. + +Then they made ready their nets, and on the day appointed they went in +their boats to Inver Ollarba, a goodly company of the saints of Erin. +And Liban was caught in the net of Fergus of Miluc:[LXVII.] and her head +and shoulders were those of a maiden, but she had the body of a fish. + +Now the boat in which she was brought to land was kept half full of sea +water, in which she remained swimming about. And many came to see her; +and all were filled with wonder when they saw her strange shape and +heard her story. + +Among the rest came the chief of the tribe of Hua-Conang, wearing a +purple cloak; and she kept gazing at him earnestly. The young chief, +seeing this, said to her-- + +"Dost thou wish to have this cloak? If so, I will give it to thee +willingly." + +But she answered, "Not so: I desire not thy cloak. But it brings to my +mind my father Ecca; for on the day he was drowned, he wore a cloak of +purple like thine. But may good luck be on thee for thy gentleness, and +on him who shall come after thee in thy place; and in every assembly +where thy successor sits, may he be known to all without inquiry." + +After that there came up a large-bodied, dark-visaged, fierce hero, and +killed her lap-dog. Whereupon she was grieved; and she told him that the +heroism of himself and his tribe should be stained by the baseness of +their minds, and that they should not be able to defend themselves +against injuries till they should do penance, by fasting, for her sake. + +Then the warrior repented what he had done, and humbled himself before +her. + +And now there arose a contention about her, as to whom she should +belong. Comgall said she was his, forasmuch as she was caught in his +territory. But Fergus urged that she belonged to him by right, as it was +in his net she was taken. And Beoc said he had the best right of all to +her, on account of the promise she had made to him. + +And as no one could settle the dispute, these three saints fasted and +prayed that God would give a judgment between them, to show who should +own Liban. + +And an angel said to one of the company, "Two wild oxen will come hither +to-morrow from Carn-Arenn, that is to say, from the grave-mound of +Liban's sister, Ariu. Yoke a chariot to them, and place the mermaid in +it; and into whatsoever territory they shall bring her, she shall remain +with the owner thereof." + +The oxen came on the morrow, as the angel had foretold. And when they +were yoked, and when Liban was placed in the chariot, they brought her +straightway to Beoc's church, namely to Tec-Da-Beoc. + +Then the saints gave her a choice--either to die immediately after +baptism, and go to heaven; or to live on earth as long as she had lived +in the sea, and then to go to heaven after these long ages. And the +choice she took was to die immediately. Whereupon Comgall baptised her; +and he gave her the name of Murgen, that is, "Sea-born," or Murgelt, +that is "Mermaid." + +And she is counted among the holy virgins, and held in honour and +reverence, as God ordained for her in heaven; and wonders and miracles +are performed through her means at Tec-Da-Beoc. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[LVII.] Muman, _i.e._ Munster. + +[LVIII.] Slieve Eblinne, now Slieve Eelim or Slieve Phelim, in +Tipperary, sometimes called the Twelve Hills of Evlinn. "Eblinne" is the +genitive of "Ebliu." + +[LIX.] Now Lough Ree, on the Shannon. + +[LX.] See note, page 62; see also note 1 at the end of the book. + +[LXI.] The Plain of the Grey Copse, according to the legend, was the +name of the plain now covered by Lough Neagh. + +[LXII.] Ulad, _i.e._ Ulster. + +[LXIII.] Lough Necca, now Lough Neagh. + +[LXIV.] Gregory, _i.e._ Pope Gregory. + +[LXV.] Dalaradia, the old name of a territory which included the +southern half of the county Antrim and a part of Down. + +[LXVI.] Inver Ollarba, _i.e._ the _inver_, or mouth of the river +Ollarba, which was the ancient name of the Larne Water, in Antrim. + +[LXVII.] Miluc, or Meelick, the name of an ancient ecclesiastical +establishment in the county Antrim. See "Ecclesiastical Antiquities of +Down, Connor, and Dromore" (page 3), by the Rev. William Reeves, M.B., +M.R.I.A. + + + + +CONNLA OF THE GOLDEN HAIR, AND THE FAIRY MAIDEN. + + +Connla of the Golden Hair was the son of Conn the Hundred-fighter.[18] +One day as he stood with his father on the royal Hill of Usna,[LXVIII.] +he saw a lady a little way off, very beautiful, and dressed in strange +attire. She approached the spot where he stood; and when she was near, +he spoke to her, and asked who she was, and from what place she had +come. + +The lady replied, "I have come from the Land of the Living[19]--a land +where there is neither death nor old age, nor any breach of law. The +inhabitants of earth call us Aes-shee,[19] for we have our dwellings +within large, pleasant, green hills. We pass our time very pleasantly in +feasting and harmless amusements, never growing old; and we have no +quarrels or contentions." + +The king and his company marvelled very much; for though they heard this +conversation, no one saw the lady except Connla alone. + +"Who is this thou art talking to, my son?" said the king. + +And anon she answered for the youth, "Connla is speaking with a lovely, +noble-born young lady, who will never die, and who will never grow old. +I love Connla of the Golden Hair, and I have come to bring him with me +to Moy-mell,[19] the plain of never-ending pleasure. On the day that he +comes with me he shall be made king; and he shall reign for ever in +Fairyland, without weeping and without sorrow. Come with me, O gentle +Connla of the ruddy cheek, the fair, freckled neck, and the golden hair! +Come with me, beloved Connla, and thou shalt retain the comeliness and +dignity of thy form, free from the wrinkles of old age, till the awful +day of judgment!" + + Thy flowing golden hair, thy comely face, + Thy tall majestic form of peerless grace, + That show thee sprung from Conn's exalted race. + +King Conn the Hundred-fighter, being much troubled, called then on his +druid,[3] Coran, to put forth his power against the witchery of the +banshee[19]-- + +"O Coran of the mystic arts and of the mighty incantations, here is a +contest such as I have never been engaged in since I was made king at +Tara--a contest with an invisible lady, who is beguiling my son to +Fairyland by her baleful charms. Her cunning is beyond my skill, and I +am not able to withstand her power; and if thou, Coran, help not, my son +will be taken away from me by the wiles and witchery of a woman from the +fairy hills." + +Coran, the druid, then came forward, and began to chant against the +voice of the lady. And his power was greater than hers for that time, so +that she was forced to retire. + +As she was going away she threw an apple to Connla, who straightway lost +sight of her; and the king and his people no longer heard her voice. + +The king and the prince returned with their company to the palace; and +Connla remained for a whole month without tasting food or drink, except +the apple. And though he ate of it each day, it was never lessened, but +was as whole and perfect in the end as at the beginning. Moreover, when +they offered him aught else to eat or drink, he refused it; for while he +had his apple he did not deem any other food worthy to be tasted. And he +began to be very moody and sorrowful, thinking of the lovely fairy +maiden. + +At the end of the month, as Connla stood by his father's side among the +nobles, on the Plain of Arcomin, he saw the same lady approaching him +from the west. And when she had come near, she addressed him in this +manner-- + +"A glorious seat, indeed, has Connla among wretched, short-lived +mortals, awaiting the dreadful stroke of death! But now, the +ever-youthful people of Moy-mell, who never feel old age, and who fear +not death, seeing thee day by day among thy friends, in the assemblies +of thy Fatherland, love thee with a strange love; and they will make +thee king over them if thou wilt come with me." + +When the king heard the words of the lady, he commanded his people to +call the druid again to him, saying-- + +"Bring my druid, Coran, to me; for I see that the fairy lady has this +day regained the power of her voice." + +At this the lady said, "Valiant Conn, fighter of a hundred, the faith of +the druids has come to little honour among the upright, mighty, +numberless people of this land. When the righteous law shall be +restored, it will seal up the lips of the false, black demon; and his +druids shall no longer have power to work their guileful spells." + +Now the king observed, and marvelled greatly, that whenever the lady was +present, his son never spoke one word to any one, nay, even though they +addressed him many times. And when the lady had ceased to speak, the +king said-- + +"Connla, my son, has thy mind been moved by the words of the lady?" + +Connla spoke then, and replied, "Father, I am very unhappy; for though I +love my people beyond all, yet I am filled with sadness on account of +this lady!" + +When Connla had said this, the maiden again addressed him, and chanted +these words in a very sweet voice-- + + +THE CHANT OF THE FAIRY MAIDEN TO CONNLA OF THE GOLDEN HAIR. + + I. + + A land of youth, a land of rest, + A land from sorrow free; + It lies far off in the golden west, + On the verge of the azure sea. + A swift canoe of crystal bright, + That never met mortal view-- + We shall reach the land ere fall of night, + In that strong and swift canoe: + We shall reach the strand + Of that sunny land, + From druids and demons free; + The land of rest, + In the golden west, + On the verge of the azure sea! + + II. + + A pleasant land of winding vales, bright streams, and verdurous plains, + Where summer all the live-long year, in changeless splendour reigns; + A peaceful land of calm delight, of everlasting bloom; + Old age and death we never know, no sickness, care, or gloom; + The land of youth, + Of love and truth, + From pain and sorrow free; + The land of rest, + In the golden west, + On the verge of the azure sea! + + III. + + There are strange delights for mortal men in that island of the west; + The sun comes down each evening in its lovely vales to rest; + And though far and dim + On the ocean's rim + It seems to mortal view, + We shall reach its halls + Ere the evening falls, + In my strong and swift canoe; + And ever more + That verdant shore + Our happy home shall be; + The land of rest, + In the golden west, + On the verge of the azure sea! + + IV. + + It will guard thee, gentle Connla of the flowing golden hair, + It will guard thee from the druids, from the demons of the air; + My crystal boat will guard thee, till we reach that western shore, + Where thou and I in joy and love shall live for evermore: + From the druid's incantation, + From his black and deadly snare, + From the withering imprecation + Of the demon of the air, + It will guard thee, gentle Connla of the flowing golden hair: + My crystal boat will guard thee, till we reach that silver strand + Where thou shalt reign in endless joy, the king of the Fairy-land! + [LXIX.] + +When the maiden had ended her chant, Connla suddenly walked away from +his father's side, and sprang into the curragh, the gleaming, +straight-gliding, strong, crystal canoe. The king and his people saw +them afar off and dimly, moving away over the bright sea towards the +sunset. They gazed sadly after them, till they lost sight of the canoe +over the utmost verge; and no one can tell whither they went, for Connla +was never again seen in his native land. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[LXVIII.] Hill of Usna. (See note, page 37.) + +[LXIX.] This is an expansion, rather than a translation, of the +original, which is very short, and in some places very obscure. + + + + +THE VOYAGE OF MAILDUN. + +AN ACCOUNT OF THE ADVENTURES OF MAILDUN AND HIS CREW, AND OF THE +WONDERFUL THINGS THEY SAW DURING THEIR VOYAGE OF THREE YEARS AND SEVEN +MONTHS, IN THEIR CURRAGH,[17] ON THE WESTERN SEA. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +MAILDUN'S CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH. HE BEGINS HIS VOYAGE IN QUEST OF THE +PLUNDERERS WHO SLEW HIS FATHER. + + +There was once an illustrious man of the tribe of Owenaght[LXX.] of +Ninus, Allil Ocar Aga by name, a goodly hero, and lord of his own tribe +and territory. One time, when he was in his house unguarded, a fleet of +plunderers landed on the coast, and spoiled his territory. The chief +fled for refuge to the church of Dooclone; but the spoilers followed him +thither, slew him, and burned the church over his head. + +Not long after Allil's death, a son was born to him. The child's mother +gave him the name of Maildun; and, wishing to conceal his birth, she +brought him to the queen of that country, who was her dear friend. The +queen took him to her, and gave out that he was her own child, and he +was brought up with the king's sons, slept in the same cradle with them, +and was fed from the same breast and from the same cup. He was a very +lovely child; and the people who saw him thought it doubtful if there +was any other child living at the time equally beautiful. + +As he grew up to be a young man, the noble qualities of his mind +gradually unfolded themselves. He was high-spirited and generous, and he +loved all sorts of manly exercises. In ball-playing, in running and +leaping, in throwing the stone, in chess-playing, in rowing, and in +horse-racing, he surpassed all the youths that came to the king's +palace, and won the palm in every contest. + +One day, when the young men were at their games, a certain youth among +them grew envious of Maildun; and he said, in an angry and haughty tone +of voice-- + +"It is a cause of much shame to us that we have to yield in every game, +whether of skill or of strength, whether on land or on water, to an +obscure youth, of whom no one can tell who is his father or his mother, +or what race or tribe he belongs to." + +On hearing this, Maildun ceased at once from play; for until that moment +he believed that he was the son of the king of the Owenaght, and of the +queen who had nursed him. And going anon to the queen, he told her what +had happened; and he said to her-- + +"If I am not thy son, I will neither eat nor drink till thou tell me who +my father and mother are." + +She tried to soothe him, and said, "Why do you worry yourself searching +after this matter? Give no heed to the words of this envious youth. Am I +not a mother to you? And in all this country, is there any mother who +loves her son better than I love you?" + +He answered, "All this is quite true; yet I pray thee let me know who my +parents are." + +The queen then, seeing that he would not be put off, brought him to his +mother, and put him into her hands. And when he had spoken with her, he +asked her to tell him who his father was. + +"You are bent on a foolish quest, my child," she said; "for even if you +knew all about your father, the knowledge would bring neither advantage +nor happiness to you; for he died before you were born." + +"Even so," he replied, "I wish to know who he was." + +So his mother told him the truth, saying, "Your father was Allil Ocar +Aga, of the tribe of Owenaght of Ninus." + +Maildun then set out for his father's territory; and his three foster +brothers, namely, the king's three sons, who were noble and handsome +youths like himself, went with him. When the people of his tribe found +out that the strange youth was the son of their chief, whom the +plunderers had slain years before, and when they were told that the +three others were the king's sons, they gave them all a joyful welcome, +feasting them, and showing them much honour; so that Maildun was made +quite happy, and soon forgot all the abasement and trouble he had +undergone. + +Some time after this, it happened that a number of young people were in +the churchyard of Dooclone--the same church in which Maildun's father +had been slain--exercising themselves in casting a hand-stone. The game +was to throw the stone clear over the charred roof of the church that +had been burned; and Maildun was there contending among the others. A +foul-tongued fellow named Brickna, a servant of the people who owned the +church, was standing by; and he said to Maildun-- + +"It would better become you to avenge the man who was burned to death +here, than to be amusing yourself casting a stone over his bare, burnt +bones." + +"Who was he?" inquired Maildun. + +"Allil Ocar Aga, your father," replied the other. + +"Who slew him?" asked Maildun. + +"Plunderers from a fleet slew him and burned him in this church," +replied Brickna; "and the same plunderers are still sailing in the same +fleet." + +Maildun was disturbed and sad after hearing this. He dropped the stone +that he held in his hand, folded his cloak round him, and buckled on his +shield. And he left the company, and began to inquire of all he met, the +road to the plunderers' ships. For a long time he could get no tidings +of them; but at last some persons, who knew where the fleet lay, told +him that it was a long way off, and that there was no reaching it except +by sea. + +Now Maildun was resolved to find out these plunderers, and to avenge on +them the death of his father. So he went without delay into +Corcomroe,[LXXI.] to the druid[3] Nuca, to seek his advice about +building a curragh, and to ask also for a charm to protect him, both +while building it, and while sailing on the sea afterwards. + +The druid gave him full instructions. He told him the day he should +begin to build his curragh, and the exact day on which he was to set out +on his voyage; and he was very particular about the number of the crew, +which, he said, was to be sixty chosen men, neither more nor less. + +So Maildun built a large triple-hide curragh,[17] following the druid's +directions in every particular, chose his crew of sixty, among whom were +his two friends, Germane and Diuran Lekerd; and on the day appointed put +out to sea. + +When he had got only a very little way from the land, he saw his three +foster brothers running down to the shore, signalling and calling out to +him to return and take them on board; for they said they wished to go +with him. + +"We shall not turn back," said Maildun; "and you cannot come with us; +for we have already got our exact number." + +"We will swim after you in the sea till we are drowned, if you do not +return for us," replied they; and so saying, the three plunged in and +swam after the curragh. + +When Maildun saw this, he turned his vessel towards them, and took them +on board rather than let them be drowned. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[LXX.] There were several tribes named Owenaght in the south of Ireland. +This particular tribe were called, as in the text, the Owenaght of +Ninus, and also, according to an interlined gloss in the "Book of the +Dun Cow," the Owenaght of the Aras, _i.e._ of the Aran Islands. Their +territory was situated in the north-west of the county Clare, opposite +the Islands of Aran. + +[LXXI.] Corcomroe, an ancient territory, now a barony in the north-west +of the county Clare. (For the meaning and history of this name, see the +author's "Origin and History of Irish Names of Places," Series I. Part +i. Chapter ii.) + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE FIRST ISLAND. TIDINGS OF THE PLUNDERERS. + + +They sailed that day and night, as well as the whole of next day, till +darkness came on again; and at midnight they saw two small bare islands, +with two great houses on them near the shore. When they drew near, they +heard the sounds of merriment and laughter, and the shouts of revellers +intermingled with the loud voices of warriors boasting of their deeds. +And listening to catch the conversation, they heard one warrior say to +another-- + +"Stand off from me, for I am a better warrior than thou; it was I who +slew Allil Ocar Aga, and burned Dooclone over his head; and no one has +ever dared to avenge it on me. Thou hast never done a great deed like +that!" + +"Now surely," said Germane and Diuran to Maildun, "Heaven has guided our +ship to this place! Here is an easy victory. Let us now sack this house, +since God has revealed our enemies to us, and delivered them into our +hands!" + +While they were yet speaking, the wind arose, and a great tempest +suddenly broke on them. And they were driven violently before the storm, +all that night and a part of next day, into the great and boundless +ocean; so that they saw neither the islands they had left nor any other +land; and they knew not whither they were going. + +Then Maildun said, "Take down your sail and put by your oars, and let +the curragh drift before the wind in whatsoever direction it pleases God +to lead us;" which was done. + +He then turned to his foster brothers, and said to them, "This evil has +befallen us because we took you into the curragh, thereby violating the +druid's directions; for he forbade me to go to sea with more than sixty +men for my crew, and we had that number before you joined us. Of a +surety more evil will come of it." + +His foster brothers answered nothing to this, but remained silent. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE ISLAND OF THE MONSTROUS ANTS. + + +For three days and three nights they saw no land. On the morning of the +fourth day, while it was yet dark, they heard a sound to the north-east; +and Germane said-- + +"This is the voice of the waves breaking on the shore." + +As soon as it was light they saw land and made towards it. While they +were casting lots to know who should go and explore the country, they +saw great flocks of ants coming down to the beach, each of them as large +as a foal. The people judged by their numbers, and by their eager and +hungry look, that they were bent on eating both ship and crew; so they +turned their vessel round and sailed quickly away. + + Their multitudes countless, prodigious their size; + Were never such ants seen or heard of before. + They struggled and tumbled and plunged for the prize, + And fiercely the famine-fire blazed from their eyes, + As they ground with their teeth the red sand of the shore! + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE TERRACED ISLE OF BIRDS. + + +Again for three days and three nights they saw no land. But on the +morning of the fourth day they heard the murmur of the waves on the +beach; and as the day dawned, they saw a large high island, with +terraces all round it, rising one behind another. On the terraces grew +rows of tall trees, on which were perched great numbers of large, +bright-coloured birds. + +When the crew were about to hold council as to who should visit the +island and see whether the birds were tame, Maildun himself offered to +go. So he went with a few companions; and they viewed the island warily, +but found nothing to hurt or alarm them; after which they caught great +numbers of the birds and brought them to their ship. + + A shield-shaped island, with terraces crowned, + And great trees circling round and round: + From the summit down to the wave-washed rocks, + There are bright-coloured birds in myriad flocks-- + Their plumes are radiant; but hunger is keen; + So the birds are killed, + Till the curragh is filled, + And the sailors embark on the ocean green! + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +A MONSTER. + + +They sailed from this, and on the fourth day discovered a large, sandy +island, on which, when they came near, they saw a huge, fearful animal +standing on the beach, and looking at them very attentively. He was +somewhat like a horse in shape; but his legs were like the legs of a +dog; and he had great, sharp claws of a blue colour. + +Maildun, having viewed this monster for some time, liked not his look; +and, telling his companions to watch him closely, for that he seemed +bent on mischief, he bade the oarsmen row very slowly towards land. + +The monster seemed much delighted when the ship drew nigh the shore, and +gambolled and pranced about with joy on the beach, before the eyes of +the voyagers; for he intended to eat the whole of them the moment they +landed. + +"He seems not at all sorry to see us coming," said Maildun; "but we must +avoid him and put back from the shore." + +This was done. And when the animal observed them drawing off, he ran +down in a great rage to the very water's edge, and digging up large, +round pebbles with his sharp claws, he began to fling them at the +vessel; but the crew soon got beyond his reach, and sailed into the open +sea. + + A horrible monster, with blazing eyes, + In shape like a horse and tremendous in size, + Awaiting the curragh, they saw; + With big bony jaws + And murderous claws, + That filled them with terror and awe: + How gleeful he dances, + And bellows and prances, + As near to the island they draw; + Expecting a feast-- + The bloodthirsty beast-- + With his teeth like edge of a saw: + Then he ran to the shore, + With a deafening roar, + Intending to swallow them raw: + But the crew, with a shout, + Put their vessel about, + And escaped from his ravenous maw![LXXII.] + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE DEMON HORSE-RACE. + + +After sailing a long distance, they came in view of a broad, flat +island. It fell to the lot of Germane to go and examine it, and he did +not think the task a pleasant one. Then his friend Diuran said to him-- + +"I will go with you this time; and when next it falls to my lot to visit +an island, you shall come with me." So both went together. + +They found the island very large; and some distance from the shore they +came to a broad green race-course, in which they saw immense +hoof-marks, the size of a ship's sail, or of a large dining-table. They +found nut-shells, as large as helmets, scattered about; and although +they could see no one, they observed all the marks and tokens that +people of huge size were lately employed there at sundry kinds of work. + +Seeing these strange signs, they became alarmed, and went and called +their companions from the boat to view them. But the others, when they +had seen them, were also struck with fear, and all quickly retired from +the place and went on board their curragh. + +When they had got a little way from the land, they saw dimly, as it were +through a mist, a vast multitude of people on the sea, of gigantic size +and demoniac look, rushing along the crests of the waves with great +outcry. As soon as this shadowy host had landed, they went to the green, +where they arranged a horse-race. + +The horses were swifter than the wind; and as they pressed forward in +the race, the multitudes raised a mighty shout like thunder, which +reached the crew as if it were beside them. Maildun and his men, as they +sat in their curragh, heard the strokes of the whips and the cries of +the riders; and though the race was far off, they could distinguish the +eager words of the spectators:--"Observe the grey horse!" "See that +chestnut horse!" "Watch the horse with the white spots!" "My horse leaps +better than yours!" + +After seeing and hearing these things, the crew sailed away from the +island as quickly as they were able, into the open ocean, for they felt +quite sure that the multitude they saw was a gathering of demons. + + A spacious isle of meadowy plains, with a broad and sandy shore: + Two bold and trusty spies are sent, its wonders to explore. + Mysterious signs, strange, awful sights, now meet the wanderers' + eyes: + Vast hoof-marks, and the traces dire of men of monstrous size: + And lo! on the sea, in countless hosts, their shadowy forms expand; + They pass the affrighted sailors by, and like demons they rush to + land; + They mount their steeds, and the race is run, in the midst of + hell's uproar: + Then the wanderers quickly raise their sails, and leave the + accursed shore. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[LXXII.] See note, page 128. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE PALACE OF SOLITUDE. + + +They suffered much from hunger and thirst this time, for they sailed a +whole week without making land; but at the end of that time they came in +sight of a high island, with a large and very splendid house on the +beach near the water's edge. There were two doors--one turned inland, +and the other facing the sea; and the door that looked towards the sea +was closed with a great flat stone. In this stone was an opening, +through which the waves, as they beat against the door every day, threw +numbers of salmon into the house. + +The voyagers landed, and went through the whole house without meeting +any one. But they saw in one large room an ornamented couch, intended +for the head of the house, and in each of the other rooms was a larger +one for three members of the family: and there was a cup of crystal on a +little table before each couch. They found abundance of food and ale, +and they ate and drank till they were satisfied, thanking God for having +relieved them from hunger and thirst. + + Aloft, high towering o'er the ocean's foam, + The spacious mansion rears its glittering dome. + Each day the billows, through the marble door, + Shoot living salmon floundering on the floor. + Couches that lure the sailors to recline, + Abundant food, brown ale, and sparkling wine; + Tables and chairs in order duly placed, + With crystal cups and golden goblets graced. + But not a living soul the wanderers found; + 'Twas silence all and solitude profound. + They eat and drink, give thanks, then hoist their sail, + And skim the deep once more, obedient to the gale. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE ISLAND OF THE WONDERFUL APPLE TREE. + + +After leaving this, they suffered again from hunger, till they came to +an island with a high hill round it on every side. A single apple tree +grew in the middle, very tall and slender, and all its branches were in +like manner exceedingly slender, and of wonderful length, so that they +grew over the hill and down to the sea. + +When the ship came near the island, Maildun caught one of the branches +in his hand. For three days and three nights the ship coasted the +island, and during all this time he held the branch, letting it slide +through his hand, till on the third day he found a cluster of seven +apples on the very end. Each of these apples supplied the travellers +with food and drink for forty days and forty nights. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE ISLAND OF BLOODTHIRSTY QUADRUPEDS. + + +A beautiful island next came in view, in which they saw, at a distance, +multitudes of large animals shaped like horses. The voyagers, as they +drew near, viewed them attentively, and soon observed that one of them +opened his mouth and bit a great piece out of the side of the animal +that stood next him, bringing away skin and flesh. Immediately after, +another did the same to the nearest of his fellows. And, in short, the +voyagers saw that all the animals in the island kept worrying and +tearing each other from time to time in this manner; so that the ground +was covered far and wide with the blood that streamed from their sides. + + In needless strife they oft contend, + A cruel, mutual-mangling brood; + Their flesh with gory tusks they rend, + And crimson all the isle with blood. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +AN EXTRAORDINARY MONSTER. + + +The next island had a wall all round it. When they came near the shore, +an animal of vast size, with a thick, rough skin, started up inside the +wall, and ran round the island with the swiftness of the wind. When he +had ended his race, he went to a high point, and standing on a large, +flat stone, began to exercise himself according to his daily custom, in +the following manner. He kept turning himself completely round and round +in his skin, the bones and flesh moving, while the skin remained at +rest. + +When he was tired of this exercise, he rested a little; and he then +began turning his skin continually round his body, down at one side and +up at the other like a mill-wheel; but the bones and flesh did not move. + +After spending some time at this sort of work, he started and ran round +the island as at first, as if to refresh himself. He then went back to +the same spot, and this time, while the skin that covered the lower part +of his body remained without motion, he whirled the skin of the upper +part round and round like the movement of a flat-lying millstone. And it +was in this manner that he spent most of his time on the island. + +Maildun and his people, after they had seen these strange doings, +thought it better not to venture nearer. So they put out to sea in great +haste. The monster, observing them about to fly, ran down to the beach +to seize the ship; but finding that they had got out of his reach, he +began to fling round stones at them with great force and an excellent +aim. One of them struck Maildun's shield and went quite through it, +lodging in the keel of the curragh; after which the voyagers got beyond +his range and sailed away. + + In a wall-circled isle a big monster they found, + With a hide like an elephant, leathery and bare; + He threw up his heels with a wonderful bound, + And ran round the isle with the speed of a hare. + + But a feat more astounding has yet to be told: + He turned round and round in his leathery skin; + His bones and his flesh and his sinews he rolled-- + He was resting outside while he twisted within! + + Then, changing his practice with marvellous skill, + His carcase stood rigid and round went his hide; + It whirled round his bones like the wheel of a mill-- + He was resting within while he twisted outside! + + Next, standing quite near on a green little hill, + After galloping round in the very same track, + While the skin of his belly stood perfectly still, + Like a millstone he twisted the skin of his back! + + But Maildun and his men put to sea in their boat, + For they saw his two eyes looking over the wall; + And they knew by the way that he opened his throat, + He intended to swallow them, curragh and all![LXXIII.] + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[LXXIII.] The verse in the original is quite serious; but I could not +resist the temptation to give it a humorous turn. The same observation +applies to the verse at page 122. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE ISLE OF RED-HOT ANIMALS. + + +Not daring to land on this island, they turned away hurriedly, much +disheartened, not knowing whither to turn or where to find a +resting-place. They sailed for a long time, suffering much from hunger +and thirst, and praying fervently to be relieved from their distress. At +last, when they were beginning to sink into a state of despondency, +being quite worn out with toil and hardship of every kind, they sighted +land. + +It was a large and beautiful island, with innumerable fruit trees +scattered over its surface, bearing abundance of gold-coloured apples. +Under the trees they saw herds of short, stout animals, of a bright red +colour, shaped somewhat like pigs; but coming nearer, and looking more +closely, they perceived with astonishment that the animals were all +fiery, and that their bright colour was caused by the red flames which +penetrated and lighted up their bodies. + +The voyagers now observed several of them approach one of the trees in a +body, and striking the trunk all together with their hind legs, they +shook down some of the apples and ate them. In this manner the animals +employed themselves every day, from early morning till the setting of +the sun when they retired into deep caves, and were seen no more till +next morning. + +Numerous flocks of birds were swimming on the sea, all round the island. +From morning till noon, they continued to swim away from the land, +farther and farther out to sea; but at noon they turned round, and from +that to sunset they swam back towards the shore. A little after sunset, +when the animals had retired to their caves, the birds flocked in on the +island, and spread themselves over it, plucking the apples from the +trees and eating them. + +Maildun proposed that they should land on the island, and gather some of +the fruit, saying that it was not harder or more dangerous for them than +for the birds; so two of the men were sent beforehand to examine the +place. They found the ground hot under their feet, for the fiery +animals, as they lay at rest, heated the earth all around and above +their caves; but the two scouts persevered notwithstanding, and brought +away some of the apples. + +When morning dawned, the birds left the island and swam out to sea; and +the fiery animals, coming forth from their caves, went among the trees +as usual, and ate the apples till evening. The crew remained in their +curragh all day; and as soon as the animals had gone into their caves +for the night, and the birds had taken their place, Maildun landed with +all his men. And they plucked the apples till morning, and brought them +on board, till they had gathered as much as they could stow into their +vessel. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +THE PALACE OF THE LITTLE CAT. + + +After rowing for a long time, their store of apples failed them, and +they had nothing to eat or drink; so that they suffered sorely under a +hot sun, and their mouths and nostrils were filled with the briny smell +of the sea. At last they came in sight of land--a little island with a +large palace on it. Around the palace was a wall, white all over, +without stain or flaw, as if it had been built of burnt lime, or carved +out of one unbroken rock of chalk; and where it looked towards the sea +it was so lofty that it seemed almost to reach the clouds. + +The gate of this outer wall was open, and a number of fine houses, all +snowy white, were ranged round on the inside, enclosing a level court in +the middle, on which all the houses opened. Maildun and his people +entered the largest of them, and walked through several rooms without +meeting with any one. But on reaching the principal apartment, they saw +in it a small cat, playing among a number of low, square, marble +pillars, which stood ranged in a row; and his play was, leaping +continually from the top of one pillar to the top of another. When the +men entered the room, the cat looked at them for a moment, but returned +to his play anon, and took no further notice of them. + +Looking now to the room itself, they saw three rows of precious jewels +ranged round the wall from one door-jamb to the other. The first was a +row of brooches of gold and silver, with their pins fixed in the wall, +and their heads outwards; the second, a row of torques of gold and +silver; and the third, a row of great swords, with hilts of gold and +silver. + +Round the room were arranged a number of couches, all pure white and +richly ornamented. Abundant food of various kinds was spread on tables, +among which they observed a boiled ox and a roast hog; and there were +many large drinking-horns, full of good, intoxicating ale. + +"Is it for us that this food has been prepared?" said Maildun to the +cat. + +The cat, on hearing the question, ceased from playing, and looked at +him; but he recommenced his play immediately. Whereupon Maildun told his +people that the dinner was meant for them; and they all sat down, and +ate and drank till they were satisfied, after which they rested and +slept on the couches. + +When they awoke, they poured what was left of the ale into one vessel; +and they gathered the remnants of the food to bring them away. As they +were about to go, Maildun's eldest foster brother asked him-- + +"Shall I bring one of those large torques away with me?" + +"By no means," said Maildun; "it is well that we have got food and +rest. Bring nothing away, for it is certain that this house is not left +without some one to guard it." + +The young man, however, disregarding Maildun's advice, took down one of +the torques and brought it away. But the cat followed him, and overtook +him in the middle of the court, and, springing on him like a blazing, +fiery arrow, he went through his body, and reduced it in a moment to a +heap of ashes. He then returned to the room, and, leaping up on one of +the pillars, sat upon it. + +Maildun turned back, bringing the torque with him, and, approaching the +cat, spoke some soothing words; after which he put the torque back to +the place from which it had been taken. Having done this, he collected +the ashes of his foster brother, and, bringing them to the shore, cast +them into the sea. They all then went on board the curragh, and +continued their voyage, grieving for their lost companion, but thanking +God for His many mercies to them. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +AN ISLAND THAT DYED BLACK AND WHITE. + + +On the morning of the third day, they came to another island, which was +divided into two parts by a wall of brass running across the middle. +They saw two great flocks of sheep, one on each side of the wall; and +all those at one side were black, while those at the other side were +white. + +A very large man was employed in dividing and arranging the sheep; and +he often took up a sheep and threw it with much ease over the wall from +one side to the other. When he threw over a white sheep among the black +ones, it became black immediately; and in like manner, when he threw a +black sheep over, it was instantly changed to white. + +The travellers were very much alarmed on witnessing these doings and +Maildun said-- + +"It is very well that we know so far. Let us now throw something on +shore, to see whether it also will change colour; if it does, we shall +avoid the island." + +So they took a branch with black-coloured bark and threw it towards the +white sheep, and no sooner did it touch the ground than it became white. +They then threw a white-coloured branch on the side of the black sheep, +and in a moment it turned black. + +"It is very lucky for us," said Maildun, "that we did not land on the +island, for doubtless our colour would have changed like the colour of +the branches." + +So they put about with much fear, and sailed away. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +THE ISLAND OF THE BURNING RIVER. + + +On the third day, they came in view of a large, broad island, on which +they saw a herd of gracefully shaped swine; and they killed one small +porkling for food. Towards the centre rose a high mountain, which they +resolved to ascend, in order to view the island; and Germane and Diuran +Lekerd were chosen for this task. + +When they had advanced some distance towards the mountain, they came to +a broad, shallow river; and sitting down on the bank to rest, Germane +dipped the point of his lance into the water, which instantly burned off +the top, as if the lance had been thrust into a furnace. So they went no +farther. + +On the opposite side of the river, they saw a herd of animals like great +hornless oxen, all lying down; and a man of gigantic size near them: and +Germane began to strike his spear against his shield, in order to rouse +the cattle. + +"Why are you frightening the poor young calves in that manner?" demanded +the big shepherd, in a tremendous voice. + +Germane, astonished to find that such large animals were nothing more +than calves, instead of answering the question, asked the big man where +the mothers of those calves were. + +"They are on the side of yonder mountain," he replied. + +Germane and Diuran waited to hear no more; but, returning to their +companions, told them all they had seen and heard; after which the crew +embarked and left the island. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +THE MILLER OF HELL. + + +The next island they came to, which was not far off from the last, had a +large mill on it; and near the door stood the miller, a huge-bodied, +strong, burly man. They saw numberless crowds of men and horses laden +with corn, coming towards the mill; and when their corn was ground they +went away towards the west. Great herds of all kinds of cattle covered +the plain as far as the eye could reach, and among them many wagons +laden with every kind of wealth that is produced on the ridge of the +world. All these the miller put into the mouth of his mill to be ground; +and all, as they came forth, went westwards. + +Maildun and his people now spoke to the miller, and asked him the name +of the mill, and the meaning of all they had seen on the island. And he, +turning quickly towards them, replied in few words-- + +"This mill is called the Mill of Inver-tre-Kenand, and I am the miller +of hell. All the corn and all the riches of the world that men are +dissatisfied with, or which they complain of in any way, are sent here +to be ground; and also every precious article, and every kind of wealth, +which men try to conceal from God. All these I grind in the Mill of +Inver-tre-Kenand, and send them afterwards away to the west." + +He spoke no more, but turned round and busied himself again with his +mill. And the voyagers, with much wonder and awe in their hearts, went +to their curragh and sailed away.[LXXIV.] + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE ISLE OF WEEPING. + + +After leaving this, they had not been long sailing when they discovered +another large island, with a great multitude of people on it. They were +all black, both skin and clothes, with black head-dresses also; and they +kept walking about, sighing and weeping and wringing their hands, +without the least pause or rest. + +It fell to the lot of Maildun's second foster brother to go and examine +the island. And when he went among the people, he also grew sorrowful, +and fell to weeping and wringing his hands, with the others. Two of the +crew were sent to bring him back; but they were unable to find him among +the mourners; and, what was worse, in a little time they joined the +crowd, and began to weep and lament like all the rest. + +Maildun then chose four men to go and bring back the others by force, +and he put arms in their hands, and gave them these directions-- + +"When you land on the island, fold your mantles round your faces, so as +to cover your mouths and noses, that you may not breathe the air of the +country; and look neither to the right nor to the left, neither at the +earth nor at the sky, but fix your eyes on your own men till you have +laid hands on them." + +They did exactly as they were told, and having come up with their two +companions, namely, those who had been sent after Maildun's foster +brother, they seized them and brought them back by force. But the other +they could not find. When these two were asked what they had seen on the +island, and why they began to weep, their only reply was-- + +"We cannot tell; we only know that we did what we saw the others doing." + +And after this the voyagers sailed away from the island, leaving +Maildun's second foster brother behind. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[LXXIV.] The incident of the big miller occurs in the Voyage of the Sons +of O'Corra, as well as in the Voyage of Maildun. The two accounts are +somewhat different; and I have combined both here. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +THE ISLE OF THE FOUR PRECIOUS WALLS. + + +The next was a high island, divided into four parts by four walls +meeting in the centre. The first was a wall of gold; the second, a wall +of silver; the third, a wall of copper; and the fourth, a wall of +crystal. In the first of the four divisions were kings; in the second, +queens; in the third, youths; and in the fourth, young maidens. + +When the voyagers landed, one of the maidens came to meet them, and +leading them forward to a house, gave them food. This food, which she +dealt out to them from a small vessel, looked like cheese, and whatever +taste pleased each person best, that was the taste he found on it. And +after they had eaten till they were satisfied, they slept in a sweet +sleep, as if gently intoxicated, for three days and three nights. When +they awoke on the third day, they found themselves in their curragh on +the open sea; and there was no appearance in any direction either of the +maiden or of the island. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +THE PALACE OF THE CRYSTAL BRIDGE. + + +They came now to a small island, with a palace on it, having a copper +chain in front, hung all over with a number of little silver bells. +Straight before the door there was a fountain, spanned by a bridge of +crystal, which led to the palace. They walked towards the bridge, +meaning to cross it, but every time they stepped on it they fell +backwards flat on the ground. + +After some time, they saw a very beautiful young woman coming out of the +palace, with a pail in her hand; and she lifted a crystal slab from the +bridge, and, having filled her vessel from the fountain, she went back +into the palace. + +"This woman has been sent to keep house for Maildun," said Germane. + +"Maildun indeed!" said she, as she shut the door after her. + +After this they began to shake the copper chain, and the tinkling of the +silver bells was so soft and melodious that the voyagers gradually fell +into a gentle, tranquil sleep, and slept so till next morning. When they +awoke, they saw the same young woman coming forth from the palace, with +the pail in her hand; and she lifted the crystal slab as before, filled +her vessel, and returned into the palace. + +"This woman has certainly been sent to keep house for Maildun," said +Germane. + +"Wonderful are the powers of Maildun!" said she, as she shut the door of +the court behind her. + +They stayed in this place for three days and three nights, and each +morning the maiden came forth in the same manner, and filled her pail. +On the fourth day, she came towards them, splendidly and beautifully +dressed, with her bright yellow hair bound by a circlet of gold, and +wearing silver-work shoes on her small, white feet. She had a white +mantle over her shoulders, which was fastened in front by a silver +brooch studded with gold; and under all, next her soft, snow-white skin, +was a garment of fine white silk. + +"My love to you, Maildun, and to your companions," she said; and she +mentioned them all, one after another, calling each by his own proper +name. "My love to you," said she. "We knew well that you were coming to +our island, for your arrival has long been foretold to us." + +Then she led them to a large house standing by the sea, and she caused +the curragh to be drawn high up on the beach. They found in the house a +number of couches, one of which was intended for Maildun alone, and each +of the others for three of his people. The woman then gave them, from +one vessel, food which was like cheese; first of all ministering to +Maildun, and then giving a triple share to every three of his +companions; and whatever taste each man wished for, that was the taste +he found on it. She then lifted the crystal slab at the bridge, filled +her pail, and dealt out drink to them; and she knew exactly how much to +give, both of food and of drink, so that each had enough and no more. + +"This woman would make a fit wife for Maildun," said his people. But +while they spoke, she went from them with her pail in her hand. + +When she was gone, Maildun's companions said to him, "Shall we ask this +maiden to become thy wife?" + +He answered, "What advantage will it be to you to ask her?" + +She came next morning, and they said to her, "Why dost thou not stay +here with us? Wilt thou make friendship with Maildun; and wilt thou take +him for thy husband?" + +She replied that she and all those that lived on the island were +forbidden to marry with the sons of men; and she told them that she +could not disobey, as she knew not what sin or transgression was. + +She then went from them to her house; and on the next morning, when she +returned, and after she had ministered to them as usual, till they were +satisfied with food and drink, and were become cheerful, they spoke the +same words to her. + +"To-morrow," she replied, "you will get an answer to your question;" and +so saying, she walked towards her house, and they went to sleep on their +couches. + +When they awoke next morning, they found themselves lying in their +curragh on the sea, beside a great high rock; and when they looked +about, they saw neither the woman, nor the palace of the crystal bridge, +nor any trace of the island where they had been sojourning. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +THE ISLE OF SPEAKING BIRDS. + + +One night, soon after leaving this, they heard in the distance, towards +the north-east, a confused murmur of voices, as if from a great number +of persons singing psalms. They followed the direction of the sound, in +order to learn from what it proceeded; and at noon the next day, they +came in view of an island, very hilly and lofty. It was full of birds, +some black, some brown, and some speckled, who were all shouting and +speaking with human voices; and it was from them that the great clamour +came. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +THE AGED HERMIT, AND THE HUMAN SOULS. + + +At a little distance from this they found another small island, with +many trees on it, some standing singly, and some in clusters, on which +were perched great numbers of birds. They also saw an aged man on the +island, who was covered thickly all over with long, white hair, and wore +no other dress. And when they landed, they spoke to him, and asked him +who he was and what race he belonged to. + +"I am one of the men of Erin," he replied. "On a certain day, a long, +long time ago, I embarked in a small curragh, and put out to sea on a +pilgrimage; but I had got only a little way from shore, when my curragh +became very unsteady, as if it were about to overturn. So I returned to +land, and, in order to steady my boat, I placed under my feet at the +bottom, a number of green surface sods, cut from one of the grassy +fields of my own country, and began my voyage anew. Under the guidance +of God, I arrived at this spot; and He fixed the sods in the sea for me, +so that they formed a little island. At first I had barely room to +stand; but every year, from that time to the present, the Lord has added +one foot to the length and breadth of my island, till in the long lapse +of ages it has grown to its present size. And on one day in each year, +He has caused a single tree to spring up, till the island has become +covered with trees. Moreover, I am so old that my body, as you see, has +become covered with long, white hair, so that I need no other dress. + +"And the birds that ye see on the trees," he continued, "these are the +souls of my children, and of all my descendants, both men and women, who +are sent to this little island to abide with me according as they die in +Erin. God has caused a well of ale to spring up for us on the island: +and every morning the angels bring me half a cake, a slice of fish, and +a cup of ale from the well; and in the evening the same allowance of +food and ale is dealt out to each man and woman of my people. And it is +in this manner that we live, and shall continue to live till the end of +the world; for we are all awaiting here the day of judgment." + +Maildun and his companions were treated hospitably on the island by the +old pilgrim for three days and three nights; and when they were taking +leave of him, he told them that they should all reach their own country +except one man. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +THE ISLAND OF THE BIG BLACKSMITHS. + + +When they had been for a long time tossed about on the waters, they saw +land in the distance. On approaching the shore, they heard the roaring +of a great bellows, and the thundering sound of smiths' hammers striking +a large glowing mass of iron on an anvil; and every blow seemed to +Maildun as loud as if a dozen men had brought down their sledges all +together. + +When they had come a little nearer, they heard the big voices of the +smiths in eager talk. + +"Are they near?" asked one. + +"Hush! silence!" says another. + +"Who are they that you say are coming?" inquired a third. + +"Little fellows, that are rowing towards our shore in a pigmy boat," +says the first. + +When Maildun heard this, he hastily addressed the crew-- + +"Put back at once, but do not turn the curragh: reverse the sweep of +your oars, and let her move stern forward, so that those giants may not +perceive that we are flying!" + +The crew at once obey, and the boat begins to move away from the shore, +stern forward, as he had commanded. + +The first smith again spoke. "Are they near enough to the shore?" said +he to the man who was watching. + +"They seem to be at rest," answered the other; "for I cannot perceive +that they are coming closer, and they have not turned their little boat +to go back." + +In a short time the first smith asks again, "What are they doing now?" + +"I think," said the watcher, "they are flying; for it seems to me that +they are now farther off than they were a while ago." + +At this the first smith rushed out of the forge--a huge, burly +giant--holding, in the tongs which he grasped in his right hand, a vast +mass of iron sparkling and glowing from the furnace; and, running down +to the shore with long, heavy strides, he flung the red-hot mass with +all his might after the curragh. It fell a little short, and plunged +down just near the prow, causing the whole sea to hiss and boil and +heave up around the boat. But they plied their oars, so that they +quickly got beyond his reach, and sailed out into the open ocean. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +THE CRYSTAL SEA. + + +After a time, they came to a sea like green crystal. It was so calm and +transparent that they could see the sand at the bottom quite clearly, +sparkling in the sunlight. And in this sea they saw neither monsters, +nor ugly animals, nor rough rocks; nothing but the clear water and the +sunshine and the bright sand. For a whole day they sailed over it, +admiring its splendour and beauty. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +A LOVELY COUNTRY BENEATH THE WAVES. + + +After leaving this they entered on another sea, which seemed like a +clear, thin cloud; and it was so transparent, and appeared so light, +that they thought at first it would not bear up the weight of the +curragh. + +Looking down, they could see, beneath the clear water, a beautiful +country, with many mansions surrounded by groves and woods. In one place +was a single tree; and, standing on its branches, they saw an animal +fierce and terrible to look upon. + +Round about the tree was a great herd of oxen grazing, and a man stood +near to guard them, armed with shield and spear and sword; but when he +looked up and saw the animal on the tree, he turned anon and fled with +the utmost speed. Then the monster stretched forth his neck, and, +darting his head downward, plunged his fangs into the back of the +largest ox of the whole herd, lifted him off the ground into the tree, +and swallowed him down in the twinkling of an eye; whereupon the whole +herd took to flight. + +When Maildun and his people saw this, they were seized with great +terror; for they feared they should not be able to cross the sea over +the monster, on account of the extreme mist-like thinness of the water; +but after much difficulty and danger they got across it safely. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +AN ISLAND GUARDED BY A WALL OF WATER. + + +When they came to the next island, they observed with astonishment that +the sea rose up over it on every side, steep and high, standing, as it +were, like a wall all round it. When the people of the island saw the +voyagers, they rushed hither and thither, shouting, "There they are, +surely! There they come again for another spoil!" + +Then Maildun's people saw great numbers of men and women, all shouting +and driving vast herds of horses, cows, and sheep. A woman began to pelt +the crew from below with large nuts; she flung them so that they +alighted on the waves round the boat, where they remained floating; and +the crew gathered great quantities of them and kept them for eating. + +When they turned to go away, the shouting ceased: and they heard one man +calling aloud, "Where are they now?" and another answering him, "They +are gone away!" + +From what Maildun saw and heard at this island, it is likely that it had +been foretold to the people that their country should some day be +spoiled by certain marauders; and that they thought Maildun and his men +were the enemies they expected. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +A WATER-ARCH IN THE AIR. + + +On the next island they saw a very wonderful thing, namely, a great +stream of water which, gushing up out of the strand, rose into the air +in the form of a rainbow, till it crossed the whole island and came down +on the strand at the other side. They walked under it without getting +wet; and they hooked down from it many large salmon. Great quantities of +salmon of a very great size fell also out of the water over their heads +down on the ground; so that the whole island smelled of fish, and it +became troublesome to gather them on account of their abundance. + +From the evening of Sunday till the evening of Monday, the stream never +ceased to flow, and never changed its place, but remained spanning the +island like a solid arch of water. Then the voyagers gathered the +largest of the salmon, till they had as much as the curragh would hold; +after which they sailed out into the great sea. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +THE SILVER PILLAR OF THE SEA. + + +The next thing they found after this was an immense silver pillar +standing in the sea. It had eight sides, each of which was the width of +an oar-stroke of the curragh, so that its whole circumference was eight +oar-strokes. It rose out of the sea without any land or earth about it, +nothing but the boundless ocean; and they could not see its base deep +down in the water, neither were they able to see the top on account of +its vast height. + +A silver net hung from the top down to the very water, extending far out +at one side of the pillar; and the meshes were so large that the curragh +in full sail went through one of them. When they were passing through +it, Diuran struck the mesh with the edge of his spear, and with the blow +cut a large piece off it. + +"Do not destroy the net," said Maildun; "for what we see is the work of +great men." + +"What I have done," answered Diuran, "is for the honour of my God, and +in order that the story of our adventures may be more readily believed; +and I shall lay this silver as an offering on the altar of Armagh, if I +ever reach Erin." + +That piece of silver weighed two ounces and a half, as it was reckoned +afterwards by the people of the church of Armagh. + +After this they heard some one speaking on the top of the pillar, in a +loud, clear, glad voice; but they knew neither what he said, nor in what +language he spoke. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +AN ISLAND STANDING ON ONE PILLAR. + + +The island they saw after this was named Encos;[LXXV.] and it was so +called because it was supported by a single pillar in the middle. They +rowed all round it, seeking how they might get into it; but could find +no landing-place. At the foot of the pillar, however, down deep in the +water, they saw a door securely closed and locked, and they judged that +this was the way into the island. They called aloud, to find out if any +persons were living there; but they got no reply. So they left it, and +put out to sea once more. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[LXXV.] Encos means "one foot." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +THE ISLAND QUEEN DETAINS THEM WITH HER MAGIC THREAD-CLEW. + +The next island they reached was very large. On one side rose a lofty, +smooth, heath-clad mountain, and all the rest of the island was a grassy +plain. Near the sea-shore stood a great high palace, adorned with +carvings and precious stones, and strongly fortified with a high rampart +all round. After landing, they went towards the palace, and sat to rest +on the bench before the gateway leading through the outer rampart; and, +looking in through the open door, they saw a number of beautiful young +maidens in the court. + +After they had sat for some time, a rider appeared at a distance, coming +swiftly towards the palace; and on a near approach, the travellers +perceived that it was a lady, young and beautiful and richly dressed. +She wore a blue, rustling silk head-dress; a silver-fringed purple cloak +hung from her shoulders; her gloves were embroidered with gold thread; +and her feet were laced becomingly in close-fitting scarlet sandals. One +of the maidens came out and held her horse, while she dismounted and +entered the palace; and soon after she had gone in, another of the +maidens came towards Maildun and his companions and said-- + +"You are welcome to this island. Come into the palace; the queen has +sent me to invite you, and is waiting to receive you." + +They followed the maiden into the palace; and the queen bade them +welcome, and received them kindly. Then, leading them into a large hall +in which a plentiful dinner was laid out, she bade them sit down and +eat. A dish of choice food and a crystal goblet of wine were placed +before Maildun; while a single dish and a single drinking-bowl, with a +triple quantity of meat and drink, were laid before each three of his +companions. And having eaten and drunk till they were satisfied, they +went to sleep on soft couches till morning. + +Next day, the queen addressed Maildun and his companions-- + +"Stay now in this country, and do not go a-wandering any longer over the +wide ocean from island to island. Old age or sickness shall never come +upon you; but you shall be always as young as you are at present, and +you shall live for ever a life of ease and pleasure." + +"Tell us," said Maildun, "how you pass your life here." + +"That is no hard matter," answered the queen. "The good king who +formerly ruled over this island was my husband, and these fair young +maidens that you see are our children. He died after a long reign, and +as he left no son, I now reign, the sole ruler of the island. And every +day I go to the Great Plain, to administer justice and to decide causes +among my people." + +"Wilt thou go from us to-day?" asked Maildun. + +"I must needs go even now," she replied, "to give judgments among the +people; but as to you, you will all stay in this house till I return in +the evening, and you need not trouble yourselves with any labour or +care." + +They remained in that island during the three months of winter. And +these three months appeared to Maildun's companions as long as three +years, for they began to have an earnest desire to return to their +native land. At the end of that time, one of them said to Maildun-- + +"We have been a long time here; why do we not return to our own +country?" + +"What you say is neither good nor sensible," answered Maildun, "for we +shall not find in our own country anything better than we have here." + +But this did not satisfy his companions, and they began to murmur +loudly. "It is quite clear," said they, "that Maildun loves the queen of +this island; and as this is so, let him stay here; but as for us, we +will return to our own country." + +Maildun, however, would not consent to remain after them, and he told +them that he would go away with them. + +Now, on a certain day, not long after this conversation, as soon as the +queen had gone to the Great Plain to administer justice, according to +her daily custom, they got their curragh ready and put out to sea. They +had not gone very far from land when the queen came riding towards the +shore; and, seeing how matters stood, she went into the palace and soon +returned with a ball of thread in her hand. + +Walking down to the water's edge, she flung the ball after the curragh, +but held the end of the thread in her hand. Maildun caught the ball as +it was passing, and it clung to his hand; and the queen, gently pulling +the thread towards her, drew back the curragh to the very spot from +which they had started in the little harbour. And when they had landed, +she made them promise that if ever this happened again, some one should +always stand up in the boat and catch the ball. + +The voyagers abode on the island, much against their will, for nine +months longer. For every time they attempted to escape, the queen +brought them back by means of the clew, as she had done at first, +Maildun always catching the ball. + +At the end of the nine months, the men held council, and this is what +they said-- + +"We know now that Maildun does not wish to leave the island; for he +loves this queen very much, and he catches the ball whenever we try to +escape, in order that we may be brought back to the palace." + +Maildun replied, "Let some one else attend to the ball next time, and +let us try whether it will cling to his hand." + +They agreed to this, and, watching their opportunity, they again put off +towards the open sea. The queen arrived, as usual, before they had gone +very far and flung the ball after them as before. Another man of the +crew caught it, and it clung as firmly to his hand as to Maildun's; and +the queen began to draw the curragh towards the shore. But Diuran, +drawing his sword, cut off the man's hand, which fell with the ball into +the sea; and the men gladly plying their oars, the curragh resumed her +outward voyage. + +When the queen saw this, she began to weep and lament, wringing her +hands and tearing her hair with grief; and her maidens also began to +weep and cry aloud and clap their hands, so that the whole palace was +full of grief and lamentation. But none the less did the men bend to +their oars, and the curragh sailed away; and it was in this manner that +the voyagers made their escape from the island. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +THE ISLE OF INTOXICATING WINE-FRUITS. + + +They were now a long time tossed about on the great billows, when at +length they came in view of an island with many trees on it. These trees +were somewhat like hazels, and they were laden with a kind of fruit +which the voyagers had not seen before, extremely large, and not very +different in appearance from apples, except that they had a rough, +berry-like rind. + +After the crew had plucked all the fruit off one small tree, they cast +lots who should try them, and the lot fell on Maildun. So he took some +of them, and, squeezing the juice into a vessel, drank it. It threw him +into a sleep of intoxication so deep that he seemed to be in a trance +rather than in a natural slumber, without breath or motion, and with the +red foam on his lips. And from that hour till the same hour next day, no +one could tell whether he was living or dead. + +When he awoke next day, he bade his people to gather as much of the +fruit as they could bring away with them; for the world, as he told +them, never produced anything of such surpassing goodness. They pressed +out the juice of the fruit till they had filled all their vessels; and +so powerful was it to produce intoxication and sleep, that, before +drinking it, they had to mix a large quantity of water with it to +moderate its strength. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + +THE ISLE OF THE MYSTIC LAKE. + + +The island they came to next was larger than most of those they had +seen. On one side grew a wood of yew trees and great oaks; and on the +other side was a grassy plain, with one small lake in the midst. A +noble-looking house stood on the near part of the plain, with a small +church not far off; and numerous flocks of sheep browsed over the whole +island. + +The travellers went to the church, and found in it a hermit, with +snow-white beard and hair, and all the other marks of great old age. +Maildun asked who he was, and whence he had come. + +He replied, "I am one of the fifteen people, who, following the example +of our master, Brendan of Birra,[20] sailed on a pilgrimage out into the +great ocean. After many wanderings, we settled on this island, where we +lived for a long time; but my companions died one after another, and of +all who came hither, I alone am left." + +The old pilgrim then showed them Brendan's satchel,[21] which he and his +companions had brought with them on their pilgrimage; and Maildun kissed +it, and all bowed down in veneration before it. And he told them that as +long as they remained there, they might eat of the sheep and of the +other food of the island; but to waste nothing. + +One day, as they were seated on a hill, gazing out over the sea, they +saw what they took to be a black cloud coming towards them from the +south-west. They continued to view it very closely as it came nearer and +nearer; and at last they perceived with amazement that it was an immense +bird, for they saw quite plainly the slow, heavy flapping of his wings. +When he reached the island, he alighted on a little hillock over the +lake; and they felt no small alarm, for they thought, on account of his +vast size, that if he saw them, he might seize them in his talons, and +carry them off over the sea. So they hid themselves under trees and in +the crannies of rocks; but they never lost sight of the bird, for they +were bent on watching his movements. + +He appeared very old, and he held in one claw a branch of a tree, which +he had brought with him over the sea, larger and heavier than the +largest full-grown oak. It was covered with fresh, green leaves, and was +heavily laden with clusters of fruit, red and rich-looking like grapes, +but much larger. + +He remained resting for a time on the hill, being much wearied after his +flight, and at last he began to eat the fruit off the branch. After +watching him for some time longer, Maildun ventured warily towards the +hillock, to see whether he was inclined to mischief; but the bird showed +no disposition to harm him. This emboldened the others, and they all +followed their chief. + +The whole crew now marched in a body round the bird, headed by Maildun, +with their shields raised; and as he still made no stir, one of the men, +by Maildun's directions, went straight in front of him, and brought away +some of the fruit from the branch which he still held in his talons. But +the bird went on plucking and eating his fruit, and never took the least +notice. + +On the evening of that same day, as the men sat looking over the sea to +the south-west, where the great bird first appeared to them, they saw +in the distance two others, quite as large, coming slowly towards them +from the very same point. On they came, flying at a vast height, nearer +and nearer, till at last they swooped down and alighted on the hillock +in front of the first bird, one on each side. + +Although they were plainly much younger than the other, they seemed very +tired, and took a long rest. Then, shaking their wings, they began +picking the old bird all over, body, wings, and head, plucking out the +old feathers and the decayed quill points, and smoothing down his +plumage with their great beaks. After this had gone on for some time, +the three began plucking the fruit off the branch, and they ate till +they were satisfied. + +Next morning, the two birds began at the very same work, picking and +arranging the feathers of the old bird as before; and at midday they +ceased, and began again to eat the fruit, throwing the stones and what +they did not eat of the pulp, into the lake, till the water became red +like wine. After this the old bird plunged into the lake and remained in +it, washing himself, till evening, when he again flew up on the hillock, +but perched on a different part of it, to avoid touching and defiling +himself with the old feathers and the other traces of age and decay, +which the younger birds had removed from him. + +On the morning of the third day, the two younger birds set about +arranging his feathers for the third time; and on this occasion they +applied themselves to their task in a manner much more careful and +particular than before, smoothing the plumes with the nicest touches, +and arranging them in beautiful lines and glossy tufts and ridges. And +so they continued without the least pause till midday, when they ceased. +Then, after resting for a little while, they opened their great wings, +rose into the air, and flew away swiftly towards the south-west, till +the men lost sight of them in the distance. + +Meantime the old bird, after the others had left, continued to smooth +and plume his feathers till evening; then, shaking his wings, he rose +up, and flew three times round the island, as if to try his strength. +And now the men observed that he had lost all the appearances of old +age: his feathers were thick and glossy, his head was erect and his eye +bright, and he flew with quite as much power and swiftness as the +others. Alighting for the last time on the hillock, after resting a +little, he rose again, and turning his flight after the other two, to +the point from which he had come, he was soon lost to view, and the +voyagers saw no more of him. + +It now appeared very clear to Maildun and his companions that this bird +had undergone a renewal of youth from old age, according to the word of +the prophet, which says, "Thy youth shall be renewed as the eagle." +Diuran, seeing this great wonder, said to his companions-- + +"Let us also bathe in the lake, and we shall obtain a renewal of youth +like the bird." + +But they said, "Not so, for the bird has left the poison of his old age +and decay in the water." + +Diuran, however, would have his own way; and he told them he was +resolved to try the virtue of the water, and that they might follow his +example or not, whichever they pleased. So he plunged in and swam about +for some time, after which he took a little of the water and mixed it in +his mouth; and in the end he swallowed a small quantity. He then came +out perfectly sound and whole; and he remained so ever after, for as +long as he lived he never lost a tooth or had a grey hair, and he +suffered not from disease or bodily weakness of any kind. But none of +the others ventured in. + +The voyagers, having remained long enough on this island, stored in +their curragh a large quantity of the flesh of the sheep; and after +bidding farewell to the ancient cleric, they sought the ocean once more. + + Now once again, when winds and tide combine, + The flying curragh cleaves the crested brine. + Far to the west an island rose to view, + With verdant plains, clear streams, and mountains blue. + An aged hermit, bred in Erin's land, + Welcomed and blessed the chieftain and his band; + Brought food and drink, and bade them rest awhile, + And view the wonders of that lovely isle. + Lo, from the sea, three birds of monstrous size, + With vast wings slowly moving, cleave the skies; + And as they nearer drew, the sailors saw + One held a fruit branch firmly in his claw. + Down by the dear, mysterious lake they light, + Eat from the branch, and rest them from their flight. + + The aged bird, with plumes decayed and thin, + Paused on the brink awhile, then, plunging in, + He bath'd and smooth'd his feathers o'er and o'er, + Shook his great wings and rested on the shore. + Now while the other two his plumes arrange, + Through all his frame appears a wondrous change: + His eyes grow bright, his head erect and bold, + His glossy plumage shines like burnished gold; + Free from old age, his glorious form expands; + In radiant youth and beauty proud he stands! + Such was the gift that lake of wonder gave; + Such was the virtue of its mystic wave. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. + +THE ISLE OF LAUGHING. + + +They next came to an island with a great plain extending over its whole +surface. They saw a vast multitude of people on it, engaged in sundry +youthful games, and all continually laughing. The voyagers cast lots who +should go to examine the island; and the lot fell upon Maildun's third +foster brother. + +The moment he landed he went among the others and joined in their +pastimes and in their laughter, as if he had been among them all his +life. His companions waited for him a very long time, but were afraid to +venture to land after him; and at last, as there seemed no chance of his +returning, they left him and sailed away. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. + +THE ISLE OF THE BLEST. + + +They came now to a small island with a high rampart of fire all round +it; and that rampart revolved continually round the island. There was +one large open door in the rampart; and whenever the door, in its +involution, came in front of them, they could see almost the whole +island through it, and all that was therein. + +And this is what they saw: A great number of people, beautiful and +glorious-looking, wearing rich garments adorned and radiant all over, +feasting joyously, and drinking from embossed vessels of red gold which +they held in their hands. The voyagers heard also their cheerful, +festive songs; and they marvelled greatly, and their hearts were full of +gladness at all the happiness they saw and heard. But they did not +venture to land. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII. + +THE HERMIT OF THE SEA-ROCK. + + +A little time after leaving this, they saw something a long way off +towards the south, which at first they took to be a large white bird +floating on the sea, and rising and falling with the waves; but on +turning their curragh towards it for a nearer view, they found that it +was a man. He was very old, so old that he was covered all over with +long, white hair, which grew from his body; and he was standing on a +broad, bare rock, and kept continually throwing himself on his knees, +and never ceased praying. + +When they saw that he was a holy man, they asked and received his +blessing; after which they began to converse with him; and they inquired +who he was, and how he had come to that rock. Then the old man gave them +the following account:-- + +"I was born and bred in the island of Tory.[LXXVI.] When I grew up to be +a man, I was cook to the brotherhood of the monastery; and a wicked cook +I was; for every day I sold part of the food intrusted to me, and +secretly bought many choice and rare things with the money. Worse even +than this I did; I made secret passages underground into the church and +into the houses belonging to it, and I stole from time to time great +quantities of golden vestments, book-covers adorned with brass and gold, +and other holy and precious things. + +"I soon became very rich, and had my rooms filled with costly couches, +with clothes of every colour, both linen and woollen, with brazen +pitchers and caldrons, and with brooches and armlets of gold. Nothing +was wanting in my house, of furniture and ornament, that a person in a +high rank of life might be expected to have; and I became very proud and +overbearing. + +"One day, I was sent to dig a grave for the body of a rustic that had +been brought from the mainland to be buried on the island. I went and +fixed on a spot in the little graveyard; but as soon as I had set to +work, I heard a voice speaking down deep in the earth beneath my feet-- + +"'Do not dig this grave!' + +"I paused for a moment, startled; but, recovering myself, I gave no +further heed to the mysterious words, and again I began to dig. The +moment I did so, I heard the same voice, even more plainly than before-- + +"'Do not dig this grave! I am a devout and holy person, and my body is +lean and light; do not put the heavy, pampered body of that sinner down +upon me!' + +"But I answered, in the excess of my pride and obstinacy, 'I will +certainly dig this grave; and I will bury this body down on you!' + +"'If you put that body down on me, the flesh will fall off your bones, +and you will die, and be sent to the infernal pit at the end of three +days; and, moreover, the body will not remain where you put it.' + +"'What will you give me,' I asked, 'if I do not bury the corpse on you?' + +"'Everlasting life in heaven,' replied the voice. + +"'How do you know this; and how am I to be sure of it?' I inquired. + +"And the voice answered me, 'The grave you are digging is clay. Observe +now whether it will remain so, and then you will know the truth of what +I tell you. And you will see that what I say will come to pass, and that +you cannot bury that man on me, even if you should try to do so.' + +"These words were scarce ended, when the grave was turned into a mass of +white sand before my face. And when I saw this, I brought the body away, +and buried it elsewhere. + +"It happened, some time after, that I got a new curragh made, with the +hides painted red all over; and I went to sea in it. As I sailed by the +shores and islands, I was so pleased with the view of the land and sea +from my curragh that I resolved to live altogether in it for some time; +and I brought on board all my treasures--silver cups, gold bracelets, +and ornamented drinking-horns, and everything else, from the largest to +the smallest article. + +"I enjoyed myself for a time, while the air was clear and the sea calm +and smooth. But one day, the winds suddenly arose and a storm burst upon +me, which carried me out to sea, so that I quite lost sight of land, and +I knew not in what direction the curragh was drifting. After a time, the +wind abated to a gentle gale, the sea became smooth, and the curragh +sailed on as before, with a quiet, pleasant movement. + +"But suddenly, though the breeze continued to blow, I thought I could +perceive that the curragh ceased moving, and, standing up to find out +the cause, I saw with great surprise an old man not far off, sitting on +the crest of a wave. + +"He spoke to me; and, as soon as I heard his voice, I knew it at once, +but I could not at the moment call to mind where I had heard it before. +And I became greatly troubled, and began to tremble, I knew not why. + +"'Whither art thou going?' he asked. + +"'I know not,' I replied; 'but this I know, I am pleased with the +smooth, gentle motion of my curragh over the waves.' + +"'You would not be pleased,' replied the old man, 'if you could see the +troops that are at this moment around you.' + +"'What troops do you speak of?' I asked. And he answered-- + +"'All the space round about you, as far as your view reaches over the +sea, and upwards to the clouds, is one great towering mass of demons, on +account of your avarice, your thefts, your pride, and your other crimes +and vices.' + +"He then asked, 'Do you know why your curragh has stopped?' + +"I answered, 'No;' and he said, 'It has been stopped by me; and it will +never move from that spot till you promise me to do what I shall ask of +you.' + +"I replied that perhaps it was not in my power to grant his demand. + +"'It is in your power,' he answered; 'and if you refuse me, the torments +of hell shall be your doom.' + +"He then came close to the curragh, and, laying his hands on me, he +made me swear to do what he demanded. + +"'What I ask is this,' said he; 'that you throw into the sea this moment +all the ill-gotten treasures you have in the curragh.' + +"This grieved me very much, and I replied, 'It is a pity that all these +costly things should be lost.' + +"To which he answered, 'They will not go to loss; a person will be sent +to take charge of them. Now do as I say.' + +"So, greatly against my wishes, I threw all the beautiful precious +articles overboard, keeping only a small wooden cup to drink from. + +"'You will now continue your voyage,' he said; 'and the first solid +ground your curragh reaches, there you are to stay.' + +"He then gave me seven cakes and a cup of watery whey as food for my +voyage; after which the curragh moved on, and I soon lost sight of him. +And now I all at once recollected that the old man's voice was the same +as the voice that I had heard come from the ground, when I was about to +dig the grave for the body of the rustic. I was so astonished and +troubled at this discovery, and so disturbed at the loss of all my +wealth, that I threw aside my oars, and gave myself up altogether to the +winds and currents, not caring whither I went; and for a long time I was +tossed about on the waves, I knew not in what direction. + +"At last it seemed to me that my curragh ceased to move; but I was not +sure about it, for I could see no sign of land. Mindful, however, of +what the old man had told me, that I was to stay wherever my curragh +stopped, I looked round more carefully; and at last I saw, very near me, +a small rock level with the surface, over which the waves were gently +laughing and tumbling. I stepped on to the rock; and the moment I did +so, the waves seemed to spring back, and the rock rose high over the +level of the water; while the curragh drifted by and quickly +disappeared, so that I never saw it after. This rock has been my abode +from that time to the present day. + +"For the first seven years, I lived on the seven cakes and the cup of +whey given me by the man who had sent me to the rock. At the end of that +time the cakes were all gone; and for three days I fasted, with nothing +but the whey to wet my mouth. Late in the evening of the third day, an +otter brought me a salmon out of the sea; but though I suffered much +from hunger, I could not bring myself to eat the fish raw, and it was +washed back again into the waves. + +"I remained without food for three days longer; and in the afternoon of +the third day, the otter returned with the salmon. And I saw another +otter bring firewood; and when he had piled it up on the rock, he blew +it with his breath till it took fire and lighted up. And then I broiled +the salmon and ate till I had satisfied my hunger. + +"The otter continued to bring me a salmon every day, and in this manner +I lived for seven years longer. The rock also grew larger and larger +daily, till it became the size you now see it. At the end of seven +years, the otter ceased to bring me my salmon, and I fasted for three +days. But at the end of the third day, I was sent half a cake of fine +wheaten flour and a slice of fish; and on the same day my cup of watery +whey fell into the sea, and a cup of the same size, filled with good +ale, was placed on the rock for me. + +"And so I have lived, praying and doing penance for my sins to this +hour. Each day my drinking-vessel is filled with ale, and I am sent half +a wheat-flour cake and a slice of fish; and neither rain nor wind, nor +heat, nor cold, is allowed to molest me on this rock." + +This was the end of the old man's history. In the evening of that day, +each man of the crew received the same quantity of food that was sent to +the old hermit himself, namely, half a cake and a slice of fish; and +they found in the vessel as much good ale as served them all. + +The next morning he said to them, "You shall all reach your own country +in safety. And you, Maildun, you shall find in an island on your way, +the very man that slew your father; but you are neither to kill him nor +take revenge on him in any way. As God has delivered you from the many +dangers you have passed through, though you were very guilty, and well +deserved death at His hands; so you forgive your enemy the crime he +committed against you." + +After this they took leave of the old man and sailed away. + + +THE OLD HERMIT'S STORY. + + The storms may roar and the seas may rage, + But here, on this bare, brown rock, + I pray and repent and I tell my beads, + Secure from the hurricane's shock. + + For the good, kind God, in pity to me, + Holds out His protecting hand; + And cold nor heat nor storm nor sleet, + Can molest me where I stand. + + I robbed the churches and wronged the poor, + And grew richer day by day; + But now on this bare, brown ocean rock, + A heavy penance I pay. + + A bloated sinner died unshrived, + And they brought his corse to me-- + "Go, dig the grave and bury the dead, + And pray for the soul set free." + + I dug the grave, but my hands were stayed + By a solemn and fearful sound, + For the feeble tones of a dead man's voice + Came up from the hollow ground! + +_The dead monk speaks up from the grave_-- + + Place not that pampered corse on mine, + For my bones are weak and thin; + I cannot bear the heavy weight + Of a body defiled by sin. + + I was a meek and holy man; + I fasted and watched and prayed; + A sinner's corse would defile the clay + Where my wasted body is laid. + +_The old hermit continues his story_-- + + The voice then ceased, and I heard no more + Its hollow, beseeching tone; + Then I closed the grave, and left the old monk + To rest in his coffin alone. + + My curragh sailed on the western main, + And I saw, as I viewed the sea, + A withered old man upon a wave; + And he fixed his eyes on me. + + He spoke, and his voice my heart's blood froze, + And I shook with horror and fear: + 'Twas the very voice of the dead old monk + That sounded in mine ear! + +_The dead monk speaks again_-- + + Far from my grave the sinner's corse + In unhallowed clay lies deep; + And now in my coffin, undefiled, + For ever in peace I sleep. + + Go, live and pray on the bare, brown rock, + Far out in the stormy sea; + A heavy penance for heavy crimes, + And heaven at last for thee! + +_The old hermit ends his story_-- + + And here I live from age to age; + I pray and repent and fast; + An otter brings me food each day, + And I hope for heaven at last. + + The tempests roar and the billows rage, + But God holds forth His hand, + And cold nor heat nor storm nor sleet, + Can harm me where I stand. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[LXXVI.] Tory Island, off the coast of Donegal, where there was a +monastery dedicated to St. Columkille. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV. + +SIGNS OF HOME. + + +Soon after they saw a beautiful verdant island, with herds of oxen, +cows, and sheep browsing all over its hills and valleys; but no houses +nor inhabitants were to be seen. And they rested for some time on this +island, and ate the flesh of the cows and sheep. + +One day, while they were standing on a hill, a large falcon flew by; and +two of the crew, who happened to look closely at him, cried out, in the +hearing of Maildun-- + +"See that falcon! he is surely like the falcons of Erin!" + +"Watch him closely," cried Maildun; "and observe exactly in what +direction he is flying!" + +And they saw that he flew to the south-east, without turning or +wavering. + +They went on board at once; and, having unmoored, they sailed to the +south-east after the falcon. After rowing the whole day, they sighted +land in the dusk of the evening, which seemed to them like the land of +Erin. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXV. + +MAILDUN MEETS HIS ENEMY, AND ARRIVES HOME. + + +On a near approach, they found it was a small island; and now they +recognised it as the very same island they had seen in the beginning of +their voyage, in which they had heard the man in the great house boast +that he had slain Maildun's father, and from which the storm had driven +them out into the great ocean. + +They turned the prow of their vessel to the shore, landed, and went +towards the house. It happened that at this very time the people of the +house were seated at their evening meal; and Maildun and his companions, +as they stood outside, heard a part of their conversation. + +Said one to another, "It would not be well for us if we were now to see +Maildun." + +"As to Maildun," answered another, "it is very well known that he was +drowned long ago in the great ocean." + +"Do not be sure," observed a third; "perchance he is the very man that +may waken you up some morning from your sleep." + +"Supposing he came now," asks another, "what should we do?" + +The head of the house now spoke in reply to the last question; and +Maildun at once knew his voice-- + +"I can easily answer that," said he. "Maildun has been for a long time +suffering great afflictions and hardships; and if he were to come now, +though we were enemies once, I should certainly give him a welcome and a +kind reception." + +When Maildun heard this he knocked at the door, and the door-keeper +asked who was there; to which Maildun made answer-- + +"It is I, Maildun, returned safely from all my wanderings." + +The chief of the house then ordered the door to be opened; and he went +to meet Maildun, and brought himself and his companions into the house. +They were joyfully welcomed by the whole household; new garments were +given to them; and they feasted and rested, till they forgot their +weariness and their hardships. + +They related all the wonders God had revealed to them in the course of +their voyage, according to the word of the sage who says, "It will be a +source of pleasure to remember these things at a future time." + +After they had remained here for some days, Maildun returned to his own +country. And Diuran Lekerd took the five half-ounces of silver he had +cut down from the great net at the Silver Pillar, and laid it, according +to his promise, on the high altar of Armagh. + + + + +THE FAIRY PALACE OF THE QUICKEN TREES.[LXXVII.] + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +COLGA, KING OF LOCHLANN, INVADES ERIN, AND IS SLAIN. + + +Once upon a time, a noble, warlike king ruled over Lochlann,[6] whose +name was Colga of the Hard Weapons. On a certain occasion, this king +held a meeting of his chief people, on the broad, green plain before his +palace of Berva.[6] And when they were all gathered together, he spoke +to them in a loud, clear voice, from where he sat high on his throne; +and he asked them whether they found any fault with the manner in which +he ruled them, and whether they knew of anything deserving of blame in +him as their sovereign lord and king. They replied, as if with the voice +of one man, that they found no fault of any kind. + +Then the king spoke again and said, "You see not as I see. Do you not +know that I am called King of the Four Tribes of Lochlann, and of the +Islands of the Sea? And yet there is one island which acknowledges not +my rule." + +And when they had asked which of the islands he meant, he said-- + +"That island is Erin of the green hills. My forefathers, indeed, held +sway over it, and many of our brave warriors died there in fight. There +fell the great king, Balor of the Mighty Blows;[9] his son Bres[9] also; +and his queen, Kethlenda of the Crooked Teeth;[9] there, too, fell Irann +and Slana, sisters of the king; and many others that I do not name. But +though our hosts at last subdued the land and laid it under tribute, yet +they held it not long; for the men of Erin arose and expelled our army, +regaining their ancient freedom. + +"And now it is my desire that we once more sail to Erin with a fleet and +an army, to bring it under my power, and take, either by consent or by +force, the tributes that are due to me by right. And we shall thereafter +hold the island in subjection till the end of the world." + +The chiefs approved the counsel of the king, and the meeting broke up. + +Then the king made proclamation, and sent his swift scouts and couriers +all over the land, to muster his fighting men, till he had assembled a +mighty army in one place. + +And when they had made ready their curve-sided, white-sailed ships, and +their strong, swift-gliding boats, the army embarked. And they raised +their sails and plied their oars; and they cleft the billowy, briny sea; +and the clear, cold winds whistled through their sails; and they made +neither stop nor stay, till they landed on the shore of the province of +Ulad.[LXXVIII.] + +The King of Ireland at that time was Cormac Mac Art,[22] the grandson of +Conn the Hundred-fighter.[18] And when Cormac heard that a great fleet +had come to Erin, and landed an army of foreigners, he straightway sent +tidings of the invasion to Allen[LXXIX.] of the green hill-slopes, where +lived Finn,[23] and the noble Fena[23] of the Gaels. + +When the king's messengers had told their tale, Finn despatched his +trusty, swift-footed couriers to every part of Erin where he knew the +Fena dwelt; and he bade them to say that all should meet him at a +certain place, near that part of the coast where the Lochlann army lay +encamped. And he himself led the Fena of Leinster northwards to join the +muster. + +They attacked the foreigners, and the foreigners were not slow to meet +their onset; and the Fena were sore pressed in that battle, so that at +one time the Lochlanns were like to prevail. + +Oscar, the son of Oisin,[23] when he saw his friends falling all round +him, was grieved to the heart; and he rested for a space to gather his +wrath and his strength. Then, renewing the fight, he rushed with fury +towards the standard of Colga, the Lochlann king, dealing havoc and +slaughter among those foreigners that stood in his track. The king saw +Oscar approach, and met him; and they fought a deadly battle +hand-to-hand. Soon their shields were rent, their hard helmets were +dinted with sword-blows, their armour was pierced in many places, and +their flesh was torn with deep wounds. And the end of the fight was, +that the king of the foreigners was slain by Oscar, the son of Oisin. + +When the Lochlanns saw their king fall, they lost heart, and the battle +went against them. But they fought on nevertheless, till evening, when +their army entirely gave way, and fled from the field. And of all the +nobles and princes and mighty chiefs who sailed to Erin on that +expedition, not one was left alive, except the youngest son of the king, +whose name was Midac. Him Finn spared on account of his youth; with +intent to bring him up in his own household. + +After the Fena had rested for a time, and buried their dead, they turned +their faces southward, and marched slowly towards Allen, bringing their +sick and wounded companions. And Finn placed Midac among the household +of Allen, treating him honourably, and giving him servants and tutors. +Moreover, he enlisted him in the Fena, and gave him a high post as +befitted a prince. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[LXXVII.] The quicken tree, or quickbeam, or mountain ash, or roan-tree; +Gaelic, _caerthainn_. Many mystic virtues were anciently attributed to +this tree. + +[LXXVIII.] Ulad, _i.e._ Ulster. + +[LXXIX.] The Hill of Allen, in the county Kildare, where Finn had his +palace. (See note 23 at the end.) + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +MIDAC, THE SON OF COLGA, MEDITATES REVENGE. + + +After this things went on as before, while Midac grew up towards +manhood, and hunted and feasted with the Fena, and fought with them when +they fought. But he never lost an opportunity of making himself +acquainted with all their haunts and hunting-grounds, their palaces and +fortresses, and in particular with their manner of carrying on war. + +It happened one day that Finn and some of his leading chiefs were in +council, considering sundry matters, especially the state and condition +of the Fena; and each chief was commanded by Finn to speak, and give his +opinion or advice on anything that he deemed weighty enough to be +debated by the meeting. + +And after many had spoken, Conan Mail, the son of Morna, stood up and +said-- + +"It seems to me, O king, that you and I and the Fena in general are now +in great danger. For you have in your house, and mixing with your +people, a young man who has good cause of enmity towards you; that is to +say, Midac, the son of the king of Lochlann. For was it not by you that +his father and brothers and many of his friends were slain? Now I notice +that this young prince is silent and distant, and talks little to those +around him. Moreover, I see that day after day he takes much pains to +know all matters relating to the Fena; and as he has friends in +Lochlann, mighty men with armies and ships, I fear me the day may come +when this prince will use his knowledge to our destruction." + +The king said that all this was quite true, and he asked Conan to give +his opinion as to what should be done. + +"What I advise in the matter is this," said Conan, "that Midac be not +allowed to abide any longer in the palace of Allen. But as it is meet +that he should be treated in a manner becoming a prince, let him be +given a tract of land for himself in some other part of Erin, with a +home and a household of his own. Then shall we be freed from his +presence, and he can no longer listen to our counsels, and learn all our +secrets and all our plans." + +This speech seemed to Finn and the other chiefs reasonable and prudent, +and they agreed to follow the advice of Conan Mail. + +Accordingly Finn sent for the prince, and said to him-- + +"Thou knowest, Midac, that thou hast been brought up from boyhood in my +household, and that thou hast been dealt with in every way as becomes a +prince. Now thou art a man, and standest in no further need of +instruction, for thou hast learned everything needful for a prince and +for a champion of the Fena; and it is not meet that thou shouldst abide +longer in the house of another. Choose, therefore, the two cantreds +that please thee best in all Erin, and they shall be given to thee and +to thy descendants for ever as a patrimony. There thou shalt build +houses and a homestead for thyself, and I will help thee with men and +with cattle and with all things else necessary." + +Midac listened in silence; and when the king had done speaking, he +replied in a cold and distant manner and in few words, that the proposal +was reasonable and proper, and pleased him well. And thereupon he chose +the rich cantred of Kenri on the Shannon, and the cantred of the Islands +lying next to it on the north, at the other side of the river.[LXXX.] + +Now Midac had good reasons for choosing these two territories beyond all +others in Erin. For the river opens out between them like a great sea, +in which are many islands and sheltered harbours, where ships might +anchor in safety; and he hoped to bring a fleet and an army into Erin +some day, to avenge on Finn and the Fena the defeats they had inflicted +on his countrymen, and above all, the death of his father and brothers. +And being bent on treachery, he could not have chosen in all Erin a +territory better suited for carrying out his secret designs. + +So these two cantreds were bestowed on Midac. Finn gave him also much +cattle and wealth of all kinds; so that when his houses were built, and +when he was settled in his new territory, with his servants and his +cattle and his wealth all round him, there was no brugaid[LXXXI.] in +Erin richer or more prosperous than he. + +For fourteen years Midac lived in his new home, growing richer every +year. But the Fena knew nothing of his way of life, for he kept himself +apart, and none of his old acquaintances visited him. And though he was +enrolled in the ranks of the Fena, he never, during all that time, +invited one of them to his house, or offered them food or drink or +entertainment of any kind. + +One day, Finn and the Fena went to hunt in the district of Fermorc,[C] +and over the plains of Hy Conall Gavra.[LXXXII.] And when all was +arranged and the chase about to begin, Finn himself, and a few of his +companions, went to the top of the hill of Knockfierna[LXXXIII.] to see +the sport; while the main body of the Fena scattered themselves over the +plain with their dogs and attendants, to start the deer and the wild +boars and all the other game of the forest. + +Then Finn's people pitched their tents, and made soft couches of rushes +and heather, and dug cooking-places[24]; for they intended the hill to +be the resting-place of all who chose to rest, till the chase was +ended. + +After Finn and his companions had sat for some time on the hill, they +saw a tall warrior coming towards them, armed in full battle array. He +wore a splendid coat of mail of Lochlann workmanship, and over it a +mantle of fine satin dyed in divers colours. A broad shield hung on his +left shoulder, and his helmet glittered in the morning sun like polished +silver. At his left side hung a long sword, with golden hilt and +enamelled sheath; and he held in his right hand his two long, polished, +death-dealing spears. His figure and gait were wonderfully majestic, and +as he came near, he saluted the king in stately and courteous words. + +Finn returned the salutation, and spoke with him for a while; and at +length he asked him whence he had come, and if he had brought any +tidings. + +"As to the place I came from," he answered, "that need not be spoken of; +and for news, I have nothing to tell except that I am a +ferdana,[LXXXIV.] and that I have come to thee, O king of the Fena, with +a poem." + +"Methinks, indeed," replied Finn, "that conflict and battle are the +poetry you profess; for never have I seen a hero more noble in mien and +feature." + +"I am a ferdana nevertheless," answered the stranger; "and if thou dost +not forbid me, I will prove it by reciting a poem I have brought for +thee." + +"A mountain-top is not the place for poetry," said Finn; "and moreover, +there is now no opportunity either for reciting or listening. For I and +these few companions of mine have come to sit here that we may view the +chase, and listen to the eager shouts of the men, and the sweet cry of +the hounds. + +"But if you are, as you say," continued Finn, "a ferdana, remain here +with us till the chase is ended; and then you shall come with me to one +of our palaces, where I shall listen to your poem, and bestow on you +such gifts as are meet for a poet of your rank." + +But the strange champion answered, "It is not my wish to go to your +palace; and I now put you under gesa,[12] which true heroes do not +suffer, that you listen to my poem, and that you find out and explain +its meaning." + +"Well then," said Finn, "let there be no further delay; repeat your +poem." + +So the hero recited the following verse:-- + + I saw a house by a river's shore, + Famed through Erin in days of yore, + Radiant with sparkling gems all o'er, + Its lord deep skilled in magical lore; + No conqueror ever defiled its floor; + No spoiler can rive its golden store; + Fire cannot burn its battlements hoar; + Safe it stands when the torrents pour; + Feasting and joy for evermore, + To all who enter its open door! + Now if thou hast learned a champion's lore, + Tell me the name of that mansion hoar, + With roof of crystal and marble floor-- + The mansion I saw by the river's shore. + +"I can explain that poem," said Finn. "The mansion you saw is Bruga of +the Boyne,[LXXXV.] the fairy palace of Angus, the Dedannan prince, son +of the Dagda, which is open to all who wish to partake of its feasts and +its enjoyments. It cannot be burned by fire, or drowned by water, or +spoiled by robbers, on account of the great power of its lord and +master; for there is not now, and there never was, and there never shall +be, in Erin, a man more skilled in magic arts than Angus of the Bruga." + +"That is the sense of my poem," said the stranger; "and now listen to +this other, and explain it to me if thou canst"-- + + I saw to the south a bright-faced queen, + With couch of crystal and robe of green; + A numerous offspring, sprightly and small, + Plain through her skin you can see them all; + Slowly she moves, and yet her speed + Exceeds the pace of the swiftest steed! + Now tell me the name of that wondrous queen, + With her couch of crystal and robe of green.[LXXXVI.] + +"I understand the sense of that poem also," said Finn. "The queen you +saw is the river Boyne, which flows by the south side of the palace of +Bruga. Her couch of crystal is the sandy bed of the river; and her robe +of green the grassy plain of Bregia,[LXXXVII.] through which it flows. +Her children, which you can see through her skin, are the speckled +salmon, the lively, pretty trout, and all the other fish that swim in +the clear water of the river. The river flows slowly indeed; but its +waters traverse the whole world in seven years, which is more than the +swiftest steed can do." + +"These are my poems," said the champion; "and thou hast truly explained +their meaning." + +"And now," said Finn, "as I have listened to thy poetry and explained +it, tell us, I pray thee, who thou art and whence thou hast come; for I +marvel much that so noble a champion should live in any of the five +provinces of Erin without being known to me and my companions." + +Then Conan Mail spoke. "Thou art, O king, the wisest and most far-seeing +of the Fena, and thou hast unravelled and explained the hard poetical +puzzles of this champion. Yet, on the present occasion, thou knowest not +a friend from a foe; for this man is Midac, whom thou didst bring up +with much honour in thine own house, and afterwards made rich, but who +is now thy bitter enemy, and the enemy of all the Fena. Here he has +lived for fourteen years, without fellowship or communication with his +former companions. And though he is enrolled in the order of the Fena, +he has never, during all that time, invited thee to a banquet, or come +to see any of his old friends, or given food or entertainment to any of +the Fena, either master or man." + +Midac answered, "If Finn and the Fena have not feasted with me, that is +none of my fault; for my house has never been without a banquet fit for +either king or chief; but you never came to partake of it. I did not, +indeed, send you an invitation; but that you should not have waited for, +seeing that I was one of the Fena, and that I was brought up in your own +household. Howbeit, let that pass. I have now a feast ready, in all +respects worthy of a king; and I put you under gesa that you and the +chiefs that are here with you, come this night to partake of it. I have +two palaces, and in each there is a banquet. One is the Palace of the +Island, which stands on the sea; and the other is the Palace of the +Quicken Trees, which is a little way off from this hill; and it is to +this that I wish you to come." + +Finn consented; and Midac, after he had pointed out the way to the +Palace of the Quicken Trees, left them, saying he would go before, that +he might have things in readiness when they should arrive. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[LXXX.] The cantreds of Kenri and Islands are now two baronies: the +former the barony of Kenry, in Limerick, a little below the city; the +latter the barony of Islands, in Clare, on the opposite side of the +Shannon, including the mouth of the river Fergus, with its numerous +_islands_, from which the barony has its name. + +[LXXXI.] Brugaid, a sort of local officer, who was allowed a tract of +land free, on condition that he maintained a large establishment as a +house of public hospitality. Many of the brugaids were very rich. + +[LXXXII.] Fermorc and Hy Conall Gavra are now the baronies of Upper and +Lower Connello, in the county Limerick. + +[LXXXIII.] Knockfierna, a conspicuous hill, celebrated for its fairy +lore, near Croom, in the county Limerick; very near Kenri, Midac's +territory. + +[LXXXIV.] Ferdana, a poet. + +[LXXXV.] Bruga of the Boyne. (See note, page 62.) + +[LXXXVI.] The poets were much given to proposing poetical puzzles of +this kind; and it was considered a mark of superior education, and of +great acuteness in a champion to be able to explain them. (For another +example, see the enigmatical verse about the skin of the pig, in the +story of "The Children of Turenn," page 69.) + +[LXXXVII.] Bregia or Magh Breagh, the ancient name of the plain +extending from the Liffey northwards to the borders of the county Louth. +(For this name, see the author's "Irish Names of Places," Series II. +Part IV. chap. II.) + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +FINN IS ENTRAPPED BY MIDAC, AND HELD BY ENCHANTMENT IN THE PALACE OF THE +QUICKEN TREES. + + +Finn now held council with his companions, and they agreed that the +king's son, Oisin, and five other chiefs, with their followers, should +tarry on the hill till the hunting party returned, while Finn went to +the palace with the rest. + +And it was arranged that Finn should send back word immediately to the +party on the hill, how he fared; and that Oisin and the others were to +follow him to the palace when the hunting party had returned. + +Those that remained with Oisin were Dermat O'Dyna; Fatha Conan, the son +of the son of Conn; Kylta Mac Ronan; Ficna, the son of Finn; and Innsa, +the son of Swena Selga. + +And of those who went with Finn to the Palace of the Quicken Trees, the +chief were Gaul Mac Morna; Dathkeen the Strong-limbed; Mac Luga of the +Red Hand; Glas Mac Encarda from Beara; the two sons of Aed the Lesser, +son of Finn; Racad and Dalgus, the two kings of Leinster; Angus Mac +Bresal Bola; and the two leaders of the Connaught Fena, namely, +Mac-na-Corra and Corr the Swift-footed. + +As Finn and his party came nigh to the palace, they were amazed at its +size and splendour; and they wondered greatly that they had never seen +it before. It stood on a level green, which was surrounded by a light +plantation of quicken trees, all covered with clusters of scarlet +berries. At one side of the little plain, very near the palace, was a +broad river, with a rocky bank at the near side, and a steep pathway +leading down to a ford. + +But what surprised them most was that all was lonely and silent--not a +living soul could they see in any direction; and Finn, fearing some +foul play, would have turned back, only that he bethought him of his +gesa and his promise. The great door was wide open, and Conan went in +before the others; and after viewing the banqueting hall, he came out +quite enraptured with what he had seen. He praised the beauty and +perfect arrangement of everything, and told his companions that no other +king or chief in all Erin had a banqueting hall to match the hall of +Midac, the son of Colga. They all now entered, but they found no +one--neither host nor guests nor attendants. + +As they gazed around, they thought they had never seen a banquet hall so +splendid. A great fire burned brightly in the middle, without any smoke, +and sent forth a sweet perfume, which filled the whole room with +fragrance, and cheered and delighted the heroes. Couches were placed all +round, with rich coverlets and rugs, and soft, glossy furs. The curved +walls were of wood,[LXXXVIII.] close-jointed and polished like ivory; +and each board was painted differently from those above and below; so +that the sides of the room, from floor to roof, were all radiant with a +wonderful variety of colours. + +Still seeing no one, they seated themselves on the couches and rugs. +Presently a door opened, and Midac walked into the room. He stood for a +few moments before the heroes, and looked at them one after another, +but never spoke one word; then, turning round, he went out and shut the +great door behind him. + +Finn and his friends were much surprised at this; however, they said +nothing, but remained resting as they were for some time, expecting +Midac's return. Still no one came, and at length Finn spoke-- + +"We have been invited here, my friends, to a banquet; and it seems to me +very strange that we should be left so long without attendance, and +without either food or drink. Perhaps, indeed, Midac's attendants have +made some mistake, and that the feast intended for this palace has been +prepared in the Palace of the Island. But I wonder greatly that such a +thing should have happened." + +"I see something more wonderful than that," said Gaul Mac Morna; "for +lo, the fire, which was clear and smokeless when we first saw it, and +which smelled more sweetly than the flowers of the plain, now fills the +hall with a foul stench, and sends up a great cloud of black, sooty +smoke!" + +"I see something more wonderful than that," said Glas Mac Encarda; "for +the boards in the walls of this banquet hall, which were smooth and +close-jointed and glorious all over with bright colours when we came, +are now nothing but rough planks, clumsily fastened together with tough +quicken tree withes, and as rude and unshapen as if they had been hacked +and hewed with a blunt axe!" + +"I see something more wonderful than that," said Foilan, the son of Aed +the Lesser; "for this palace, which had seven great doors when we came +in, all wide open, and looking pleasantly towards the sunshine, has now +only one small, narrow door, close fastened, and facing straight to the +north!" + +"I see something more wonderful than that," said Conan Mail; "for the +rich rugs and furs and the soft couches, which were under us when we sat +here first, are all gone, not as much as a fragment or a thread +remaining; and we are now sitting on the bare, damp earth, which feels +as cold as the snow of one night!"[LXXXIX.] + +Then Finn again spoke. "You know, my friends, that I never tarry in a +house having only one door. Let one of you then, arise, and break open +that narrow door, so that we may go forth from this foul, smoky den!" + +"That shall be done," cried Conan; and, so saying, he seized his long +spear, and, planting it on the floor, point downwards, he attempted to +spring to his feet. But he found that he was not able to move, and +turning to his companions, he cried out with a groan of anguish-- + +"Alas, my friends! I see now something more wonderful than all; for I am +firmly fixed by some druidical spell to the cold clay floor of the +Palace of the Quicken Trees!" + +And immediately all the others found themselves, in like manner, fixed +where they sat. And they were silent for a time, being quite confounded +and overwhelmed with fear and anguish. + +At length Gaul spoke, and said, "It seems clear, O king, that Midac has +planned this treachery, and that danger lies before us. I wish, then, +that you would place your thumb under your tooth of knowledge,[25] and +let us know the truth; so that we may at once consider as to the best +means of escaping from this strait." + +Whereupon Finn placed his thumb under his tooth of knowledge, and mused +for a little while. Then suddenly withdrawing his thumb, he sank back in +his seat and groaned aloud. + +"May it be the will of the gods," said Gaul, "that it is the pain of thy +thumb that has caused thee to utter that groan!" + +"Alas! not so," replied Finn. "I grieve that my death is near, and the +death of these dear companions! For fourteen years has Midac, the son of +the king of Lochlann, been plotting against us; and now at last he has +caught us in this treacherous snare, from which I can see no escape. + +"For in the Palace of the Island there is, at this moment, an army of +foreigners, whom Midac has brought hither for our destruction. Chief +over all is Sinsar of the Battles, from Greece, the Monarch of the +World, who has under his command sixteen warlike princes, with many +others of lesser note. Next to Sinsar is his son, Borba the Haughty, +who commands also a number of fierce and hardy knights. + +"There are, besides, the three kings of the Island of the Torrent, +large-bodied and bloodthirsty, like three furious dragons, who have +never yet yielded to an enemy on the field of battle. It is these who, +by their sorcery, have fixed us here; for this cold clay that we sit on +is part of the soil of the enchanted Island of the Torrent, which they +brought hither, and placed here with foul spells. Moreover, the +enchantment that binds us to this floor can never be broken unless the +blood of these kings be sprinkled on the clay. And very soon some of +Sinsar's warriors will come over from the Palace of the Island, to slay +us all, while we are fixed here helpless, and unable to raise a hand in +our own defence." + +Full of alarm and anguish were the heroes when they heard these tidings. +And some began to shed bitter tears in silence, and some lamented aloud. +But Finn again spoke and said-- + +"It becomes us not, my friends, being heroes, to weep and wail like +women, even though we are in danger of death; for tears and lamentations +will avail us nothing. Let us rather sound the Dord-Fian,[XC.] sweetly +and plaintively, according to our wont, that it may be a comfort to us +before we die." + +So they ceased weeping, and, joining all together, they sounded the +Dord-Fian in a slow, sad strain. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[LXXXVIII.] The houses of the ancient Irish were circular, and generally +made of wood. + +[LXXXIX.] "As cold as the snow of one night;" "As white as the snow of +one night," are usual comparisons in Gaelic. The first night's snow +seems particularly cold and white when you see it in the morning on +account of the contrast with the green fields of the day before. + +[XC.] Dord-Fian, or Dord-Fiansa, a sort of musical war-cry, usually +performed by several persons in chorus. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +INNSA, FINN'S FOSTER SON, DEFENDS THE FORD LEADING TO THE PALACE OF THE +QUICKEN TREES. + + +Now let us speak of Oisin, and the party who tarried with him on the +hill of Knockfierna. When he found that his father Finn had not sent +back a messenger as he had promised, though the night was now drawing +nigh, he began to fear that something was wrong; and he said to his +companions-- + +"I marvel much that we have got no news from the king, how he and his +companions have fared in the Palace of the Quicken Trees. It is clear to +me that he would have fulfilled his promise to send us word, if he had +not been hindered by some unforeseen difficulty. Now, therefore, I wish +to know who will go to the palace and bring me back tidings." + +Ficna, the son of Finn, stood forth and offered to go; and Finn's foster +son, Innsa, the son of Swena Selga, said he would go with him. + +They both set out at once, and as they travelled with speed, they soon +reached the plain on which stood the Palace of the Quicken Trees; and +now the night was darkening around them. As they came near to the +palace, they marvelled to hear the loud, slow strains of the Dord-Fian; +and Innsa exclaimed joyfully-- + +"Things go well with our friends, seeing that they are amusing +themselves with the Dord-Fian!" + +But Ficna, who guessed more truly how things really stood, replied-- + +"It is my opinion, friend, that matters are not so pleasant with them as +you think; for it is only in time of trouble or danger that Finn is wont +to have the Dord-Fian sounded in a manner so slow and sad." + +While they talked in this wise, it chanced that the Dord-Fian ceased for +a little space; and Finn hearing the low hum of conversation outside, +asked was that the voice of Ficna. And when Ficna answered, "Yes," Finn +said to him-- + +"Come not nearer, my son; for this place teems with dangerous spells. We +have been decoyed hither by Midac, and we are all held here by the foul +sorcery of the three kings of the Island of the Torrent." + +And thereupon Finn told him the whole story of the treachery that had +been wrought on them, from beginning to end; and he told him also that +nothing could free them but the blood of those three kings sprinkled on +the clay. + +Then he asked who the second man was whom he had heard conversing with +Ficna; and when he was told that it was Innsa, the son of Swena Selga, +he addressed Ficna earnestly-- + +"Fly, my son, from this fatal place! Fly, and save my foster child from +the treacherous swords of the foreigners; for they are already on their +way hither!" + +But Innsa quickly answered, "That I will never do. It would, indeed, be +an ungrateful return to a kind foster father, to leave thee now in +deadly strait, and seek my own safety." + +And Ficna spoke in a like strain. + +Then Finn said, "Be it so, my sons; but a sore trial awaits you. Those +who come hither from the Palace of the Island must needs pass the ford +under the shadow of these walls. Now this ford is rugged and hard to be +crossed; and one good man, standing in the steep, narrow entrance at the +hither side, might dispute the passage for a time against many. Go now, +and defend this ford; and haply some help may come in time." + +So both went to the ford. And when they had viewed it carefully, Ficna, +seeing that one man might defend it for a short time almost as well as +two, said to Innsa-- + +"Stay thou here to guard the ford for a little time, while I go to the +Palace of the Island to see how the foreigners might be attacked. Haply, +too, I may meet with the party coming hither, and decoy them on some +other track." + +And Innsa consented; and Ficna set out straightway for the Palace of the +Island. + + +Now as to the Palace of the Island. When Midac returned in the morning, +and told how Finn and his people were held safe in the Palace of the +Quicken Trees, the foreigners were in great joy. And they feasted and +drank and were merry till evening; when an Irla[XCI.] of the King of the +World spoke in secret to his brother, and said-- + +"I will go now to the Palace of the Quicken Trees, and I will bring +hither the head of Finn the son of Cumal; and I shall gain thereby much +renown, and shall be honoured by the King of the World." + +So he went, bringing with him a goodly number of his own knights; and +nothing is told of what befell them till they arrived at the brink of +the ford under the Palace of the Quicken Trees. Looking across through +the darkness, the Irla thought he saw a warrior standing at the other +brink; and he called aloud to ask who was there, and whether he belonged +to the noble or the ignoble races of the world. + +And when Innsa answered that he belonged to the household of Finn, the +son of Cumal, the Irla said-- + +"Lo, we are going to the Palace of the Quicken Trees, to bring Finn's +head to the King of the World; and thou shalt come with us and lead us +to the door." + +"That, indeed," replied Innsa, "would be a strange way for a champion to +act who has been sent hither by Finn to guard this ford. I will not +allow any foe to pass--of that be sure; and I warn you that you come not +to my side of the ford!" + +At this the Irla said to his knights, "Force the ford: then shall we see +if yonder hero can fight as well as he threatens." + +And at the word, they rushed through the water, as many as could find +room. But only one or two at a time could attack; and the young champion +struck them down right and left as fast as they came up, till the ford +became encumbered with their bodies. + +And when the conflict had lasted for a long time, and when they found +that they could not dislodge him, the few that remained retired across +the ford; and Innsa was fain to rest after his long combat. + +But the Irla, seeing so many of his knights slain, was mad with wrath; +and, snatching up his sword and shield, he attacked Innsa; and they +fought a long and bloody fight. + +Now the Irla was fresh and strong, while Innsa was weary and sore +wounded; and at length the young hero fell in the ford, and the Irla +beheaded him, and, exulting in his victory, brought the head away. + +Finn and his companions, as they sat in miserable plight in the Palace +of the Quicken Trees, heard the clash of arms at the ford, and the +shouts and groans of warriors; and after a time all was still again; and +they knew not how the fight had ended. + +And now the Irla, thinking over the matter, deemed it unsafe to go to +the Palace of the Quicken Trees without a larger body of knights; so he +returned towards the Palace of the Island, intending to bring Innsa's +head to the King of the World. When he had come within a little distance +of the palace, he met Ficna, who was then on his way back to the ford; +and seeing that he was coming from the Palace of the Island, he deemed +that he was one of the knights of the King of the World. + +Ficna spoke to him, and asked whither he had come. + +"I come," replied the Irla, "from the ford of the Palace of the Quicken +Trees. There, indeed, on our way to the palace, to slay Finn the son of +Cumal, we were met by a young champion, who defended the ford and slew +my knights. But he fell at length beneath my sword; and, lo, I have +brought his head for a triumph to the King of the World!" + +Ficna took the head tenderly, and kissed the cheek thrice, and said, +sorrowing-- + +"Alas, dear youth! only this morning I saw the light of valour in those +dim eyes, and the bloom of youth on that faded cheek!" + +Then turning wrathfully to the Irla, he asked-- + +"Knowest thou to whom thou hast given the young warrior's head?" + +And the Irla replied, "Hast thou not come from the Palace of the Island, +and dost thou not belong to the host of the King of the World?" + +"I am not one of his knights," answered Ficna; "and neither shalt thou +be, after this hour!" + +Whereupon they drew their swords, and fought where they stood; and the +foreign Irla fell by the avenging sword of Ficna, the son of Finn. Ficna +beheaded him and returned to the ford, bringing the head, and also the +head of Innsa. And when he had come to the ford, he made a grave of +green sods on the bank, in which he laid the body and the head of +Innsa, sometimes grieving for the youth, and sometimes rejoicing that +his death had been avenged. + +Then he went on to the Palace of the Quicken Trees, bringing the Irla's +head; and when he had come nigh the door, he called aloud to Finn, who, +impatient and full of anxious thoughts, asked-- + +"Tell us, Ficna, who fought the battle at the ford, and how it has +ended." + +"Thine own foster son, Innsa, defended the ford against many foes, whose +bodies now encumber the stream." + +"And how is it now with my foster son?" asked Finn. + +"He died where he fought," replied Ficna; "for at the end, when he was +weary and sore wounded, the foreign Irla attacked him, and slew him." + +"And thou, my son, didst thou stand by and see my nursling slain?" + +"Truly I did not," answered Ficna. "Would that I had been there, and I +would have defended and saved him! And even now he is well avenged; for +I met the Irla soon after, and lo, I have brought thee his head. +Moreover, I buried thy nursling tenderly in a grave of green sods by the +ford." + +And Finn wept and said, "Victory and blessings be with thee, my son! +Never were children better than mine. Before I saw them, few were my +possessions and small my consideration in Erin; but since they have +grown up around me, I have been great and prosperous, till I fell by +treachery into this evil plight. And now, Ficna, return and guard the +ford, and peradventure our friends may send help in time." + +So Ficna went and sat on the brink of the ford. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[XCI.] Irla, _i.e._ an earl, a chief. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +FICNA, THE SON OF FINN, DEFENDS THE FORD. + + +Now at the Palace of the Island, another Irla, whose name was Kironn, +brother to him who had been slain by Ficna, spoke to some of his own +followers-- + +"It is long since my brother left for the Palace of the Quicken Trees; I +fear me that he and his people have fared ill in their quest. And now I +will go to seek for them." + +And he went, bringing a company of knights well armed; and when they had +come to the ford, they saw Ficna at the far side. Kironn called out and +asked who he was, and asked also who had made such a slaughter in the +ford. + +Ficna answered, "I am one of the household champions of Finn the son of +Cumal, and he has sent me here to guard this ford. As to the slaughter +of yonder knights, your question stirs my mind to wrath, and I warn you, +if you come to this side of the ford, you will get a reply, not in +words, but in deeds." + +Then Kironn and his men rushed through the water, blind with rage, and +struck wildly at Ficna. But the young hero watchfully parried their +strokes and thrusts; and one after another they fell beneath his blows, +till only a single man was left, who ran back with all speed to the +Palace of the Island to tell the tale. And Ficna sat down on the brink, +covered all over with wounds, and weary from the toil of battle. + +When these tidings were brought to the palace, Midac was very wroth, and +he said, "These men should not have gone to force the ford without my +knowledge; for they were far too few in number, and neither were they +bold and hardy enough to meet Finn's valiant champions. I know these +Fena well, and it is not to me a matter of surprise that the Irla and +his people fell by them. + +"But I will now go with a choice party of my own brave men; and I will +cross the ford despite their guards, and slay Finn and all his +companions in the Palace of the Quicken Trees. + +"Moreover, there is one man among them, namely, Conan Mail,[23] who of +all the men of Erin has the largest appetite, and is fondest of choice +eating and drinking. To him will I bring savoury food and delicious +drink, not, indeed, to delight him with eating and drinking, but that I +may torment him with the sight and smell of what he cannot taste." + +So, having got the food, he set out with a chosen band; and when he had +arrived at the ford, he saw a warrior at the far side. He asked who he +was, and finding that it was Ficna, he spoke guilefully to him. + +"Dear art thou to me, Ficna, dearer even than all the rest of Finn's +household; for during the time I lived among the Fena, you never used me +ill, or lifted a hand to either man or dog belonging to me." + +But Ficna spurned his smooth words, and replied, "While you lived among +the Fena, there was not a man among them that had less to do with you +than I. But this I know, that you were treated kindly by all, especially +by my father Finn, and you have repaid him by ingratitude and +treachery." + +When Midac heard this speech he was filled with wrath, and no longer +hiding his evil mind, he ordered Ficna with threats to leave the ford. +But Ficna laughed with scorn, and replied-- + +"The task is easy, friend Midac, to dislodge a single champion; and +surely it is a small matter to you whether I stand in this narrow pass +or abandon my post. Come forward, then, you and your knights; but here I +will remain to receive you. I only regret you did not come sooner, while +my blood was hot, and before my wounds grew stiff, when you would have +got a better welcome!" + +Then Midac ordered forward his knights, and they ran eagerly across the +ford. But Ficna overthrew them with a mighty onset, like a hawk among a +flight of small birds, or like a wolf among a flock of sheep. When Midac +saw this, he buckled on his shield and took his sword. Then, treading +warily over the rough rocks, and over the dead bodies of his knights, +he confronted Ficna, and they attacked each other with deadly hate and +fury. + + +We shall now speak of those who remained on Knockfierna. When Oisin +found that the two heroes did not return as soon as he expected, he thus +addressed his companions-- + +"It seems to me a long time, my friends, since Ficna and Innsa went to +the Palace of the Quicken Trees; methinks if they have sped successfully +they should have long since come back with tidings of Finn and the +others." + +And one of his companions answered, "It is plain that they have gone to +partake of the feast, and it fares so well with them that they are in no +haste to leave the palace." + +But Dermat O'Dyna of the Bright Face spoke and said, "It may be as you +say, friend, but I should like to know the truth of the matter. And now +I will go and find out why they tarry, for my mind misgives me that some +evil thing has happened." + +And Fatha Conan said he would go with him. + +So the two heroes set out for the Palace of the Quicken Trees; and when +they were yet a good way off from the ford they heard the clash of arms. +They paused for a moment, breathless, to listen, and then Dermat +exclaimed-- + +"It is the sound of single combat, the combat of mighty heroes; it is +Ficna fighting with the foreigners, for I know his war-shout. I hear +the clash of swords and the groans of warriors; I hear the shrieks of +the ravens over the fairy-mansions, and the howls of the wild men of the +glens! Hasten, Fatha, hasten, for Ficna is in sore strait, and his shout +is a shout for help!" + +And so they ran like the wind till they reached the hill-brow over the +river; and, looking across in the dim moonlight, they saw the whole ford +heaped with the bodies of the slain, and the two heroes fighting to the +death at the far side. And at the first glance they observed that Ficna, +being sore wounded, was yielding and sheltering behind his shield, and +scarce able to ward off the blows of Midac. + +Then Fatha cried out, "Fly, Dermat, fly! Save our dear companion! Save +the king's son from death." + +And Dermat, pausing for a moment, said, as if communing with himself-- + +"This is surely an evil plight: for if I run to the other side, the +foreigner, being the more enraged for seeing me, will strike with +greater fury, and I may not overtake the prince alive; and if I cast my +spear, I may strike the wrong man!" + +But Fatha, overhearing him, said, "Fear not, Dermat, for you never yet +threw an erring cast of a spear!" + +Then Dermat, putting his finger in the silken loop of his spear, threw a +deadly cast with unerring aim, and struck Midac, so that the iron +spear-head went right through his body, and the length of a warrior's +hand beyond. + +"Woe to the man," exclaimed Midac--"woe to him whom that spear reaches: +for it is the spear of Dermat O'Dyna!" + +And now his wrath increased, and he struck at Ficna more fiercely than +before. + +Dermat shouted to him to hold his hand and not slay the king's son; and +as he spoke he rushed down the slope and across the ford, to save the +young hero. But Midac, still pressing on with unabated strength and +fury, replied-- + +"Had you wished to save the prince's life, you should have spared mine: +now that I have been wounded to death by your spear, Finn shall never +see his son alive!" + +Even as he spoke, he raised his sword for a mighty blow; and just as +Dermat, shouting earnestly, was closing on them, he struck the prince +lifeless to the earth, but fell down himself immediately after. + +Dermat came up on the instant, and looked sadly at his friend lying +dead. Then, addressing Midac, he said-- + +"If I had found thee dead, I would have passed thee untouched; but now +that I have overtaken thee alive, I must needs behead thee, for thy head +will be to Finn a worthy eric[10] for his son." + +And so saying, he struck off Midac's head with one sweep of his heavy +sword. + +Dermat now repaired to the Palace of the Quicken Trees, leaving Fatha to +watch the ford till his return. And when he had come near, he called +aloud and struck the door with his heavy spear, for his wrath had not +yet left him; but the door yielded not. + +Finn knew the voice, and called out impatiently, "Do not try to enter +here, Dermat, for this place is full of foul spells. But tell us first, +I pray thee, who fought that long and bitter fight; for we heard the +clash of arms and the shouts of warriors, but we know nothing more." + +"Thy noble son, Ficna," returned Dermat, "fought single-handed against +the foreigners." + +"And how fares it with my son after that battle?" + +"He is dead," answered Dermat; "first sore wounded by many foes whom he +slaughtered, and afterwards slain by Midac, the son of Colga. But thy +son is avenged; for though I came to the ford indeed too late to save +him, I have slain Midac, and here I have brought thee his head as an +eric." + +And for a long time Dermat heard no more. + +At last Finn spoke again and said-- + +"Victory and blessings be with you, Dermat, for often before did you +relieve the Fena from sore straits. But never have we been in such +plight as this. For here we sit spell-bound, and only one thing can +release us, the blood of the three fierce kings of the Island of the +Torrent sprinkled on this clay. Meantime, unless the ford be well +defended, the foreigners will come and slay us. In you, Dermat, we +trust, and unless you aid us well and faithfully now, we shall of a +certainty perish. Guard the ford till the rising of the sun, for then I +know the Fena will come to aid you." + +"I and Fatha will of a certainty keep the enemy at bay," replied Dermat; +and he bade them farewell for a time, and was about to return to the +ford: but Conan Mail, with a groan, said-- + +"Miserable was the hour when I came to this palace, and cold and +comfortless is the clay on which I sit--the clay of the Island of the +Torrent. But worst of all to be without food and drink so long. And +while I sit here, tormented with hunger and thirst, there is great +plenty of ale and wine and of rich, savoury food yonder in the Palace of +the Island. I am not able to bear this any longer; and now, Dermat, I +beseech you to bring me from the palace as much food as I can eat and a +drinking-horn of wine." + +"Cursed be the tongue that spoke these selfish words!" said Dermat. "A +host of foreigners are now seeking to compass your death, with only +Fatha and myself to defend you. Surely this is work enough for two good +men! And now it seems I must abandon my post, and undertake a task of +much danger, to get food for the gluttonous Conan Mail!" + +"Alas, Dermat-na-man!"[23] replied Conan, "if it were a lovely maiden, +with bright eyes and golden hair, who made this little request, quickly +and eagerly you would fly to please her, little recking of danger or +trouble. But now you refuse me, and the reason is not hard to see. For +you formerly crossed me four times in my courtships; and now it likes +you well to see me die of hunger in this dungeon!" + +"Well, then," said Dermat, "cease your upbraiding, and I will try to +bring you food; for it is better to face danger than to suffer the +revilings of your foul tongue." + +So saying, he went back to the ford to Fatha, where he stood watching; +and after he had told him how matters stood, he said to him-- + +"I must needs go to the Palace of the Island, to get food for Conan +Mail; and you shall guard the ford till I return." + +But Fatha told him that there was food and drink enough at the other +side of the ford, which Midac had brought from the palace, and urged him +to bring a good meal of this to Conan. + +"Not so," said Dermat. "He would taunt me with bringing him food taken +from the hands of dead men; and though one may recover from his blow, it +is not so easy to recover from the venom of his tongue."[XCII.] + +So he left Fatha at the ford, and repaired to the Palace of the Island. + +As he drew nigh, he heard the noise of feasting and revelry, and the +loud talk and laughter of men deep in drink. Walking tiptoe, he peered +warily through the open door, and saw the chiefs and the knights sitting +at the tables; with Sinsar of the Battles and his son Borba high seated +over all. He saw also many attendants serving them with food and drink, +each holding in his hand a large ornamented drinking-horn, filled with +wine. + +Dermat entered the outer door softly, and stood in a dark part of the +passage near the door, silent and stern, with sword drawn, watching his +opportunity. And after a time one of the attendants, unsuspecting, +passed close to him; when Dermat, with a swift, sure blow, struck off +his head. And he snatched the drinking-horn from the man's hand before +he fell, so that not a drop of the wine was spilled. + +Then, laying the drinking-horn aside for a moment, he walked straight +into the hall, and taking up one of the dishes near where the king sat, +he went out through the open door, bringing with him both dish and +drinking-horn. And amidst the great crowd, and the drinking, and the +noise, no one took the least notice of him, so that he got off without +hindrance or harm of any kind. + +When he reached the ford, he found Fatha lying fast asleep on the bank. +He wondered very much that he could sleep in the midst of such a +slaughter; but knowing that the young warrior was worn out with watching +and toil, he left him lying asleep, and went to the Palace of the +Quicken Trees with the food for Conan. + +When he had come to the door, he called aloud to Conan and said-- + +"I have here a goodly meal of choice food: how am I to give it to thee?" + +Conan said, "Throw it towards me through yonder little opening." + +Dermat did so; and as fast as he threw the food, Conan caught it in his +large hands, and ate it up ravenously. And when it was all gone, Dermat +said-- + +"I have here a large drinking-horn of good wine: how am I to give it to +thee?" + +Conan answered, "There is a place behind the palace where, from a rock, +you may reach the lower parapet with a light, airy bound. Come from that +straight over me, and break a hole in the roof with your spear, through +which you can pour the wine down to me." + +Dermat did so; and as he poured down the wine, Conan, with upturned +face, opened his great mouth and caught it, and swallowed it every drop. + +After this Dermat came down and returned to the ford, where he found +Fatha still asleep; and he sat beside him, but did not awaken him. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[XCII.] A satirical allusion to Conan's well-known cowardice. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +DERMAT O'DYNA SLAYS THE THREE KINGS OF THE ISLAND OF THE TORRENT, BREAKS +THE SPELL WITH THEIR BLOOD, AND FREES FINN. + + +Tidings were brought to the Palace of the Island that Midac and all whom +he led were slain at the ford; and the three kings of the Island of the +Torrent said-- + +"The young king of Lochlann did wrong to make this attempt without +asking our counsel; and had we known of the thing we would have hindered +him. For to us belongs the right to behead Finn and his companions, +since it is the spell-venom of the clay which we brought from the Island +of the Torrent that holds them bound in the Palace of the Quicken Trees. +And now, indeed, we will go and slay them all." + +So they set out with a strong party, and soon reached the ford. Looking +across in the dim light, they saw Dermat, and called aloud to ask who he +was. + +"I am Dermat O'Dyna," he replied, "one of Finn's champions. He has sent +me to guard this ford, and whoever you are, I warn you not to cross!" + +Then they sought to beguile Dermat, and to win him over by smooth words; +and they replied-- + +"It is a pleasure to us to meet you, Dermat; for we are old friends of +yours. We are the three kings of the Island of the Torrent, your +fellow-pupils in valour and all heroic feats. For you and we lived with +the same tutors from the beginning; and you never learned a feat of arms +that we did not learn in like manner. Leave the ford, then, that we may +pass on to the Palace of the Quicken Trees." + +But Dermat answered in few words, "Finn and his companions are under my +protection till morning; and I will defend the ford as long as I am +alive!" + +And he stood up straight and tall like a pillar, and scowled across the +ford. + +A number of the foreigners now rushed towards Dermat, and raging in a +confused crowd, assailed him. But the strong hero met them as a rock +meets the waves, and slew them with ease as they came within the range +of his sword. Yet still they pressed on, others succeeding those that +fell; and in the midst of the rage of battle, Fatha started up from his +sleep, awakened by the crashing of weapons and the riving of shields. + +He gazed for a moment, bewildered, at the combatants, and, seeing how +matters stood, he was wroth with Dermat for not awakening him; so that +he ran at him fiercely with drawn sword. But Dermat stepped aside, and, +being angry, thus addressed him-- + +"Slake thy vengeance on our foes for the present: for me, the swords of +the foreigners are enough, methinks, without thine to aid them!" + +Then Fatha turned and attacked the foe, and his onset was even more +deadly than that of Dermat; so that they fell before him to the right +and left on the ford. + +And now at last the three kings, seeing so many of their men falling, +advanced slowly towards Dermat; and Dermat, unterrified, stood in his +place to meet them. And their weapons clashed and tore through their +shields, and the fight was long and furious; till at last the +champion-pride and the battle-fury of Dermat arose, so that the three +dragon-like kings fell slain one by one before him, on that ford of red +slaughter. + +And now, though smarting with wounds, and breathless, and weary, Dermat +and Fatha remembered Finn and the Fena; and Dermat called to mind what +Finn had told him as to how the spell was to be broken. So he struck off +the heads of the three kings, and, followed by Fatha, he ran with them, +all gory as they were, to the Palace of the Quicken Trees. + +As they drew nigh to the door, Finn, knowing their voices and their +footsteps, called aloud anxiously to ask how it fared with the +combatants at the ford; "For," said he, "the crashing and the din of +that battle exceeded all we have yet heard, and we know not how it has +ended." + +Dermat answered, "King of the Fena, Fatha and I have slain the three +kings of the Island of the Torrent; and lo, here we have their heads all +bloody; but how am I to bring them to thee?" + +"Victory and blessings be with you, Dermat; you and Fatha have fought a +valiant fight, worthy of the Fena of Erin! Now sprinkle the door with +the blood." + +Dermat did so, and in a moment the door flew wide open with a crash. And +inside they saw the heroes in sore plight, all pale and faint, seated on +the cold clay round the wall. Dermat and Fatha, holding the gory heads +by the hair, sprinkled the earth under each with the blood, beginning +with Finn, and freed them one by one; and the heroes, as they found the +spell broken, sprang to their feet with exulting cries. And they thanked +the gods for having relieved them from that perilous strait, and they +and the two heroes joyfully embraced each other. + +But danger still threatened, and they now took counsel what they should +do; and Finn, addressing Dermat and Fatha, said-- + +"The venom of these foul spells has withered our strength, so that we +are not able to fight; but at sunrise they will lose their power, and we +shall be strong again. It is necessary, therefore, that you still guard +the ford, and at the rising of the sun we shall relieve you." + +So the two heroes went to the ford, and Fatha returned with food and +drink for Finn and the others. + + +After the last battle at the ford, a few who had escaped brought back +tidings to the King of the World and his people, that the three kings of +the Island of the Torrent had fallen by the hands of Dermat and Fatha. +But they knew not that Finn and the others had been released. + +Then arose the king's son, Borba the Haughty, who, next to the king +himself, was mightiest in battle of all the foreign host. And he said-- + +"Feeble warriors were they who tried to cross this ford. I will go now +and avenge the death of our people on these Fena, and I will bring +hither the head of Finn the son of Cumal, and place it at my father's +feet." + +So he marched forth without delay, with a large body of chosen warriors, +till he reached the edge of the ford. And although Dermat and Fatha +never trembled before a foe, yet when they saw the dark mass drawing +nigh, and heard the heavy tread and clank of arms, they dreaded that +they might be dislodged and overpowered by repeated attacks, leaving +Finn and the rest helpless and unprotected. And each in his heart longed +for the dawn of morning. + +No parley was held this time, but the foreigners came straight across +the ford--as many abreast as could find footing. And as they drew near, +Dermat spoke to Fatha-- + +"Fight warily, my friend: ward the blows of the foremost, and be not too +eager to slay, but rather look to thy own safety. It behoves us to nurse +our strength and prolong the fight, for the day is dawning, and sunrise +is not far off!" + +The foreigners came on, many abreast; but their numbers availed them +naught, for the pass was narrow; and the two heroes, one taking the +advancing party to the right, and the other to the left, sometimes +parried and sometimes slew, but never yielded an inch from where they +stood. + +And now at last the sun rose up over the broad plain of Kenri; and +suddenly the withering spell went forth from the bones and sinews of the +heroes who sat at the Palace of the Quicken Trees, listening with +anxious hearts to the clash of battle at the ford. Joyfully they started +to their feet, and, snatching up their arms, hastened down to the ford +with Finn at their head; but one they sent, the swiftest among them, to +Knockfierna, to take the news to Oisin. + +Dermat and Fatha, fighting eagerly, heeded not that the sun had risen, +though it was now indeed glittering before their eyes on the helmets and +arms of their foes. But as they fought, there rose a great shout behind +them; and Finn and Gaul and the rest ran down the slope to attack the +foreigners. + +The foreigners, not in the least dismayed, answered the attack; and the +fight went on, till Gaul Mac Morna and Borba the Haughty met face to +face in the middle of the ford, and they fought a hard and deadly +combat. The battle-fury of Gaul at length arose, so that nothing could +stand before him, and, with one mighty blow, he cleft the head from the +body of Borba. + +And now the foreigners began to yield: but they still continued to +fight, till a swift messenger sped to the Palace of the Island, and told +the great king, Sinsar of the Battles, that his son was dead, slain by +Gaul; and that his army was sore pressed by the Fena, with Finn at their +head. + +When the people heard these tidings, they raised a long and sorrowful +cry of lamentation for the king's son; but the king himself, though +sorrow filled his heart, showed it not. And he arose and summoned his +whole host; and, having arranged them in their battalions and in their +companies under their princes and chiefs, he marched towards the +battle-field, desiring vengeance on the Fena more than the glory of +victory. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE FIGHT AT THE FORD, WITH THE FOREIGN ARMY. + + +All the Fena who had gone to the chase from Knockfierna had returned, +and were now with Oisin, the son of Finn. And the messenger came slowly +up the hill-side, and told them, though with much difficulty, for he +was weary and breathless, the whole story from beginning to end, of +Finn's enchantment, and of the battles at the ford, and how their +companions at that moment stood much in need of aid against the +foreigners. + +Instantly the whole body marched straight towards the Palace of the +Quicken Trees, and arrived on the hill-brow over the ford, just as the +King of the World and his army were approaching from the opposite +direction. + +And now the fight at the ford ceased for a time, while the two armies +were put in battle array; and on neither side was there any cowardice or +any desire to avoid the combat. + +The Fena were divided into four battalions. The active, bright-eyed +Clann Baskin marched in front of the first battalion; the fierce, +champion-like Clann Morna led the second; the strong, sanguinary +Mic-an-Smoil brought up the third; and the fourth was led forward by the +fearless, venomous Clann O'Navnan. + +And they marched forward, with their silken banners, each banner-staff +in the hand of a tall, trusty hero; their helmets glittering with +precious gems; their broad, beautiful shields on their left shoulders; +with their long, straight, deadly lances in their hands; and their +heavy, keen-edged swords hanging at the left side of each. Onward they +marched; and woe to those who crossed the path of that host of active, +high-minded champions, who never turned their backs on an enemy in +battle! + +And now at last the fight began with showers of light, venomous +missiles; and many a hero fell even before the combatants met face to +face. Then they drew their long, broad-bladed swords, and the ranks +closed and mingled in deadly strife. It would be vain to attempt a +description of that battle, for it was hard to distinguish friend from +foe. Many a high-souled hero fell wounded and helpless, and neither sigh +nor groan of pain escaped them; but they died, encouraging their friends +to vengeance with voice and gesture. And the first thought of each +champion was to take the life of his foe rather than to save his own. + +The great king Finn himself moved tall and stately from battalion to +battalion, now fighting in the foremost ranks, and now encouraging his +friends and companions, his mighty voice rising clear over the clash of +arms and the shouts of the combatants. And wherever he moved, there the +courage of the Fena rose high, and their valour and their daring +increased, so that the ranks of their foes fell back thinned and +scattered before them. + +Oscar, resting for a moment from the toil of battle, looked round, and +espied the standard of the King of the World, where he stood guarded by +his best warriors, to protect him from the danger of being surrounded +and outnumbered by his foes; and the young hero's wrath was kindled when +he observed that the Fena were falling back dismayed wherever that +standard was borne. + +Rushing through the opposing ranks like a lion maddened by dogs, he +approached the king; and the king laughed a grim laugh of joy when he +saw him, and ordered his guards back; for he was glad in his heart, +expecting to revenge his son's death by slaying with his own hand Finn's +grandson, who was most loved of all the youthful champions of the Fena. +Then these two great heroes fought a deadly battle; and many a warrior +stayed his hand to witness this combat. It seemed as if both should +fall; for each inflicted on the other many wounds. The king's rage knew +no bounds at being so long withstood, for at first sight he despised +Oscar for his youth and beauty; and he made an onset that caused Oscar's +friends, as they looked on, to tremble; for during this attack the young +hero defended himself, and no more. But now, having yielded for a time, +he called to mind the actions and the fame of his forefathers, and +attacked the king in turn, and, with a blow that no shield or buckler +could withstand, he swept the head from the king's body. + +Then a great shout went up from the Fena, and the foreigners instantly +gave way; and they were pursued and slaughtered on every side. A few +threw away their arms and escaped to the shore, where, hastily unmooring +their ships, they sailed swiftly away to their own country, with tidings +of the death of their king and the slaughter of their army. + + + + +THE PURSUIT OF THE GILLA DACKER AND HIS HORSE. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +ARRIVAL OF THE GILLA DACKER AND HIS HORSE. + + +One day in the beginning of summer, Finn, the son of Cumal, the son of +Trenmore O'Baskin,[23] feasted the chief people of Erin at Allen[23] of +the broad hill-slopes. And when the feast was over, the Fena reminded +him that it was time to begin the chase through the plains and the glens +and the wildernesses of Erin. + +For this was the manner in which the Fena were wont to spend their time. +They divided the year into two parts. During the first half, namely, +from Beltane to Samin,[XCIII.] they hunted each day with their dogs; and +during the second half, namely, from Samin to Beltane, they lived in the +mansions and the betas[XCIV.] of Erin; so that there was not a chief or +a great lord or a keeper of a house of hospitality in the whole country +that had not nine of the Fena quartered on him during the winter half of +the year. + +Finn and his chiefs now held council as to which of the provinces of +Erin they should begin with; and they chose Munster for the first chase. + +Next day they set out, both dogs and men; and they travelled through +Offaly,[XCV.] and by one side of Fera-call, and to Brosna of Slieve +Bloma, and by the Twelve Mountains of Evlinn, till they came to +Collkilla, which is now called Knockainy. + +The chase was then set in order, and they scattered themselves over the +broad plains of Munster. They began at Ardpatrick,[XCVI.] and they +hunted over Kenn-Avrat of Slieve-Keen, and over Coill-na-drua, which is +now called the district of Fermoy; over the fruitful lands of Lehan, and +over the confines of Fermorc, which is now called Hy Conall Gavra. Then +south to the patrimony of Curoi Mac Dara, and by the shores of Loch +Lein; afterwards along the blue-streamy Suir, by Caher-Dun-Isca, over +the great plain of Femin, and across the speckled summit of +Slieve-na-man-finn; all over East Munster and West Munster, as far as +Balla-Gavran on the one side, and on the other across the Shannon to +Cratloe, near Limerick of the blue waters. + +In short, there was not a plain or a valley, a wood or a brake, a +mountain or a wilderness, in the two provinces of Munster, that they did +not hunt over on that occasion. + +Now it chanced at one time during the chase, while they were hunting +over the plain of Cliach,[XCVII.] that Finn went to rest on the hill of +Collkilla, which is now called Knockainy; and he had his hunting-tents +pitched on a level spot near the summit. Some of his chief heroes +tarried with him; namely, his son Oisin; the valiant Oscar, the son of +Oisin; Gaul Mac Morna of the Mighty Deeds; Finn's shield-bearer, +Skeabrac; Kylta Mac Ronan; Dermat O'Dyna of the Bright Face; Ligan +Lumina the Swift-footed; Conan Mail of the Foul Tongue; and Finn Ban Mac +Bresal. + +When the king and his companions had taken their places on the hill, the +Fena unleashed their gracefully shaped, sweet-voiced hounds through the +woods and sloping glens. And it was sweet music to Finn's ear, the cry +of the long-snouted dogs, as they routed the deer from their covers, and +the badgers from their dens; the pleasant, emulating shouts of the +youths; the whistling and signalling of the huntsmen; and the +encouraging cheers of the mighty heroes, as they spread themselves +through the glens and woods, and over the broad, green plain of Cliach. + +Then did Finn ask who of all his companions would go to the highest +point of the hill directly over them, to keep watch and ward, and to +report how the chase went on. For, he said, the Dedannans[1] were ever +on the watch to work the Fena mischief by their druidical spells, and +more so during the chase than at other times. + +Finn Ban Mac Bresal stood forward and offered to go: and, grasping his +broad spears, he went to the top, and sat viewing the plain to the four +points of the sky. And the king and his companions brought forth the +chess-board and chess-men,[26] and sat them down to a game. + +Finn Ban Mac Bresal had been watching only a little time, when he saw on +the plain to the east, a Fomor[XCVIII.] of vast size coming towards the +hill, leading a horse. As he came nearer, Finn Ban observed that he was +the ugliest-looking giant his eyes ever lighted on. He had a large, +thick body, bloated and swollen out to a great size; clumsy, crooked +legs; and broad, flat feet, turned inwards. His hands and arms and +shoulders were bony and thick and very strong-looking; his neck was long +and thin; and while his head was poked forward, his face was turned up, +as he stared straight at Finn Mac Bresal. He had thick lips, and long, +crooked teeth; and his face was covered all over with bushy hair. + +He was fully armed; but all his weapons were rusty and soiled and +slovenly looking. A broad shield of a dirty, sooty colour, rough and +battered, hung over his back; he had a long, heavy, straight sword at +his left hip; and he held in his left hand two thick-handled, +broad-headed spears, old and rusty, and seeming as if they had not been +handled for years. In his right hand he held an iron club, which he +dragged after him, with its end on the ground; and, as it trailed along, +it tore up a track as deep as the furrow a farmer ploughs with a team of +oxen. + +The horse he led was even larger in proportion than the giant himself, +and quite as ugly. His great carcase was covered all over with tangled, +scraggy hair, of a sooty black; you could count his ribs, and all the +points of his big bones through his hide; his legs were crooked and +knotty; his neck was twisted; and as for his jaws, they were so long and +heavy that they made his head look twice too large for his body. + +The giant held him by a thick halter, and seemed to be dragging him +forward by main force, the animal was so lazy and so hard to move. Every +now and then, when the beast tried to stand still, the giant would give +him a blow on the ribs with his big iron club, which sounded as loud as +the thundering of a great billow against the rough-headed rocks of the +coast. When he gave him a pull forward by the halter, the wonder was +that he did not drag the animal's head away from his body; and, on the +other hand, the horse often gave the halter such a tremendous tug +backwards that it was equally wonderful how the arm of the giant was not +torn away from his shoulder. + +Now it was not an easy matter to frighten Finn Ban Mac Bresal; but when +he saw the giant and his horse coming straight towards him in that wise, +he was seized with such fear and horror that he sprang from his seat, +and, snatching up his arms, he ran down the hill-slope with his utmost +speed towards the king and his companions, whom he found sitting round +the chess-board, deep in their game. + +They started up when they saw Finn Ban looking so scared; and, turning +their eyes towards where he pointed, they saw the big man and his horse +coming up the hill. They stood gazing at him in silent wonder, waiting +till he should arrive; but although he was no great way off when they +first caught sight of him, it was a long time before he reached the spot +where they stood, so slow was the movement of himself and his horse. + +When at last he had come up, he bowed his head, and bended his knee, and +saluted the king with great respect. + +Finn addressed him; and after having given him leave to speak, he asked +him who he was, and what was his name; from which of the three chief +divisions of the world he had come, and whether he belonged to one of +the noble or ignoble races; also what was his profession or craft, and +why he had no servant to attend to his horse--if, indeed, such an ugly +old spectre of an animal could be called a horse at all. + +The big man made answer and said, "King of the Fena, I will answer +everything you ask me, as far as lies in my power. Whether I come of a +noble or of an ignoble race, that, indeed, I cannot tell, for I know not +who my father and mother were. As to where I came from, I am a Fomor of +Lochlann[6] in the north; but I have no particular dwelling-place, for +I am continually travelling about from one country to another, serving +the great lords and nobles of the world, and receiving wages for my +service. + +"In the course of my wanderings I have often heard of you, O king, and +of your greatness and splendour and royal bounty; and I have come now to +visit you, and to ask you to take me into your service for one year; and +at the end of that time I shall fix my own wages, according to my +custom. + +"You ask me also why I have no servant for this great horse of mine. The +reason of that is this: at every meal I eat, my master must give me as +much food and drink as would be enough for a hundred men; and whosoever +the lord or chief may be that takes me into his service, it is quite +enough for him to have to provide for me, without having also to feed my +servant. + +"Moreover, I am so very heavy and lazy that I should never be able to +keep up with a company on march if I had to walk; and this is my reason +for keeping a horse at all. + +"My name is the Gilla Dacker,[XCIX.] and it is not without good reason +that I am so called. For there never was a lazier or worse servant than +I am, or one that grumbles more at doing a day's work for his master. +And I am the hardest person in the whole world to deal with; for, no +matter how good or noble I may think my master, or how kindly he may +treat me, it is hard words and foul reproaches I am likely to give him +for thanks in the end. + +"This, O Finn, is the account I have to give of myself, and these are my +answers to your questions." + +"Well," answered Finn, "according to your own account, you are not a +very pleasant fellow to have anything to do with; and of a truth there +is not much to praise in your appearance. But things may not be so bad +as you say; and, anyhow, as I have never yet refused any man service and +wages, I will not now refuse you." + +Whereupon Finn and the Gilla Dacker made covenants, and the Gilla Dacker +was taken into service for a year. + +Then the big man turned to Conan Mail, and asked him whether the +foot-service or the horse-service had the better pay among the Fena; and +Conan answered that the horsemen had twice as much pay as the footmen. + +"If that be so," replied the Gilla Dacker, "I will join the +horse-service, as I have a fine steed of my own; and indeed, if I had +known this before, I would certainly have come hither on horseback, +instead of walking. + +"And now, as to this same horse of mine, I find I must attend to him +myself, as I see no one here worthy of putting a hand near him. So I +will lead him to the nearest stud, as I am wont to do, and let him graze +among your horses. I value him greatly, however, and it would grieve me +very much if any harm were to befall him; so," continued he, turning to +the king, "I put him under your protection, O king, and under the +protection of all the Fena that are here present." + +At this speech the Fena all burst out laughing, to see the Gilla Dacker +showing such concern for his miserable, worthless old skeleton of a +horse. + +Howbeit, the big man, giving not the least heed to their merriment, took +the halter off the horse's head, and turned him loose among the horses +of the Fena. + +But now, this same wretched-looking old animal, instead of beginning to +graze, as every one thought he would, ran in among the horses of the +Fena, and began straightway to work all sorts of mischief. He cocked his +long, hard, switchy tail straight out like a rod, and, throwing up his +hind legs, he kicked about on this side and on that, maiming and +disabling several of the horses. Sometimes he went tearing through the +thickest of the herd, butting at them with his hard, bony forehead; and +he opened out his lips with a vicious grin, and tore all he could lay +hold on, with his sharp, crooked teeth, so that none were safe that came +in his way either before or behind. And the end of it was, that not an +animal of the whole herd escaped, without having a leg broken, or an eye +knocked out, or his ribs fractured, or his ear bitten off, or the side +of his face torn open, or without being in some other way cut or maimed +beyond cure. + +At last he left them, and was making straight across to a small field +where Conan Mail's horses were grazing by themselves, intending to play +the same tricks among them. But Conan, seeing this, shouted in great +alarm to the Gilla Dacker, to bring away his horse, and not let him work +any more mischief; and threatening, if he did not do so at once, to go +himself and knock the brains out of the vicious old brute on the spot. + +But the Gilla Dacker took the matter quite cool; and he told Conan that +he saw no way of preventing his horse from joining the others, except +some one put the halter on him and held him, which would, of course, he +said, prevent the poor animal from grazing, and would leave him with a +hungry belly at the end of the day. + +He said, moreover, that as he had no horse-boy, and must needs do +everything for himself, he thought it quite time enough to look after +his horse when he had to make ready for a journey. "But," said he to +Conan, "there is the halter; and if you are in any fear for your own +animals, you may go yourself and bring him away from the field." + +Conan was in a mighty rage when he heard this; and as he saw the big +horse just about to cross the fence, he snatched up the halter, and +running forward, with long strides, he threw it over the animal's head +and thought to lead him back. But in a moment the horse stood stock +still, and his body and legs became as stiff as if they were made of +wood; and though Conan pulled and tugged with might and main, he was not +able to stir him an inch from his place. + +He gave up pulling at last, when he found it was no use; but he still +kept on holding the halter, while the big horse never made the least +stir, but stood as if he had been turned into stone; the Gilla Dacker +all the time looking on quite unconcernedly, and the others laughing at +Conan's perplexity. But no one offered to relieve him. + +At last Fergus Finnvel, the poet, spoke to Conan, and said, "I never +would have believed, Conan Mail, that you could be brought to do +horse-service for any knight or noble in the whole world; but now, +indeed, I see that you have made yourself a horse-boy to an ugly foreign +giant, so hateful-looking and low-born that not a man of the Fena would +have anything to say to him. As you have, however, to mind this old +horse in order to save your own, would it not be better for you to mount +him, and revenge yourself for all the trouble he is giving you, by +riding him across the country, over the hill-tops, and down into the +deep glens and valleys, and through stones and bogs and all sorts of +rough places, till you have broken the heart in his big, ugly body?" + +Conan, stung by the cutting words of the poet, and by the jeers of his +companions, jumped upon the horse's back, and began to beat him mightily +with his heels, and with his two big, heavy fists, to make him go; but +the horse seemed not to take the least notice and never stirred. + +"I know the reason he does not go," said Fergus Finnvel; "he has been +accustomed to carry a horseman far heavier than you, that is to say, +the Gilla Dacker; and he will not move till he has the same weight on +his back." + +At this Conan Mail called out to his companions, and asked which of them +would mount with him, and help to avenge the damage done to their +horses. + +"I will go," said Coil Croda the Battle Victor, son of Criffan; and up +he went. But the horse never moved. + +Dara Donn Mac Morna next offered to go, and mounted behind the others; +and after him Angus Mac Art Mac Morna. And the end of it was, that +fourteen men of the Clann Baskin and Clann Morna[23] got up along with +Conan; and all began to thrash the horse together, with might and main. +But they were none the better of it, for he remained standing stiff and +immovable as before. They found, moreover, that their seat was not at +all an easy one--the animal's back was so sharp and bony. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[XCIII.] Beltane, the first of May; Samin, the first of November. + +[XCIV.] Beta, a public house of hospitality. + +[XCV.] Offaly, now the name of two baronies in the county Kildare. + +Fera-call, or Fircal, an ancient territory in the present King's County. + +Brosna, a small river rising in the Slieve Bloma, or Slieve Bloom +mountains, which flows by Birr, and falls into the Shannon near +Banagher; usually called the Little Brosna, to distinguish it from the +Great Brosna, which flows through King's County into the Shannon. + +The Twelve Mountains of Evlinn. (See note, page 97.) + +Knockainy, a small hill much celebrated in fairy lore, in the county +Limerick, giving name to the village of Knockainy at its base. It +appears from the text that it was more anciently called Collkilla, or +hazel-wood. + +[XCVI.] Ardpatrick, a beautiful green hill, with a remarkable church +ruin and graveyard on its summit, two miles from Kilfinane, county +Limerick. + +Kenn-Avrat was the ancient name of Seefin mountain, rising over the +village of Glenosheen, two miles from Ardpatrick. Slieve-Keen, the old +name of the hill of Carrigeennamroanty, near Seefin. + +Fermoy, a well-known town and barony in the county Cork. It appears from +the text that the district was anciently known by the name of +Coill-na-drua, or the wood of the druids. + +Lehan, the ancient name of the district round Castlelyons, in the county +Cork. + +Fermorc, now the baronies of Connello, in Limerick. (See note, page +184.) + +Curoi Mac Dara, a celebrated chief who flourished in the time of the Red +Branch Knights of Ulster, viz., in the first century of the Christian +era. Curoi had his residence on a mountain near Tralee, still called +Caherconree (the fortress of Curoi), and his "patrimony" was South +Munster. The remains of Curoi's great stone fortress are still to be +seen on Caherconree. + +Loch Lein, the Lakes of Killarney. + +Caher-Dun-Isca, now the town of Caher, on the Suir, in Tipperary. + +Femin was the name of the great plain lying to the south and west of the +mountain of Slievenaman, or Slieve-na-man-finn, near Clonmel, in +Tipperary. + +Balla-Gavran, or the pass of Gavran, an ancient road, which ran by +Gavran (now Gowran), in the county Kilkenny. + +Cratloe, a well-known district on the Clare side of the Shannon, near +Limerick. + +[XCVII.] Cliach, the old name of the plain lying round Knockainy. + +[XCVIII.] Fomor, a gigantic warrior, a giant; its primitive meaning is +"a sea-robber," commonly called a Fomorian. (See note 5 at the end.) + +[XCIX.] Gilla Dacker means "a slothful fellow"--a fellow hard to move, +hard to manage, hard to have anything to do with. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +CONAN AND FIFTEEN OF THE FENA ARE CARRIED OFF BY THE GILLA DACKER'S +HORSE. + + +When the Gilla Dacker saw the Fena beating his horse at such a rate, he +seemed very angry, and addressed the king in these words-- + +"King of the Fena, I now see plainly that all the fine accounts I heard +about you and the Fena are false, and I will not stay in your +service--no, not another hour. You can see for yourself the ill usage +these men are giving my horse without cause; and I leave you to judge +whether any one could put up with it--any one who had the least regard +for his horse. The time is, indeed, short since I entered your service, +but I now think it a great deal too long; so pay me my wages, and let me +go my ways." + +But Finn said, "I do not wish you to go; stay on till the end of your +year, and then I will pay you all I promised you." + +"I swear," answered the Gilla Dacker, "that if this were the very last +day of my year, I would not wait till morning for my wages, after this +insult. So, wages or no wages, I will now seek another master; but from +this time forth I shall know what to think of Finn Mac Cumal and his +Fena!" + +With that the Gilla Dacker stood up as straight as a pillar, and, +turning his face towards the south-west, he walked slowly away. + +When the horse saw his master leaving the hill, he stirred himself at +once and walked quietly after him, bringing the fifteen men away on his +back. And when the Fena saw this they raised a loud shout of laughter, +mocking them. + +The Gilla Dacker, after he had walked some little way, looked back, and +seeing that his horse was following, he stood for a moment to tuck up +his skirts. Then, all at once changing his pace, he set out with long, +active strides; and if you know what the speed of a swallow is, flying +across a mountain-side, or the dry, fairy wind of a March day sweeping +over the plains, then you can understand the swiftness of the Gilla +Dacker, as he ran down the hill-side towards the south-west. + +Neither was the horse behindhand in the race; for, though he carried a +heavy load, he galloped like the wind after his master, plunging and +bounding forward with as much freedom as if he had nothing at all on his +back. + +The men now tried to throw themselves off; but this, indeed, they were +not able to do, for the good reason that they found themselves fastened +firmly, hands and feet and all, to the horse's back. + +And now Conan, looking round, raised his big voice, and shouted to Finn +and the Fena, asking them were they content to let their friends be +carried off in that manner by such a horrible, foul-looking old spectre +of a horse. + +Finn and the others, hearing this, seized their arms and started off in +pursuit. Now the way the Gilla Dacker and his horse took was first +through Fermorc,[C.] which is at the present day called Hy Conall Gavra; +next over the wide, heathy summit of Slieve Lougher; from that to Corca +Divna; and they ran along by Slieve Mish, till they reached Cloghan +Kincat, near the deep green sea. + +During all this time Finn and his people kept them in view, but were not +able to overtake them; and Ligan Lumina, one of the swiftest of the +Fena, kept ahead of the others. + +The horse now passed by Cloghan Kincat without in the least abating his +speed; and when he had arrived on the beach, even at the very water's +edge, Ligan overtook him, and caught him by the tail with his two hands, +intending to hold him till the rest of the Fena came up. He gave a +mighty pull back; but the horse, not in the least checked by this, made +no more ado but plunged forward through the waves, dragging Ligan after +him hanging at his tail. And Ligan now found that he could neither help +his friends nor free himself, for his two hands clung fast to the tail +of the horse. + +And so the great horse continued his course without stop or stay, +bringing the sixteen Fena with him through the sea. Now this is how they +fared in the sea, while the horse was rushing swiftly farther and +farther to the west: they had always a dry, firm strand under them, for +the waters retired before the horse while behind them was a wild, raging +sea, which followed close after, and seemed ready every moment to topple +over their heads. But, though the billows were tumbling and roaring all +round, neither horse nor riders were wetted by as much as a drop of +brine or a dash of spray. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[C.] Fermorc, now the baronies of Connello, in Limerick. Slieve Lougher, +a celebrated mountain near Castle Island, in Kerry. Corca Divna, now the +barony of Corkaguiny, the long peninsula lying west of Tralee, and +containing the town of Dingle, and the mountain range of Slieve Mish. +Cloghan Kincat, now called Cloghan, a small village on the northern +coast of the peninsula. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +PURSUIT. + + +Now as to Finn and the others. They stood on the bank over the beach, +watching the horse and men till they lost sight of them in the sea afar +off; and then they sat them down, weary after their long chase, and full +of sadness for the loss of their companions. + +After a long silence, Finn spoke and asked the chiefs what they thought +best to be done. But they replied that he was far beyond them all in +knowledge and wisdom; and they told him they would follow whatsoever +counsel he and Fergus Finnvel, the poet, gave them. Then Finn told +Fergus to speak his mind; and Fergus said-- + +"My counsel is that we go straightway to Ben Edar,[CI.] where we shall +find a ship ready to sail. For our forefathers, when they wrested the +land from the gifted, bright-complexioned Dedannans, bound them by +covenant to maintain this ship for ever, fitted with all things needful +for a voyage, even to the smallest article, as one of the privileges of +Ben Edar; so that if at any time one of the noble sons of Gael +Glas[CII.] wished to sail to distant lands from Erin, he should have a +ship lying at hand in the harbour ready to begin his voyage." + +They agreed to this counsel, and turned their steps without delay +northwards towards Ben Edar. They had not gone far when they met two +noble-looking youths, fully armed, and wearing over their armour +beautiful mantles of scarlet silk, fastened by brooches of gold. The +strangers saluted the king with much respect; and the king saluted them +in return. Then, having given them leave to converse, he asked them who +they were, whither they had come, and who the prince or chief was that +they served. And the elder answered-- + +"My name is Feradach, and my brother's name is Foltlebar; and we are the +two sons of the king of Innia. Each of us professes an art; and it has +long been a point of dispute between us, which art is the better, my +brother's or mine. Hearing that there is not in the world a wiser or +more far-seeing man than thou art, O king, we have come to ask thee to +take us into thy service among thy household troops for a year, and at +the end of that time to give judgment between us in this matter." + +Finn asked them what were the two arts they professed. + +"My art," answered Feradach, "is this: If at any time a company of +warriors need a ship, give me only my joiner's axe and my +crann-tavall,[CIII.] and I am able to provide a ship for them without +delay. The only thing I ask them to do is this--to cover their heads +close, and keep them covered, while I give the crann-tavall three blows +of my axe. Then I tell them to uncover their heads; and lo, there lies +the ship in harbour, ready to sail!" + +Then Foltlebar spoke and said, "This, O king, is the art I profess: On +land I can track the wild duck over nine ridges and nine glens, and +follow her without being once thrown out, till I drop upon her in her +nest. And I can follow up a track on sea quite as well as on land, if I +have a good ship and crew." + +Finn replied, "You are the very men I want; and I now take you both into +my service. At this moment I need a good ship and a skilful pilot more +than any two things in the whole world. And though our own track-men, +namely, the Clann Navin, are good, yet we now need some one still more +skilful, to follow the Gilla Dacker through unknown seas." + +Then the two brothers asked Finn what strait he was in at that moment, +and why he wanted a ship and pilot so much. Whereupon Finn told them the +whole story of the Gilla Dacker's doings from beginning to end. "And we +are now," said he, "on our way to Ben Edar, to seek a ship, that we may +follow this giant and his horse, and rescue our companions." + +Then Feradach said, "I will get you a ship--a ship that will sail as +swiftly as a swallow can fly!" + +And Foltlebar said, "I will guide your ship in the track of the Gilla +Dacker till ye lay hands on him, in whatsoever quarter of the world he +may have hidden himself!" + +And so they turned back to Cloghan Kincat. And when they had come to the +beach, Feradach told them to cover their heads; and they did so. Then he +struck three blows of his axe on the crann-tavall; after which he bade +them look. And lo, they saw a ship, fully fitted out with oars and +sails, and with all things needed for a long voyage, riding before them +in the harbour! + +Then Kylta Mac Ronan went to the top of a high hill; and, turning his +face inland, he uttered three mighty shouts, which were taken up by the +people of the next valley, and after them by those of the next valley +beyond. And so the signal spread, till a shout of alarm was heard in +every plain and hill-side, glen and valley, wood and wilderness, in the +two provinces of Munster. And when the Fena heard these shouts, they +ceased anon from their sports and pastimes; for they knew their king was +in danger or strait of some kind. And they formed themselves into ranks +and troops and battalions, and began their march; and it is not told how +they fared till they reached Cloghan Kincat. + +Finn told them the whole story of the Gilla Dacker and his horse, and +how he had carried away Conan and fifteen others to some far-off island +in the Western Ocean. He also showed them the ship, and told them that +he himself and a chosen band of the Fena were about to sail westward in +quest of their friends. + +And Oisin asked him how many of the chief men of the Fena he wished to +take with him. + +Finn replied, "I foresee that this will be a perilous quest; and I think +all the chiefs here present few enough to bring with me." + +"Say not so, O king," said Oisin; "too many have gone already, and some +must be left behind to guard the country, and to keep order. If fifteen +good men go with you, and that you find the others, the whole party will +be a match for any foe you are like to meet in these western lands." + +And Oscar and Gaul Mac Morna spoke in like manner. + +To this Finn agreed. Then he picked out fifteen men, the bravest and +best, the most dexterous at the sword, and the swiftest of foot among +the Fena. + +The question then arose, who should lead the Fena in the king's absence; +and what they agreed on was that Oisin should remain behind and take +command, as he was the eldest and bravest and wisest of the king's sons. + +Of those who were chosen to go with Finn, the chief men were Dermat +O'Dyna; Gaul Mac Morna; Oscar, the son of Oisin; Aed Beg, the son of +Finn; Fergus Finnvel, the poet; the three sons of Encarda; and Feradach +and Foltlebar, the two sons of the king of Innia. + +So the king and his party took leave of Oisin and the rest. And sad, +indeed, were they on both sides; for no one knew how far the king might +have to sail among unknown seas and islands, or how long he should be +away from Erin, or the spells and dangers he and his men might encounter +in this pursuit. + +Then they went on board, and launched their ship on the cold, bright +sea; and Foltlebar was their pilot and steersman. And they set their +sail and plied their slender oars, and the ship moved swiftly westward +till they lost sight of the shores of Erin; and they saw nothing all +round them but a wide girdle of sea. After some days' sailing, a great +storm came from the west, and the black waves rose up against them, so +that they had much ado to keep their vessel from sinking. But through +all the roaring of the tempest, through the rain and blinding spray, +Foltlebar never stirred from the helm or changed his course, but still +kept close on the track of the Gilla Dacker. + +At length the storm abated, and the sea grew calm. And when the darkness +had cleared away, they saw to the west, a little way off, a vast rocky +cliff towering over their heads to such a height, that its head seemed +hidden among the clouds. It rose up sheer from the very water, and +looked at that distance as smooth as glass, so that at first sight there +seemed no way to reach the top. + +Foltlebar, after examining to the four points of the sky, found the +track of the Gilla Dacker as far as the cliff, but no farther. And he +accordingly told the heroes that he thought it was on the top of that +rock the giant lived; and that, anyhow, the horse must have made his way +up the face of the cliff with their companions. + +When the heroes heard this they were greatly cast down and puzzled what +to do; for they saw no way of reaching the top of the rock; and they +feared they should have to give up the quest and return without their +companions. And they sat down and looked up at the cliff, with sorrow +and vexation in their hearts. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[CI.] Ben Edar, now Howth Hill, near Dublin. + +[CII.] Gael Glas, the traditional ancestor of the Gaels. + +[CIII.] Crann-tav'all, a sort of sling for projecting stones, made of an +elastic piece of wood, and strung somewhat like a cross-bow. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +DERMAT O'DYNA, IN QUEST OF THE GILLA DACKER, ENCOUNTERS THE +WIZARD-CHAMPION AT THE WELL. + + +When now they had been silent for a time, Fergus Finnvel, the poet, +arose and said-- + +"My friends, we have here amongst us one who has been fostered and +taught from the child to the man, by Mannanan Mac Lir[8] in Fairyland, +and by Angus,[1] the wisest of the Dedannans, at Bruga of the Boyne. He +has been carefully trained by both in everything a warrior should learn, +and in much druidical lore besides; so that he is skilled beyond us all +in manly arts and champion-feats. But now it seems that all his arts and +accomplishments go for nought, seeing that he is unable to make use of +them just at the time that we stand most in need of them. On the top of +that rock, doubtless, the Gilla Dacker lives, and there he holds Conan +and the others in bondage; and surely this hero, who now sits idly with +us here in our ship, should be able to climb up the face of that cliff, +and bring us back tidings of our dear friends and companions." + +When Dermat O'Dyna heard this speech, his cheek grew red with shame, and +he made this reply-- + +"It is of me you have spoken these words, Fergus. Your reproaches are +just; and though the task is hard, I will attempt to follow the track of +the Gilla Dacker, and find out some tidings of our friends." + +So saying, Dermat arose, and girded on his armour, and put on his +glittering helmet. He hung his sword at his left hip; and he took his +two long, deadly spears, one in each hand, namely, the Crann-boi and the +Ga-derg;[CIV.] and the battle-fury of a warrior descended on him, so +that he looked a dreadful foe to meet in single combat. + +Then, leaning on the handles of his spears, after the manner of skilful +champions, he leaped with a light, airy bound on the nearest shelf of +rock. And using his spears and his hands, he climbed from ledge to +ledge, while his companions watched him anxiously from below; till, +after much toil, he measured the soles of his two feet on the green sod +at the top of the rock. And when, recovering breath, he turned round and +looked at his companions in the ship far below, he started back with +amazement and dread at the dizzy height. + +He now looked inland, and saw a beautiful country spread out before +him:--a lovely, flowery plain straight in front, bordered with pleasant +hills, and shaded with groves of many kinds of trees. It was enough to +banish all care and sadness from one's heart to view this country, and +to listen to the warbling of the birds, the humming of the bees among +the flowers, the rustling of the wind through the trees, and the +pleasant voices of the streams and waterfalls. + +Making no delay, Dermat set out to walk across the plain. He had not +been long walking when he saw, right before him, a great tree laden with +fruit, overtopping all the other trees of the plain. It was surrounded +at a little distance by a circle of pillar-stones; and one stone, taller +than the others, stood in the centre near the tree. Beside this +pillar-stone was a spring well, with a large, round pool as clear as +crystal; and the water bubbled up in the centre, and flowed away towards +the middle of the plain in a slender stream. + +Dermat was glad when he saw the well; for he was hot and thirsty after +climbing up the cliff. He stooped down to take a drink; but before his +lips touched the water, he heard the heavy tread of a body of warriors, +and the loud clank of arms, as if a whole host were coming straight down +on him. He sprang to his feet and looked round; but the noise ceased in +an instant, and he could see nothing. + +After a little while he stooped again to drink; and again, before he had +wet his lips, he heard the very same sounds, nearer and louder than +before. A second time he leaped to his feet; and still he saw no one. +He knew not what to think of this; and as he stood wondering and +perplexed, he happened to cast his eyes on the tall pillar-stone that +stood on the brink of the well; and he saw on its top a large, beautiful +drinking-horn, chased with gold and enamelled with precious stones. + +"Now surely," said Dermat, "I have been doing wrong; it is, no doubt, +one of the virtues of this well that it will not let any one drink of +its waters except from the drinking-horn." + +So he took down the horn, dipped it into the well, and drank without +hindrance, till he had slaked his thirst. + +Scarcely had he taken the horn from his lips, when he saw a tall +wizard-champion[CV.] coming towards him from the east, clad in a +complete suit of mail, and fully armed with shield and helmet, sword and +spear. A beautiful scarlet mantle hung over his armour, fastened at his +throat by a golden brooch; and a broad circlet of sparkling gold was +bended in front across his forehead, to confine his yellow hair, and +keep it from being blown about by the wind. + +As he came nearer, he increased his pace, moving with great strides; +and Dermat now observed that he looked very wrathful. He offered no +greeting, and showed not the least courtesy; but addressed Dermat in a +rough, angry voice-- + +"Surely, Dermat O'Dyna, Erin of the green plains should be wide enough +for you; and it contains abundance of clear, sweet water in its crystal +springs and green bordered streams, from which you might have drunk your +fill. But you have come into my island without my leave, and you have +taken my drinking-horn, and have drunk from my well; and this spot you +shall never leave till you have given me satisfaction for the insult." + +So spoke the wizard-champion, and instantly advanced on Dermat with fury +in his eyes. But Dermat was not the man to be terrified by any hero or +wizard-champion alive. He met the foe half-way; and now, foot to foot, +and knee to knee, and face to face, they began a fight, watchful and +wary at first, but soon hot and vengeful, till their shields and helmets +could scarce withstand their strong thrusts and blows. Like two enraged +lions fighting to the death, or two strong serpents intertwined in +deadly strife, or two great opposing billows thundering against each +other on the ocean border; such was the strength and fury and +determination of the combat of these two heroes. + +And so they fought through the long day, till evening came, and it began +to be dusk; when suddenly the wizard-champion sprang outside the range +of Dermat's sword, and leaping up with a great bound, he alighted in the +very centre of the well. Down he went through it, and disappeared in a +moment before Dermat's eyes, as if the well had swallowed him up. Dermat +stood on the brink, leaning on his spear, amazed and perplexed, looking +after him in the water; but whether the hero had meant to drown himself, +or that he had played some wizard trick, Dermat knew not. + +He sat down to rest, full of vexation that the wizard-champion should +have got off so easily. And what chafed him still more was that the Fena +knew nought of what had happened, and that when he returned, he could +tell them nothing of the strange hero; neither had he the least token or +trophy to show them after his long fight. + +Then he began to think what was best to be done; and he made up his mind +to stay near the well all night, with the hope of finding out something +further about the wizard-champion on the morrow. + +He walked towards the nearest point of a great forest that stretched +from the mountain down to the plain on his left; and as he came near, a +herd of speckled deer ran by among the trees. He put his finger into the +silken loop of his spear, and, throwing it with an unerring cast, +brought down the nearest of the herd. + +Then, having lighted a fire under a tree, he skinned the deer and fixed +it on long hazel spits to roast, having first, however, gone to the +well, and brought away the drinking-horn full of water. And he sat +beside the roasting deer to turn it and tend the fire, waiting +impatiently for his meal; for he was hungry and tired after the toil of +the day. + +When the deer was cooked, he ate till he was satisfied, and drank the +clear water of the well from the drinking-horn; after which he lay down +under the shade of the tree, beside the fire, and slept a sound sleep +till morning. + +Night passed away and the sun rose, bringing morning with its abundant +light. Dermat started up, refreshed after his long sleep, and, repairing +to the forest, he slew another deer, and fixed it on hazel spits to +roast at the fire as before. For Dermat had this custom, that he would +never eat of any food left from a former meal. + +And after he had eaten of the deer's flesh and drunk from the horn, he +went towards the well. But though his visit was early, he found the +wizard-champion there before him, standing beside the pillar-stone, +fully armed as before, and looking now more wrathful than ever. Dermat +was much surprised; but before he had time to speak the wizard-champion +addressed him-- + +"Dermat O'Dyna, you have now put the cap on all your evil deeds. It was +not enough that you took my drinking-horn and drank from my well: you +have done much worse than this, for you have hunted on my grounds, and +have killed some of my speckled deer. Surely there are many +hunting-grounds in Erin of the green plains, with plenty of deer in +them; and you need not have come hither to commit these robberies on me. +But now for a certainty you shall not go from this spot till I have +taken revenge for all these misdeeds." + +And again the two champions attacked each other, and fought during the +long day, from morning till evening. And when the dusk began to fall, +the wizard-champion leaped into the well, and disappeared down through +it, even as he had done the day before. + +The selfsame thing happened on the third day. And each day, morning and +evening, Dermat killed a deer, and ate of its flesh, and drank of the +water of the well from the drinking-horn. + +On the fourth morning, Dermat found the wizard-champion standing as +usual by the pillar-stone near the well. And as each morning he looked +more angry than on the morning before, so now he scowled in a way that +would have terrified any one but Dermat O'Dyna. + +And they fought during the day till the dusk of evening. But now Dermat +watched his foe narrowly; and when he saw him about to spring into the +well, he closed on him and threw his arms round him. The wizard-champion +struggled to free himself, moving all the time nearer and nearer to the +brink; but Dermat held on, till at last both fell into the well. Down +they went, clinging to each other, Dermat and the wizard-champion; down, +down, deeper and deeper they went; and Dermat tried to look round, but +nothing could he see save darkness and dim shadows. At length there was +a glimmer of light; then the bright day burst suddenly upon them; and +presently they came to the solid ground, gently and without the least +shock. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[CIV.] See note, page 302. + +[CV.] The original word, which I have translated "wizard-champion," is +_gruagach_. This word literally means "hairy," "a hairy fellow;" and it +is often used in the sense of "giant." But in these romantic tales it is +commonly used to signify a champion who has always something of the +supernatural about him, yet not to such a degree as to shield him +completely from the valour of a great mortal hero like Dermat O'Dyna. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +DERMAT O'DYNA IN TIR-FA-TONN.[CVI.] + + +At the very moment they reached the ground, the wizard-champion, with a +sudden effort, tore himself away from Dermat's grasp and ran forward +with great speed. Dermat leaped to his feet; and he was so amazed at +what he saw around him that he stood stock still and let the +wizard-champion escape: a lovely country, with many green-sided hills +and fair valleys between, woods of red yew trees, and plains laughing +all over with flowers of every hue. + +Right before him, not far off, lay a city of great tall houses with +glittering roofs; and on the side nearest to him was a royal palace, +larger and grander than the rest. On the level green in front of the +palace were a number of knights, all armed, and amusing themselves with +various warlike exercises of sword and shield and spear. + +Straight towards this assembly the wizard-champion ran; which, when +Dermat saw, he set off in pursuit, hoping to overtake him. But the +wizard-champion had too long a start, and when he reached the exercise +green, the knights opened to the right and left, leaving a broad way +through which he rushed. He never halted or looked behind till he had +got inside the palace gate; and the moment he had passed in, the knights +closed their ranks, and stood facing Dermat with threatening looks and +gestures. + +Nothing daunted, Dermat held on his pace towards them; and now those of +the front rank started forward with spears and swords, intending to +crush him at once, and hew his body to mincemeat. But it was not terror +nor weakness nor a desire of flight that this produced in Dermat, for +his battle-fury was on him; and he rushed through them and under them +and over them, as a hawk rushes among a flight of sparrows, or like a +whale through a shoal of little fishes, or like a raging wolf among a +flock of sheep, or like a vast billow among a fleet of small vessels, or +like a great brown torrent rushing down the steep side of a mountain, +that sweeps everything headlong before it. So did Dermat cleave a wide +laneway through the hosts, till, from a solid band of warriors, he +turned them into a scattered crowd, flying in all directions. And those +that did not fall by his hand, ran hither and thither, some to hide +themselves in the thick forests and remote, wooded glens of the +surrounding country; while others rushed in through the outer gate of +the palace, and shut themselves up in the strongest part of the +fortress, neither did they deem themselves safe till they had shot home +every bolt, and securely fastened every strong iron lock. + +At last not a living soul remained on the green, and Dermat sat down, +weary after his battle-toil, and smarting all over with wounds. He was +grieved and downcast also, for he knew not where he was, and he saw no +chance that he should be able either to find any tidings of the friends +he was in search of, or to return to his companions in the ship. + +At length, being quite overcome with weariness, he fell into a deep +sleep. After sleeping for some time, he was awakened by a smart blow. He +started up, and saw a young man standing over him, tall, and of a +commanding appearance, with long, golden hair, and a manly, open +countenance. Now this young man had come to Dermat, and finding him +asleep in such a dangerous place, he struck him with the flat of his +sword to awaken him. In an instant Dermat sprang to his feet and seized +his arms; but the youth addressed him in a friendly voice, and said-- + +"Dermat O'Dyna, put up your arms; I am no enemy, and I have come, not to +harm, but to serve you. This, indeed, is a strange place for you to fall +asleep, before the very door of the castle, and within sight of your +enemies. Come now with me, and I will give you a better place to sleep +in, where you will also get a welcome and kindly entertainment." + +This speech pleased Dermat very much; and he thanked the young man and +went with him. After walking for some time, they came to a large +splendid house, and passing through the outer gate they entered the +banqueting hall. There they found a noble company of twelve score and +ten knights, and almost as many beautiful ladies, with their long hair +falling on their shoulders, shining like the golden flower of the +marsh-flag, and gentle and modest in their looks and conversation. They +wore mantles of scarlet satin, and each mantle was fastened in front by +a brooch of burnished gold. + +The company sat at tables round the walls of the banquet hall, some +feasting, some playing chess, and some listening to the music of harps. +When the two heroes entered, all the knights and ladies rose and +received them with much respect, and they welcomed Dermat and invited +him to join their entertainment. But the young prince--for he was in +truth a prince--pointing to Dermat's clothes and arms, all soiled and +stained, told them that he had endured much toil that day, and that he +wanted rest and refreshment. + +He then brought Dermat away, and ordered the attendants to prepare a +bath in a great caldron. He put soothing balsams and healing herbs into +it with his own hands, and when Dermat had bathed he was immediately +healed of his wounds, and he came forth refreshed and cheerful. The +prince then directed that his clothes should be put aside, and had him +clad in rich garments like the others. + +Dermat now joined the company, and ate and drank, for he had taken +neither food nor drink since he had made his meal on the deer early that +morning near the well; after which he talked and was cheerful with the +others. Then rose up the harpers, and the professors of divers arts and +sciences, and one after another they played their sweet music, and +recited their poems and their tales of the heroes of the olden time. And +when they had ended, the knights gave them gifts of gold and silver and +jewels. At last the company broke up, and Dermat was shown to a bed +richly ornamented, and soft with the red feathers of wild fowl, and soon +he fell into a sound sleep after his long day's adventures. + +Now Dermat marvelled much at all he saw and heard; and he knew not what +place he was in, or who the people were, that had treated him with such +kindness. So next morning, when the company had again assembled, he +stood up, and addressed the prince with gentle words and modest +demeanour; and this is what he said-- + +"I am much surprised, O prince, at what I have seen, and at all that has +befallen me in this land. Though I am here a stranger, thou hast shown +me much kindness, and these noble knights and ladies have permitted me +to join their sports, and have treated me with much gentleness and +consideration. I wish to know, then, who thou art, O prince, and what +country this is, of which I have never before heard, and who is the king +thereof. Tell me also, I pray thee, the name of the champion who fought +with me for four days at the well, till at last he escaped from me at +the palace." + +The prince replied, "I will tell you all, Dermat, as you have asked, +concealing nothing. This country is Tir-fa-tonn; the champion who fought +with you is called the Knight of the Fountain, and that very champion is +king of this land. I am the brother of the king, and my name is the +Knight of Valour. Good reason indeed have I to be kind to you, Dermat +O'Dyna, for though you do not remember me, I spent a year and a day in +the household of Finn the son of Cumal. + +"A part of this kingdom belongs by right to me. But the king and his son +have seized on my patrimony, and have banished me from the palace, +forcing me to live here in exile with a few of my faithful followers. + +"It is my intention, however, to make war on the king for my part of the +kingdom; and right glad I am that you have come hither, for I would +rather have you on my side than all the other Fena put together, for +your nobleness of mind and your valour in battle. + +"I have here in my household seven score and ten heroes, all champions +of great deeds; and if you consent to aid me, these shall be placed +under your command. By day you shall fight against the king of +Tir-fa-tonn and his son, and by night you shall feast and rest and sleep +with me in this palace. If you enter into friendship with me and fight +on my side, well I know that I shall win back my right without delay." + +Dermat agreed to this. So he and the Knight of Valour made a covenant; +and, placing hand in hand, they pledged themselves to observe faithfully +the conditions of the league of friendship. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[CVI.] Tir-fa-tonn, literally "the country beneath the wave." (See note +13 at the end.) + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +FINN, IN QUEST OF DERMAT, FIGHTS MANY BATTLES. + + +As to Finn Mac Cumal and those that remained behind with him in the +ship, I will now relate what befell them. + +It was now many days since Dermat had left them, and they marvelled much +that he did not return with tidings of the Gilla Dacker. At length, when +they began to be alarmed, the two sons of the king of Innia offered to +go in search of him; but Finn said no, for that they should all go +together. + +So Feradach and Foltlebar took all the cables and ropes they could find +in the ship, and tied them end to end in hard, sure knots, till they had +a rope long enough to reach from the top of the rock to the bottom. Then +they clambered up the steep face of the cliff, bringing with them the +end of the rope; and one by one they drew up Finn and the rest. And when +they looked round, they were as much surprised and delighted as Dermat +was at the look of the country. + +Foltlebar now made a search, and soon found the track of Dermat; and the +whole party set out to walk across the plain, Foltlebar leading the way. +Having travelled some distance, they saw the great fruit tree afar off; +and, turning to the left, they found a place where a fire had been +lighted, and near it the remains of several meals of deer's flesh. By +this they knew that it was here Dermat had slept, for all were well +aware of his custom not to eat of what was left from a meal. + +They then went towards the tree, and there they found the traces of +deadly combat--the ground all trampled and ploughed up, and a broken +spear handle lying at the brink of the well. While they stood pondering +on these things, with anxious hearts, they saw a horseman at a distance, +speeding towards them across the plain. In a little while he came up and +reined in. + +He was a young man of majestic mien, fair and noble of countenance; and +he rode a beautiful chestnut steed, with a bridle of twisted gold, and a +saddle of surpassing splendour, ornamented all over with gold and +jewels. + +He alighted and saluted Finn and the Fena, and told them they were +welcome to his country, for that he was king; and he put his hand on +Finn's neck and kissed his cheek three times. Then he invited them to go +with him, saying that the Plain of the Fountain was a comfortless +resting-place after a long journey. + +Finn's heart was glad at this, for he and his companions were weary; +and they set out to walk across the plain with the young king. Having +walked a good distance, they came in sight of a noble palace, with tall +towers and carved front. As they came near, they were met by a company +of knights on the level green in front, who welcomed them with gentle +words. And so they passed into the palace. A bath was prepared, and they +bathed and were refreshed after their toils. Then they sat down to +supper; and while they ate and drank, the harpers played for them, and +the poets told their tales and sang their songs. + +They slept that night in the palace; and next day they mingled with the +knights on the green, and took part in their games and pastimes. In the +evening they sat down to a feast. The people of the palace were ranged +at tables according to rank and inheritance, every man in his proper +place. + +Then the feast went on; and abundance of the newest food and of the +oldest drink was served out; and they ate of the savoury food, and drank +of the sparkling wines and of the strong ales, till they became merry +and gently intoxicated. And Finn could not call to mind that he ever saw +an entertainment in the house of either king or chief better ordered. In +this manner they were feasted and entertained for three days and three +nights. + +At the end of that time a meeting was held by the king on the palace +green. And Finn stood up and said-- + +"Tell me, I pray thee, thy name and the name of this country, which I +have never seen before, or even heard of." + +"This country," replied the king, "is called Sorca, of which I am king; +and although you know us not, we know you well, for the fame of your +deeds has reached even to this land. But now I wish to know why you have +come hither; also the reason why you have brought so few companions, and +where the rest have tarried." + +Then Finn told him the whole story from beginning to end; how the Gilla +Dacker and his great horse had carried off sixteen of their chief men; +"And," added Finn, "I and these fifteen companions of mine are now in +quest of them." + +The king replied, "This is a dangerous undertaking; and you and your +fifteen men, valiant even as you are, are too few to venture into +unknown lands, where you may meet with many enemies. Now my knights are +brave and generous, and they love battle and adventure. Wherefore I will +place a band of them under your command, who will follow you +whithersoever you go, and who will not be behindhand even with the Fena +in facing hardship and danger." + +Finn stood up to thank the king; but before he had time to speak, they +saw a messenger speeding towards them across the plain from the +north-west, breathless, and begrimed all over with mud and dust. When he +had come in presence of the company, he bowed low to the king, and, +standing up, waited impatient for leave to speak. + +The king asked him what news he had brought and he replied-- + +"Bad and direful news I have for thee, O king. A foreign fleet has come +to our shores, which seems to cover all the sea, even as far as the eye +can reach; and until the stars of heaven are counted, and the sands of +the sea, and the leaves of the woods, the hosts that are landing from +their black ships shall not be numbered. Even already they have let +loose their plunderers over the country, who are burning and spoiling +the farmsteads and the great mansions; and many noble heroes and keepers +of houses of hospitality, and many people of the common sort, have been +slain by them. Some say that it is the King of the World and his host, +who, after conquering every country he has yet visited, has come now to +ravage this land with fire and sword and spear, and bring it under his +power; but I know not if this be true. And this, O king, is the news I +bring thee." + +When the messenger had ended, the king spoke nought, though his +countenance, indeed, showed trouble; but he looked earnestly at Finn. +Finn understood this to mean that the king sought his help; and, with +clear voice, he spoke-- + +"Thou hast been generous to me and my people in our day of need, O king +of Sorca; and now thou shalt not find the Fena lacking in grateful +memory of thy kindness. We will, for a time, give up the pursuit of the +Gilla Dacker, and we will place ourselves under thy command, and help +thee against these marauders. Neither do I fear the outcome of this +war; for many a time have we met these foreigners on the shores of Erin +and elsewhere, and they have always yielded to us in the battle-field." + +The king of Sorca was glad of heart when he heard these words; and he +sent his swift scouts all over the country to gather his fighting men. +And when all had come together, he arranged them in fighting order, and +marched towards the shore where the foreigners were spoiling the land. +And they met the plundering parties, and drove them with great slaughter +back to their ships, retaking all the spoils. + +Then they formed an encampment on the shore, with ramparts and deep +ditches and long rows of pointed stakes all round. And each day a party +of the foreigners landed, led by one of their captains, who were met by +an equal number of the men of Sorca, led by one of the Fena; and each +time they were driven back to their ships, after losing their best men. + +When, now, this had continued for many days, the King of the World +called a meeting of the chiefs of his army, and asked their counsel as +to what should be done. And they spoke as one man, that their best +chiefs had fallen, and that they were in worse case now for overcoming +the men of Sorca than they were at first; that their sages and prophets +had declared against them; and that they had met with ill luck from the +day of their arrival. And the advice they gave the king was to depart +from the shores of Sorca, for there seemed no chance of conquering the +country as long as the Fena were there to help the king. + +So the king ordered the sails to be set, and he left the harbour in the +night with his whole fleet, without bringing the king of Sorca under +subjection, and without imposing tribute on the people. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +FINN AND DERMAT MEET. + + +When the people of Sorca and the Fena arose next morning, not a ship was +in sight; and they began to rejoice greatly, finding themselves freed +from this invasion. And while the king and Finn, with the chiefs and +people, stood eagerly conversing on all these matters, they saw a troop +at a distance coming towards them, with banners and standards and arms +glittering in the morning sun. Now they wondered much who these might +be; and Finn desired that some one might go and bring back tidings. + +So Fergus Finnvel went with a few followers, and when he was yet a good +way off, he knew Dermat O'Dyna at the head of the troop, and ran forward +with joy to meet him. And they embraced, even as brothers embrace who +meet after being long parted. Then they came towards the assembly; and +when the Fena saw Dermat they shouted with joy and welcome And Dermat, +on his part, could scarce restrain the excess of his joyfulness; for, +indeed, he did not expect to meet his friends so soon; and he embraced +them one by one, with glad heart, beginning with Finn. + +Then Finn inquired from Dermat all particulars, what places he had +visited since the day he had climbed up the rock, and whether he had +heard any news of their lost companions; and he asked him also who were +they--those valiant-looking fighting men--he had brought with him. + +Dermat told him of all his adventures from first to last--of his long +combat at the well with the Knight of the Fountain, of his descent to +Tir-fa-tonn, and how the Knight of Valour had entertained him hospitably +in his palace. He related also how he headed the men of the Knight of +Valour, and made war on the king of Tir-fa-tonn (who was also called the +Knight of the Fountain, the wizard-champion who fought with Dermat at +the well), whom he slew, and defeated his army. + +"And now," continued he, bringing forth the Knight of Valour from among +the strange host, "this is he who was formerly called the Knight of +Valour, but who is now the king of Tir-fa-tonn. Moreover, this king has +told me, having himself found it out by his druidical art, that it was +Avarta the Dedannan (the son of Illahan of the Many-coloured Raiment) +who took the form of the Gilla Dacker, and who brought the sixteen Fena +away to the Land of Promise,[8] where he now holds them in bondage." + +Finn and the young king then put hand in hand and made covenants of +lasting friendship with each other. And the Fena were much rejoiced that +they had at last got some tidings of their lost companions. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +CONAN AND HIS COMPANIONS FOUND AND RESCUED. + + +Now after they had rested some days in the palace of the king of Sorca, +Fergus Finnvel told Finn that it was time to begin once more their quest +after Conan and the others. They held council, therefore; and the +resolution they came to was to return to the rock at the spot where they +had turned aside from the track of the Gilla Dacker, and to begin their +search anew from that. And when both the king of Sorca and the king of +Tir-fa-tonn would have sent men with them, Finn thanked them, but said +that the small party of Fena he had with him were quite enough for that +adventure. + +So they took leave of the two kings, and went back to the rock, and +Foltlebar at once found the track. He traced it from the very edge of +the rock across the plain to the sea at the other side; and they brought +round their ship and began their voyage. But this time Foltlebar found +it very hard to keep on the track; for the Gilla Dacker, knowing that +there were not in the world men more skilled in following up a quest +than the Fena, took great pains to hide all traces of the flight of +himself and his horse; so that Foltlebar was often thrown out; but he +always recovered the track after a little time. + +And so they sailed from island to island, and from bay to bay, over many +seas and by many shores, ever following the track, till at length they +arrived at the Land of Promise. And when they had made the land, and +knew for a certainty that this was indeed the Land of Promise, they +rejoiced greatly; for in this land Dermat O'Dyna had been nurtured by +Mannanan Mac Lir of the Yellow Hair. + +Then they held council as to what was best to be done; and Finn's advice +was that they should burn and spoil the country, in revenge of the +outrage that had been done to his people. Dermat, however, would not +hear of this. And he said-- + +"Not so, O king. The people of this land are of all men the most skilled +in druidic art; and it is not well that they should be at feud with us. +Let us rather send to Avarta a trusty herald, to demand that he should +set our companions at liberty. If he does so, then we shall be at peace; +if he refuse, then shall we proclaim war against him and his people, and +waste this land with fire and sword, till he be forced, even by his own +people, to give us back our friends." + +This advice was approved by all. And then Finn said-- + +"But how shall heralds reach the dwelling of this enchanter; for the +ways are not open and straight, as in other lands, but crooked and made +for concealment, and the valleys and plains are dim and shadowy, and +hard to be traversed?" + +But Foltlebar, nothing daunted by the dangers and the obscurity of the +way, offered to go with a single trusty companion; and they took up the +track and followed it without being once thrown out, till they reached +the mansion of Avarta. There they found their friends amusing themselves +on the green outside the palace walls; for, though kept captive in the +island, yet were they in no wise restrained, but were treated by Avarta +with much kindness. When they saw the heralds coming towards them, their +joy knew no bounds; they crowded round to embrace them, and asked them +many questions regarding their home and their friends. + +At last Avarta himself came forth, and asked who these strangers were; +and Foltlebar replied-- + +"We are of the people of Finn Mac Cumal, who has sent us as heralds to +thee. He and his heroes have landed on this island, guided hither by me; +and he bade us tell thee that he has come to wage war and to waste this +land with fire and sword, as a punishment for that thou hast brought +away his people by foul spells, and even now keepest them in bondage." + +When Avarta heard this, he made no reply, but called a council of his +chief men, to consider whether they should send back to Finn an answer +of war or of peace. And they, having much fear of the Fena, were minded +to restore Finn's people, and to give him his own award in satisfaction +for the injury done to him; and to invite Finn himself and those who had +come with him to a feast of joy and friendship in the house of Avarta. + +Avarta himself went with Foltlebar to give this message. And after he +and Finn had exchanged friendly greetings, he told them what the council +had resolved; and Finn and Dermat and the others were glad at heart. And +Finn and Avarta put hand in hand, and made a league of friendship. + +So they went with Avarta to his house, where they found their lost +friends; and, being full of gladness, they saluted and embraced each +other. Then a feast was prepared; and they were feasted for three days, +and they ate and drank and made merry. + +On the fourth day, a meeting was called on the green to hear the award. +Now it was resolved to make amends on the one hand to Finn, as king of +the Fena, and on the other, to those who had been brought away by the +Gilla Dacker. And when all were gathered together, Finn was first asked +to name his award; and this is what he said-- + +"I shall not name an award, O Avarta; neither shall I accept an eric +from thee. But the wages I promised thee when we made our covenant at +Knockainy, that I will give thee. For I am thankful for the welcome thou +hast given us here; and I wish that there should be peace and friendship +between us for ever." + +But Conan, on his part, was not so easily satisfied; and he said to +Finn-- + +"Little hast thou endured, O Finn, in all this matter; and thou mayst +well waive thy award. But hadst thou, like us, suffered from the sharp +bones and the rough carcase of the Gilla Dacker's monstrous horse, in a +long journey from Erin to the Land of Promise, across wide seas, through +tangled woods, and over rough-headed rocks, thou wouldst then, methinks, +name an award." + +At this, Avarta, and the others who had seen Conan and his companions +carried off on the back of the big horse, could scarce keep from +laughing; and Avarta said to Conan-- + +"Name thy award, and I will fulfil it every jot: for I have heard of +thee, Conan, and I dread to bring the gibes and taunts of thy foul +tongue on myself and my people." + +"Well then," said Conan, "my award is this: that you choose fifteen of +the best and noblest men in the Land of Promise, among whom are to be +your own best beloved friends; and that you cause them to mount on the +back of the big horse, and that you yourself take hold of his tail. In +this manner you shall fare to Erin, back again by the selfsame track the +horse took when he brought us hither--through the same surging seas, +through the same thick thorny woods, and over the same islands and rough +rocks and dark glens. And this, O Avarta, is my award," said Conan. + +Now Finn and his people were rejoiced exceedingly when they heard +Conan's award--that he asked from Avarta nothing more than like for +like. For they feared much that he might claim treasure of gold and +silver, and thus bring reproach on the Fena. + +Avarta promised that everything required by Conan should be done, +binding himself in solemn pledges. Then the heroes took their leave; and +having launched their ship on the broad, green sea, they sailed back by +the same course to Erin. And they marched to their camping-place at +Knockainy, where they rested in their tents. + +Avarta then chose his men. And he placed them on the horse's back, and +he himself caught hold of the tail; and it is not told how they fared +till they made harbour and landing-place at Cloghan Kincat. They delayed +not, but straightway journeyed over the selfsame track as before, till +they reached Knockainy. + +Finn and his people saw them afar off coming towards the hill with great +speed; the Gilla Dacker, quite as large and as ugly as ever, running +before the horse; for he had let go the tail at Cloghan Kincat. And the +Fena could not help laughing heartily when they saw the plight of the +fifteen chiefs on the great horse's back; and they said with one voice +that Conan had made a good award that time. + +When the horse reached the spot from which he had at first set out, the +men began to dismount. Then the Gilla Dacker, suddenly stepping forward, +held up his arm and pointed earnestly over the heads of the Fena +towards the field where the horses were standing; so that the heroes +were startled, and turned round every man to look. But nothing was to be +seen except the horses grazing quietly inside the fence. + +Finn and the others now turned round again, with intent to speak to the +Gilla Dacker and bring him and his people into the tents; but much did +they marvel to find them all gone. The Gilla Dacker and his great horse +and the fifteen nobles of the Land of Promise had disappeared in an +instant; and neither Finn himself nor any of his chiefs ever saw them +afterwards. + + +So far we have related the story of the pursuit of the Gilla Dacker and +his horse. + + + + +THE PURSUIT OF DERMAT AND GRANIA. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +FINN, THE SON OF CUMAL, SEEKS THE PRINCESS GRANIA TO WIFE. + + +On a certain day, Finn, the son of Cumal, rose at early morn in Allen of +the broad hill-slopes, and, going forth, sat him down on the green lawn +before the palace, without companion or attendant. And two of his people +followed him, namely, Oisin his son, and Dering the son of Dobar +O'Baskin. + +Oisin spoke to him and asked, "Why, O king, hast thou come forth so +early?" + +"Cause enough have I indeed," replied Finn; "for I am without a wife +since Manissa, the daughter of Garad of the Black Knee, died; and who +can enjoy sweet sleep when his life is lonely like mine, with no wife to +comfort and cheer him? This, my friends, is the cause of my early +rising." + +And Oisin said, "Why should you be without a wife if you desire one? For +there is not, within the sea-circle of green Erin, a maiden that we will +not bring you, either by consent or by force, if you only turn the +light of your eyes on her." + +Then Dering spoke and said, "I know where there is a maiden, who in all +respects is worthy to be thy wife." + +And when Finn asked who she was, Dering replied-- + +"The maiden is Grania, daughter of king Cormac,[22] the son of Art, the +son of Conn the Hundred-fighter; the most beautiful, the best +instructed, and the most discreet in speech and manner of all the +maidens of Erin." + +"There has been strife between me and Cormac for a long time," said +Finn, "and it may happen that he will not give me his daughter in +marriage. But go ye to Tara in my name, you and Oisin, and ask the +maiden for me: if the king should refuse, so let it be; but I can better +bear a refusal to you than to myself." + +"We will go," said Oisin; "but it is better that no man know of our +journey till we return." + +So the two heroes took leave of Finn and went their way; and nothing is +told of what befell them till they reached Tara. It chanced that the +king was at this time holding a meeting; and the chiefs and great nobles +of Tara were assembled round him. And when the two warriors arrived, +they were welcomed, and the meeting was put off for that day; for the +king felt sure that it was on some business of weight they had come. + +After they had eaten and drunk, the king, sending away all others from +his presence, bade the two chiefs tell their errand. So Oisin told him +they had come to seek his daughter Grania in marriage for Finn the son +of Cumal. + +Then the king said, "In all Erin there is scarce a young prince or noble +who has not sought my daughter in marriage; and she has refused them +all. And it is on me that the ill feeling and reproach caused by her +refusals have fallen; for she has ever made me the bearer of her +answers. Wherefore now you shall come to my daughter's presence, and I +will not mention the matter to her till she give you an answer from her +own lips: so shall I be blameless if she refuse." + +So they went to the apartments of the women, at the sunny side of the +palace. And when they had entered the princess's chamber, the king sat +with her on the couch and said-- + +"Here, my daughter, are two of the people of Finn the son of Cumal, who +have come to ask thee as a wife for him." + +And Grania, giving, indeed, not much thought to the matter, answered, "I +know not whether he is worthy to be thy son-in-law; but if he be, why +should he not be a fitting husband for me?" + +The two messengers were satisfied with this answer, and retired. And +Cormac made a feast for them; and they ate and drank and made merry with +the chiefs and nobles of the palace; after which the king bade them tell +Finn to come at the end of a fortnight to claim his bride. + +So the two heroes returned to Allen, and told how they had fared in +their quest. And as all things come at last to an end, so this fortnight +wore slowly away; and at the end of the time, Finn, having collected +round him the chief men of the seven standing battalions of the Fena to +be his guard, marched to Tara. The king received him with great honour, +and welcomed the Fena, and they were feasted with the nobles of Erin in +the great banquet hall of Micorta.[CVII.] And the king sat on his throne +to enjoy the feast with his guests, having Finn on his right hand, and +on his left the queen, Etta, the daughter of Atan of Corca; and Grania +sat next the queen, her mother, on the left. And all the others sat +according to their rank and patrimony. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +DERMAT O'DYNA SECRETLY ESPOUSES THE PRINCESS GRANIA. + + +Now while the feast went on, it chanced that Dara of the Poems, one of +Finn's druids, sat near Grania. And he recited for her many lays about +the deeds of her forefathers; after which a pleasant conversation arose +between them. And when they had talked for some time, she asked him-- + +"What means all this feasting? And why has Finn come with his people on +this visit to my father the king?" + +Dara was surprised at this question, and answered, "If thou dost not +know, it is hard for me to know." + +And Grania answered, "I wish, indeed, to learn from you what has brought +Finn to Tara." + +"It is strange to hear thee ask this question," said the druid. "Knowest +thou not that he has come to claim thee for his wife?" + +Grania was silent for a long time after hearing this. And again she +spoke-- + +"If, indeed, Finn had sought me for his son Oisin, or for the youthful +Oscar, there would be nothing to wonder at; but I marvel much that he +seeks me for himself, seeing that he is older than my father." + +Then Grania meditated in silence; and after a time she said to the +druid-- + +"This is a goodly company, but I know not one among them, except only +Oisin, the son of Finn. Tell me now who is that warrior on the right of +Oisin." + +"That knightly warrior," answered the druid, "is Gaul Mac Morna the +Terrible in Battle." + +"Who is the youthful champion to the right of Gaul?" asked Grania. + +"That is Oscar, the son of Oisin," said the druid. + +"Who is the graceful and active-looking chief sitting next Oscar?" asked +the princess. + +"That is Kylta Mac Ronan the Swift-footed," said the druid. + +"Next to Kylta Mac Ronan sits a champion with fair, freckled skin, +raven-black curls, a gentle, handsome, manly countenance, and soft +voice: pray who is he?" + +"That is Dermat O'Dyna of the Bright Face, the favourite of maidens, and +beloved of all the Fena for his high-mindedness, his bravery, and his +generous disposition." + +"Who is he sitting at Dermat's shoulder?" asked Grania. + +"That is Dering, the son of Dobar O'Baskin," replied the druid; "a +valiant champion, and also a druid and a man of science." + +Then Grania called her handmaid, and said to her, "Bring me the large +jewelled, gold-chased drinking-horn that lies in my chamber." + +The handmaid brought the drinking-horn; and Grania, having filled it to +the brim, said-- + +"Take it now to Finn from me, and tell him that I desire him to drink +from it." + +The handmaiden did so, and Finn took a full draught. He passed the +drinking-horn to the king, and the king drank; and after him the queen. +Then again Grania bade the handmaid bring it to Carbri of the Liffey, +the king's son; and she ceased not till all she wished to drink had +drunk from the gold-chased horn. And after a little time, those who had +drunk fell into a deep sleep, like the sleep of death. + +Then the princess rose from her seat, and, walking softly across the +hall, sat down near Dermat O'Dyna; and with downcast eyes and low voice, +she said-- + +"Wilt thou, Dermat, return my love if I give it to thee?" + +Dermat heard her at first with amazement and alarm. Then for a moment, +even before he was aware, his heart leaped with joy; but when he +bethought him of his duty to his chief, he hardened his mind, and +answered with cold looks and words-- + +"The maiden who is betrothed to Finn, I will not love; and even if I +were so minded, I dare not." + +And with eyes still cast down, Grania said, "I know well it is thy duty, +and not thy heart, that prompts thee to speak so. Thou seest how it is +with me; and I am forced to speak more boldly than a maiden should. Finn +has come to ask me for his wife; but he is an old man, even older than +my father, and I love him not. But I love thee, Dermat, and I beseech +thee to save me from this hateful marriage. And, lest thou think that my +love for thee is only a passing fancy, hear now what befell. + +"Of a day when a hurling match was played on the green of Tara, between +Mac Luga and the Fena on the one side, and Carbri of the Liffey and the +men of Tara on the other, I sat high up at the window of my sunny +chamber to see the game. Thou didst remain sitting with some others that +day, not meaning to take part in the play. But at last, when the game +began to go against thy friends, I saw thee start up; and, snatching the +hurlet from the man nearest to thee, thou didst rush into the thick of +the crowd; and before sitting down thou didst win the goal three times +on the men of Tara. At that hour my eyes and my heart were turned to +thee; and well I knew thee to-day in this banquet hall, though I knew +not thy name till the druid told me. At that same hour, too, I gave thee +my love--what I never gave, and never will give, to any other." + +Then was Dermat sore troubled. He strove with himself, but strove in +vain; for he could not help loving the princess with his whole heart. +Yet none the less did he hide his thoughts; for his duty to his chief +prevailed. And with looks and words cold and stern, he replied-- + +"I marvel greatly that thou hast not given thy love to Finn, who +deserves it much better than any other man alive. And still more do I +marvel that thou hast lighted on me beyond all the princes and nobles of +Tara; for truly there is not one among them less worthy of thy love than +I. But that thou shouldst be my wife, by no means can this be; for even +were I to consent, there is not in Erin a fastness or a wilderness, +however strong or remote, that could shelter us from Finn's vengeance." + +Then Grania said, "I read thy thoughts; and I know thou art striving +against what thy heart prompts. And now, O Dermat, I place thee under +gesa,[12] and under the bonds of heavy druidical spells--bonds that true +heroes never break through, that thou take me for thy wife before Finn +and the others awaken from their sleep; and save me from this hateful +marriage." + +And Dermat, still unyielding, replied, "Evil are those gesa thou hast +put on me; and evil, I fear, will come of them. But dost thou not know, +princess, that whenever Finn sleeps at Tara, it is one of his privileges +to have in his own keeping the keys of the great gates; so that even if +we so willed it, we should not be able to leave the fortress?" + +"There is a wicket gate leading out from my apartments," said Grania, +"and through that we shall pass forth." + +"That I cannot do," answered Dermat; "for it is one of my gesa[12] never +to enter a king's mansion, or leave it, by a wicket gate." + +And Grania answered, "I have heard it said that every true champion, who +has been instructed in all the feats that a warrior should learn, can +bound over the highest rampart of a fort by means of the handles of his +spears; and well I know that thou art the most accomplished champion +among the Fena. I will now pass out through the wicket gate; and even if +thou dost not follow, I will fly alone from Tara." + +And so she went forth from the banquet hall. + +Then Dermat, much doubting how to act, spoke to his friends and asked +counsel of them. And first he addressed Oisin, the son of Finn, and +asked him how he should deal with the heavy gesa-bonds that had been +laid on him by the princess; and what he should do in the case. + +"You are blameless in regard to these bonds," answered Oisin; "and I +counsel you to follow Grania; but guard yourself well against the wiles +of Finn." + +"O dear friend Oscar," spoke Dermat again, "what think you is best for +me to do, seeing that these heavy gesa-bonds have been put on me?" + +"I say you should follow Grania," answered Oscar; "for he, indeed, is +but a pitiful champion who fears to keep his bonds." + +"What counsel do you give me, Kylta?" said Dermat to Kylta Mac Ronan. + +"I say," answered Kylta, "that I would gladly give the world's wealth +that the princess had given me her love; and I counsel you to follow +her." + +Last of all, Dermat spoke to Dering, the son of Dobar O'Baskin, and +said, "Give me your judgment in this hard matter, friend Dering." + +And Dering answered, "If you espouse Grania, I foresee that your death +will come of it, which grieves me even to think of; but even so, I +counsel you to follow the princess rather than break through your gesa." + +And Dermat, doubting even still, asked for the last time, "Is this, my +friends, the counsel you all give?" + +And they all answered, "Yes," as with the voice of one man. + +Then Dermat arose and put on his armour and his helmet; and he took his +shield, and his two heavy spears, and his sword. And with tears he bade +farewell to his dear companions; for well he knew that it would be long +before they should meet again; and he foresaw trouble and danger. + +Then he went forth to where the steep side of the inner mound +overlooked the outer rampart; and, placing his two spears point +downwards, and leaning on them after the manner of skilful champions, +with two light, airy bounds he cleared rampart and ditch, and measured +the length of his two feet on the level green outside. And there the +princess met him; and he said to her, with voice and manner still +distant and stern-- + +"Evil will certainly come of this espousal, O princess, both to thee and +to me. Far better would it be for thee to choose Finn and to pass me by; +for now we shall wander without home or rest, fleeing from his wrath. +Return, then, princess, return even now through the wicket gate, for the +sleepers have not yet awakened; and Finn shall never learn what has +happened." + +But Grania, gentle and sad indeed, but quite unmoved, replied, "I will +never return; and until death takes me I will not part from thee." + +Then at last Dermat yielded and strove no longer; and putting off his +sternness of manner and voice, he spoke gently to the princess and +said-- + +"I will hide my thoughts from thee no more, Grania. I will be thy +husband, all unworthy of thee as I am; and I will guard thee and defend +thee to the death from Finn and his hirelings." + +And they plighted their faith, and vowed solemn vows to be faithful to +each other as man and wife for ever. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[CVII.] See foot-note, page 55. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +FLIGHT AND PURSUIT. + + +Then Grania showed Dermat the fenced meadow where her father's horses +grazed, and bade him yoke two horses to a chariot. And when he had done +so, he and Grania sat in the chariot and travelled with all speed +westward, till they reached Ath-Luan.[CVIII.] + +And when they had come to the ford, Dermat said, "Finn will doubtless +pursue us, and it will be all the easier for him to follow our track, +that we have the horses." + +And Grania answered, "As we are now so far from Tara, we may leave the +chariot and horses here, and I will fare on foot henceforward." + +So they alighted from the chariot; and Dermat, leading one of the horses +across, left them both some distance above the ford, one at each side of +the river. And he took up Grania in his strong arms, and brought her +tenderly across the ford, so that not even the sole of her foot, or the +skirt of her mantle was wetted. Then they walked against the stream for +a mile, and turned south-west, till they reached the Wood of the two +Tents.[CIX.] + +In the midst of the wood, where it was thickest, Dermat lopped off +branches and wove a hut, where they rested. And he brought Grania the +wild animals of the wood to eat, and gave her the water of a clear +spring to drink. + +As to Finn, the son of Cumal, I will now tell what befell him. When the +king and his guests arose from their sleep at early dawn next morning, +they found Dermat and Grania gone; and a burning jealousy seized on +Finn, and his rage was so great that for a time all his strength left +him. Then he sent for his tracking-men, namely, the Clann Navin; and he +commanded them forthwith to follow the track of Dermat and Grania. This +they did with much ease as far as Ath-Luan, while Finn and the others +followed after; but when they had come to the ford, they lost the track. +Whereupon Finn, being now indeed easily kindled to wrath, told them that +unless they took up the track again speedily, he would hang every man of +the Clann Navin on the edge of the ford. + +So the trackers, being sore afraid, searched upwards against the stream, +and found the two horses where they had been left, one on each side of +the river. And going on a mile further, they came to the spot where +Dermat and Grania had turned from the river; and there they lighted on +the south-west track, Finn and the Fena still following. And when the +Clann Navin had pointed out to Finn the direction of the track, he +said-- + +"Well do I know now where we shall find Dermat and Grania; for of a +certainty they have hidden themselves in the Wood of the two Tents." + +Now it chanced that Oisin, and Oscar, and Kylta, and Dering were present +when Finn spoke these words; and they were troubled, for they loved +Dermat. And going aside, they held council among themselves, and Oisin +spoke-- + +"There is much likelihood, friends, that Finn speaks truth; for he is +far-seeing, and judges not hastily. It is needful, therefore, that we +send Dermat warning, lest he be taken unawares. My counsel is that you, +Oscar, find out Finn's hound, Bran, and tell him to go to the Wood of +the two Tents with a warning to Dermat; for Bran does not love his own +master Finn better than he loves Dermat." + +So Oscar called Bran secretly, and told him what he should do. Bran +listened with sagacious eye and ears erect, and understood Oscar's words +quite well. Then, running back to the rear of the host, so that Finn +might not see him, he followed the track without once losing it, till he +arrived at the Wood of the two Tents. There he found Dermat and Grania +asleep in their hut, and he put his head into Dermat's bosom. + +Dermat started up from his sleep, and seeing Bran, he awakened Grania, +and said-- + +"Here is Bran, Finn's hound; he has come to warn me that Finn himself is +near." + +And Grania trembled and said, "Let us take the warning, then, and fly!" + +But Dermat answered, "I will not leave this hut; for however long we +fly, we cannot escape from Finn; and it is not worse to fall into his +hands now than at any other time. Howbeit, they shall not come into this +fastness unless I permit them." + +Then great fear fell on Grania; but, seeing Dermat gloomy and downcast, +she urged the point no further. + +Again Oisin spoke to his three companions and said, "I fear me that Bran +may not have been able to baffle Finn, or that some other mischance may +have hindered him from finding Dermat; so we must needs send him another +warning. Bring hither, therefore, Fergor, Kylta's errand-man." + +And Kylta brought forward Fergor. + +Now this Fergor had a voice so loud that his shout was heard over the +three nearest cantreds. + +So they caused him to give three shouts that Dermat might hear. And +Dermat heard Fergor's shouts, and, awakening Grania from her sleep, said +to her-- + +"I hear the shout of Fergor, Kylta's errand-man. And he is with Kylta, +and Kylta is with Finn; and I know that my friends have sent me this +warning, as a sign that Finn himself is coming." + +And again Grania trembled and said, "Let us take this warning and fly!" + +But Dermat answered, "I will not fly; and we shall not leave this wood +till Finn and the Fena overtake us. Howbeit, none shall come into this +fastness unless I permit them." + +And Grania was in great fear; but this time Dermat looked gloomy and +stern, and she pressed the matter no further. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[CVIII.] Ath-Luan, now Athlone, on the Shannon. In ancient times the +river had to be crossed by a ford, where the bridge is now built. + +[CIX.] The Wood of the two Tents was situated in the territory of +Clanrickard, in the county Galway. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE FASTNESS OF THE SEVEN NARROW DOORS. + + +Now as to Finn. He and the others went forward till they reached the +Wood of the two Tents. And he sent forward the Clann Navin to make +search; who went, and having made their way to the thickest part of the +wood, they came to a fence which they could not cross. + +For Dermat had cleared a space round his hut, and surrounded it with a +fence that no man could pierce, with seven narrow doors of strong poles +woven with saplings, to face seven different parts of the wood. + +Then the Clann Navin climbed up to a high tree branch, and looked over +the fence; and they saw Dermat with a lady. And when they had returned, +Finn asked them if Dermat and Grania were in the wood. And they +answered-- + +"Dermat, indeed, is there, and we saw a lady with him; but whether she +be Grania or not we cannot tell, for we know not the princess." + +"May ill luck attend Dermat, and all his friends for his sake!" said +Finn. "I know he is in this wood; and he shall never leave it till he +give me quittance for the injury he has done me." + +And Oisin said, "Certain it is, that you, Finn, are blinded by jealousy; +else you would never think that Dermat would await you on this plain, +with no stronger fastness to shelter him from your wrath than the Wood +of the two Tents." + +To which Finn, being angry, replied, "Your words will profit you +nothing, Oisin; neither will your friendship for Dermat avail him aught. +Well I knew, indeed, when I heard Fergor's three shouts, that it was ye +who caused him to shout, as a warning signal to Dermat; and I know also +that ye sent my dog Bran to him with another warning. But these warnings +will not avail you; for he shall never leave this wood till he pay me +such eric[10] as I seek for the injury he has done me." + +Then Oscar spoke and said, "Surely, Finn, it is mere folly to believe +that Dermat would wait here for you, knowing, as he does, that you seek +his head." + +As Oscar spoke these words, they arrived at the fence; and Finn +answered, "Who then, think you, has cleared the wood in this manner, and +fenced the space with this strong, sheltering enclosure, and fitted it +with these narrow doors? But indeed," added he, "I will find out the +truth of the matter in another way." So, raising his voice a little, he +called out, "Tell us now, Dermat, which of us is telling truth, Oscar or +I." + +And Dermat, who would not hide when called on, answered from within, +"You never erred in your judgment, O king: Grania and I are here; but +none shall come in unless I permit them." + +Then Finn placed his men around the enclosure, a company at each narrow +door; and he said to each company, "If Dermat tries to escape by this +door, seize him and keep him securely for me." + +Now when Grania saw these preparations, and overheard Finn's words, she +was overcome with fear, and wept and trembled very much. And Dermat had +pity on his wife, and comforted her; and he kissed her three times, +bidding her be of good cheer, for that all would be well with them yet. + +And when Finn saw this--for he stood with some others viewing the hut +from a mound at a little way off--a flame of burning jealousy went +through his heart; and he said-- + +"Now of a certainty Dermat shall not escape from me; and I shall have +his head for all these injuries!" + +Now Angus of Bruga,[1] the wisest and most skilled in magic arts of all +the Dedannan race, was Dermat's foster father. For he had reared him +from childhood, and had taught him all the arts and accomplishments of a +champion; and he loved him even as a father loves his only son. + +And it was revealed to Angus that Dermat was in deadly strait So he +arose and travelled on the wings of the cool, east wind, neither did he +halt till he reached the Wood of the two Tents; and he passed into the +hut without being perceived by Finn and his men. And when Dermat saw the +old man his heart leaped with joy. + +Angus greeted Dermat and Grania, and said, "What is this thing thou hast +done, my son?" + +And Dermat answered, "The princess Grania, daughter of the king of Tara, +asked me to take her for my wife, putting heavy gesa-bonds on me; and I +did so, and we fled from her father's house. And Finn, the son of Cumal, +has pursued us with intent to kill me, for he sought the princess to +wife for himself." + +And Angus said, "Come now, children, under my mantle, one under each +border, and I will bring you both away from this place without the +knowledge of Finn." + +But Dermat answered, "Take Grania; but for me, I will not go with you. +However, I will leave this place; and if I am alive I will follow you. +But if they slay me, send the princess to her father, and tell him to +treat her neither better nor worse on account of taking me for her +husband." + +Then Dermat kissed Grania, and bade her be of good cheer, for that he +feared not his foes. And Angus placed her under his mantle, and, telling +Dermat whither to follow, went forth from the enclosure without the +knowledge of Finn and the Fena. They turned south then, and nothing is +told of what befell them till they came to the Wood of the two Sallows, +which is now called Limerick. + +Now as to Dermat. After Angus and Grania had left him, he girded on his +armour, and took his sharp weapons in his hands; and he stood up tall +and straight like a pillar, meditating in silence for a space. Then he +went to one of the seven narrow doors, and asked who was outside. + +"No enemy of thine is here, but Oisin and Oscar, with the men of the +Clann Baskin. Come out to us, and no one will dare to harm thee." + +"I must needs find the door where Finn himself keeps guard," answered +Dermat; "so I will not go out to you." + +He went to the second narrow door, and asked who was there. + +"Kylta Mac Ronan with the Clann Ronan around him. Come out at this door, +and we will fight to the death for thy sake." + +"I will not go out to you," answered Dermat; "for I do not wish to bring +Finn's anger on you for treating me with kindness." + +He went to another narrow door, and asked who was there. + +"Conan of the Grey Rushes and the Clann Morna. We are no friends to +Finn; but thee we all love. Come out to us, then, and no one will dare +to harm thee." + +"Of a certainty I will not go out at this door," answered Dermat; "for +well I know that Finn would rather see you all dead than that I should +escape!" + +He went to another narrow door, and asked who was there. + +"A friend and a dear comrade of thine is here; Cuan, the chief of the +Munster Fena, and his Munster men with him. Thou and we come from the +same territory; and if need be we will give our lives in fight for thy +sake." + +"I will not go out to you," said Dermat; "for it would bring Finn's sure +displeasure on you to act kindly towards me." + +He went to another narrow door, and asked who was there. + +"Finn, the son of Glore of the Loud Voice, chief of the Fena of Ulster, +and the Ulster men around him. Thou and we come not from the same +territory; but we all love thee, Dermat; and now come forth to us, and +who will dare to wound or harm thee?" + +"I will not go out to you," replied Dermat; "you are a faithful friend +of mine, and your father in like manner; and I do not wish you to earn +the enmity of Finn on my account." + +He went to another narrow door, and asked who was there. + +"No friend of thine! Here stand the Clann Navin watching for thee; +namely, Aed the Lesser, and Aed the Tall, and Gonna the Wounder, and +Gothan the Loud-voiced, and Cuan the Tracker, with all their men. We +bear thee no love; and if thou come out at this door, we shall make thee +a mark for our swords and spears!" + +And Dermat answered, "Lying and mean-faced dogs! It is not fear of you +that keeps me from going forth at this door; but I do not wish to defile +my spear with the blood of your shoeless, tracking vagabonds!" + +And he went to another narrow door, and asked who was there. + +"Finn, the son of Cumal, the son of Art, the son of Trenmore O'Baskin, +and with him the Leinster Fena. No love awaits thee here; and if thou +come forth we will cleave thee, flesh and bones!" + +"The door I have sought I have found at last!" cried Dermat; "for the +door where thou, Finn, standest, that, of a certainty, is the very door +by which I shall pass out!" + +Then Finn charged his men, under pain of death, not to let Dermat pass. +But Dermat, watching an unguarded place, rose by means of his two spears +with a light, airy bound over the fence, and alighted on the clear space +outside; and running swiftly forward, was in a moment beyond the reach +of sword and spear. And so dismayed were they by his threatening look, +that not a man attempted to follow him. + +Then, turning southward, he never halted till he came to the Wood of the +two Sallows, where he found Angus and Grania in a warm hut, with a boar +fixed on hazel spits roasting before a great flaming fire. Dermat +greeted them; and the spark of life all but leaped from Grania's heart +with joy when she saw him.[CX.] So he told them all that had befallen +him; and they ate their meal and slept in peace that night, till the +morning of next day filled the world with light. + +Then Angus arose with the dawn, and said to Dermat, "I will now depart, +my son; but Finn will still pursue you, and I leave you this counsel to +guide you when I am gone. Go not into a tree having only one trunk; +never enter a cave that has only one opening; never land on an island of +the sea that has only one channel of approach; where you cook your food, +there eat it not; where you eat, sleep not there; and where you sleep +to-night, sleep not there to-morrow night!" + +So Angus bade them farewell; and they were sad after him. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[CX.] Original: "It was little but that the salmon of her life fled +through her mouth with joy before Dermat." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE THREE SEA-CHAMPIONS AND THEIR THREE VENOMOUS HOUNDS ON THE TRACK OF +DERMAT AND GRANIA. + + +After Angus was gone, Dermat and Grania journeyed westward, keeping the +Shannon on their right, till they reached the Rough Stream of the +Champions, which is now called the Laune.[CXI.] They rested there; and +Dermat killed a salmon with his spear, and fixed it on a hazel spit to +broil on the near bank; and he crossed the river with Grania, to eat it +on the further bank, as Angus had told him. And after they had eaten, +they sought a sleeping-place further west. + +They rose early next morning, and journeyed still west, till they +reached the Grey Moor of Finnlia.[CXII.] There they met a man of great +size, noble in gait and feature, but with arms and armour not befitting +his appearance. Dermat greeted him, and asked who he was; and he +replied-- + +"My name is Modan, and I am seeking a lord whom I may serve for pay." + +"If I take you into my service," asked Dermat, "what can you do for us?" + +"I will serve you by day and watch for you by night," answered Modan. + +Whereupon they entered into bonds of agreement with one another, Modan +to serve by day and watch by night, and Dermat to pay him wages. + +Then the three went westward till they reached the river of +Carra,[CXIII.] and Modan lifted Dermat and Grania with the greatest +ease, and bore them dry across the stream. From that further west to +Beha,[CXIV.] and Modan bore them over this stream in like manner. Here +they found a cave, on the side of the hill over that part of the sea +called Tonn Toma,[CXV.] namely, the hill of Curra-Kenn-Ammid; and Modan +prepared a couch of soft rushes and birch tops in the innermost part of +the cave, for Dermat and Grania. After this he went to the nearest wood +and cut him a long, straight quicken tree rod; and, having put a hair +and a hook on the rod, and a holly berry on the hook, he stood on the +brink of the stream, and with three casts he hooked three salmon. Then +he put the rod by for next day; and, putting the hook and the hair under +his girdle, he returned to Dermat and Grania. And he broiled the fish, +and they ate their meal, Modan giving the largest salmon to Dermat, the +second in size to Grania, and keeping the smallest for himself. After +which Dermat and Grania went to sleep in the cave, and Modan kept watch +and ward at the mouth, till morning arose with its abundant light. + +Dermat rose early and set out for the nearest high hill, to look round +the country, telling Grania to keep watch at the mouth of the cave while +Modan slept. Having come to the top of the hill, he viewed the country +all round to the four points of the sky; and after a little while, he +saw a fleet of black ships approaching from the west. When they had come +near enough to the shore, a company of nine nines landed at the very +foot of the hill where Dermat stood. He went to them, and, after +greeting them, asked who they were, and from what country they had come. + +"We are three sea-champions from the Iccian Sea,[CXVI.] who are at the +head of this troop," replied they, "and our names are Ducoss, Fincoss, +and Trencoss;[CXVII.] and we have come hither at the suit of Finn the +son of Cumal. For a certain chief named Dermat O'Dyna has rebelled +against him, and is now an outlaw, flying through the country from one +fastness to another. And Finn has asked us to come with our fleet to +watch the coast, while he himself watches inland, so that this marauder +may no longer escape punishment. We hear, moreover, that this Dermat is +valiant and dangerous to attack, and we have brought hither three +venomous hounds to loose them on his track, and scent him to his +hiding-place: fire cannot burn them, water cannot drown them, and +weapons cannot wound them. And now tell us who thou art, and whether +thou hast heard any tidings of this Dermat O'Dyna." + +"I saw him, indeed, yesterday," answered Dermat. "I know him well too, +and I counsel you to follow your quest warily; for if you meet with +Dermat O'Dyna you will have no common man to deal with." + +Then he asked if they had got any wine in their ships. They replied +that they had; so he asked that a tun might be brought, as he wished to +drink; and he told them he would show them a champion-feat after he had +drunk. Two men were accordingly sent on board for a tun of wine. When +they had brought it, Dermat raised it in his arms and drank; and the +others drank in like manner till the tun was empty. + +Then he said, "I will now show you a champion-feat that Dermat O'Dyna +taught me; and I challenge any man among you to do it after me. And from +this you may learn what manner of man you will have to deal with, should +you have the ill luck to meet with Dermat himself." + +So saying, he brought the tun to the crest of the hill, and set it down +at the edge of a steep cliff. Then, leaping up on it, he turned it +cunningly aside from the cliff, and let it roll down the smooth slope of +the hill till it reached the very bottom, while he himself remained +standing on it the whole time. And three times did he do this while the +strangers looked on. + +But they laughed, mocking him, and said, "Do you call that a +champion-feat indeed? Truly, you have never in your life seen a good +champion-feat!" + +Thereupon one among them started up and brought the tun to the top of +the hill, intending to do the same feat; and, placing it on the edge of +the cliff, he leaped up on it. And while he stood on it, Dermat pushed +it with his foot to set it going. But the moment it moved, the man lost +his balance, and while the tun went rolling down the face of the hill, +he himself fell over the cliff, and was dashed to pieces on the sharp +edges and points of the rocks. + +Another man tried the same thing, and he in like manner fell down and +was killed among the rocks. And the end of the matter was, that before +they would acknowledge themselves beaten, fifty of their men attempted +the feat, and every man of the fifty fell over the cliff and was killed. +So the others went on board their ships, gloomy and heart-sore. + +Dermat returned to the cave, and Grania's heart was glad when she saw +him. Modan went then, and putting the hair and the hook on the rod as +before, he hooked three salmon; and he went back to the cave and broiled +them on hazel spits. And they ate their meal; and Modan kept watch and +ward, while Dermat and Grania slept in the cave, till the pleasant +morning filled the world with light. + +Dermat rose up with the dawn, and telling Grania to keep watch while +Modan slept, he went to the same hill, and found the three sea-champions +with their men on the shore before him. He greeted them, and asked +whether they wished for any more champion-feats. But they answered that +they would much rather he would give them some tidings of Dermat O'Dyna. +Whereupon he said-- + +"I have seen a man who saw him this very morning. And now I will show +you a champion-feat he taught me, in order that you may know what is +before you, should you meet with Dermat O'Dyna himself." + +When he had said this, he threw off helmet and tunic and armour, till +only his shirt remained over his brawny shoulders; and, taking the +Ga-boi,[CXVIII.] the spear of Mannanan Mac Lir, he fixed it firmly in +the earth, standing point upwards. Then, walking back some little way, +he ran towards the spear, and, rising from the earth with a bird-like +bound, he alighted softly on the very point; and, again leaping off it, +he came to the ground on his feet without wound or hurt of any kind. + +Then arose one of the strange warriors and said, "If you call that a +champion-feat, it is plain that you have never seen a good champion-feat +in your life!" + +And so saying, he ran swiftly towards the spear and made a great bound; +but he fell heavily on the sharp point, so that it pierced him through +the heart, and he was taken down dead. Another man attempted the feat, +and was killed in like manner; and before they ceased, fifty of their +men were slain by Dermat's spear. Then they bade him draw his spear from +the earth, saying that no more should try that feat; and they went on +board their ships. + +So Dermat returned to the cave; and Modan hooked three salmon; and +Dermat and Grania ate their meal and slept till morning, Modan keeping +watch. + +Next morning, Dermat went to the hill, bringing two strong forked poles +cut from the wood. He found the three sea-champions with their men on +the shore; and he greeted them, and said-- + +"I have come to-day to show you a champion-feat I learned from Dermat +O'Dyna, that you may know what to expect if you should meet with Dermat +himself." + +He then fixed the poles standing firmly in the earth; and he placed the +Morallta, that is, the long sword of Angus of the Bruga, in the forks, +edge upwards, the hilt on one, and the point on the other, binding it +firmly with withes. Then, rising up with a bound, he alighted gently on +the edge; and he walked cunningly three times from hilt to point, and +from point to hilt, and then leaped lightly to the earth without wound +or hurt. And he challenged the strangers to do that feat. + +Then one arose and said, "There never yet was done a champion-feat by a +man of Erin, that one among us will not do likewise." + +And he leaped up, intending to alight on his feet; but he came down +heavily on the sharp edge, so that the sword cut him clean in two. +Another tried the same, and was killed also; and, they ceased not till +as many were killed that day by Dermat's sword as were killed on each of +the two days before. + +When they were about to return to their ships, they asked him had he got +any tidings of Dermat O'Dyna; and he answered-- + +"I have seen him this day: I will now go to seek him, and methinks I +shall bring him to you in the morning." + +Then he returned to the cave; and he and Grania ate their meal, and +slept that night, while Modan kept watch. + +Next morning, Dermat arose with the dawn, and this time he arrayed +himself for battle. He put on his heavy armour--no man who wore it could +be wounded through it, or above it, or beneath it. He hung the Morallta +at his left hip, the sword of Angus of the Bruga, which never left +anything for a second blow; and he took his two thick-handled spears, +the Ga-derg and the Ga-boi, whose wounds no one ever recovered. + +Then he awakened Grania, telling her to keep watch till he returned, +that Modan might sleep. And when she saw him so arrayed, she trembled +with fear, for she well knew that this was his manner of preparing for +battle. And she asked him what he meant to do to-day, and whether Finn's +pursuers had found them. But he, to quiet her fears, put off the matter +lightly, and said, "It is better to be prepared, lest the enemy come in +my way;" and this soothed her. + +So he went to the hill, and met the strangers on the shore as before. +And they asked him had he any tidings to give them of Dermat O'Dyna. + +He answered, "He is not very far off, for I have seen him just now." + +"Then," said they, "lead us to his hiding-place, that we may bring his +head to Finn the son of Cumal." + +"That would, indeed, be an ill way of repaying friendship," answered he. +"Dermat O'Dyna is my friend; and he is now under the protection of my +valour: so of this be sure, I will do him no treachery." + +And they replied wrathfully, "If thou art a friend to Dermat O'Dyna, +thou art a foe to Finn; and now we will take thy head and bring it to +him along with the head of Dermat." + +"You might indeed do that with much ease," answered Dermat, "if I were +bound hand and foot; but being as I am, free, I shall defend myself +after my usual custom." + +Then he drew the Morallta from its sheath, and, springing forward to +meet them as they closed on him, he clove the body of the foremost in +two with one blow. Then he rushed through them and under them and over +them, like a wolf among sheep, or a hawk among sparrows, cleaving and +slaughtering them, till only a few were left, who hardly escaped to +their ships. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[CXI.] The river Laune, flowing from the Lakes of Killarney into Dingle +Bay. + +[CXII.] The Grey Moor of Finnlia (_Bogach-Fhinnleithe_ in the original) +was somewhere between the river Laune and the river Caragh, but the name +is now forgotten. + +[CXIII.] The river of Carra, the Caragh river, flowing into Dingle Bay +from the beautiful lake Caragh, twenty miles west of Killarney. + +[CXIV.] Beha, the river Behy, about a mile and a half west from the +Caragh, flowing through Glanbehy into Rossbehy creek. + +[CXV.] Tonn Toma, the wave of Toma (a woman). The word Tonn (a wave or +billow) was often applied to the sea-waves that break over certain +sandbanks and rocks with an exceptionally loud roaring. Tonn Toma is the +name of a sandbank at the head of Dingle Bay, just outside the extreme +point of Rossbehy peninsula; and in the winter storms, the sea thunders +on this sandbank, and indeed on the whole length of the beach of the +peninsula, so as often to be heard twenty miles inland. This roaring is +popularly believed to predict rain. + +There is a chain of three hills, Stookaniller, Knockatinna, and +Knockboy, lying between Behy bridge on the east and Drung mountain on +the west, and isolated from the hills to the south-east by the valley of +Glanbehy. These hills rise directly over Tonn Toma; and the old Gaelic +name, Currach-Cinn-Adhmuid (the moor of the head [or hill] of timber) +must have been anciently applied to one or all of them. + +(See, for an account of the great historical _tonns_ of Ireland, the +author's "Origin and History of Irish Names of Places," series ii. page +251.) + +[CXVI.] Iccian Sea (Irish, _Muir nIcht_), the Irish name for the sea +between England and France. + +[CXVII.] Ducoss, Fincoss, and Trencoss, _i.e._ Blackfoot, Whitefoot, and +Strongfoot. + +[CXVIII.] Dermat had two spears, the great one called the Ga-derg or +Crann-derg (red javelin), and the small one called Ga-boi or Crann-boi +(yellow javelin): he had also two swords: the Morallta (great fury), and +the Begallta (little fury). These spears and swords he got from Mannanan +Mac Lir and from Angus of the Bruga. He carried the great spear and +sword in affairs of life and death; and the smaller in adventures of +less danger. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +WHAT BEFELL THE THREE SEA-CHAMPIONS AND THEIR THREE VENOMOUS HOUNDS. + + +After this Dermat returned to the cave without wound or hurt; and he and +Grania ate and slept, and Modan watched till morning. Then he repaired +to the hill, fully armed as before, and standing right over the ships, +he struck his hollow-sounding shield[CXIX.] with his spear for a +challenge, till the whole shore and the surrounding hills re-echoed. And +Ducoss straightway armed himself and came ashore to fight Dermat single +hand. + +Now Dermat by no means wished to slay his foe immediately, being, +indeed, intent on worse punishment. So he closed with Ducoss; and the +two champions, throwing aside their weapons, seized each other round the +waists with their sinewy arms. Then they twisted and tugged and wrestled +in deadly silence; and their swollen sinews strained and crackled; and +the earth trembled beneath their feet; like two great writhing serpents, +or like two raging lions, or like two savage bulls that strive and +struggle to heave each other with horns interlocked. Thus did the heroes +contend; till at last Dermat, heaving Ducoss on his shoulder, dashed him +helpless and groaning to the ground; and instantly seizing him, he bound +him in hard iron bonds. + +Fincoss came next against Dermat, and after him Trencoss; but he +overcame them both, and bound them with like bonds; and then, leaving +the three writhing with pain, he said to them-- + +"I would strike off your heads, but that I wish to prolong your +torment; for none can release you from these bonds till you die!" + +Dermat then returned to the cave; and he and Grania ate their meal and +slept that night, Modan watching. In the morning, Dermat told Grania all +that had happened from beginning to end; how fifty of the foreigners had +been killed each day for the first three days; how he had slain a much +greater number on the fourth day; and how he had overcome and bound the +three sea-champions in hard iron bonds. + +"I have left them bound on the hill," continued he, "instead of killing +them; because I would rather their torment to be long than short. For +there are only four men in Erin that can loosen the bonds I tie; that is +to say, Oisin, and Oscar, and Mac Luga, and Conan Mail; and I think no +one of these will free them. Finn will doubtless hear of their state, +and the news will sting him to the heart. But he will know that we are +here; so we must now leave this cave, to escape him, and also to escape +the three venomous dogs." + +So they came forth from the cave, and travelled eastward till they came +to the Grey Moor of Finnlia; and whenever Grania was tired, or when they +had to walk over rugged places, Modan lifted her tenderly and carried +her, without ever being in the least tired himself. And so they +journeyed, till they reached the broad, heathery slopes of Slieve +Lougher;[CXX.] and they sat down to rest on the green bank of a stream +that wound through the heart of the mountain. + +Now as to the sea-strangers. Those of them that were left alive landed +from their ships, and coming to the hill, found their three chiefs bound +tightly, hand and foot and neck. And they tried to loose them, but only +made their bonds the tighter. While they were so engaged, they saw +Finn's errand-woman coming towards them, with the speed of a swallow, or +of a weasel, or of the swift, cold wind blowing over a mountain-side. +When she had come near, she greeted them, and, seeing the bodies of the +slain, she asked who it was that had made that fearful slaughter. + +"Tell us first," said they, "who art thou that makest this inquiry?" + +"I am Derdri of the Black Mountain, the errand-woman of Finn the son of +Cumal," she replied; "and he has sent me hither to look for you." + +And they said, "We know not who made this slaughter; but we can tell +thee his appearance, for that we know well. He was a tall warrior, with +a fair, handsome, open countenance, and jet-black, curly hair. He has +been three days fighting against us; and what grieves us even more than +the slaughter of our men is that our three chiefs lie here bound by him +so firmly that we are not able to loose them from their bonds." + +"Alas, friends!" said Derdri; "you have sped but badly at the very +beginning of your quest; for this man was Dermat O'Dyna himself. And now +loose your three venomous dogs on his track without delay; and I will +return and send Finn to meet you." + +Then they brought forth the three hounds, and loosed them on the track +of Dermat; and leaving one of their druids to attend to the three +fettered chiefs, they followed the hounds till they came to the cave, +where they found the soft, rushy bed of Dermat and Grania. From that +they fared east, and crossing the Carra, and the Grey Moor of Finnlia, +and the Laune, they reached at length the broad, heathy Slieve Lougher. + +As Dermat sat by the mountain stream with Grania and Modan, looking +westward, he saw the silken banners of the foreigners at a distance as +they approached the hill. In front of all marched three warriors with +mantles of green, who held the three fierce hounds by three chains. And +Dermat, when he saw the hounds, was filled with loathing and hatred of +them. Then Modan lifted Grania, and walked a mile with Dermat up the +stream into the heart of the mountain. + +When the green-clad warriors saw them, they loosed one of the three +hounds; and when Grania heard his hoarse yelps down the valley, she was +in great dread. But Modan bade her not fear, for that he would deal with +this hound; and then, turning round, he drew forth from beneath his +girdle a small hound-whelp, and placed it on the palm of his hand. There +it stood till the great hound came up raging, with jaws wide open; when +the little whelp leaped from Modan's hand down the dog's throat, and +broke his heart, so that he fell dead. And after that the whelp leaped +back again on Modan's hand; and Modan put him under his girdle. + +Then they walked another mile up the stream through the mountain, Modan +bringing Grania. But the second hound was loosed, and soon overtook +them; and Dermat said-- + +"I will try the Ga-derg on this hound. For no spell can guard against +the magic spear of Angus of the Bruga; and I have heard it said also +that there is no charm that can shield the throat of an animal from +being wounded." + +Then, while Modan and Grania stood to look, Dermat, putting his finger +into the silken loop of the spear, threw a cast, and drove the +spear-head down the hound's throat, so that the entrails of the brute +were scattered about; and Dermat, leaping forward, drew the spear, and +followed Modan and Grania. + +After they had walked yet another mile, the third hound was loosed; and +Grania, seeing him coming on, said, trembling-- + +"This is the fiercest of the three, and I greatly fear him; guard +yourself, Dermat, guard yourself well against this hound!" + +Even while she spoke, the hound overtook them at the place called +Duban's Pillar-stone; and as they stood looking back at him, Dermat +stepped in front of Grania to shield her. The hound rose with a great +spring over Dermat's head to seize Grania; but Dermat grasped him by +the two hind legs as he passed, and, swinging him round, he struck his +carcase against a rock and dashed out his brains. + +Then, putting his tapering finger into the silken string of the Ga-derg, +he threw the spear at the foremost of the green-clad knights, and slew +him. He made another cast of the Ga-boi and brought down the second +warrior; and, drawing the Morallta, he sprang on the third, and swept +off his head. + +When the foreigners saw their leaders slain, they fled hither and +thither in utter rout. And Dermat fell upon them with sword and spear, +scattering and slaughtering them, so that there seemed no escape for +them, unless, indeed, they could fly over the tops of the trees, or hide +themselves under the earth, or dive beneath the water. And when Derdri +of the Black Mountain saw this havoc, she ran, panic-stricken and crazed +with fright, off the field towards the hill where the three kings lay +bound. + +Now as to Finn. Tidings were brought to him of what happened to the +three sea-kings, and how they were lying bound in hard bonds on the hill +over Tonn-Toma. So he set out straightway from Allen, and travelled by +the shortest ways till he reached the hill. And when he saw the three +champions, he was grieved to the heart; for he knew of old that the iron +fetters bound by Dermat slew by slow torment, and that none could loose +them except Oisin, or Oscar, or Mac Luga, or Conan Mail. + +And Finn asked Oisin to loose the bonds and relieve the kings. + +"I cannot do so," answered Oisin, "for Dermat bound me under gesa[12] +never to loose any warrior that he should bind." + +He next asked Oscar; but the young warrior answered, "None shall be +released by me who seeks to harm Dermat O'Dyna. Fain would I indeed put +heavier bonds on them." + +And when he asked Mac Luga and Conan, they refused in like manner. + +Now while they were speaking in this wise, they saw the errand-woman, +Derdri of the Black Mountain, running towards them, breathless and with +failing steps, and her eyes starting from the sockets with terror. And +Finn asked her what tidings she had brought. + +"Tidings indeed, O king, tidings of grievous mishap and woe!" Whereupon +she told him all that she had seen--how Dermat O'Dyna had killed the +three fierce hounds, and had made a slaughter of the foreigners. "And +hardly, indeed," she cried, "hardly have I myself got off scathless with +the news!" + +The three kings, hearing this, and being worn out with the straitness +and torment of their bonds, died at the same moment. And Finn caused +them to be buried in three wide graves; and flagstones were placed over +them with their names graved in Ogam;[CXXI.] and their funeral rites +were performed. Then, with heart full of grief and gall, Finn marched +northwards with his men to Allen of the green hill-slopes. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[CXIX.] A usual form of challenge among the ancient Irish warriors. It +is very curious that this custom is remembered to the present day in the +_patois_ of the peasantry, even where the Irish language is no longer +spoken. In the south, and in parts of the west, they call a +distinguished fighting man a _buailim sciach_, an expression which means +literally, "I strike the shield." + +[CXX.] Slieve Lougher, a mountain near Castle Island. (See note, page +237.) + +[CXXI.] See note, page 36. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +SHARVAN, THE SURLY GIANT, AND THE FAIRY QUICKEN TREE OF DOOROS. + + +Now touching Dermat and Grania. They travelled eastward from Slieve +Lougher, through Hy Conall Gavra, keeping the Shannon on their left, +till they reached the Wood of the two Sallow Trees, which is now called +Limerick. Here they rested; and Dermat killed a wild deer, and they ate +of its flesh, and drank pure spring water, and slept that night. Next +morning Modan bade them farewell, and left them. And Dermat and Grania +were sad after him, for he was very gentle, and had served them +faithfully. + +On that same day they departed from the Wood of the two Sallows; and +nothing is related of what befell them till they arrived at the Forest +of Dooros, in the district of Hy Ficra[CXXII.] of the Moy, which was at +that time guarded by Sharvan the Surly, of Lochlann. + +Now this is the history of Sharvan the Surly, of Lochlann. On a certain +occasion, a game of hurley was played by the Dedannans against the Fena, +on the plain beside the Lake of Lein of the Crooked Teeth.[CXXIII.] They +played for three days and three nights, neither side being able to win a +single goal from the other during the whole time. And when the +Dedannans found that they could not overcome the Fena, they suddenly +withdrew from the contest, and departed from the lake, journeying in a +body northwards. + +The Dedannans had for food during the game, and for their journey +afterwards, crimson nuts and arbutus apples and scarlet quicken berries, +which they had brought from the Land of Promise.[CXXIV.] These fruits +were gifted with many secret virtues; and the Dedannans were careful +that neither apple nor nut nor berry should touch the soil of Erin. But +as they passed through the Wood of Dooros, in Hy Ficra of the Moy, one +of the scarlet quicken berries dropped on the earth; and the Dedannans +passed on, not heeding. + +From this berry a great quicken tree[CXXV.] sprang up, which had the +virtues of the quicken trees that grow in Fairyland. For its berries had +the taste of honey, and those who ate of them felt a cheerful flow of +spirits, as if they had drunk of wine or old mead; and if a man were +even a hundred years old, he returned to the age of thirty, as soon as +he had eaten three of them. + +Now when the Dedannans heard of this tree, and knew of its many virtues, +they would not that any one should eat of the berries but themselves; +and they sent a Fomor[CXXVI.] of their own people to guard it, namely, +Sharvan the Surly, of Lochlann; so that no man dared even to approach +it. For this Sharvan was a giant of the race of the wicked Cain, burly +and strong; with heavy bones, large, thick nose, crooked teeth, and one +broad, red, fiery eye in the middle of his black forehead. And he had a +great club tied by a chain to an iron girdle which was round his body. +He was, moreover, so skilled in magic that fire could not burn him, +water could not drown him, and weapons could not wound him; and there +was no way to kill him but by giving him three blows of his own club. By +day he sat at the foot of the tree, watching; and at night he slept in a +hut he had made for himself, high up among the branches. + +Into this land Dermat came, knowing well that he should be safe there +from the pursuit of Finn. For Sharvan did not let any of the Fena hunt +in Hy Ficra. And neither they nor any others dared to come near the +great Wood of Dooros, for dread of the giant; so that the land around +the quicken tree for many miles was a wilderness. + +Dermat, leaving Grania behind in safe shelter, went boldly to the giant, +where he sat at the foot of the tree, and told him he wished to live +amidst the woods of Hy Ficra, and chase its wild animals for food. +Whereupon the giant, bending his red eye on him, told him, in words few +and surly, that he might live and hunt where he pleased, as long as he +did not take and eat the berries of the quicken tree. + +So Dermat built him a hunting-booth near a spring, in the thick of the +Forest of Dooros; and, clearing a space all round, fenced it with strong +stakes interwoven with tough withes, leaving one narrow door well +barred and secured. And they lived in peace for a time, eating the flesh +of the wild animals of Dooros, which Dermat brought down each day in the +chase, and drinking the water of the well. + +Now let us speak of Finn, the son of Cumal. One day, soon after his +return to Allen, as he and his household troops were on the exercise +green before the palace, a company of fifty horsemen were seen +approaching from the east, led by two taller and nobler looking than the +others. Having come near, they bowed low and greeted the king; and when +he asked them who they were, and from whence they had come, they +answered-- + +"We are enemies of thine, who now desire to make peace; and our names +are Angus, the son of Art Mac Morna, and Aed, the son of Andala Mac +Morna. Our fathers were present at the battle of Knocka,[27] aiding +those who fought against thy father, Cumal, when he was slain; for which +thou didst afterwards slay them both, and didst outlaw us, their sons, +though indeed we were blameless in the matter, seeing that we were not +born till after the death of Cumal. However, we have come now to ask +this boon of thee: that thou make peace with us, and give us the places +our fathers held in the ranks of the Fena." + +"I will grant your request," answered Finn, "provided you pay me eric +for the death of my father." + +"We would indeed pay thee eric willingly if we could," answered they; +"but we have neither gold, nor silver, nor cattle, nor wealth of any +kind to give." + +And then Oisin spoke and said, "Ask them not for eric, O king; surely +the death of their fathers should be eric enough." + +But Finn replied, "Of a truth, I think, Oisin, that if any one should +slay me, it would not be hard to satisfy you in the matter of an eric. +But, indeed, none of those who fought at Knocka against my father, and +none of their sons, shall ever get peace from me, or join the Fena, +without such eric as I demand." + +Then Angus, one of the two, asked, "What eric dost thou require, O +king?" + +"I ask only one or the other of two things," answered Finn; "namely, the +head of a warrior, or the full of my hand of the berries of a quicken +tree." + +"I will give you counsel, ye sons of Morna, that will stand you in good +stead, if you follow it," said Oisin, addressing the two strange chiefs; +"and my counsel is, that you return to the place from whence you came, +and seek this peace no longer. Know that the head the king seeks from +you is the head of Dermat O'Dyna, the most dangerous of all the Fena to +meddle with, who is well able to defend himself, even if you were twenty +times as many as you are; and who will certainly take your heads if you +attempt to take his. Know also that the berries Finn seeks from you are +the berries of the quicken tree of Dooros. And it is hard to say if this +be not a more perilous quest than the other; for the quicken tree +belongs to the Dedannans, who have sent Sharvan, the surly giant of +Lochlann, to guard it day and night." + +But the two chiefs, unmoved by what they had heard from Oisin, said that +they would rather perish in seeking out the eric than return to their +mother's country. So, leaving their people in the care of Oisin, they +set out on their quest. They travelled through the Wood of the two +Sallows, and from that to Dooros of the Moy, where they found the track +of Dermat and Grania, and followed it till they came to the +hunting-booth. Dermat heard their voices and footsteps outside, and, +snatching up his weapons, went to the door and asked who was there. + +"We are Aed, the son of Andala Mac Morna, and Angus, the son of Art Mac +Morna," they replied. "We have come hither from Allen of Leinster, to +get either the head of Dermat O'Dyna, or a handful of the berries of the +quicken tree of Dooros; for Finn, the son of Cumal, has demanded of us +that we bring him either the one or the other, as an eric for the +killing of his father." + +Dermat laughed when he heard this, and said, "Truly this is not pleasant +news for me to hear, for I am Dermat O'Dyna. But however, friends, I am +not willing to give you my head, and you will find it no easy matter to +take it. And as for the berries, these are quite as hard to get; for you +will have to fight the surly giant Sharvan, who cannot be burned with +fire, or drowned with water, or wounded with weapons. But woe to the man +who falls under the power of Finn, the son of Cumal. And you have come, +methinks, on a bootless quest; for even if you should be able to bring +him either of the two things he asks for, he will not grant you the +place or the rank ye seek after all. And now," asked Dermat, "which of +the two do ye wish to strive for first, my head or the quicken berries?" + +And they answered, "We will do battle with thee first." + +So Dermat opened the door, and they made ready for the combat. Now this +is the manner in which they agreed to fight: to throw aside their +weapons, and to use the strength of their hands alone. And if the sons +of Morna were able to overcome Dermat, they should take his head to +Finn; but if, on the other hand, they were overpowered and bound by +Dermat, their heads should be in like manner forfeit to him. But the +fight was, indeed, a short one; for these two chiefs were even as +children in Dermat's hands, and he bound them in close and bitter bonds. + +Now when Grania heard of the berries of the quicken tree, she was seized +with a longing desire to taste them. At first she strove against it and +was silent, knowing the danger; but now she was not able to hide it any +longer, and she told Dermat that she should certainly die if she did not +get some of the berries to eat. This troubled Dermat, for he did not +wish to quarrel with the giant Sharvan; but, seeing that harm might come +to Grania if she did not get the berries, he told her he would go and +get some for her, either by good will or by force. + +When the sons of Morna heard this, they said, "Loose these bonds, and we +will go with thee and help thee to fight the giant." + +But Dermat answered, "Not much help, indeed, could ye give me, as I +think, for the mere sight of this giant would be enough to unman you. +But even were it otherwise, I would not seek your help, for if I fight +at all I shall fight unaided." + +And they said, "Even so, let us go. Our lives are now forfeit to thee, +but grant us this request before we die, to let us see thee fight this +giant." + +And he consented to this. + +So Dermat went straightway to the quicken tree, followed by the two sons +of Morna; and he found the giant lying asleep at the foot of the tree. +He dealt him a heavy blow to awaken him, and the giant, raising his +head, glared at him with his great red eye, and said-- + +"There has been peace between us hitherto; do you now wish for strife?" + +"I seek not strife," answered Dermat; "but the Princess Grania, my wife, +the daughter of king Cormac Mac Art, longs to taste of these quicken +berries; and if she does not get them she will die. This is why I have +come; and now I pray you give me a few of the berries for the princess." + +But the giant answered, "I swear that if the princess and her child were +now dying, and that one of my berries would save them, I would not give +it!" + +Then Dermat said, "I do not wish to deal unfairly with you; and I have +accordingly awakened you from your sleep, and made my request openly, +wishing for peace. But now understand that before I leave this spot, I +will have some of these quicken berries, whether you will or no." + +When the giant heard this, he rose up, and, seizing his club, dealt +Dermat three great blows, which the hero had much ado to ward off; nor +did he escape without some hurt, even though his shield was tough and +his arm strong. But now, watching narrowly, and seeing that the giant +expected to be attacked with sword and spear, he suddenly threw down his +weapons and sprang upon him, taking him unguarded. He threw his arms +round his body, and, heaving him with his shoulder, hurled him with +mighty shock to the earth; and then, seizing the heavy club, he dealt +him three blows, dashing out his brains with the last. + +Dermat sat down to rest, weary and breathless. And the sons of Morna, +having witnessed the fight from beginning to end, came forth rejoiced +when they saw the giant slain. Dermat told them to drag the body into +the wood and bury it out of sight, lest Grania might see it and be +affrighted; and when they had done so, he sent them for the princess. +When she had come, Dermat said to her-- + +"Behold the quicken berries, Grania: take now and eat." + +But she answered, "I will eat no berries except those that are plucked +by the hands of my husband." + +So Dermat stood up and plucked the berries; and Grania ate till she was +satisfied. And he also plucked some for the sons of Morna, and said-- + +"Take these berries now, friends, as much as you please, and pay your +eric to Finn; and you may, if you are so minded, tell him that it was +you who slew Sharvan the Surly, of Lochlann." + +They answered, "We will bring to Finn as much as he demanded, one +handful and no more; and we grudge even so much." + +Then they thanked Dermat very much; for he had given them the berries, +what they should never have been able to get for themselves; and though +their lives were forfeit to him, he had not so much as mentioned the +matter, but had allowed them to return freely. And after bidding Dermat +and Grania farewell, they went their ways. + +After that Dermat left his hunting-booth, and he and Grania lived +thenceforth in Sharvan's hut among the branches. And they found the +berries on the top of the tree the most delicious of all; those on the +lower branches being as it were bitter in comparison. + +When the sons of Morna reached Allen, Finn asked them how they had +fared, and whether they had brought him the eric: and they answered-- + +"Sharvan, the surly giant of Lochlann, is slain; and here we have +brought thee the berries of the quicken tree of Dooros as eric for the +death of thy father, Cumal, that we may have peace from thee, and be +placed in our due rank among the Fena." + +Finn took the berries and knew them; and he smelled them three times, +and said-- + +"These, indeed, are the berries of the quicken tree of Dooros; but they +have passed through the hands of Dermat O'Dyna, for I smell his touch. +And sure I am that it was Dermat, and not you, who slew Sharvan, the +surly giant. It shall profit you nothing, indeed, to have brought me +these berries; neither will you get from me the peace you seek, nor your +place among the Fena, till you pay me fair eric for my father's death. +For you have gotten the berries not by your own strength; and you have, +besides, made peace with my enemy. And now I shall go to the Wood of +Dooros, to learn if Dermat abides near the quicken tree." + +After this he gathered together the choice men of the seven battalions +of the Fena, and marched with them to Dooros of Hy Ficra. They followed +Dermat's track to the foot of the quicken tree, and found the berries +without any one to guard them; and they ate of them as much as they +pleased. + +Now it was noon when they had come to the tree; and the sun shone hot, +and Finn said-- + +"We shall rest under this tree till evening come, and the heat pass +away; for well I know that Dermat O'Dyna is on the tree among the +branches." + +And Oisin said, "Truly your mind must be blinded by jealousy, if you +think that Dermat O'Dyna has waited for you on that tree, since he knows +well that you seek his head." + +Finn answered nothing to this speech, but called for a chess-board and +men.[26] And he and Oisin sat down to a game; while Oscar and Mac Luga +and Dering, the son of Dobar O'Baskin, sat near Oisin to advise him; for +Finn played against them all. They played on for a time warily and +skilfully, till at last Oisin had only one move to make; and Finn said-- + +"One move more would win you the game, Oisin, but I challenge all your +helpers to show you that move." And Oisin was puzzled. + +Dermat had been viewing the game from the beginning, where he sat among +the branches; and he said, speaking to himself-- + +"Pity that you should be in a strait, Oisin, and I not near to advise +your move." + +Grania, sitting near, overheard him, and said, "It is a small matter +whether Oisin win or lose a game; far worse is it for you to be in this +hut, while the men of the seven battalions of the Fena are round about +you, waiting to kill you." + +Then Dermat, not giving heed to Grania's words, plucked a berry, and, +flinging it down with true aim, struck Oisin's chess-man--the man that +should be moved. And Oisin moved the man, and won the game against Finn. + +The game was begun again, and it went on till it came to the same pass +as before, Oisin having to make only one move to win, but that move hard +to make out. And again Dermat threw a berry and struck the right man; +and Oisin made the move, and won the game. + +A third time the game went on, and Dermat struck the chess-man as +before; and Oisin won the game the third time. Whereupon the Fena raised +a mighty shout. + +"I marvel not that you should win the game, Oisin," said Finn, "seeing +that you have the best help of Oscar, and the zeal of Dering, and the +skill of Mac Luga; and that, along with all, you have been prompted by +Dermat O'Dyna." + +"It shows a mind clouded by great jealousy," said Oscar, "that you +should think that Dermat O'Dyna is in that tree waiting for you to kill +him." + +"Which of us tells truth, Dermat," said Finn, looking up, "Oscar or I?" + +"You, Finn, have never yet erred in your judgment," answered Dermat from +the tree; "for indeed I am here with the princess Grania, in the hut of +Sharvan, the surly giant of Lochlann." + +And, looking up, Finn and the others saw them plainly through an opening +in the branches. + +But now Grania, seeing the danger, began to tremble with great fear, and +to weep; and Dermat, taking pity on her, comforted her and kissed her +three times. + +And Finn, seeing this, said, "Much more than this did it grieve me the +night you espoused Grania, and brought her away from Tara before all the +men of Erin; but even for these kisses you shall certainly pay quittance +with your head!" + +Whereupon Finn, being now bent on killing Dermat, arose, and ordered his +hirelings to surround the tree, catching hand in hand, so as to leave no +gap; and he warned them, on pain of death, not to let Dermat pass out. +Having done this, he offered a suit of armour and arms, and a high place +of honour among the Fena, to any man who would go up into the tree, and +either bring him the head of Dermat O'Dyna, or force him to come down. + +Garva of Slieve Cua[CXXVII.] started up and said, "Lo, I am the man! For +it was Dermat's father, Donn, that slew my father; and I will now avenge +the deed." + +And he went up the tree. + +Now it was revealed to Angus of the Bruga that Dermat was in deadly +strait; and he came to the tree to his aid, without the knowledge of the +Fena; and Dermat and Grania were filled with joy when they saw the old +man. + +And when Garva, climbing from branch to branch, had come near the hut, +Dermat dealt him a blow with his foot, which dashed him to the ground +among the Fena. And Finn's hirelings cut off his head on the spot, for +Angus had caused him to take the shape of Dermat; but after he was slain +he took his own shape, so that all knew that it was Garva of Slieve Cua +that had been killed. + +Then Garva of Slieve Crot[CXXVIII.] said, "It was Dermat's father, +Donn, that slew my father; and I will now avenge the deed on Dermat." + +So saying, he went up the tree. But Angus gave him a blow which hurled +him to the ground under the shape of Dermat, so that the hirelings fell +on him and slew him. And then Finn told them that it was not Dermat they +had killed, but Garva of Slieve Cua. + +Garva of Slieve Gora[CXXIX.] next started up, and said that his father +had been slain by Dermat's father; and he began to climb up the tree to +take Dermat's head in revenge. But Dermat flung him down like the +others, while Angus gave him for the time the shape of Dermat, so that +the hirelings slew him. + +And so matters went on till the nine Garvas had fallen; namely, Garva of +Slieve Cua, Garva of Slieve Crot, Garva of Slieve Gora, Garva of Slieve +Mucka,[CXXX.] Garva of Slieve-more, Garva of Slieve Luga, Garva of +Ath-free, Garva of Slieve Mish, and Garva of Drom-more. And full of +grief and bitterness was the heart of Finn, witnessing this. + +Then Angus said he would take Grania away from that place of danger. And +Dermat was glad, and said-- + +"Take her with thee; and if I live till evening I will follow you. But +if Finn slays me, send her to Tara to her father, and tell him to use +her well." + +Then Dermat kissed his dear wife; and Angus, having thrown his mantle +round her, passed out from the tree without the knowledge of the Fena, +and went straightway to Bruga of the Boyne. + +After Angus and Grania had gone, Dermat, addressing Finn from the tree, +said-- + +"I will now go down from this tree; and I will slaughter many of thy +hirelings before they slay me. For I see that thou art resolved to +compass my death; and why should I fear to die now more than at a future +time? There is, indeed, no escape for me, even should I pass from this +place unharmed; since I can find no shelter in Erin from thy wrath. +Neither have I a friend in the far-off countries of this great world to +give me protection, seeing that I have from time to time dealt defeat +and slaughter among them, every one, for thy sake. For never have the +Fena been caught in any strait or danger, that I did not venture my life +for them and for thee. When we went to battle, moreover, I was always in +front of you; and I was always behind you when leaving the field. And +now I care no longer to seek to prolong my life; but of a certainty thou +shalt purchase my death dearly, for I shall avenge myself by dealing +destruction among thy hirelings." + +"Dermat speaks truly," said Oscar; "and now let him have mercy and +forgiveness; for he has suffered enough already." + +"I swear that I will never grant him peace or forgiveness to the end of +my life," answered Finn, "till he has given me the eric I seek from him +for the injury he has done me; that is to say, his head." + +"Shame it is to hear thee say so, and a sure mark of jealousy," answered +Oscar. "And now I take the body and life of Dermat under the protection +of my knighthood and valour; and I pledge the word of a true champion, +that sooner shall the firmament fall on me, or the earth open up and +swallow me, than that I shall let any man harm Dermat O'Dyna!" + +Then, looking upwards, he said, "Come down now, Dermat, and thou shalt +certainly go in safety from this place; for as long as I am alive, no +man will dare to offer thee hurt!" + +Then Dermat, choosing that side of the tree where the men stood nearest +to the trunk, walked along a thick branch unseen, and, leaning on the +shafts of his spears, he sprang forward and downward with a light, airy +bound, and alighted outside the circle of those who stood round with +joined hands; and in a moment he was beyond the reach of sword and +spear. And Oscar joined him, looking back threateningly, so that no man +of Finn's hirelings durst follow. + +So the two heroes fared on together, crossing the Shannon; and nothing +is told of what befell them till they reached Bruga of the Boyne, where +they met Angus and Grania. And Grania was almost beside herself with joy +when she saw Dermat without wound or hurt of any kind. And the two +champions were welcomed by Angus; and Dermat related to him and Grania +the whole story, how he had escaped from Finn and his hirelings, Oscar +helping. And as Grania listened, her spirit almost left her, at the +deadly peril Dermat had passed through. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[CXXII.] Hy Ficra, now the barony of Tireragh, in Sligo. + +[CXXIII.] The Lake of Lein of the Crooked Teeth, _i.e._ Loch Lein, or +the Lakes of Killarney. + +[CXXIV.] The Land of Promise, or Fairyland. (See note 8 at the end.) + +[CXXV.] Quicken tree. (See note, page 177.) + +[CXXVI.] Fomor, a giant. (See note, page 227.) + +[CXXVII.] Slieve Cua, the ancient name of the highest of the +Knockmeal-down mountains, in Waterford. + +[CXXVIII.] Slieve Crot, the ancient name of the Galty mountains. + +[CXXIX.] Slieve Gora, a mountainous district in the barony of Clankee, +County Cavan. + +[CXXX.] Slieve Mucka, now Slievenamuck (the mountain of the pig), a long +mountain ridge in Tipperary, separated from the Galties by the Glen of +Aherlow. Slieve Luga, a mountainous district, formerly belonging to the +O'Garas, in the barony of Costello, county Mayo. Slieve Mish, a mountain +range west of Tralee. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE ATTACK OF THE WITCH-HAG. + + +Now as regards Finn. After the departure of Dermat and Oscar, his heart +was filled with anger and bitterness, and he vowed he would never rest +till he had revenged himself on Dermat. And, leaving the Wood of Dooros, +he marched eastward till he reached Allen. Making no delay, he ordered +his trusted servants to make ready his best ship, and to put therein +food and drink for a voyage. Then going on board, he put out to sea; and +nothing is told of him till he reached the Land of Promise,[8] where his +old nurse lived. + +When he appeared before her, she gave him a joyful welcome. And after he +had eaten and drunk, she asked him the cause of his journey, knowing +that some weighty matter had brought him thither. So he told her the +whole story of what Dermat O'Dyna had done against him; and said that he +had come to seek counsel from her how he should act. "For," he said, "no +strength or cunning of men can compass his death; magic alone can +overmatch him." + +Then the old woman told him that she would go with him next day and work +magic against Dermat. Whereupon Finn was much rejoiced, and they rested +that night. + +Next day, they set out, Finn and his people and his nurse; and it is not +told how they fared till they reached Bruga of the Boyne. And the men of +Erin knew not that they had come thither, for the witch-hag threw a +druidical mist round them, so that no man might see them. + +It chanced that Dermat hunted that day in the forest, alone; for Oscar +had gone from Bruga the day before. When this was known to the +witch-hag, she caused herself to fly into the air by magic, on a +water-lily, having by her spells turned the pale flat leaf into a broad +millstone with a hole in the middle. And, rising over the tops of the +trees, she floated on the clear, cold wind, till she had come straight +over the hero. Then, standing on the flat millstone, she began to aim +deadly poisoned darts at him through the hole. And no distress Dermat +ever suffered could compare with this; for the darts stung him even +through his shield and armour, the witch having breathed venomous spells +on them. + +Seeing at last that there was no escape from death unless he could slay +the witch-hag, he seized the Ga-derg, and, leaning backwards, flung it +with sure aim at the millstone, so that it went right through the hole, +and pierced the hag; and she fell dead at Dermat's feet. Then he +beheaded her, and brought the head to Angus of the Bruga; and he +related to him and to Grania how he had escaped that great danger. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +PEACE AND REST AT LAST. + + +Angus arose next morning, and, going to Finn, asked him whether he would +make peace with Dermat. Finn, seeing that he was worsted in every +attempt against the hero, and that moreover he had lost his nurse and +many of his men, told Angus that he was weary of the quarrel, and that +he was fain to make peace on whatever terms Dermat should choose. + +He next went to Tara to the king, Cormac, the grandson of Conn. Him he +asked in like manner whether he was willing to grant Dermat peace and +forgiveness; and Cormac answered that he was quite willing. + +Then he came to Dermat and said, "Peace is better for thee: art thou +willing now to be at peace with Finn and Cormac?" + +And Dermat answered, "Gladly will I make peace, if they grant me such +conditions as befit a champion and the husband of the princess Grania." + +And when Angus asked what these conditions were, he answered-- + +"The cantred which my father had, that is to say, the cantred of +O'Dyna,[CXXXI.] without rent or tribute to the king of Erin; also the +cantred of Ben-Damis,[CXXXII.] namely, Ducarn of Leinster. These two to +be granted to me by Finn; and he shall not hunt over them, nor any of +his Fena, without my leave. And the king of Erin shall grant me the +cantred of Kesh-Corran,[CXXXIII.] as a dowry with his daughter. On these +conditions will I make peace." + +Angus went to Finn, and afterwards to the king, with these conditions. +And they granted them, and forgave Dermat all he had done against them +during the time he was outlawed. So they made peace. And Cormac gave his +other daughter to Finn to wife. + +Dermat and Grania went to live in the cantred of Kesh-Corran, far away +from Finn and Cormac; and they built a house for themselves, namely, +Rath-Grania, in which they abode many years in peace. And Grania bore +Dermat four sons and one daughter. And his possessions increased year by +year, insomuch that people said that no man of his time was richer than +Dermat, in gold and silver and jewels, in sheep, and in cattle-herds. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[CXXXI.] The cantred of O'Dyna, now the barony of Corkaguiny, in Kerry. +(See note, page 237.) + +[CXXXII.] The cantred of Ben-Damis, or Ducarn of Leinster, probably the +district round Douce mountain, in the county Wicklow. + +[CXXXIII.] The district round the mountain of Kesh-Corran, in Sligo. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE DEATH OF DERMAT. + + +Now when many years had passed, Grania said one day to Dermat-- + +"It is surely a thing unworthy of us, seeing the greatness of our +household and our wealth, and the number of our folk, that we should +live in a manner so much removed from the world. And in a special manner +it is unbecoming that the two most illustrious men in Erin have never +been in our house, namely, my father the king, and Finn the son of +Cumal." + +For indeed she had not seen her father since the night she had left Tara +with Dermat, and her heart yearned for him. + +"Wherefore say you this, Grania?" answered Dermat; "for though there is +indeed peace between us, they are both none the less enemies of mine; +and for this reason have I removed my dwelling far apart from them." + +And Grania said, "Their enmity has surely softened with length of time: +and now I would that you give them a feast: so shall we win back their +friendship and love." + +And in an evil hour Dermat consented. + +For a full year were they preparing for that great feast, and when it +was ready, messengers were sent to invite the king, with his house-folk, +and Finn, with the chief men of the seven batallions of the Fena. So +they came, with their attendants and followers, their horses and dogs; +and they lived for a whole year in Rath-Grania, hunting and feasting. + +It chanced one night, at the end of the year, long after all had gone to +rest, that Dermat heard, through the silence of the night, the distant +yelping of a hound; and he started up from his sleep. But Grania, being +scared, started up also, and, throwing her arms round him, asked him +what he had seen. + +"I have heard the voice of a hound," answered Dermat; "and I marvel much +to hear it at midnight." + +"May all things guard thee from harm!" said Grania. "This is surely a +trap laid for thee by the Dedannans, unknown to Angus of the Bruga: and +now lie down on thy bed again." + +Dermat lay down, but did not sleep, and again he heard the hound's +voice. He started up, and this time was fain to go and look to the +matter; but Grania caught him and kept him back a second time, saying +that it was not meet for him to seek a hound whose voice he heard in the +night. + +A gentle slumber now fell on Dermat, and he slept through a good part of +the night. But the yelping of the hound came a third time, and awakened +him, so that he started up; and it being now broad day, he told Grania +that he would go to seek the hound, and find out why he was abroad in +the night. + +And though Grania consented, she felt, she knew not why, ill at ease; +and she said-- + +"Bring with you the Morallta, the sword of Mannanan Mac Lir, and the +Ga-derg,[A] Angus's spear; for there may be danger." + +But Dermat, regarding the matter lightly, and forced by fate to the +worse choice, answered-- + +"How can danger arise from such a small affair? I will bring the +Begallta and the Ga-boi;[CXXXIV.] and I will also bring my good hound +Mac-an-coill, leading him by his chain." + +So Dermat went forth, and he delayed not till he reached the summit of +Ben-Gulban,[CXXXV.] where he found Finn; and Dermat, offering him no +salute, asked him who it was that held the chase. Finn answered-- + +"Some of our men came out from Rath-Grania at midnight with their +hounds; and one of the hounds coming across the track of a wild boar, +both men and dogs have followed it up. I indeed would have held them +back, but the men were eager, and left me here alone. For this is the +track of the wild boar of Ben-Gulban, and they who follow him are bent +on a vain and dangerous pursuit. Often has he been chased; and he has +always escaped, after killing many men and dogs. Even now thou canst see +in the distance that the Fena are flying before him; and he has slain +several this morning. He is coming towards this hillock where we stand; +and the sooner we get out of his way the better." + +But Dermat said he would not leave the hillock through fear of any wild +boar. + +"It is not meet that thou shouldst tarry here," answered Finn. "Dost +thou not know that thou art under gesa[12] never to hunt a boar?" + +Dermat answered, "I know nothing of these gesa; wherefore were they +placed on me?" + +And Finn said, "I will tell thee of this matter, for well do I remember +it. When thou wert taken to Bruga of the Boyne, to be fostered by Angus, +the son of Angus's steward was fostered with thee, that he might be a +companion and playmate to thee. Now the steward, being a man of the +common sort, agreed to send each day to Bruga, food and drink for nine +men, as a price for having his son fostered with thee--thy father, Donn, +being one of the nobles of the Fena. And thy father was accordingly +permitted to visit the house of Angus when it pleased him, with eight +companions, and claim the food sent by the steward; and when he did not +come, it was to be given to Angus's house-folk. + +"It chanced on a certain day that I was at Allen of the broad +hill-slopes, with the chief men of the seven battalions of the Fena. And +Bran Beg O'Bucan brought to my mind, what indeed I had forgotten, that +it was forbidden to me to sleep at Allen more than nine nights one after +another, and that the next would be the tenth. + +"Now this restriction had not been placed on any of the Fena save +myself, and they all went into the hall except thy father and a few +others. Then I asked where we should get entertainment for that night. +And thy father, Donn, answered that he would give me entertainment at +Bruga of the Boyne; where food and drink awaited himself and his +companions whenever he visited Angus. Donn said, moreover, that he had +not been to see his son for a year, and that we were sure to get a +welcome. + +"So Donn and I and the few that were with us went to the house of Angus, +bringing our hounds; and Angus welcomed us. And thou and the steward's +son were there, two children. After a while we could see that Angus +loved thee, Dermat, very much, but that the house-folk loved the son of +the steward; and thy father was filled with jealousy, that the people +should show fondness for him and not for thee. + +"After night had fallen, it chanced that our hounds quarrelled over some +broken meat we had thrown to them, and began to fight in the court; and +the women and lesser people fled from them hither and thither. The son +of the steward happened to run between thy father's knees, who, calling +now to mind how the people favoured him more than thee, gave him a +sudden strong squeeze with his knees, and killed him on the spot. And, +without being seen by any one, he threw him under the feet of the +hounds. + +"When at last the dogs were put asunder, the child was found dead; and +the steward uttered a long, mournful cry. Then he came to me and said-- + +"'Of all the men in Angus's house to-night, I have come worst out of +this uproar; for this boy was my only child. And now, O Finn, I demand +eric from thee for his death; for thy hounds have slain him.' + +"I told him to examine the body of his son, and that if he found the +mark of a hound's tooth or nail, I would give him eric. So the child was +examined, but no hurt--either bite or scratch--was found on him. + +"Then the steward laid me under fearful bonds of druidical gesa,[12] to +find out for him who slew his son. So I called for a chess-board and +some water, and, having washed my hands, I put my thumb under my tooth +of knowledge;[25] and then it was revealed to me that the boy had been +slain by thy father. Not wishing to make this known, I now offered to +pay eric for the boy; but the steward refused, saying that he should +know who killed his son. So I was forced to tell him: whereupon he +said-- + +"'It is easier for Donn to pay me eric than for any other man in this +house. And the eric I demand is that his son be placed between my knees: +if the lad gets off safe, then I shall follow up the matter no further.' + +"Angus was very wroth at this; and thy father would have struck off the +steward's head if I had not come between and saved him. + +"The steward said no more, but went aside and brought forth a druidical +magic wand, and, striking his son with it, he turned him into a great +bristly wild boar, having neither ears nor tail. And, holding the wand +aloft, he chanted this incantation over the boar-- + + "By this magical wand, + By the wizard's command, + I appoint and decree, + For Dermat and thee, + The same bitter strife, + The same span of life: + In the pride of his strength, + Thou shalt slay him at length: + Lo, Dermat O'Dyna + Lies stretched in his gore; + Behold my avengers, + The tusks of the boar! + And thus is decreed, + For Donn's cruel deed, + Sure vengeance to come-- + His son's bloody doom; + By this wand in my hand, + By the wizard's command! + +"The moment he had ended the incantation, the boar rushed out through +the open door, and we knew not whither he betook himself. + +"When Angus heard the steward's words, he laid a command on thee never +to hunt a wild boar, that so thou mightest avoid the doom foretold for +thee. + +"That same boar is the wild boar of Binbulbin; and he is now rushing +furiously towards us. Come, then, let us leave this hill at once, that +we may avoid him in time!" + +"I know nothing of these incantations and prohibitions," replied Dermat; +"or if, as thou sayest, they were put on me in my boyhood, I forget them +all now. And neither for fear of this wild boar of Ben-Gulban nor of any +other wild beast will I leave this hillock. But thou, before thou goest, +leave me thy hound, Bran, to help and encourage my dog, Mac-an-coill." + +"I will not leave him," answered Finn; "for often has Bran chased this +boar, and has always barely escaped with his life. And now I leave; for +lo, here he comes over yonder hill-shoulder." + +So Finn went his ways, and left Dermat standing alone on the hill. And +after he had left Dermat said-- + +"I fear me, indeed, that thou hast begun this chase hoping that it would +lead to my death. But here will I await the event; for if I am fated to +die in this spot, I cannot avoid the doom in store for me." + +Immediately the boar came rushing up the face of the hill, with the Fena +following far behind. Dermat loosed Mac-an-coill against him, but to no +profit; for the hound shied and fled before him at the first glance. +Then Dermat said, communing with himself-- + +"Woe to him who does not follow the advice of a good wife! For this +morning Grania bade me bring the Morallta and the Ga-derg; but I brought +instead the Begallta and the Ga-boi, disregarding her counsel." + +Then, putting his white taper finger into the silken loop of the Ga-boi, +he threw it with careful aim, and struck the boar in the middle of the +forehead; but to no purpose, for the spear fell harmless to the ground, +having neither wounded nor scratched the boar, nor disturbed even a +single bristle. + +Seeing this, Dermat, though indeed he knew not fear, felt his courage a +little damped. And thereupon drawing the Begallta from its sheath, he +dealt a blow on the boar's neck, with the full strength of his brawny +arm. But neither did he fare better this time; for the sword flew in +pieces, leaving the hilt in his hand, while not a bristle of the boar +was harmed. + +And now the boar rushed on him as he stood defenceless, and with furious +onset hurled him headlong to the earth; and, turning round, he gashed +the hero's side with his tusk, inflicting a deep and ghastly wound. +Turning again, he was about to renew the attack, when Dermat flung the +hilt of the sword at him, and drove it through the skull to his brain, +so that the brute fell dead on the spot. + +Finn and the Fena now came up, and found Dermat lying pale and bleeding, +in the pangs of death. And Finn said-- + +"It likes me well, Dermat, to see thee in this plight; only I am grieved +that all the women of Erin cannot see thee also. For now, indeed, the +surpassing beauty of thy form, that they loved so well, is gone from +thee, and thou art pale and deformed!" + +And Dermat answered, "Alas, O Finn! these words surely come from thy +lips only, and not from thy heart. And indeed it is in thy power to heal +me even now if thou wilt." + +"How should I heal thee?" asked Finn. + +"It is not hard for thee to do so," answered Dermat. "For when, at the +Boyne, the noble gift of foreknowledge was given to thee,[25] this gift +also thou didst receive--that to whomsoever thou shouldst give a drink +of water from the closed palms of thy two hands, he should be healed +from sickness or wounds, even though he stood at the point of death." + +"Why should I heal thee by giving thee drink from my hands?" replied +Finn. "For of a certainty thou of all men dost least deserve it from +me." + +"Thou surely speakest hastily, not remembering past services," answered +Dermat. "Well, indeed, do I deserve that thou shouldst heal me. Dost +thou forget the day thou didst go with the chiefs and nobles of the +Fena, to the house of Derca, the son of Donnara, to a banquet? And even +as we sat down, and before the feast began, Carbri of the Liffey, son of +Cormac, with the men of Tara, and of Bregia, and of Meath, and of +Carmna, surrounded the palace, intent on slaying thee and all thy +people. And they uttered three great shouts, and threw firebrands to +burn the palace over our heads. Then thou didst arise and prepare to +issue forth, but I put thee back and bade thee enjoy thy feast; and, +leaving the banquet untasted, I rushed forth with a chosen few of my own +men, and quenched the flames. Thrice we made a circuit of the palace, +dealing slaughter amongst thy foes, so that we left fifty of them dead +after each circuit. And having put Carbri and his men to flight, we +returned to join the feast. Had I asked thee for a drink that night, +gladly wouldst thou have given it to me. And yet, not more justly was it +due to me then than it is now." + +"Ill dost thou deserve a healing drink from me, or any other favour," +said Finn; "for it was thy part to guard Grania the night we came to +Tara; but thou didst espouse her secretly, and didst fly with her from +Tara, knowing that she was betrothed to me." + +"Lay not the blame of that on me," said Dermat; "for Grania put me under +heavy gesa, which for all the wealth of the world I would not break +through--no, not even for life itself. Neither did I rest on my own +judgment in the matter; for well thou knowest that Oisin, and Oscar, and +Dering, and Mac Luga counselled me to the course I took. + +"And now, O Finn, I pray thee let me drink from thy hands, for I feel +the weakness of death coming on me. And thou wilt not gainsay that I +deserve it, if thou wilt only remember the feast that Midac, the son of +Colga, made for thee in the Fairy Palace of the Quicken Trees.[CXXXVI.] +To this feast Midac invited thee and thy companions; while to the Palace +of the Island he brought secretly the King of the World with a great +host, and the three kings of the Island of the Torrent, with intent to +slay thee and all thy Fena. + +"Now Midac caused some of the clay of the Island of the Torrent to be +placed under you, with foul spells, in the Palace of the Quicken Trees, +so that your feet and your hands clove to the ground. And it was +revealed to thee that the King of the World was about to send a chief +with a troop of warriors, to slay you, helpless as you were, and to +bring him your heads to the Palace of the Island. + +"But at that same time, I came to thee outside the Palace of the Quicken +Trees; and thou didst make known to me your deadly strait. Then did I +take thee, Finn, and those who were with thee, under the protection of +my knighthood and valour; and I went to the ford to defend it against +the foreigners. + +"And after a little time the three dragon-like kings of the Island of +the Torrent came towards the palace: but I defended the ford, and, +venturing my life for thee, I bore their attack and slew them all three. +And I swept off their heads, and brought them, all gory as they were, in +the hollow of my shield, to the palace where you lay miserably bound; +and, sprinkling the clay with the blood, I broke the spell and set you +free. And had I asked thee for a drink on that night, O Finn, of a +surety thou wouldst not have refused me. + +"And many another deadly strait did I free you from, since the day I was +admitted among the Fena, always putting myself forward to the post of +danger, and perilling my life for your safety; and now why dost thou +requite me with this foul treachery? + +"Moreover, many a king's son and many a brave warrior hast thou slain; +and thou hast earned the enmity of powerful foes: neither is there yet +an end of it. For the day will come--I see it even now--a day of direful +overthrow and slaughter,[CXXXVII.] when few, alas! of the Fena will be +left to tell the tale. Then thou shalt sorely need my help, O Finn, and +sorely shalt thou rue this day. I grieve not, indeed, for thee, but for +my dear, faithful companions--for Oscar and Mac Luga and Dering, and +more than all for Oisin, who shall long outlive the others in sad old +age.[CXXXVIII.] Alas! how deadly shall be their strait when I am not +near to aid them!" + +Then Oscar, moved with pity even to tears, addressing Finn, said, +"Although I am nearer akin to thee, O king, than to Dermat, yet I cannot +suffer that he die, when a drink from thy hands would heal him. Bring +him, then, a drink without delay." + +And Finn answered, "I know of no well on this mountain from which to +bring drink." + +"Therein thou speakest not truth," said Dermat; "for thou knowest that +not more than nine paces from thee, hidden under yonder bush, is a well +of crystal water." + +Thereupon Finn went to the well, and, holding his two hands tightly +together, he brought up some of the water, and came towards Dermat; but +after he had walked a little way, he let it spill through his fingers, +saying that he was not able to bring water in his hands so far. + +"Not so, Finn," said Dermat. "I saw thee that of thy own will thou didst +let it spill. And now, O king, hasten, for death is on me." + +Again he went to the well, and was bringing the water slowly, while +Dermat followed the dripping hands with his eyes; but when Finn thought +of Grania he let the water spill a second time. And Dermat, seeing +this, uttered a piteous sigh of anguish. + +And now was Oscar no longer able to contain his grief and rage; and he +said, "I swear, O king, if thou dost not bring the water, that only one +of us two--thou or I--shall leave this hill alive!" + +Hearing Oscar's words, and seeing the frowning looks of the others, Finn +dipped up the water a third time, and was hastening forward; but before +he had got half-way, Dermat's head dropped backwards, and his life +departed. + +And all the Fena present raised three long loud cries of sorrow for +Dermat O'Dyna. + +Then Oscar, looking fiercely on Finn, spoke and said, "Would that thou +thyself lay dead here instead of Dermat! For now indeed the noblest +heart of the Fena is still; and our mainstay in battle and danger is +gone. Ah! why did I not foresee this? Why was I not told that Dermat's +life was linked with the life of the wild boar of Ben-Gulban? Then would +I have stayed this chase, and put off the evil day!" + +And Oscar wept; and Oisin, and Dering, and Mac Luga wept also, for +Dermat was much loved by all. + +After a time, Finn said, "Let us now leave this hill, lest Angus of the +Bruga overtake us. For although we had no hand in Dermat's death, +nevertheless he may not believe us." + +So Finn and the Fena departed from the hill, Finn leading Dermat's dog, +Mac-an-coill. But Oisin, and Oscar, and Dering, and Mac Luga turned +back, and with tears, threw their mantles over Dermat; after which they +followed the others. + +Grania sat that day on the highest rampart of Rath-Grania, watching for +Dermat's return; for a dark fear haunted her mind on account of this +chase. And when at last the Fena came in view, she saw Dermat's dog led +by Finn; but not seeing Dermat himself, she said-- + +"Ah me! what is this I see? Surely if Dermat were alive, it is not by +Finn that Mac-an-coill would be led to his home!" + +And as she spoke she fell forward off the rampart, and lay long in a +swoon as if her spirit had fled, while her handmaid stood over her, +weeping and distracted. And when at last she opened her eyes, then +indeed they told her that Dermat was dead; and she uttered a long and +piteous cry, so that her women and all the people of the court came +round her to ask the cause of her sorrow. And when they were told that +Dermat had perished by the wild boar of Ben-Gulban, they raised three +loud, bitter cries of lamentation, which were heard in the glens and +wildernesses around, and which pierced the clouds of heaven. + +When at length Grania became calm, she ordered that five hundred of her +people should go to Ben-Gulban, to bring home the body of Dermat. Then, +turning to Finn, who still held Mac-an-coill in his hand, she asked him +to leave her Dermat's hound; but Finn refused, saying that a hound was a +small matter, and that he might be allowed to inherit at least so much +of Dermat's riches. When Oisin heard this, he came forward and took the +hound from the hand of Finn and gave him to Grania. + +At the time that the men left Rath-Grania to go for the body of Dermat, +it was revealed to Angus that the hero was lying dead on Ben-Gulban. And +he set out straightway, and travelling on the pure, cool wind, soon +reached the mountain; so that when Grania's people came up, they found +him standing over the body, sorrowing, with his people behind him. And +they held forward the wrong sides of their shields in token of peace. + +Then both companies, having viewed the dead hero, raised three mighty +cries of sorrow, so loud and piercing that they were heard in the wastes +of the firmament, and over the five provinces of Erin. + +And when they had ceased, Angus spoke and said, "Alas! why did I abandon +thee, even for once, O my son? For from the day I took thee to Bruga, a +tender child, I have watched over thee and guarded thee from thy foes, +until last night. Ah! why did I abandon thee to be decoyed to thy doom +by the guileful craft of Finn? By my neglect hast thou suffered, O +Dermat; and now, indeed, I shall for ever feel the bitter pangs of +sorrow!" + +Then Angus asked Grania's people what they had come for. And when they +told him that Grania had sent them to bring the body of Dermat to +Rath-Grania, he said-- + +"I will bring the body of Dermat with me to Bruga of the Boyne; and I +will keep him on his bier, where he shall be preserved by my power, as +if he lived. And though I cannot, indeed, restore him to life, yet I +will breathe a spirit into him, so that for a little while each day he +shall talk with me." + +Then he caused the body to be placed on a golden bier, with the hero's +javelins fixed one on each side, points upwards. And his people raised +the bier and carried it before him; and in this manner they marched +slowly to Bruga of the Boyne. + +Grania's people then returned; and when they had told her the whole +matter, though she was grieved at first, yet in the end she was content, +knowing how Angus loved Dermat. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[CXXXIV.] See note, page 302. + +[CXXXV.] Now Benbulbin, a mountain five miles north of the town of +Sligo. + +[CXXXVI.] See this story told at length, page 177. + +[CXXXVII.] A prophetic allusion to the battle of Gavra. (See note 28 at +the end.) + +[CXXXVIII.] A prophetic allusion to the events related in the story of +"Oisin in Tirnanoge," page 385. + + + + +THE CHASE OF SLIEVE CULLINN. + +IN WHICH IT IS RELATED HOW FINN'S HAIR WAS CHANGED IN ONE DAY FROM THE +COLOUR OF GOLD TO SILVERY GREY.[CXXXIX.] + + +Culand, the smith of the Dedannans,[1] who lived at Slieve +Cullinn,[CXL.] had two beautiful daughters, Milucra and Aina. They both +loved Finn,[23] and each sought him for her husband. + +As they walked together one evening near Allen,[CXLI.] they fell to +talking of many things; and their conversation turning at last on their +future husbands, Aina said she would never marry a man with grey hair. + +When Milucra heard this, she resolved with herself that if she could not +get Finn, she would plan so that he should not marry her sister Aina. So +she departed immediately, and, turning her steps northwards, she +summoned the Dedannans to meet her at Slieve Cullinn. Having brought +them all together, she caused them to make her a lake[CXLII.] near the +top of the mountain; and she breathed a druidical virtue on its waters, +that all who bathed in it should become grey. + +On a morning not long after this, Finn happened to be walking alone on +the lawn before the palace of Allen, when a doe sprang out from a +thicket, and, passing quite close to him, bounded past like the wind. +Without a moment's delay, he signalled for his companions and dogs; but +none heard except his two hounds, Bran and Skolan. He instantly gave +chase, with no other arms than his sword, Mac-an-Lona, and accompanied +only by his two dogs; and before the Fena[23] knew of his absence, he +had left Allen of the green slopes far behind. + +The chase turned northwards; and though the hounds kept close to the +doe, the chief kept quite as close to the hounds the whole way. And so +they continued without rest or pause, till they reached Slieve Cullinn, +far in the north. + +Here the doe made a sudden turn and disappeared; and what direction she +took, whether east or west, Finn knew not, for he never caught sight of +her after. And he marvelled much that any doe in the world should be +able to lead Bran and Skolan so long a chase, and escape from them in +the end. Meantime they kept searching, Finn taking one side of the hill +and the dogs another, so that he was at last left quite alone. + +While he was wandering about the hill and whistling for his hounds, he +heard the plaintive cry of a woman at no great distance; and, turning +his steps towards the place, he saw a lady sitting on the brink of a +little lake, weeping as if her heart would break. Never before did the +chieftain see a maiden so lovely. The rose colour on her cheeks was +heightened by her grief; her lips were like ruddy quicken berries; the +delicate blossom of the apple tree was not more white than her neck; her +hair fell in heavy golden ringlets on her shoulders; and as she looked +up at the chief, her eyes beamed like stars on a frosty night. + +Finn accosted her; and, seeing that she ceased her weeping for a moment, +he asked her had she seen his two hounds pass that way. + +"I have not seen thy hounds," she replied, "nor have I been at all +concerned in the chase; for, alas, there is something that troubles me +more nearly, a misadventure that has caused me great sorrow!" + +And as she spoke these words, she burst out weeping and sobbing more +bitterly than before. + +Finn was greatly moved at this, so much so, that he quite forgot all +about his hounds and his own troubles; and he asked her-- + +"What is the cause of this great grief, gentle lady? Has death robbed +you of your husband or your child, or what other evil has befallen you? +I am much concerned to see a lady in such distress; and I wish you to +tell me if anything can be done to lighten your sorrow, or to remove the +cause of it?" + +She replied, "I had a precious gold ring on my finger, which I prized +beyond anything in the world; and it has fallen from me into the water. +I saw it roll down the steep slope at the bottom, till it went quite out +of my sight. This is the cause of my sorrow, and thou canst remedy the +mishap if thou wilt. The Fena are sworn never to refuse help to a woman +in distress; and I now put on thee those gesa[12] that true heroes dare +not break through, to search for the ring, and cease not till thou find +it and restore it to me." + +Though the chief had indeed at the moment no inclination to swim, he +could not refuse a prayer urged in this manner. So he plunged in without +a moment's hesitation, and examined the lake on all sides, diving and +searching into every nook and cranny at the bottom. + +After swimming in this manner three times round and round the lake, he +found the ring at last; and, approaching the lady, he handed it to her +from the water. The moment she had got it she sprang into the lake +before his eyes, and, diving down, disappeared in an instant. + +The chief, wondering greatly at this strange behaviour, stepped forth +from the water; but as soon as his feet had touched the dry land, he +lost all his strength, and fell on the brink, a withered, grey old man, +shrunken up and trembling all over with weakness. He sat him down in +woful plight; and soon his hounds came up. They looked at him wistfully +and sniffed and whined around him; but they knew him not, and, passing +on, they ran round the lake, searching in vain for their master. + +On that day the Fena were assembled in the banquet hall of the palace of +Allen; some feasting and drinking, some playing chess, and others +listening to the sweet music of the harpers. While all were in this wise +pleasantly engaged, Kylta Mac Ronan[23] stood up in the midst, and said +in the hearing of all-- + +"I have observed, friends, that our master and king, Finn the son of +Cumal, has not been amongst us to-day, as is his wont; and I wish to +know whither he has gone." + +This speech caused a sudden alarm amongst us; for no one knew aught of +the chief, or was aware till that moment that he was absent at all; and +we knew not wherefore he had disappeared or whither he had gone. In the +midst of our anxious tumult, the envious and foul-mouthed Conan Mail[23] +stood up, and said-- + +"I have never heard sweeter music than your words, Kylta! The Fena are +now about to seek for their king; and my only wish is that their quest +may last for a whole year, and that it may prove a vain search in the +end! Be not cast down, however, O Fena; if you should fail to find the +son of Cumal, you will not be so ill off as you think; for I will +undertake to be your king from this time forth!" + +Though we were at the time more inclined to be sad than mirthful, being +weighed down with much anxiety, we could not help laughing when we heard +the loud, foolish talk of Conan Mail; but we took no further notice of +him. + +Inquiring now from the lesser people about the palace, we found that the +chief and his two dogs had followed a doe northwards. So, having +mustered a strong party of the Fena, we started in pursuit. Kylta and I +took the lead, the rest keeping close behind; and in this order we +followed the track, never taking rest or slackening speed till we +reached Slieve Cullinn. + +We began to search round the hill, hoping to find either the chief +himself or some person who might give us tidings of him. After wandering +among brakes and rough, rocky places, we at last espied a grey-headed +old man sitting on the brink of a lake. I went up to him to ask a +question, followed by the rest of the Fena. At first I thought he might +be a fisherman who had come up from the plains to fish; but when we came +near him, he seemed so wretched an old creature, all shrivelled up, with +the skin hanging in wrinkles over the bare points of his bones, that I +felt quite sure he was not a fisherman, and that he was reduced to that +state more by sickness and want than by old age. + +I asked the poor old man if he had seen a noble-looking hero pass that +way, with two hounds, chasing a doe. He never answered a word, neither +did he stir from where he sat, or even look up; but at the question, his +head sank on his breast, and his limbs shook all over as with palsy. +Then he fell into a sudden fit of grief, wringing his hands and uttering +feeble cries of woe. + +We soothed him and used him gently for a time, hoping he might speak at +last; but to no purpose, for he still kept silent. Then at last growing +impatient, and thinking that this might be a mere headstrong humour, we +drew our swords, and threatened him with instant death if he did not at +once tell us all he knew of the chief and his hounds--for we felt sure +he had seen them. But he only lamented the more, and still answered +nothing. + +At last, after this had gone on for some time, and when we were about to +leave him, he beckoned to Kylta Mac Ronan; and when Kylta had come near, +the old man whispered into his ear the dreadful secret. And then we all +came to know the truth. When we found that the withered old man was no +other than our beloved king, Finn, himself, we uttered three shouts of +lamentation and anger, so loud and prolonged that the foxes and badgers +rushed affrighted from their dens in the hollows of the mountain. + +Conan now stepped forward, looking very fierce; and, unsheathing his +sword with mighty bluster, he began in a loud voice to revile Finn and +the Fena with the foulest language he could think of. And he ended by +saying that he meant to slay the king that moment-- + +"Now, O Finn Mac Cumal, I will certainly strike off your head; for you +are the man that never gave me credit for valour, or praised my noble +deeds in battle. Ever since your father, Cumal of the Hosts, was slain +on the field of Knocka[CXLIII.] by the Clann Morna[23] of the Golden +Shields, you have been our bitter foe; and it is against your will that +any of us are now alive. I am very glad to see you, Finn Mac Cumal, +brought down to what you now are; and I only wish that the rest of the +Clann Baskin[23] were like you. Then should I very soon make short work +of them all; and joyful to me would be the task of raising a great carn +to their memory!" + +To which Oscar replied with great scorn, "It is not worth while drawing +a sword to punish thee, Conan Mail, vain and foolish boaster as thou +art; and besides, we have at present something else to think of. But if +it were not for the trouble that now lies heavy on us on account of our +king, I would of a certainty chastise thee by breaking all the bones of +thy mouth with my fist!" + +"Cease, Oscar," returned Conan, in a voice still louder than before; +"cease your foolish talk! It is actions and not words that prove a man; +and as to the noble warlike deeds done in past times by the Fena, it +was by the Clann Morna they were performed, and not by the +chicken-hearted Clann Baskin!" + +The fiery Oscar could bear this no longer. He rushed towards Conan Mail; +but Conan, terrified at his vengeful look, ran in amongst the Fena with +great outcry, beseeching them to save him from the rage of Oscar. We +straightway confronted the young hero, and checked him in his headlong +career; and after much ado, we soothed his anger and made peace between +him and Conan. + +When quietness was restored, Kylta asked Finn how this dread evil had +befallen him, who was the enchanter, and whether there was any hope of +restoring him to his own shape. Finn told him that it was the daughter +of Culand the smith who had transformed him by her spells. And then he +recounted how she had lured him to swim in the lake, and how, when he +came forth, he was turned into a withered old man. + +We now made a framework litter of slender poles, and, placing our king +on it, we lifted him tenderly on our shoulders. And, turning from the +lake, we marched slowly up-hill till we came to the fairy palace of +Slieve Cullinn, where we knew the daughter of Culand had her dwelling +deep under ground.[19] Here we set him down, and the whole troop began +at once to dig, determined to find the enchantress in her cave-palace, +and to take vengeance on her if she did not restore our chief. + +For three days and three nights we dug, without a moment's rest or +pause, till at length we reached her hollow dwelling; when she, +affrighted at the tumult and at the vengeful look of the heroes, +suddenly started forth from the cave and stood before us. She held in +her hand a drinking-horn of red gold, which was meant for the king. Yet +she appeared unwilling, and held it back, notwithstanding the +threatening looks of the Fena. But, happening to cast her eyes on the +graceful and manly youth, Oscar, she was moved with such admiration and +love for him that she wavered no longer, but placed the fairy +drinking-horn in the hands of the king. No sooner had he drunk from it, +than his own shape and features returned, save only that his hair +remained of a silvery grey. + +When we gazed on our chief in his own graceful and manly form, we were +all pleased with the soft, silvery hue of the grey hairs. And, though +the enchantress appeared ready to restore this also, Finn himself told +her that it pleased him as it pleased the others, and that he chose to +remain grey for the rest of his life. + +When the king had drunk from the horn, he passed it to Mac Reth, who +drank from it in like manner and gave it to Dering. Dering, after +drinking, was about to hand it to the next, when it gave a sudden twist +out of his hand, and darted into the loose earth at our feet, where it +sank out of sight. We ran at once to recover it; but, though we turned +up the earth deeply all round, we were not able to find the +drinking-horn. This was a disappointment that vexed us exceedingly, for +if we had all drunk from it, we should have been gifted with a +foreknowledge of future events. + +A growth of slender twigs grew up afterwards over the spot where it sank +into the ground; and this little thicket is still gifted with a part of +the virtue of the golden drinking-horn. For any one who looks on it in +the morning fasting, will know in a moment all things that are to happen +that day. + +So ended the Chase of Slieve Cullinn; and in this wise it came to pass +that Finn's hair was turned in one day from golden yellow to silvery +grey. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[CXXXIX.] It is necessary to remind the reader that this story and the +two following are related by Oisin, in his old age, to St. Patrick. (See +the prefatory note to the story of "Oisin in Tirnanoge," p. 385; and see +also note 23 at the end.) + +[CXL.] Now Slieve Gullion, a lofty, isolated mountain in the south of +the county Armagh, celebrated in legendary lore. + +[CXLI.] The Hill of Allen, in Kildare, where Finn had his palace. (See +note 23 at the end.) + +[CXLII.] The little lake for which this legendary origin is assigned +lies near the top of Slieve Gullion. There were several wells in Ireland +which, according to the belief of old times, had the property of turning +the hair grey. Giraldus Cambrensis tells us of such a well in Munster; +and he states that he once saw a man who had washed a part of his head +in this well, and that the part washed was white, while the rest was +black! + +It is to be observed that the peasantry of the district retain to this +day a lingering belief in the power of the lake of Slieve Gullion to +turn the hair grey. + +[CXLIII.] Knocka, now Castleknock, near Dublin. (See note 27 at the +end.) + + + + +THE CHASE OF SLIEVE FUAD. + + +IN WHICH IT IS RELATED HOW AILNA, THE WIFE OF MERGAH OF THE SHARP +SPEARS, IN ORDER TO BE REVENGED ON THE FENA FOR THE DEATH OF HER +HUSBAND, TRANSFORMED HERSELF INTO A DEER, AND DECOYED THEM TILL SHE GOT +THEM INTO THE POWER OF HER BROTHER, DRYANTORE, A GIANT AND AN ENCHANTER; +HOW HE THREW THEM INTO A DUNGEON, WITH INTENT TO KILL THEM; AND HOW THEY +WERE IN THE END SET FREE BY CONAN MAIL.[CXLIV.] + + +Finn and the Fena[23] went one day to hunt at Slieve Fuad.[CXLV.] When +they had come very near to the top of the mountain, a deer suddenly +bounded from a thicket right before them, very large and fierce, with a +great pair of sharp, dangerous antlers. At once they loosed their dogs +and gave chase; and those who were scattered here and there about the +hill gave up the pursuit of smaller game to join the main body for it +was very seldom they fell in with a deer that promised better sport. + +She led them through rugged places, over rocks and bogs, and into deep +glens. The hounds several times surrounded her; but she fought her way +with so much strength and fury that she always escaped, after killing +many of the dogs and disabling some of the men. + +Soon she left Slieve Fuad behind, nor did she slacken speed till she +reached the green hill of Lidas, while the hunters and dogs followed in +full chase close behind. She then made her way across the open country +to a rugged and bushy hill--the hill of Carrigan;[CXLVI.] and here they +suddenly lost her among the rocks and thickets. They searched round the +hill without avail, north, south, east, and west, till all, both men and +dogs, were quite scattered; and Finn and Dara the Melodious were left +alone. + +At length Finn's dog, Skolan, started the deer once more, and again the +chase began. Back over the selfsame course she ran, by the hill of +Lidas, and straight on towards Slieve Fuad, Finn and Dara close on her +track; while the main body of the Fena followed far behind, guided by +the cries of the dogs. + +When the deer reached Slieve Fuad, she again took cover and disappeared +at the very spot where they had first started her; and the two chiefs, +after beating the thickets on every side, were at length forced to give +up the search. + +A druidical mist now rose up, darkening the air, and enfolding them on +every side; so that they lost their way. They tried many times to regain +the path, but to no purpose; for they only lost themselves more and +more among the quagmires and thickets. At last they sat down to rest, +weary and baffled; and Dara played a mournful strain on his timpan; +after which they sounded the Dord-Fian,[CXLVII.] as a signal to their +friends. + +When the Fena heard the Dord-Fian sounding afar off, they felt sure that +their leader was in trouble or strait of some kind; and they started to +his relief, making northwards straight towards the point from which they +thought the signal came. But they had not gone far when they heard it +sounding from the east, and altered their course accordingly. Again it +changed to the west; and no sooner had they set forward in that +direction than it seemed to come from the south. In this manner were +they led hither and thither, till they became quite bewildered; and they +found themselves no nearer to those they were in search of, for every +time they heard the Dord-Fian, it seemed as far off as ever. + +Meantime Finn and Dara, after resting for a time, again started off, +intent on trying once more to reach their friends; for they heard their +shouts, and knew they were seeking them. As they were making their way +through the thick fog, they heard a voice at a little distance, as if +from one in distress; and, turning their steps that way, they met a +young woman, very beautiful, and very pleasing in manner, but looking +weary and sore perplexed, and all over in sad plight from the bogs and +brambles. + +Finn accosted her in a gentle voice, asking how she came to be alone in +a place so wild. + +She replied, "I and my husband were journeying along over the plain, +when we heard the melodious cry of hounds; and he left me to follow the +chase, telling me to continue along the same path, and promising to +rejoin me without delay. But this fairy fog has risen around me, and I +have lost my way, so that I know not now in what direction to go." + +Finn then asked her name and the name of her husband. + +"My husband's name is Lavaran, and mine is Glanlua. But I perceive that +you are one of the Fena; and indeed I think, from your arms and from +your noble mien, that you must be the great chief Finn himself. If this +be so, I place myself under your protection; and I know well that you +will lead me safely out of this place to my husband; for the Fena never +yet refused their help to a woman in distress." + +Finn replied, "You are quite right, lady, for I am Finn; and this chase +that has parted you and your husband belongs to me. We will certainly +take you under our protection, and we will neither abandon you on this +mountain, nor suffer any one to harm you. But as to leading you to your +husband, it is not at present in our power to do that; for you must +know, lady, that we also have been set astray by this magical fairy fog. +Nevertheless, we will do the best we can; and now you had better come +with us." + +So the three set forward in the direction they thought most likely to +lead to the open plain. + +After walking for some time, they heard a low, sweet strain of fairy +music; and they stopped to listen. It seemed to be near them and around +them in the fog, so that Finn thought it came from the spot where the +lady stood; and she thought it came from Finn or Dara: and the music was +followed by shouts and noise, as if from a great company. When the noise +ceased, the music began again more sweetly than before; so that they +felt heavy, and as if inclined to sleep. Still more drowsy and powerless +they became as they listened; and at last they all three sank on the +ground, in a trance deep and deathlike. + +After a time they awoke, and slowly regained their senses; though they +were so weak that they could scarcely move. The fog had cleared away, +leaving the air bright and warm; and when they were able to look around, +they found themselves on the margin of a blue lake. The part of the lake +that lay in front of them was narrow, and quite calm and smooth; but on +each side, to the right and left, it opened out into two broad, +green-bordered seas, with great waves tumbling wildly about, as if the +waters were torn up by whirlwinds. But where they sat, not a breath was +blowing. And looking across the narrow part, they saw a stately palace +right before them on the opposite shore. + +As they were gazing at all these strange things, silent and much +astonished, they saw a warrior coming forth from the palace, in size +like a giant, rough and fierce-looking, with a beautiful woman by his +side. The two walked quickly down to the shore, and, plunging in, they +swam straight across the middle of the lake. And Dara and Glanlua, +turning to Finn, said-- + +"Of a surety, it is not for our good yonder strangers are approaching; +but to work us treachery and mischief!" + +This forecast turned out to be true. The large warrior and the beautiful +lady had no sooner gained the land than they came up to Finn and his two +companions; and without speaking a word, the giant seized them roughly, +and led them down to the shore of the lake. For the two heroes were +still so weak from the spell of the fairy music that they were not able +to raise a hand to defend either the lady or themselves. + +The giant and his companion, making no delay, plunged in, and swam back +towards the palace, bringing the three with them; and as soon as they +had reached the shore, the strange warrior, addressing Finn in a fierce +and surly manner, said-- + +"For a long time have I sought Finn Mac Cumal, the evil-minded and +crafty; and now, O Finn, now that thou hast been by a well-laid plan +cast under my power, I will take good care that thou shalt not escape +till I take revenge, even to the full, for all the injuries thou hast +done to me and to my sister!" + +Finn listened to this speech with much surprise, for he could not call +to mind that he had ever seen the hero before; and he said-- + +"Tell me, I pray thee, who thou art; for I know thee not; neither do I +know of any injury thou hast suffered at my hands. Thou art, indeed, +large of body, and fierce and boastful in speech; but know that to take +revenge on a foe who is unable to defend himself, is a deed quite +unbecoming a hero!" + +The large man replied, "Do you not remember the treachery you practised +on Mergah of the Sharp Spears, and on my sons, two fair youths, whom you +slew by unfair means, at the battle of Knockanare?[CXLVIII.] Well indeed +do I know thee, Finn, for I am Dryantore, and this is Ailna my sister, +the wife of Mergah. She is left without her husband, and I without my +sons, by your cruel wiles; for it was by fraud and foul play, and not by +fair fighting, that you gained the battle of Knockanare, and slew Mergah +and his host!" + +"I remember well," said Finn, "that they all fell on the battle-field; +but it was not by craft or treachery. Mergah of the Sharp Spears came +with a mighty host to conquer Erin, and lay it under tribute. But they +were met at Knockanare, and every man of them slain in fair, open fight, +though not without sore loss to the Fena." + +"You may say what you please on the matter," said Dryantore; "but it is +quite enough for me that you have slain Ailna's husband and my two sons. +And now, indeed, I shall take revenge--of that be sure--both on you and +on all the Fena that come within my reach." + +And having so spoken, he began without more ado to bind Finn, Dara, and +Glanlua in strong fetters; and having done so, he threw them into a +dungeon, where he left them without food or drink or comfort of any +kind. + +Meantime the Fena ceased not to search for their king. They knew, by the +sad strain they had heard in the distance, and by the strange manner in +which the music had shifted from place to place, that he was caught +under some druidic spell; and they vowed they would never rest till they +had found him and punished the enchanter, whoever he might be. + +Next day, Ailna visited the dungeon; and Finn addressed her-- + +"Hast thou forgotten, Ailna, that when thou didst come to Erin after the +death of thy husband, Mergah of the Sharp Spears, the Fena received thee +hospitably, and, pitying thy distress, treated thee with much kindness? +But for this thou hast indeed given us an ungrateful and unbecoming +return; for thou hast shut us up in this dungeon, without food or drink, +having, by guileful druidical spells, taken away our strength." + +"I remember very well," said Ailna, "that you treated me kindly. But you +killed my husband; and I am well pleased that it has now come to my +turn to avenge his death. I do not feel the least pity for you; and I +only wish that the whole of the Fena were with you in that dungeon, to +be dealt with by my brother." + +Then, casting her eyes on Glanlua, she began to upbraid her in bitter +words for having been in the company of Finn and Dara. But Glanlua +explained the matter, saying that she had never seen either of the +chiefs before, and that it was only by chance she had fallen on them +when she had lost her way in the fog. + +"If that be so," said Ailna, "it is not just that you should be punished +for the evil deeds of the others." + +And she went and told Dryantore, who came forthwith to release the lady. + +Glanlua took leave of Finn and Dara, and left the prison, grieving much +for their evil plight; for she was grateful for their kindness on the +mountain. Ailna led her to the palace; and, having placed food before +her, bade her eat. But Glanlua, being overcome by weakness, suddenly +fell into a swoon, and remained for a long time without sense or motion, +like one dead. When at last she opened her eyes, she saw Ailna standing +near, holding in her hand a golden drinking-horn. And Ailna gave her to +drink, and immediately the spells lost their power; and she regained her +strength; and the bloom and beauty of her countenance returned. + +But now she bethought her of the two heroes; and, remembering their +dismal plight in the dungeon, she became sorrowful, and began to sigh +and weep. And when Ailna and Dryantore came to know the cause of her +tears, they told her with much severity that Finn and Dara deserved +their punishment; and that both should stay in prison till the time had +come to put them to death. + +"I seek not to release them from prison or to save them from death," +said Glanlua; "but that they are left without food and drink--this it is +that moves me to pity." + +And Dryantore said, "If only that has caused your tears, you may, if you +so please, bring them food. Besides, I do not mean to put them to death +immediately. I shall let them live yet awhile, that I may decoy by them +the other Fena, who are now wandering hither and thither in quest of +their chief. And it is my firm belief that in a little time I shall have +them all in that dungeon." + +So Glanlua went to the prison, bringing food and drink, and Ailna went +with her. They found the heroes sitting on the floor, sorrowing, their +strength and activity all gone; for the music-spell still held them, and +they suffered also from want of food. And when they saw the two ladies, +they shed bitter tears. Glanlua, on her part, wept with pity when she +looked on the wasted face of the chief. But not so Ailna; she was +pleased at their distress, for her heart was hardened with vengeance, +and she longed for the time when they should suffer death. Howbeit, +Glanlua placed food and drink before them, and they ate and drank and +were strengthened for the time. + +When the two ladies returned, Dryantore asked Glanlua if it were true +what he had heard, that Dara was a favourite among the Fena; and why it +was that they loved him so. + +Glanlua replied, "I only know that he is a very skilful musician; for I +never heard melody sweeter than the strains he played yesterday, when I +met himself and Finn in the fog." + +"I should like very much to hear this music," said Dryantore, "if it be +so melodious as you say;" and as he spoke these words he went towards +the dungeon. + +And when he had come to the door, he said to Dara, in a loud, harsh, +surly voice-- + +"I have heard that you are a skilful musician, and can play very sweet +strains. I wish you to play for me now that I may know if this be true." + +To which Dara replied, "If I had the Fena around me, I could delight +them with the melody of my timpan; but as for you, guileful and cruel as +you are, I do not believe that you can take any pleasure in music. +Moreover, how can you expect that I should play sweet music for you, +seeing that I am shut up here in this dismal dungeon, and that all manly +strength and cheerfulness of mind have left me through your foul +spells?" + +"I will take off the spells if only you play for me," said Dryantore; +"and if your strains be as delightful as I have heard reported, I will +bring you forth from your prison, and I will keep you for ever in my +castle, and you shall play for me whensoever I wish for music." + +"I shall never consent to be released, neither will I play any music for +you, so long as my chief lies in bondage and under enchantment," said +Dara; "for I grieve not indeed for myself, but for him." + +Dryantore replied, "I will lift the spells from both of you for a time; +but as to releasing Finn, that is a matter I do not wish to talk of +now." + +Whereupon Dryantore removed the spells, and the heroes regained their +strength and courage. + +Dara then played a low, sweet tune; and Dryantore, who had never before +heard such music, listened with delight and wonder. He was so charmed +that he called Ailna and Glanlua, that they also might hear; and they +were as much delighted as the giant. But what pleased Glanlua most was +to see the heroes restored to their wonted cheerfulness. + +Now all this time the Fena were seeking among the glens and hollows of +the mountain for Finn and Dara. After walking for some time over a stony +and rugged way, a faint strain of music struck on their ears. They +stopped to listen, breathless; and every man knew the sound of Dara's +timpan; and they raised a shout of gladness, which reached Finn and Dara +in their dungeon. At the same moment they came in view of the palace, +and they drew their swords and put their shields and spears in +readiness, as men do going to battle. And they went forward warily, for +they feared foul play, and their hearts had a forecast that a foe was +near. But, indeed, they little deemed what manner of foe they should +meet. + +When Dryantore heard the shouts, he hid himself from the view of the +Fena, and forthwith betook him to his magic arts. And again the spell +fell on the two heroes, and their strength departed; and Dara's hand, +losing its cunning, trembled on the strings, so that his music became +dull and broken. + +And when Dara's music ceased, the Fena heard a low, hoarse murmur, +which, growing each moment louder, sounded at last like the hollow roar +of waves. And anon their strength and their swiftness left them, and +they fell to the ground every man, in a deep trance as if they slept the +sleep of death. + +Then Dryantore and Ailna came forth, and having bound them one by one in +strong, hard fetters, they roused them up and led them helpless and +faltering to the dungeon, where they shut them in with Finn and Dara. + +The Fena looked sadly on their king; and he, on his part, shed bitters +tears to think that he had decoyed them--though, indeed, he had done so +unwittingly--into the hands of their foe. + +In the midst of their sighs and tears they heard the loud voice of the +giant, who, looking in on them from the open door, addressed them-- + +"Now at last, ye Fena, you are in my safe keeping. Truly you have done +great deeds in your time, but yet, methinks, you will not be able to +escape from this prison till I have taken just vengeance on you for +slaying Mergah of the Sharp Spears, and my two sons, at the battle of +Knockanare!" + +And having so spoken, he shut the door and went his way. + +When he came to the palace, he found that Glanlua's husband, Lavaran, +had been there. Upon which he fell into a mighty rage; for he feared to +let any man know the secrets of the palace; and he feared also that +Lavaran might try to aid Finn and the others. He inquired of the two +ladies whither he had gone; but they replied they did not know. He then +began to search through the rooms, and, raising his voice, he called +aloud for Lavaran; and the Fena, even in their dungeon, heard the roar +quite plainly. + +Lavaran, hearing him, was sore afraid, and answered from a remote part +of the palace. And as he came forward, the giant placed him under his +spells, and, having bound him, flung him into the dungeon with the +others. + +Dryantore's fury had not in the least abated; and, entering the dungeon, +he struck off the heads of several of the Fena with his great sword, +saying he would visit them each day, and do in like manner till he had +killed them all. + +During this time the Fena were unable to defend themselves; for, besides +that their strength had gone out from their limbs on account of the +spells, they found that from the time the enchanter entered the prison, +they were all fixed firmly in their places, every man cleaving to the +ground, in whatsoever position he chanced to be, sitting, lying, or +standing. And Finn shed tears--even tears of blood in sight of +all--seeing his men fall one by one, while he had to look on without +power to help them. + +After Dryantore had in this manner slain several, he approached Conan +Mail,[23] with intent to end that day's work by cutting off his head; +and as it chanced, Conan was lying full length on the floor. Now Conan, +though he was large-boned and strong, and very boastful in his speech, +was a coward at heart, and more afraid of wounds and death than any man +that ever lived. + +So when he saw Dryantore coming towards him with his sword in his hand +all dripping, he shouted aloud-- + +"Hold thy hand, Dryantore! Hold thy hand for a little while, and be not +guilty of such treachery!" + +But the giant, not heeding in the least Conan's words, raised his sword +with his two hands and rose on tiptoe for a mighty blow. Then Conan, +terrified beyond measure, put forth all his strength to free himself, +and bounded from the floor clear outside the range of the sword; but +left behind him, clinging to the floor, all the skin of his back, even +from the points of his shoulders to the calves of his legs. + +When he saw the giant still making towards him in a greater rage than +ever for missing his blow, he again cried aloud-- + +"Hold your hand this time, Dryantore! Is it not enough that you see me +in this woful plight? For it is plain that I cannot escape death. Leave +me, then, to die of my wounds, and slay me not thus suddenly!" + +Dryantore held his hand; but he told Conan that he would for a certainty +kill him next time he came, if he did not find him already dead of his +wounds. Then he stalked out of the dungeon, and, shutting close the +door, left the Fena in gloom and sadness. + +Though Lavaran had been only a little while in the palace, he made good +use of his time, and now approaching Finn, he whispered in his ear-- + +"There is that in yonder palace which would free us from those accursed +spells if we only could get at it." + +And when Finn asked what it was, he replied, "A magical golden +drinking-horn of wondrous virtue. I saw it in the palace among many +other precious jewels." + +And when Finn again questioned him how he knew of its secret power, he +said-- + +"Glanlua, my wife, told me. For she said that, being herself at the +point of death, Ailna fetched this drinking-horn and bade her drink. And +when she had drunk, she was immediately freed from spells and sickness. +She told me, moreover, that it would remove the spell from the Fena, and +bring back their strength and heal their wounds, if they could get to +drink from it." + +Conan, being near, overheard this conversation; and he inwardly +resolved that he would try to secure the drinking-horn, if perchance he +might be able to heal his wounds by means of it. + +Not long after, the giant again came to the prison, sword in hand, and +addressed Conan in these words-- + +"Come forward now, O big, bald man, for I am about to fulfil my promise +to you! Come forward, that I may strike off your large head; for I see +that your wounds have not killed you!" + +But Conan, instead of coming forward, fell back even to the farthest +part of the dungeon, and replied-- + +"You must know, Dryantore, that I, of all men alive, am the most +unwilling to die any death unworthy of a brave hero. You see my evil +plight, all wounded and faint from loss of blood; and, being as I am a +valiant warrior, it would surely be a shameful thing and a foul blot on +my fame, to be slain while in this state. I ask only one favour--that +you cure me of my wounds first. After this, you may put me to death in +any manner that is most agreeable to you." + +To this Dryantore consented, seeing that Conan was secure; and he called +to Ailna and bade her fetch him the magical golden drinking-horn. "For I +wish," said he, "to heal the wounds of yonder big, bald man." + +But Ailna replied, "Of what concern are his wounds to us? Is it not +better that he should die at once, and all the other Fena with him?" + +Conan spoke out from where he stood, "Lovely Ailna, I seek not to escape +death. I ask only to be healed first and slain afterwards!" + +Ailna went to the palace and soon returned, bringing, not the +drinking-horn, but a large sheepskin, covered all over with a long +growth of wool. Dryantore took it from her, and doing as she told him, +he fitted it on Conan's back, where it cleaved firmly, so that his +wounds were all healed up in an instant. + +As long as Conan lived afterwards, this sheepskin remained on his back; +and the wool grew upon it every year, even as wool grows on the back of +a living sheep. And from that time forth, the other Fena were always +mocking him and laughing at him and calling him nicknames. + +As soon as Conan felt his wounds healed, he again spoke to the giant-- + +"It is my opinion, Dryantore, that it would be a very unwise thing for +you to put me to death. I see plainly you want a servant. Now, although +I am large of bone and strong of body, and very brave withal, still I am +very harmless. And if you let me live, I shall be your servant for ever, +and you will find me very useful to you." + +The giant saw the force and wisdom of Conan's words; and he felt that he +wanted a servant very much, though he never perceived it till that +moment, when Conan reminded him of it. + +So he said, "I believe, indeed, Conan, that your words are truth. +Wherefore, I will not put you to death. You are now my servant, and so +shall you be for the rest of your life." + +He then led Conan forth from the dungeon towards the palace; and he was +in such good humour at having got a servant, that he forgot to kill any +of the Fena on that occasion. + +He called to him Ailna and Glanlua, to tell them of what he had done. +And he said to them-- + +"I find that I need a servant very much. Wherefore, I have made Conan my +servant. And I am now about to free him from the spell and give him back +his strength by a drink from the golden drinking-horn, so that he may be +able to wait on me and do my work." + +For Conan, though his wounds were healed, was still so weak from the +spell that he was scarce able to walk. + +"I do not at all approve what you have done," said Ailna. "It would be, +methinks, much better to put him straightway to death along with all the +others. As long as he is with us as our servant, I shall never think +myself free from danger; for the Fena are treacherous all alike." + +"As for the other Fena," replied Dryantore, "you need not be in any +trouble on their account, for their time is short. As soon as I have got +Conan free from the spell, I will go straight to the dungeon and kill +them, every man. And when they are fairly put out of the way, it seems +to me that we need not fear danger from this big, bald man with the +sheepskin on his back." + +When Ailna heard that the death of the Fena was near at hand, she no +longer gainsaid her brother. So Dryantore led Conan to the palace; and +placing the magical drinking-horn in his hand, bade him drink. And Conan +drank; and immediately his strength and his spirits returned. + +Now it so happened, while these things went on, that Finn asked Dara to +play one of his sweet, sad tunes, that they might hear the music of his +timpan before they died. And Dara took his timpan, and began to play; +and historians say that no one either before or since ever played +sweeter strains. + +At the very moment that Conan had finished drinking, he and Dryantore +heard the music sounding faintly in the distance; and the giant opened +the door and stood on the threshold to listen. He was so charmed that he +quite forgot all about Conan and the drinking-horn; and finding that he +could not hear the music plainly enough where he stood, he walked +hastily towards the dungeon, leaving Conan behind with the drinking-horn +in his hand. + +No sooner had he gone out than Conan hid the drinking-horn under his +cloak, and went to the dungeon after him. + +And when the giant saw him he said, "Why have you followed me; and what +business have you here? Are you not my servant; and why have you come +without being bidden by me?" + +"I thought," replied Conan, "that you were about to put the Fena to +death; and I came to look at them once more before they died." + +Then suddenly Dryantore bethought him of the drinking-horn, and he +said, "Where is the golden drinking-horn I gave you?" + +"I left it," said Conan, "just where I found it in the palace." + +The giant ran hastily towards the palace to secure the drinking-horn; +and no sooner was he out of sight than Conan, drawing forth the horn, +put it to the lips of each to drink, beginning with Finn. Only Finn and +Oscar had drunk, when they heard the heavy steps of the giant running +towards the dungeon; and now they saw that he was indeed inflamed with +fury. Oscar seized his great, polished spear, and sprang to the door; +and the others raised a mighty shout of joy; while Conan went on +releasing the heroes one by one. + +When Dryantore saw Oscar, he uttered a roar of rage and disappointment; +and then called aloud to Ailna to come to him. And she came forth; and +when she saw how matters stood, she was seized with such grief and +terror that she dropped down and died immediately. Glanlua was standing +near at hand, rejoicing at the release of her husband and friends; but +when she saw Ailna fall to the ground dead, she became sad, and, +stooping down, wept over her. + +All this Oscar saw from where he stood; and it was with much ado he +checked his tears. For though my son was the bravest of the heroes, and +the most terrible in battle, he had a gentle heart, and never saw a +woman or a child in distress without being moved to pity. + +But Conan felt not the least pity. On the contrary, he was very glad to +see Ailna dead; and he told Oscar that it was very well she was out of +the way, for that she was a vicious woman, and had wrought the Fena much +trouble and woe. + +And now Oscar, casting his eyes again on Dryantore, hardened his heart +for battle, and addressed the giant in these words-- + +"It has at last come to pass, O Dryantore, that you are in the power of +the Fena; and there is no escape for you, though you are a large and +strong giant, and a druid with powerful magical spells. But the Fena +never yet treated an enemy ungenerously. You indeed dealt unfairly and +treacherously with us; and meant to kill us all, after having taken away +our strength and valour by your black, guileful magic. But even so, we +give you your choice; and we challenge you now to single combat with any +of our champions you may wish to choose." + +To which Dryantore replied, "It is very true that the Fena have +prevailed over me; and it is a just punishment for my folly in releasing +Conan the Bald from my spells. I desire single combat. I will fight the +Fena one after another, till I either fall myself or slay them all; and +I will begin with you!" + +Oscar then took his shield and made ready for battle. Meantime the +giant, harbouring great wrath against Conan, approached him unawares; +and when he had come near enough, he sprang suddenly on him, and aimed a +blow with all his might at his head. But Conan, springing aside, barely +escaped the edge of the sword; and, running in great fear, called to +Oscar with great outcry to save him from the giant. + +Then Oscar ran between; and he and the giant fought a long and fierce +fight, while we looked on with anxious hearts. The giant was furious and +strong; but my son was active and watchful and fearless of heart; and +Dryantore at length fell at the door of his own palace, pierced through +and through by the long, smooth spear of Oscar. + +When the Fena saw the giant fall, they raised three mighty shouts of +joy. And Glanlua brought the magic drinking-horn to Oscar, from which he +drank, so that his wounds were healed, and his strength straightway +returned to him. + +The Fena then went into the palace, where they found food in great +plenty, with wine and mead in golden bowls and drinking-horns. And they +ate and drank and made merry; after which they rested that night on soft +beds and couches. + +When they awoke in the morning, all was changed. The palace and the lake +were gone; and the heroes found themselves lying on the heathy side of +Slieve Fuad, at the selfsame spot where they had first started the deer; +with the morning sun shining brightly over their heads. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[CXLIV.] This story is told by Oisin to St. Patrick. (See the prefatory +note to the next story, "Oisin in Tirnanoge," page 385.) + +[CXLV.] Slieve Fuad was the ancient name of the highest of the Fews +mountains, near Newtown Hamilton, in Armagh; but the name is now lost. + +[CXLVI.] Now probably the village of Carrigans, on the river Foyle, five +miles south-west of Londonderry. + +[CXLVII.] Dord-Fian, a sort of musical war-cry. (See note, page 195.) + +[CXLVIII.] Knockanare (the hill of slaughter), where a great battle was +fought between the Fena under Finn, and the foreigners under Mergah of +the Sharp Spears, in which Mergah was defeated and slain. This battle +forms the subject of a poetical romance. It may be as well to observe +that this hill is _not_ Knockanare in Kerry, near the mouth of the +Shannon, as some say. + + + + +OISIN IN TIRNANOGE;[CXLIX.] + +OR, + +THE LAST OF THE FENA. + + [According to an ancient legend, Finn's son, Oisin, the hero-poet, + survived to the time of St. Patrick, two hundred years (the legend + makes it three hundred) after the other Fena. On a certain occasion, + when the saint asked him how he had lived to such a great age, the + old hero related the following story.] + + +A short time after the fatal battle of Gavra,[CL.] where so many of our +heroes fell, we were hunting on a dewy morning near the brink of Lough +Lein,[CLI.] where the trees and hedges around us were all fragrant with +blossoms, and the little birds sang melodious music on the branches. We +soon roused the deer from the thickets, and as they bounded over the +plain, our hounds followed after them in full cry. + +We were not long so engaged, when we saw a rider coming swiftly towards +us from the west; and we soon perceived that it was a maiden on a white +steed. We all ceased from the chase on seeing the lady, who reined in as +she approached. And Finn and the Fena were greatly surprised, for they +had never before seen so lovely a maiden. A slender golden diadem +encircled her head; and she wore a brown robe of silk, spangled with +stars of red gold, which was fastened in front by a golden brooch, and +fell from her shoulders till it swept the ground. Her yellow hair flowed +far down over her robe in bright, golden ringlets. Her blue eyes were as +clear as the drops of dew on the grass; and while her small, white hand +held the bridle and curbed her steed with a golden bit, she sat more +gracefully than the swan on Lough Lein. The white steed was covered with +a smooth, flowing mantle. He was shod with four shoes of pure yellow +gold, and in all Erin a better or more beautiful steed could not be +found. + +As she came slowly to the presence of Finn, he addressed her courteously +in these words-- + +"Who art thou, O lovely youthful princess? Tell us thy name and the name +of thy country, and relate to us the cause of thy coming." + +She answered in a sweet and gentle voice, "Noble king of the Fena, I +have had a long journey this day, for my country lies far off in the +Western Sea. I am the daughter of the king of Tirnanoge, and my name is +Niam of the Golden Hair." + +"And what is it that has caused thee to come so far across the sea? Has +thy husband forsaken thee; or what other evil has befallen thee?" + +"My husband has not forsaken me, for I have never been married or +betrothed to any man. But I love thy noble son, Oisin; and this is what +has brought me to Erin. It is not without reason that I have given him +my love, and that I have undertaken this long journey: for I have often +heard of his bravery, his gentleness, and the nobleness of his person. +Many princes and high chiefs have sought me in marriage; but I was quite +indifferent to all men, and never consented to wed, till my heart was +moved with love for thy gentle son, Oisin." + +When I heard these words, and when I looked on the lovely maiden with +her glossy, golden hair, I was all over in love with her. I came near, +and, taking her small hand in mine, I told her she was a mild star of +brightness and beauty, and that I preferred her to all the princesses in +the world for my wife. + +"Then," said she, "I place you under gesa,[12] which true heroes never +break through, to come with me on my white steed to Tirnanoge, the land +of never-ending youth. It is the most delightful and the most renowned +country under the sun. There is abundance of gold and silver and jewels, +of honey and wine; and the trees bear fruit and blossoms and green +leaves together all the year round. You will get a hundred swords and a +hundred robes of silk and satin, a hundred swift steeds, and a hundred +slender, keen-scenting hounds. You will get herds of cows without +number, and flocks of sheep with fleeces of gold; a coat of mail that +cannot be pierced, and a sword that never missed a stroke and from +which no one ever escaped alive. There are feasting and harmless +pastimes each day. A hundred warriors fully armed shall always await you +at call, and harpers shall delight you with their sweet music. You will +wear the diadem of the king of Tirnanoge, which he never yet gave to any +one under the sun, and which will guard you day and night, in tumult and +battle and danger of every kind. Lapse of time shall bring neither decay +nor death, and you shall be for ever young, and gifted with unfading +beauty and strength. All these delights you shall enjoy, and many others +that I do not mention; and I myself will be your wife if you come with +me to Tirnanoge." + +I replied that she was my choice above all the maidens in the world, and +that I would willingly go with her to the Land of Youth. + +When my father, Finn, and the Fena heard me say this, and knew that I +was going from them, they raised three shouts of grief and lamentation. +And Finn came up to me and took my hand in his, saying sadly-- + +"Woe is me, my son, that you are going away from me, for I do not expect +that you will ever return to me!" + +The manly beauty of his countenance became quite dimmed with sorrow; and +though I promised to return after a little time, and fully believed that +I should see him again, I could not check my tears, as I gently kissed +my father's cheek. + +I then bade farewell to my dear companions, and mounted the white steed, +while the lady kept her seat before me. She gave the signal, and the +steed galloped swiftly and smoothly towards the west, till he reached +the strand; and when his gold-shod hoofs touched the waves, he shook +himself and neighed three times. He made no delay, but plunged forward +at once, moving over the face of the sea with the speed of a +cloud-shadow on a March day. The wind overtook the waves and we overtook +the wind, so that we straightway lost sight of land; and we saw nothing +but billows tumbling before us and billows tumbling behind us. + +Other shores came into view, and we saw many wonderful things on our +journey--islands and cities, lime-white mansions, bright greenans[CLII.] +and lofty palaces. A hornless fawn once crossed our course, bounding +nimbly along from the crest of one wave to the crest of another; and +close after, in full chase, a white hound with red ears. We saw also a +lovely young maiden on a brown steed, with a golden apple in her hand; +and as she passed swiftly by, a young warrior on a white steed plunged +after her, wearing a long, flowing mantle of yellow silk, and holding a +gold-hilted sword in his hand. + +I knew naught of these things, and, marvelling much, I asked the +princess what they meant; but she answered-- + +"Heed not what you see here, Oisin; for all these wonders are as +nothing compared with what you shall see in Tirnanoge." + +At last we saw at a great distance, rising over the waves on the very +verge of the sea, a palace more splendid than all the others; and, as we +drew near, its front glittered like the morning sun. I asked the lady +what royal house this was, and who was the prince that ruled over it. + +"This country is the Land of Virtues," she replied. "Its king is the +giant, Fomor of the Blows, and its queen the daughter of the king of the +Land of Life.[19] This Fomor brought the lady away by force from her own +country, and keeps her in his palace; but she has put him under gesa[12] +that he cannot break through, never to ask her to marry him till she can +find a champion to fight him in single combat. But she still remains in +bondage; for no hero has yet come hither who has the courage to meet the +giant." + +"A blessing on you, golden-haired Niam," I replied; "I have never heard +music sweeter than your voice; and although I feel pity for this +princess, yet your story is pleasant to me to hear; for of a certainty I +will go to the palace, and try whether I cannot kill this Fomor, and +free the lady." + +So we came to land; and as we drew nigh to the palace, the lovely young +queen met us and bade us welcome. She led us in and placed us on chairs +of gold; after which choice food was placed before us, and +drinking-horns filled with mead, and golden goblets of sweet wine. + +When we had eaten and drunk, the mild young princess told us her story, +while tears streamed from her soft, blue eyes; and she ended by saying-- + +"I shall never return to my own country and to my father's house, so +long as this great and cruel giant is alive!" + +When I heard her sad words, and saw her tears falling, I was moved with +pity; and telling her to cease from her grief, I gave her my hand as a +pledge that I would meet the giant, and either slay him or fall myself +in her defence. + +While we were yet speaking, we saw the giant coming towards the palace, +large of body, and ugly and hateful in appearance, carrying a load of +deerskins on his back, and holding a great iron club in his hand. He +threw down his load when he saw us, turned a surly look on the princess, +and, without greeting us or showing the least mark of courtesy, he +forthwith challenged me to battle in a loud, rough voice. + +It was not my wont to be dismayed by a call to battle, or to be +terrified at the sight of an enemy; and I went forth at once without the +least fear in my heart. But though I had fought many battles in Erin +against wild boars and enchanters and foreign invaders, never before did +I find it so hard to preserve my life. We fought for three days and +three nights without food or drink or sleep; for the giant did not give +me a moment for rest, and neither did I give him. At length, when I +looked at the two princesses weeping in great fear, and when I called to +mind my father's deeds in battle, the fury of my valour arose; and with +a sudden onset I felled the giant to the earth; and instantly, before he +could recover himself, I cut off his head. + +When the maidens saw the monster lying on the ground dead, they uttered +three cries of joy; and they came to me, and led me into the palace. For +I was indeed bruised all over, and covered with gory wounds; and a +sudden dizziness of brain and feebleness of body seized me. But the +daughter of the king of the Land of Life applied precious balsam and +healing herbs to my wounds; and in a short time I was healed, and my +cheerfulness of mind returned. + +Then I buried the giant in a deep and wide grave; and I raised a great +carn over him, and placed on it a stone with his name graved in Ogam. + +We rested that night, and at the dawn of next morning Niam said to me +that it was time for us to resume our journey to Tirnanoge. So we took +leave of the daughter of the king of the Land of Life; and though her +heart was joyful after her release, she wept at our departure, and we +were not less sorry at parting from her. When we had mounted the white +steed, he galloped towards the strand; and as soon as his hoofs touched +the wave, he shook himself and neighed three times. We plunged forward +over the clear, green sea with the speed of a March wind on a hill-side; +and soon we saw nothing but billows tumbling before us and billows +tumbling behind us. We saw again the fawn chased by the white hound with +red ears; and the maiden with the golden apple passed swiftly by, +followed by the young warrior in yellow silk on his white steed. And +again we passed many strange islands and cities and white palaces. + +The sky now darkened, so that the sun was hidden from our view. A storm +arose, and the sea was lighted up with constant flashes. But though the +wind blew from every point of the heavens, and the waves rose up and +roared around us, the white steed kept his course straight on, moving as +calmly and swiftly as before, through the foam and blinding spray, +without being delayed or disturbed in the least, and without turning +either to the right or to the left. + +At length the storm abated, and after a time the sun again shone +brightly; and when I looked up, I saw a country near at hand, all green +and full of flowers, with beautiful smooth plains, blue hills, and +bright lakes and waterfalls. Not far from the shore stood a palace of +surpassing beauty and splendour. It was covered all over with gold and +with gems of every colour--blue, green, crimson, and yellow; and on each +side were greenans shining with precious stones, built by artists the +most skilful that could be found. I asked Niam the name of that +delightful country, and she replied-- + +"This is my native country, Tirnanoge; and there is nothing I have +promised you that you will not find in it." + +As soon as we reached the shore, we dismounted; and now we saw advancing +from the palace a troop of noble-looking warriors, all clad in bright +garments, who came forward to meet and welcome us. Following these we +saw a stately glittering host, with the king at their head wearing a +robe of bright yellow satin covered with gems, and a crown that sparkled +with gold and diamonds. The queen came after, attended by a hundred +lovely young maidens; and as they advanced towards us, it seemed to me +that this king and queen exceeded all the kings and queens of the world +in beauty and gracefulness and majesty. + +After they had kissed their daughter, the king took my hand, and said +aloud in the hearing of the host-- + +"This is Oisin, the son of Finn, for whom my daughter, Niam, travelled +over the sea to Erin. This is Oisin, who is to be the husband of Niam of +the Golden Hair. We give you a hundred thousand welcomes, brave Oisin. +You will be for ever young in this land. All kinds of delights and +innocent pleasures are awaiting you, and my daughter, the gentle, +golden-haired Niam, shall be your wife; for I am the king of Tirnanoge." + +I gave thanks to the king, and I bowed low to the queen; after which we +went into the palace, where we found a banquet prepared. The feasting +and rejoicing lasted for ten days, and on the last day, I was wedded to +the gentle Niam of the Golden Hair. + +I lived in the Land of Youth more than three hundred years; but it +appeared to me that only three years had passed since the day I parted +from my friends. At the end of that time, I began to have a longing +desire to see my father, Finn, and all my old companions, and I asked +leave of Niam and of the king to visit Erin. The king gave permission, +and Niam said-- + +"I will give consent, though I feel sorrow in my heart, for I fear much +you will never return to me." + +I replied that I would surely return, and that she need not feel any +doubt or dread, for that the white steed knew the way, and would bring +me back in safety. Then she addressed me in these words, which seemed +very strange to me-- + +"I will not refuse this request, though your journey afflicts me with +great grief and fear. Erin is not now as it was when you left it. The +great king Finn and his Fena are all gone; and you will find, instead of +them, a holy father and hosts of priests and saints. Now, think well on +what I say to you, and keep my words in your mind. If once you alight +from the white steed, you will never come back to me. Again I warn you, +if you place your feet on the green sod in Erin, you will never return +to this lovely land. A third time, O Oisin, my beloved husband, a third +time I say to you, if you alight from the white steed, you will never +see me again." + +I promised that I would faithfully attend to her words, and that I would +not alight from the white steed. Then, as I looked into her gentle face +and marked her grief, my heart was weighed down with sadness, and my +tears flowed plentifully; but even so, my mind was bent on coming back +to Erin. + +When I had mounted the white steed, he galloped straight towards the +shore. We moved as swiftly as before over the clear sea. The wind +overtook the waves and we overtook the wind, so that we straightway left +the Land of Youth behind; and we passed by many islands and cities, till +at length we landed on the green shores of Erin. + +As I travelled on through the country, I looked closely around me; but I +scarcely knew the old places, for everything seemed strangely altered. I +saw no sign of Finn and his host, and I began to dread that Niam's +saying was coming true. At length, I espied at a distance a company of +little men and women,[CLIII.] all mounted on horses as small as +themselves; and when I came near, they greeted me kindly and +courteously. They looked at me with wonder and curiosity, and they +marvelled much at my great size, and at the beauty and majesty of my +person. + +I asked them about Finn and the Fena; whether they were still living, or +if any sudden disaster had swept them away. And one replied-- + +"We have heard of the hero Finn, who ruled the Fena of Erin in times of +old, and who never had an equal for bravery and wisdom. The poets of the +Gaels have written many books concerning his deeds and the deeds of the +Fena, which we cannot now relate; but they are all gone long since, for +they lived many ages ago. We have heard also, and we have seen it +written in very old books, that Finn had a son named Oisin. Now this +Oisin went with a young fairy maiden to Tirnanoge, and his father and +his friends sorrowed greatly after him, and sought him long; but he was +never seen again." + +When I heard all this, I was filled with amazement, and my heart grew +heavy with great sorrow. I silently turned my steed away from the +wondering people, and set forward straightway for Allen of the mighty +deeds, on the broad, green plains of Leinster. It was a miserable +journey to me; and though my mind, being full of sadness at all I saw +and heard, forecasted further sorrows, I was grieved more than ever when +I reached Allen. For there, indeed, I found the hill deserted and +lonely, and my father's palace all in ruins and overgrown with grass and +weeds. + +I turned slowly away, and afterwards fared through the land in every +direction in search of my friends. But I met only crowds of little +people, all strangers, who gazed on me with wonder; and none knew me. I +visited every place throughout the country where I knew the Fena had +lived; but I found their houses all like Allen, solitary and in ruins. + +At length I came to Glenasmole,[CLIV.] where many a time I had hunted +in days of old with the Fena, and there I saw a crowd of people in the +glen. As soon as they saw me, one of them came forward and said-- + +"Come to us, thou mighty hero, and help us out of our strait; for thou +art a man of vast strength." + +I went to them, and found a number of men trying in vain to raise a +large, flat stone. It was half lifted from the ground; but those who +were under it were not strong enough either to raise it further or to +free themselves from its weight. And they were in great distress, and on +the point of being crushed to death. + +I thought it a shameful thing that so many men should be unable to lift +this stone, which Oscar, if he were alive, would take in his right hand +and fling over the heads of the feeble crowd. After I had looked a +little while, I stooped forward and seized the flag with one hand; and, +putting forth my strength, I flung it seven perches from its place, and +relieved the little men. But with the great strain the golden +saddle-girth broke, and, bounding forward to keep myself from falling, I +suddenly came to the ground on my two feet. + +The moment the white steed felt himself free, he shook himself and +neighed. Then, starting off with the speed of a cloud-shadow on a March +day, he left me standing helpless and sorrowful. Instantly a woeful +change came over me: the sight of my eyes began to fade, the ruddy +beauty of my face fled, I lost all my strength, and I fell to the earth, +a poor, withered old man, blind and wrinkled and feeble. + +The white steed was never seen again. I never recovered my sight, my +youth, or my strength; and I have lived in this manner, sorrowing +without ceasing for my gentle, golden-haired wife, Niam, and thinking +ever of my father, Finn, and of the lost companions of my youth. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[CXLIX.] Tirnanoge, the Land of Youth. (See note 19 at the end.) + +[CL.] Gavra, now Garristown, in the north-west of the county Dublin. +(For an account of this battle, see note 28 at the end.) + +[CLI.] Lough Lein, the Lakes of Killarney. + +[CLII.] Greenan, a summer-house; a house in a bright, sunny spot. + +[CLIII.] The gigantic race of the Fena had all passed away, and Erin was +now inhabited by people who looked very small in Oisin's eyes. + +[CLIV.] Glenasmole, a fine valley about seven miles south of Dublin, +through which the river Dodder flows. + + + + +THE + +VOYAGE OF THE SONS OF O'CORRA.[CLV.] + + +A princely upright hundred-herd brugaid[CLVI.] was born one time in the +lovely province of Connaught, namely, Conall Derg O'Corra the +fair-haired. And thus was this brugaid (circumstanced):--he was a +fortunate, rich, prosperous man; and his house was never found without +three shouts in it--the shout of the brewers brewing ale, and the shout +of the servants over the caldrons distributing (meat) to the hosts, and +the shout of the youths over the chessboards[CLVII.] winning games from +one another. + +The same house was never without three measures:--a measure of malt for +making yeast, a measure of wheat for providing bread for the guests, and +a measure of salt for savouring each kind of food. + +His wife was Cairderga[CLVIII.] the daughter of the Erenach[CLIX.] of +Clogher.[CLX.] They felt no want of any kind except being without +children; and it was not that they were without children (being born to +them), but that the infants always died the moment after birth. + +Then this brugaid said (one day) to his wife as she reclined near him on +the couch:--"It is a sad thing for us," said he, "that we have no +children who would take our place and fill it worthily when we are +gone." + +"What desire is in your mind in regard to that?" says the wife. + +"It is my desire," says the brugaid, "to make a bond with the demon to +try if he would give us a son or a daughter who would take our place +after us (since God has not done so)." + +"Let us do that," said the woman. + +They accordingly fasted (and prayed) to the demon; (and the demon +hearkened unto them. And in due time) the pains and struggles, of +childbirth came upon the lady; and she bore three sons at that great +birth, namely, a son at the beginning of the night, and a son at the +middle of the night, and a son at the end of the night. + +And they were baptised according to the baptism of the pagans (by which +they were dedicated not to God but to the demon); and their names were +Lochan, Enna, and Silvester. And after that, they were reared and +carefully trained up till they were swift and active on sea and land; so +that they were an overmatch for all the young people of their own age in +every game and in every accomplishment. And they were in the mouths and +on the tongues of all who saw or heard of them in their day. + +One day when they were resting at the railings of the house of their +father and mother, wearied after their hurling and their martial games, +the housefolk said that they saw no fault or defect in these handsome +much-renowned youths, except only their being baptised in the service of +the devil. (And the youths hearing this said):--"If it be so," said +they, "that the devil is our lord and master, it is very wrong of us not +to bring ruin and wrath and woe on his enemies, that is to say, (we +ought) to slaughter the clergy, and burn and spoil their churches." + +Then did these three youths arise, (and collecting a band), and taking +unto them their arms, they came to Tuam-da-Gualann,[CLXI.] and spoiled +and burned the town. And (after that) they plundered and made dreadful +havoc on the churches and clergy throughout the province of Connaught, +until their wicked and bloodthirsty ravages were noised over the four +quarters of Erin. Thus did they run their evil course without ceasing +for a whole year, during which time they destroyed more than half the +churches of Connaught. + +At the end of the year Lochan said to his brothers: "We have made one +great mistake through forgetfulness," says he, "and our lord the devil +will not be thankful to us on account of it." "What is that?" said the +other two youths. "Our grandfather," says he, "that is our mother's +father--not to have killed him and burned his church." + +So they set out straightway, journeying without sparing or respite (to +Clogher), and this was how they found the erenach, namely, on the green +of the church with a great company of his folk around him, (waiting for +the O'Corras), in order to attend on them and to deal out to them the +choice of every food and the best of every ale. And the intention that +the elder had towards them, that indeed was not the intention they had +towards him, but to murder him and to burn and spoil his church. + +Then the O'Corras came to the spot where the elder was standing, and +they made up their minds not to kill him or burn the houses till night, +when the cows and the (other) cattle of the homestead would be housed, +all in their own proper places. + +The elder welcomed them and led them to the homestead; and he now became +aware of their intention. Nevertheless he put them in a goodly pleasant +_Greenan_,[CLXII.] and they were served with food and ale till they +became exhilarated and cheerful: after which couches were made ready for +them on lofty bedsteads. + +And now deep slumber and heavy sleep fell on them, and a wonderful +vision was revealed in a dream to Lochan, the eldest of the sons of +O'Corra, in which he was carried to see heaven and hell. And after this +he awoke. The other two awoke at the same time, and they said:--"Let us +now arise, for it is time to plunder and destroy the homestead." + +"Seems to me," said Lochan, "that this is not the right thing for us to +do: for evil is the lord we have served until now, and good is the Lord +we have plundered and outraged. + +"And last night I had," said he, "a fearful dream, in which I saw a +vision of heaven and hell. And first I was taken to see hell, where were +countless souls of men and vast crowds of demons suffering divers +tortures, and plagues unexampled. And I saw the four rivers of hell, +that is to say, a river of toads, a river of serpents, a river of fire, +and a river of snow. I saw also a monstrous serpent with many heads and +legs, at sight whereof, even though it were only a single glance, all +the men in the world would drop dead with loathing and horror. + +"After this methought I was taken to see heaven; where I beheld the Lord +Himself seated on His kingly throne, and angels in the shapes of white +birds singing for Him. And among them was one great snow-white bird of +dazzling brightness that excelled all the others in size and beauty and +voice, chanting strains of surpassing sweetness. Women in travail and +men sore wounded and sick people racked with pain would fall asleep if +they heard the delightful harmony of his voice. And it was made known to +me that this great bird who chanted such heavenly music to his mild Lord +was Michael the Archangel. + +"And now my brothers," said Lochan, "it is my counsel to you that you +follow God henceforward." + +"But," said the others, "will the Lord accept repentance from us for the +dreadful evils we have already done?" + +They go to the father of their mother, namely, the erenach, and they ask +this thing of him. "He will accept your repentance without doubt," says +the erenach. + +"Well then," said Lochan, "let Mass be celebrated for us, and put us +under instruction, and let us offer our confession to God. After that we +will make staffs of the handles of our spears; and we will go to Finnen +of Clonard,[CLXIII.] the tutor of the saints and of the just men of all +Erin. He is a very holy man, and he will advise us in regard to what we +ought to do." + +To this counsel they agreed; and on the morrow they set out for the +place where Finnen was; whom they found on the green of Clonard with a +number of his clerics. + +"Who are these coming towards us?" said the clerics. And one said, "They +are the O'Corras the robbers." Hearing this they fled, like lightning, +in a body from their master, for they felt quite sure that the O'Corras +were coming to slay them; so that Finnen was left quite alone before the +three brothers. + +"It is from us the clerics are fleeing:" says Lochan. + +"Of a certainty it is," said his brothers. "Let us," said Lochan, "cast +from us our staffs, the only little remnant of our arms left with us; +and let us throw ourselves on our knees before the cleric." + +And this they did. "What is your desire?" says the cleric (Finnen). "Our +desire," said they, "is faith and piety, and to serve God, and to +abandon the lord whom we have hitherto served, namely, the devil." + +"That is a good resolution," says the cleric; "and let us go now to the +homestead yonder, the place where live our brotherhood." + +They go accordingly with him to the brotherhood; and after the matter +had been considered, it was arranged to set apart a young cleric to +teach them; and it was decreed that they should not speak to any one +except their own master till the end of a year. + +So they continued for a whole year till they had read the Canons +through, and by the time they had come to be able to read them, the +whole brotherhood felt grateful (to God) for their piety and their +gentleness. + +At the end of the year they came to Finnen; and they knelt before him, +and said to him:--"It is time now that we should be judged and sentence +passed on us for the great crimes we have committed. + +"What," said Finnen, "do ye not think it enough--the penance you have +done already for a whole year among the brotherhood?" "It is not +enough," said they. "What then are the greatest crimes ye have +committed?" says Finnen. "We have burned more than half the churches of +Connaught; and neither priest nor bishop got quarter or protection from +us." + +"You cannot" replied Finnen, "give back life to the people you have +killed; but do ye that which will be in your power, namely, to build up +the churches ye have burned, and to repair every other damage ye have +committed in them. And I will give to each man of you," says he, "the +swiftness and strength of a hundred; and I will take from you all +weariness of feet, of hands, and of body; and I will give you light and +understanding which will have neither decay nor end." + +So the O'Corras departed, and went first to Tuam-da-Gualann; and after +that, they fared through the province, obedient to rule and working hard +each day, until it came to pass that they had restored everything they +had previously destroyed. + +After that they came at the end of the year to speak with Finnen. "Have +you been able," asks Finnen, "to repair everything ye destroyed +belonging to the Church?" "We have," said they, "except one place alone, +namely Kenn-Mara."[CLXIV.] "Alas for that," says Finnen; "that is the +very first place you should have repaired; for it is the homestead of +the oldest of all the saints of Ireland, namely, the aged Camann of +Kenn-Mara. And now go and carefully restore everything ye have destroyed +in that homestead. And the sentence that holy man passes on you, fulfil +it patiently." + +So they went gladly to Kenn-Mara; and they repaired everything they had +ruined there. + +One day when they had come forth from the homestead, they sat on the +margin of the little bay, watching the sun as it went westward. And as +they gazed and reflected on the course of the sun, they began to marvel +greatly, pondering whither it went after it had gone down beneath the +verge of the sea. "What more wonderful thing is there in the whole +world," said they, "than that the sea does not freeze into ice, while +ice is formed in every other water!" + +Thereupon they formed the resolution on the spot to bring unto them a +certain artificer who was a fast friend of theirs, and to (get him) to +make a three-hide curragh[CLXV.] for them. Accordingly the curragh was +made, and a strong-sided one it was. And the reward the artificer asked +for building it was to be let go with them. + +When the time had come, and they were about to embark, they saw a large +crowd passing close by; and this crowd was a company of +_crossans_.[CLXVI.] When the _crossans_ saw the curragh putting forth on +the sea, they inquired:--"Who are yonder people that are launching this +curragh on the sea?" said they. + +The _furshore_ (juggler) of the crossans said:--"I know them well; they +are the sons of Conall derg O'Corra the fair-haired of Connaught, the +destroyers and robbers, going on their pilgrimage on the sea and on the +great ocean, to make search for their Lord." "And indeed," added the +_furshore_, "my word for it, they do not stand more in need of seeking +for heaven than we do." + +"It is a long day I fancy till you go on your pilgrimage," said the +leader of the band. "Say not so," answered the _furshore_: "for I will +certainly go with these people on my pilgrimage now without delay." + +"Upon our word," said the _crossans_, "you will not take away our +clothes with you; for not a single article of the garments you wear +belongs to you." "It is not so small a matter that would keep me with +you," says he. + +So they stripped off all his clothes, and sent him away mother naked to +the curragh. + +"Who and what in the world are you, good man?" asked the crew. "A poor +wretch who wishes to go with you on pilgrimage," said he. "Indeed," said +they, "you shall not by any means come with us, seeing that you are +stark naked." "Say not so, young men," said he, "for the sake of God do +not refuse me; for I will amuse you and keep your hearts cheerful (with +my music and singing); and your piety will not be a whit the worse for +it." + +And (inasmuch as he had asked) for the sake of God they consented to let +him go. + +Now this is how it was with the crew:--each man of them had built a +church and raised an altar to the Lord in his own district. Their number +was nine; among whom was a bishop, and a priest, and a deacon; and they +had one _gilla_ (attendant) who was the ninth man. + +"Let us go aboard our curragh now," says Lochan, "as we have finished +our task of restoring the churches, and as we have, besides, each of us +built a church to the Lord in our own district." + +It was then they put up their prayers fervently to God in the hope that +they might have fine weather; and that the Lord would quell the fury of +the billows, and the might of the ocean, and the rage of the terrible +sea monsters. So they embarked in their curragh, bringing their oars; +and they began to question among themselves what direction they should +take. "The direction in which this wind will bring us," says the bishop. +And having commended themselves to God, one and all, they betook them to +their oars. A great wind now arose, which drove them out on the waste +of waters straight to the west; and they were forty days and forty +nights on the ocean. And God revealed to them great and unheard of +wonders. + +They had not been long rowing when the _crossan_ died; and sad and +sorrowful were they for his loss, and wept much. While they were still +mourning, they saw a little bird alight on the deck of the curragh. And +the little bird spoke and said to them:--"Good people, tell me now in +God's name what is the cause of your sorrow." + +"A _crossan_ that we had playing music for us; and he died a little +while ago in this curragh; and that is the cause of our sorrow." + +And the bird said:--"Lo, I am your little _crossan_: and now be not +sorrowful any longer, for I am going straightway to heaven." So saying +he bade them farewell and flew away. + + +I. + +They row forward for a long time till there was shown to them a +wonderful island, and in it a great grove of marvellous beauty, laden +with apples, golden coloured and sweet scented. A sparkling rivulet of +wine flowed through the midst of the grove; and when the wind blew +through the trees, sweeter than any music was the rustling it made. The +O'Corras ate some of the apples and drank from the rivulet of wine, and +were immediately satisfied. And from that time forth they were never +troubled by either wounds or sickness. + + +II. + +Then they took to their oars; and after a time they came in view of +another island, and four companies of people in it, such as had never +been seen before. Now these people had divided the island into four +parts: old greyheaded people were in the first division; princes in the +second; warriors in the third; and servants in the fourth. They were all +beautiful and glorious to behold; and they diverted themselves +continually with games and pastimes. One of the crew went to them to ask +news: (he was a comely, well-favoured youth, but) he seemed ugly and +dark-visaged in presence of these glorious people. When he had got among +them, he became in a moment beautiful like the others; and he joined in +their games, and laughed, and made merry. Moreover he remembered nothing +more of his companions; and he sojourned in the island after that for +evermore. And the O'Corras were at length forced to depart, though much +grieved for the loss of their companion. + + +III. + +Then they set out and rowed for some time till they sighted another +marvellous island. It stood up in the air high over the great sea; and +it was propped up by a pillar like a single foot standing under it in +the middle. And the crew heard great shouting and the loud conversation +of people on the top of the island overhead; but though the O'Corras +sailed round and round, they could not get a sight of them. + + +IV. + +They row forward after that till they come to an island in which lived +one lone cleric. Very lovely was that island, and glorious its history. +Beautiful purple flowers covered all the plains, dropping honey in +abundance; and on the trees were perched flocks of bright-coloured birds +singing slow sweet fairy-music. The O'Corras went to ask the cleric +about himself and about the island. And he spoke as follows:-- + +"I am a disciple of St. Andrew the Apostle, and Dega is my name. On a +certain night I neglected to read my Matins; and it is for this that I +was sent on a pilgrimage on the ocean; and here I am awaiting the +Judgment day. And yonder birds that are singing those incomparable +strains on the trees, these are the souls of holy men." + + +V. + +They took leave of the old man and plied their oars, till they reached +another island, with dead people on one side of it, and living people on +the other side: and many of the living people had feet of iron. All +round was a burning sea, which broke over the island continually in +mighty waves. And the living people uttered fearful cries when the fiery +waves flowed over them, for their torments thereby were great and +terrible. + + +VI. + +After leaving this they rowed on till they saw an island formed of great +flat stones for ever burning red hot. And thereon they saw whole hosts +of people burning in great torment; and many had red fiery spits thrust +through their bodies. And they uttered great cries of pain without +ceasing. The crew called out from a distance to ask who they were: +whereupon one answered:-- + +"This is one of the flagstones of hell. We are souls who in life did not +fulfil the penance imposed on us; and warn all men to avoid this place; +for whosoever cometh hither shall never go hence till the Day of +Judgment." + + +VII. + +The next island they saw was very beautiful and glorious to look upon. +It had a wall of copper all round it, with a network of copper hanging +out from each corner; and in the centre stood a palace. The crew left +their curragh on the strand and went towards the palace. And when they +had come nigh unto the wall, the wind, as it rustled and murmured +through the copper network, made music so soft and sweet that they fell +into a gentle slumber, and slept for three days and three nights. When +they awoke they saw a beautiful maiden coming towards them from the +palace. She had sandals of _findrina_ (a sort of white metal) on her +feet, and an inner garment of fine silk next her snow-white skin. She +wore a beautiful gold-coloured vest, and over all a bright-tinted +mantle, plaited fivefold on its upper border, and fastened at the neck +with a brooch of burnished gold. In one hand she held a pitcher of +copper, and in the other a silver goblet. + +When she had come near she greeted them and bade them welcome. And she +gave them food from the copper pitcher which seemed to them like cheese; +and she brought them water in the silver goblet from a well on the +strand. And there was no delicious flavour that was ever tasted by man +that they did not find in this food and drink. Then the maiden said to +them:--"Although we are all--you and I--of one race, yet shall ye go +hence without delay, for your resurrection is not to be here." + +So they bade her farewell and took to their oars once more. + + +VIII. + +After rowing for some time they saw flocks of large birds of divers +colours flying over the sea; and their number was great beyond counting. +One of them alighted on the deck of the curragh. + +"It would be a delightful thing," said one of the clerics, "if this bird +were a messenger from the Lord, sent to give us news." + +"That would be quite possible with God," said the eldest; and as he +spoke he raised his eyes and looked at the bird. Whereupon the bird +spoke and said:-- + +"It is indeed to converse with you that I have come; for I am of the +land of Erin." + +Now this bird was crimson red all over, except three beautiful streaks +on her breast, which shone as bright as the sun. And after a time she +said to the same cleric:-- + +"I am the soul of a woman; and I am your friend. And come ye now," says +she, "to hear yonder birds; for these are the souls that are permitted +to come out of hell every Sunday." + +"It is better that we leave this place at once," said the same old +cleric. And his companions said to him:-- + +"We will go with thee whithersoever thou goest." So they departed from +that place; (and the crimson red bird went with them). + + +IX. + +And as they went, they saw three wonderful streams, namely, a stream of +otters, a stream of eels, and a stream of black swans. Great flocks of +birds arose from these three streams and flew past the voyagers; and the +black swans followed close after, tearing and tormenting the birds. And +the crimson red bird said:-- + +"Marvel not, neither be ye sad of heart; for these bird-shapes that ye +see are the souls of people suffering the punishment of their crimes. +And the black swans that follow them, these are devils who are for ever +tormenting them; and the birds scream fearfully, and are for ever trying +to fly from the demons and to free themselves from their torment. + +"And now as to me," continued the bird, "I am about to depart from you. +It is not permitted me to make known to you what is to befall you; but +in a little time another will tell you all that you need to know." + +And the cleric said:--"Tell us, I beseech thee, what are those three +beautiful streaks on thy breast." + +"I will tell you that," answered the bird. "When I was in the world I +was married; but I did not yield obedience to my husband, neither did I +fulfil my lawful homely duties as a wife. And when a grievous sickness +came upon him I left him to die. But thrice I went in pity to him:--once +to see him and ask after his illness; once to bring him such food as +befitted his state; and the third time when he was dead, to watch by the +body and see it buried. These three good deeds are the three beautiful +streaks that you see on my breast; and I should have been bright all +over like these streaks if I had not violated my lawful marriage +duties." + +And having so spoken, the bird bade them farewell and flew away. + + +X. + +They next discovered a very beautiful island. The grass was bright +green, and it was all over intermingled with pretty purple-coloured +flowers. Flocks of lovely little birds of many bright colours, and +myriads of bees, flew among the trees and flowers, humming and singing +harmonious music. The voyagers saw a venerable grey-headed old man with +a harp in his hand. He played this harp on the island continually; and +the music thereof was sweeter than any music they had ever heard. They +saluted the old man, who saluted them in return, with a blessing. But +immediately he bade them to depart. + + +XI. + +So they rowed away till they came to another island, on which they saw a +man digging in a field; and his spade was all fiery, and the handle +thereof, which he held in his hand, was red hot. From the sea at one +side arose at times a mighty wave all flaming red with fire, which +flowed quite over the island and over the man. And ever when he saw the +wave coming he cried out with fear; and when the burning torrent covered +him, he strove to raise his head above the flames, and roared with his +great torment. Now when one of the waves had retired they spoke to him +and asked:-- + +"Who art thou, O wretched man?" + +And he answered:--"Lo, this is my punishment for my misdeeds. For when I +lived on earth I always worked on Sundays, digging in my garden; for +which I am condemned to dig with this fiery spade, and to suffer the +torments of these fiery waves. And now, for the sake of God, offer up +your prayers for me, that my pains may be lightened." + +And they prayed fervently; after which they departed from the island. + + +XII. + +Soon after leaving this they saw a horseman of vast size riding on the +sea; and the horse he rode was made of fire flaming red. And as he rode, +great waves of fire came after him along the sea; and when a wave began +to roll over him, he yelled aloud with fear and pain. Then they asked +him why he was thus tormented; and he answered:-- + +"I am he who stole my brother's horse; and after I had gotten him I rode +him every Sunday. For this I am now undergoing my punishment, riding on +this horse of fire, and tormented with these great waves of fire." + + +XIII. + +After leaving this they came in sight of another island, full of people, +all weeping and lamenting grievously. Great numbers of jet-black birds +with beaks of fire and red-hot fiery talons followed and fluttered round +about them, tearing and burning them with their talons, and rending away +pieces of flesh, the full of their fiery beaks. Then the crew said +aloud:-- + +"Who are ye, O miserable people?" + +"We are dishonest smiths and artisans; and because we cheated while we +lived, we are punished by these hateful fiery birds. Moreover, our +tongues are burning, being all afire in our heads; for that we reviled +people with bitter words and foul taunts." + + +XIV. + +Coming now to another place, they saw a giant huge in size, and of a +sooty black colour all over. His mouth was all on fire; and from his +throat he belched forth great flakes of fire, each flake as it came from +his mouth larger than the skin of a three-year-old wether. He held in +his hand an iron club larger than the shaft of a mill wheel; and on his +back he bore an immense faggot of firewood, a good load for a team of +horses. Now this faggot often blazed up and burned him; and he tried to +free himself from his torment by lying down so that the sea might flow +over him. But ever as he did so, the sea around him turned to fire, and +rose up in mighty burning billows, covering him all over, so that he +made the place resound with his bellowings. + +"Miserable wretch, who art thou?" asked the crew. + +And he answered:--"I will tell you truly. When I lived I used to cut +faggots and bring them home on my back every Sunday: and lo, here is my +punishment." + + +XV. + +They came after that to a sea of fire full of men's heads, all black, +and continually fighting with each other. And many great serpents rose +up among the heads and came with fury to attack the curragh, so that at +one time they pierced through the outer hide. And one of the crew who +looked on cried out in great horror, and said:-- + +"It is enough to strike one dead to behold the fearful things I see!" + +And the whole crew when they saw the heads and the serpents fell flat +with fear. But the elder (the bishop) comforted them, saying:-- + +"Be ye not afraid or troubled on account of these things; for God is +able to protect us, even though we were in a curragh of only one hide; +and if He wishes to save us, these monsters cannot hurt us, however +furious they may be to slay us." + +And they took courage after this, and rowed out into the open sea. + + +XVI. + +There was shown to them next another beautiful island, having in one +place an open wood. The trees were laden with fruit, and the leaves +dropped honey to the ground. The sides of the hills were clothed with +purple blossomed heather, mixed with soft, green grass to its very +centre. In the midst of the island was a pretty lake, whose waters +tasted like sweet wine. They rested for a week on the shore of this +lake, and cast off their weariness. And now, being about to leave the +island, as they turned to go to the curragh, a monstrous +reptile[CLXVII.] rose up from the lake and looked at them. And they +trembled with fear at the sight of this terrible beast; for each man +thought that he himself would be the first to be attacked. But after a +little time the reptile dived again into the water, and they saw no more +of him. + + +XVII. + +From this they rowed away; and after a long time they came at midnight +to an island wherein was a community of Ailbe of Emly.[CLXVIII.] On the +beach they found two spring wells; one foul, the other bright and clear. +The gilla wished to drink of the clear well; but the elder (the bishop) +told him it was better to ask leave, if there was anyone living on the +island. + +Then they saw a great light; and coming closer, they found the twelve +men of the community at their prayers; and now they perceived that the +bright light they saw came from the radiant faces of the twelve; so that +these holy men needed no other light. One of them, an old man, comes +towards the voyagers; and he bids them welcome and asks news of them. +They tell him all their adventures, and ask his leave to drink from the +well; whereupon he said to them:--"Ye may fill your pitchers from the +clear well, if your elder (_i.e._ the bishop) gives you leave." + +"Who are ye?" asks the gilla. + +"A community of Ailbe of Emly," says he: "and we are the crew of one of +Ailbe's curraghs. God has permitted that we live here till the Day of +Judgment, praying for everyone who is drowned at sea. And now leave this +land before morning," he added, "for your resurrection is not to be +here. And if ye have not left by the dawn, so much the worse for +yourselves; for if once ye get a view of this island in the light of +day, bitter will be your anguish of mind for leaving it (on account of +its surpassing loveliness). So it is better for you to go away during +the night." + +And they did exactly all he told them to do. + +"Shall we take away some of the pebbles of the strand?" said they +(talking among themselves). + +"It is better to ask leave," answered the cleric. So the gilla asked +leave of the same old man. + +"Yes, if you have the permission (of your bishop)," answered he. +"Nevertheless," he added, "those who take them will be sorry; and those +who do not take them will be sorry also." + +They pick up pebbles, some bringing away one, some two, some three. +(After which they row away in the dark night from the island.) In the +morning they drank some of the spring water of the island from their +pitchers; which threw them into a deep sleep from that time till next +day. On wakening up, they examined their pebbles in the light; and some +were found to be crystal, some silver, and some gold. Then those who +brought some away were in sorrow that they had not brought more; and +much greater was the sorrow of those who had brought away none. So the +words of the old man came true. + + +XVIII. + +After leaving this they came to a lovely island on which was a church +standing all alone: and when they drew nigh they heard the voice of a +cleric singing the psalms with a sweet voice. They came to the door and +struck it with the hand-wood; and straightway a beautiful +bright-coloured bird came to speak with them. When they had told him +who they were and what they wanted, he flew back to the cleric, who bade +him have the door opened for the pilgrims. And when they had come in, +they found the cleric--a very old man with white hair--who sang his +hymns continually. And they saluted each other; and the pilgrims stayed +there that night. And an angel came and brought them supper, and +ministered unto them. On the morrow the old priest bade them depart, +since that was not to be the place of their resurrection on the Judgment +Day. But before they went he foretold all that should happen to them +during the rest of their voyage. + + +XIX. + +From that they came to an island in which was a disciple of Christ. +Glorious and beautiful was that island; and on it stood a church and a +kingly shrine. As they came near they heard some one singing the Pater +to God in the door of the church: whereupon one of the clerics said:-- + +"Welcome the prayer of our father and teacher, Jesus." + +And the priest who stood praying at the door said:-- + +"Why say you so? Who are ye; and where have ye seen Him?" + +And when they had told him that they were servants of Jesus, he spoke +again:-- + +"I too am one of His disciples. And when I first took Him for my Lord I +was faithful and steady; but after a time I left Him and came to sea in +my curragh, and rowed till I came to this island. For a long time I +lived on fruit and herbs; till at length an angel came from heaven to +visit me. And he said to me:-- + +"'Thou hast not done well: nevertheless thou shalt abide on this island, +eating the same food without either decay or death till the Judgment +Day.' And so I have lived here to this hour: and no daily meal is sent +to me, but I eat of the herbs and fruit that grow on the island." + +Then they all went together into one house; and being very hungry, they +prayed fervently for food. And presently an angel came down from heaven; +and while they looked on he placed a supper for them on a flagstone hard +by the strand, namely, a cake with a slice of fish for each. And while +they ate, whatsoever taste each man separately wished for, that taste he +found on the food. In the morning, when they were about to bid the +cleric farewell, he foretold all that should happen to them, saying:-- + +"Ye shall go from me now on sea till ye reach the western point of +Spain. And as ye near the land, ye shall meet a boat with a crew of men +fishing, who will bring you with them to land." + +Then turning to the bishop, he said:--"Immediately after leaving the +curragh, as soon as thou hast reached the land, prostrate thyself three +times to God. And the place on which thou shalt first set thy foot, +there a great crowd shall gather round thee from every quarter. And they +will treat thee kindly, and will give thee land on which they will +build a church for thee; and after this thy fame shall spread over the +whole world. And the successor of Peter (the Pope) shall bring thee +eastwards to Rome. Yonder priest thou shalt leave as thy successor in +the church, and the deacon thou shalt leave to be his sacristan. That +place and that church shall be revered, and shall be preserved for ever. +And thou shalt leave the Gilla in Britain, where he will live for the +rest of his life." + +After this they bade the old man farewell and left the island. And all +fell out just as he had foretold. And the bishop went to Rome; and he +afterwards related these adventures to Saerbrethach bishop of West +Munster, and to Mocolmoc, one of the holy men of Aran, as we have set +them down here. + + +Thus far the Voyage of the Sons of O'Corra. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[CLV.] I translated this tale fifteen years ago (as mentioned in +Preface, page xiii) from two Royal Irish Academy MSS., 23. N. 15 and 23. +M. 50; and I subsequently made some modifications after I had an +opportunity of consulting the more correct text of the Book of Fermoy. +This last text has since been published, with literal translation, by +Dr. Whitley Stokes, in the _Revue Celtique_ (Jan. 1893). After comparing +my somewhat free version with Dr. Stokes's close translation, I have not +thought it necessary to make any changes. + +A few of the adventures in this tale are identical with those described +in the Voyage of Maildun: the description of these I have omitted here. +Lochan, Enna, and Silvester, the chief characters in this extraordinary +fiction, are historical: they were saints of the primitive Irish church, +and lived in the sixth century. + +[CLVI.] _Brugaid_, a sort of local officer who maintained a large +establishment as keeper of a house of public hospitality. See my "Short +History of Ireland," p. 57. + +[CLVII.] Chess-playing was a favourite amusement among the ancient +Irish. + +[CLVIII.] Cairderga: original _Caer-derg_, red berry. + +[CLIX.] _Erenach_, the holder or _impropriator_ of a church and its +lands: usually a layman. + +[CLX.] Clogher in Tyrone where there was a monastery. + +[CLXI.] Tuam-da-Gualann, where was formerly a celebrated ecclesiastical +establishment: now Tuam in Galway. + +[CLXII.] Greenan: original _grianan_, literally a sunny place: a +summer-house: the most lightsome, airy, and pleasant apartment of a +house. See this word discussed in my "Irish Names of Places," vol. i. p. +291. + +[CLXIII.] For St. Finnen of Clonard in the County Meath, see my "Short +History of Ireland," p. 175 + +[CLXIV.] _Kenn-Mara_, now Kinvarra on Galway bay. + +[CLXV.] _Curragh_, see note 17 at end. Some curraghs were made with +two--some with three--hides, one outside another, for the better +security. + +[CLXVI.] _Crossans_: travelling gleemen: the clothes, musical +instruments, &c., were the property of the company. This word is the +origin of the Scotch and Irish family name MacCrossan, now often changed +to Crosbie. A company of crossans had always among them a _fuirseoir_, +i.e. a juggler or buffoon. + +[CLXVII.] According to very ancient legends, which are still vividly +remembered and recounted all over the country, almost every lake in +Ireland has a tremendous hairy reptile in its waters. Some say they are +demons, sent by St. Patrick to reside at the bottom of the lakes to the +Day of Judgment. + +[CLXVIII.] St. Ailbe, the patron of Munster, was a contemporary of St. +Patrick. He founded his great monastery and school at Emly in the County +Limerick. + + + + +THE FATE OF THE SONS OF USNA.[CLXIX.] + + Avenging and bright fall the swift sword of Erin + On him who the brave sons of Usna betrayed. + + MOORE. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[CLXIX.] The translation that follows is my own, and is of course +copyright, like all the other translations in this book. On this fine +story is founded the epic poem of "Deirdre," by Robert Dwyer Joyce, M.D. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE FLIGHT TO ALBAN. + + +Concobar mac Nessa, king of Ulaid,[CLXX.] ruled in Emain. And his chief +story-teller, Felimid, made a feast for the king and for the knights of +the Red Branch,[CLXXI.] who all came to partake of it in his house. +While they were feasting right joyously, listening to the sweet music of +the harps and the mellow voices of the bards, a messenger brought word +that Felimid's wife had given birth to a little daughter, an infant of +wondrous beauty. And when Caffa, the king's druid and seer, who was of +the company, was ware of the birth of the child, he went forth to view +the stars and the clouds, if he might thereby glean knowledge of what +was in store for that little babe.[CLXXII.] And when he had returned to +his place, he sat deep pondering for a time: and then standing up and +obtaining silence, he said:-- + +"This child shall be called Deir-dr[)e][CLXXIII.]; and fittingly is she +so named: for much of woe will befall Ulaid and Erin in general on her +account. There shall be jealousies, and strifes, and wars: evil deeds +will be done: many heroes will be exiled: many will fall." + +When the heroes heard this, they were sorely troubled, and some said +that the child should be killed. But the king said:--"Not so, ye Knights +of the Red Branch; it is not meet to commit a base deed in order to +escape evils that may never come to pass. This little maid shall be +reared out of the reach of mischief, and when she is old enough she +shall be my wife: thus shall I be the better able to guard against those +evils that Caffa forecasts for us." + +And the Ultonians did not dare to gainsay the word of the king. + +Then king Concobar caused the child to be placed in a strong fortress on +a lonely spot nigh the palace, with no opening in front, but with door +and windows looking out at the back on a lovely garden watered by a +clear rippling stream: and house and garden were surrounded by a wall +that no man could surmount. And those who were put in charge of her +were, her tutor, and her nurse, and Concobar's poetess, whose name was +Lavarcam: and save these three, none were permitted to see her. And so +she grew up in this solitude, year by year, till she was of marriageable +age, when she excelled all the maidens of her time for beauty. + +One snowy day as she and Lavarcam looked forth from the window, they saw +some blood on the snow, where her tutor had killed a calf for dinner; +and a raven alighted and began to drink of it. "I should like," said +Deirdre, "that he who is to be my husband should have these three +colours: his hair as black as the raven: his cheeks red as the blood: +his skin like the snow. And I saw such a youth in a dream last night; +but I know not where he is, or whether he is living on the ridge of the +world." + +"Truly," said Lavarcam, "the young hero that answers to thy words is not +far from thee; for he is among Concobar's knights: namely, Naisi the son +of Usna." + +Now Naisi and his brothers, Ainnli and Ardan, the three sons of Usna, +were the best beloved of all the Red Branch Knights, so gracious and +gentle were they in time of peace, so skilful and swift-footed in the +chase, so strong and valiant in battle. + +And when Deirdre heard Lavarcam's words, she said:--"If it be as thou +sayest, that this young knight is near us, I shall not be happy till I +see him: and I beseech thee to bring him to speak to me." + +"Alas, child," replied Lavarcam, "thou knowest not the peril of what +thou askest me to do: for if thy tutor come to know of it, he will +surely tell the king; and the king's anger none can bear." + +Deirdre answered not: but she remained for many days sad and silent: and +her eyes often filled with tears through memory of her dream: so that +Lavarcam was grieved: and she pondered on the thing if it could be done, +for she loved Deirdre very much, and had compassion on her. At last she +contrived that these two should meet without the tutor's knowledge: and +the end of the matter was that they loved each other: and Deirdre said +she would never wed the king, but she would wed Naisi. + +Knowing well the doom that awaited them when Concobar came to hear of +this, Naisi and his young wife and his two brothers, with thrice fifty +fighting men, thrice fifty women, thrice fifty attendants, and thrice +fifty hounds, fled over sea to Alban. And the king of the western part +of Alban received them kindly, and took them into military service. Here +they remained for a space, gaining daily in favour: but they kept +Deirdre apart, fearing evil if the king should see her. + +And so matters went on, till it chanced that the king's steward, coming +one day by Naisi's house, saw the couple as they sat on their couch: and +going directly to his master, he said:-- + +"O king, we have long sought in vain for a woman worthy to be thy wife, +and now at last we have found her: for the woman, Deirdre, who is with +Naisi, is worthy to be the wife of the king of the western world. And +now I give thee this counsel:--Let Naisi be killed, and then take thou +Deirdre for thy wife." + +The king basely agreed to do so; and forthwith he laid a plot to slay +the sons of Usna; which matter coming betimes to the ears of the +brothers, they fled by night with all their people. And when they had +got to a safe distance, they took up their abode in a wild place, where +with much ado they obtained food by hunting and fishing. And the +brothers built them three hunting booths in the forest, a little +distance from that part of the seashore looking towards Erin: and the +booth in which their food was prepared, in that they did not eat; and +the one in which they ate, in that they did not sleep. And their people +in like manner built themselves booths and huts, which gave them but +scant shelter from wind and weather. + +Now when it came to the ears of the Ultonians, that the sons of Usna and +their people were in discomfort and danger, they were sorely grieved: +but they kept their thoughts to themselves, for they dared not speak +their mind to the king. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[CLXX.] Ulaid (pronounced _Ulla_), Ulster. + +[CLXXI.] For Concobar and the Red Branch Knights, see note 15 farther +on: and for much fuller information, see my "Social History of Ancient +Ireland," vol. i, page 83; or the Smaller Soc. Hist., page 38. + +[CLXXII.] The druids professed to be able to foretell by observing the +stars and clouds. See Smaller Social History, p. 98. + +[CLXXIII.] "Deirdre" is said to mean "alarm." + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +CONCOBAR'S GUILEFUL MESSAGE. + + +AT this same time a right joyous and very splendid feast was given by +Concobar in Emain Macha to the nobles and the knights of his household. +And the number of the king's household that sat them down in the great +hall of Emain on that occasion was five and three score above six +hundred and one thousand.[CLXXIV.] Then arose, in turn, their musicians +to sound their melodious harpstrings, and their poets and their +story-tellers to sing their sweet poetic strains, and to recount the +deeds of the mighty heroes of the olden time. And the feasting and the +enjoyment went on, and the entire assembly were gay and cheerful. At +length Concobar arose from where he sat high up on his royal seat; +whereupon the noise of mirth was instantly hushed. And he raised his +kingly voice and said:-- + +"I desire to know from you, ye Nobles and Knights of the Red Branch, +have you ever seen in any quarter of Erin a house better than this house +of Emain, which is my mansion: and whether you see any want in it." + +And they answered that they saw no better house, and that they knew of +no want in it. + +And the king said: "I know of a great want: namely, that we have not +present among us the three noble sons of Usna. And why now should they +be in banishment on account of any woman in the world?" + +And the nobles replied:--"Truly it is a sad thing that the sons of Usna, +our dear comrades, should be in exile and distress. They were a shield +of defence to Ulaid: and now, O king, it will please us well that thou +send for them and bring them back, lest they and their people perish by +famine or fall by their enemies." + +"Let them come," replied Concobar, "and make submission to me: and their +homes, and their lands and their places among the Knights of the Red +Branch shall be restored to them." + +Now Concobar was mightily enraged at the marriage and flight of Naisi +and Deirdre, though he hid his mind from all men; and he spoke these +words pretending forgiveness and friendship. But there was guile in his +heart, and he planned to allure them back to Ulaid that he might kill +them. + +When the feast was ended, and the company had departed, the king called +unto him Fergus mac Roy, and said:--"Go thou, Fergus, and bring back the +sons of Usna and their people. I promise thee that I will receive them +as friends should be received, and that what awaits them here is not +enmity or injury, but welcome and friendship. Take my message of peace +and good will, and give thyself as pledge and surety for their safety. +But these two things I charge thee to do:--That the moment you land in +Ulaid on your way back, you proceed straight to Barach's house which +stands on the sea cliff high over the landing place fronting Alban: and +that whether the time of your arrival be by day or by night, thou see +that the sons of Usna tarry not, but let them come hither direct to +Emain, that they may not eat food in Erin till they eat of mine." + +And Fergus, suspecting no evil design, promised to do as the king +directed: for he was glad to be sent on this errand, being a fast friend +to the sons of Usna. + +Fergus set out straightway, bringing with him only his two sons, Illan +the Fair and Buinni the Red, and his shield-bearer to carry his shield. +And as soon as he had departed, Concobar sent for Barach and said to +him:-- + +"Prepare a feast in thy house for Fergus: and when he visits thee +returning with the sons of Usna, invite him to partake of it." And +Barach thereupon departed for his home to do the bidding of the king and +prepare the feast. + +Now those heroes of old, on the day they received knighthood, were wont +to make certain pledges which were to bind them for life, some binding +themselves to one thing, some to another. And as they made the promises +on the faith of their knighthood, with great vows, in presence of kings +and nobles, they dared not violate them; no, not even if it was to save +the lives of themselves and all their friends: for whosoever broke +through his knighthood pledge was foully dishonoured for evermore. And +one of Fergus's obligations was never to refuse an invitation to a +banquet: a thing which was well known to King Concobar and to Barach. + +As to Fergus mac Roy and his sons: they went on board their galley and +put to sea, and made no delay till they reached the harbour nigh the +campment of the sons of Usna. And coming ashore, Fergus gave the loud +shout of a mighty man of chase. The sons of Usna were at that same hour +in their booth; and Naisi and Deirdre were sitting with a polished +chessboard between them playing a game. + +And when they heard the shout, Naisi said:--"That is the call of a man +from Erin." + +"Not so," replied Deirdre, "it is the call of a man of Alban." + +And after a little time when a second shout came, Naisi said:--"That of +a certainty is the call of a man of Erin!" + +But Deirdre again replied:--"No, indeed: it concerns us not: let us play +our game." + +But when a third shout came sounding louder than those before, Naisi +arose and said:--"Now I know the voice: that is the shout of Fergus!" +And straightway he sent Ardan to the shore to meet him. + +Now Deirdre knew the voice of Fergus from the first: but she kept her +thoughts to herself: for her heart misgave her that the visit boded +evil. And when she told Naisi that she knew the first shout, he +said:--"Why, my queen, didst thou conceal it then?" + +And she replied:--"Lo, I saw a vision in my sleep last night: three +birds came to us from Emain Macha, with three drops of honey in their +beaks, and they left us the honey and took away three drops of our +blood." + +"What dost thou read from that vision, O princess?" said Naisi. + +"It denotes the message from Concobar to us," said Deirdre; "for sweet +as honey is the message of peace from a false man, while he has thoughts +of blood hidden deep in his heart." + +When Ardan arrived at the shore, the sight of Fergus and his two sons +was to him like rain on the parched grass; for it was long since he had +seen any of his dear comrades from Erin. And he cried out as he came +near, "An affectionate welcome to you, my dear companions": and he fell +on Fergus's neck and kissed his cheeks, and did the like to his sons. +Then he brought them to the hunting-booth; and Naisi, Ainnli, and +Deirdre gave them a like kind welcome; after which they asked the news +from Erin. + +"The best news I have," said Fergus, "is that Concobar has sent me to +you with kindly greetings, to bring you back to Emain and restore you to +your lands and homes, and to your places in the Red Branch; and I am +myself a pledge for your safety." + +"It is not meet for them to go," said Deirdre: "for here they are under +no man's rule; and their sway in Alban is even as great as the sway of +Concobar in Erin." + +But Fergus said: "One's mother country is better than all else, and +gloomy is life when a man sees not his home each morning." + +"Far dearer to me is Erin than Alban," said Naisi, "even though my sway +should be greater here." + +It was not with Deirdre's consent he spoke these words: and she still +earnestly opposed their return to Erin. + +But Fergus tried to re-assure her:--"If all the men of Erin were against +you," said he, "it would avail nought once I have passed my word for +your safety." + +"We trust in thee," said Naisi, "and we will go with thee to Erin." + +FOOTNOTES: + +[CLXXIV.] That is 1665. This inverted method of enumeration was often +used in Ireland. But they also used direct enumeration like ours. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE RETURN TO EMAIN. + + +Going next morning on board their galleys, Fergus and his companions put +out on the wide sea: and oar and wind bore them on swiftly till they +landed on the shore of Erin near the house of Barach. + +And Deirdre, seating herself on a cliff, looked sadly over the waters at +the blue headlands of Alban: and she uttered this farewell:-- + + +I. + +"Dear to me is yon eastern land: Alban with its wonders. Beloved is +Alban with its bright harbours and its pleasant hills of the green +slopes. From that land I would never depart except to be with Naisi. + + +II. + +"Kil-Cuan, O Kil-Cuan,[CLXXV.] whither Ainnli was wont to resort: short +seemed the time to me while I sojourned there with Naisi on the margins +of its streams and waterfalls. + + +III. + +"Glen-Lee, O Glen-Lee, where I slept happy under soft coverlets: fish +and fowl, and the flesh of red deer and badgers; these were our fare in +Glen-Lee. + + +IV. + +"Glen-Masan, O Glen-Masan: tall its cresses of white stalks: often were +we rocked to sleep in our curragh in the grassy harbour of Glen-Masan. + + +V. + +"Glen-Orchy, O Glen-Orchy: over thy straight glen rises the smooth ridge +that oft echoed to the voices of our hounds. No man of the clan was more +light-hearted than my Naisi when following the chase in Glen-Orchy. + + +VI. + +"Glen-Ettive, O Glen-Ettive: there it was that my first house was raised +for me: lovely its woods in the smile of the early morn: the sun loves +to shine on Glen-Ettive. + + +VII. + +"Glen-da-Roy, O Glen-da-Roy: the memory of its people is dear to me: +sweet is the cuckoo's note from the bending bough on the peak over +Glen-da-Roy. + + +VIII. + +"Dear to me is Dreenagh over the resounding shore: dear to me its +crystal waters over the speckled sand. From those sweet places I would +never depart, but only to be with my beloved Naisi." + + +After this they entered the house of Barach; and when Barach had +welcomed them, he said to Fergus: "Here I have a three-days banquet +ready for thee, and I invite thee to come and partake of it." + +When Fergus heard this, his heart sank and his face waxed all over a +crimson red: and he said fiercely to Barach:--"Thou hast done an evil +thing to ask me to this banquet: for well thou knowest I cannot refuse +thee. Thou knowest, too, that I am under solemn pledge to send the Sons +of Usna this very hour to Emain: and if I remain feasting in thy house, +how shall I see that my promise of safety is respected?" + +But none the less did Barach persist; for he was one of the partners in +Concobar's treacherous design. + +Then Fergus turned to Naisi and said:--"I dare not violate my knighthood +promise: what am I to do in this strait?" But Deirdre answered for her +husband:--"The choice is before thee, Fergus; and it is more meet for +thee to abandon thy feast than to abandon the sons of Usna, who have +come over on thy pledge." + +Then Fergus was in sore perplexity; and pondering a little he said:--"I +will not forsake the sons of Usna: for I will send with them to Emain +Macha my two sons, Illan the Fair and Buinni the Red, who will be their +pledge instead of me." + +But Naisi said: "We need not thy sons for guard or pledge: we have ever +been accustomed to defend ourselves!" And he moved from the place in +great wrath: and his two brothers, and Deirdre, and the two sons of +Fergus followed him, with the rest of the clan; while Fergus remained +behind silent and gloomy: for his heart misgave him that mischief was +brewing for the sons of Usna. + +Then Deirdre tried to persuade the sons of Usna to go to Rathlin, +between Erin and Alban, and tarry there till Barach's feast was ended: +but they did not consent to do so, for they deemed it would be a mark of +cowardice: and they sped on by the shortest ways towards Emain Macha. + +When now they had come to Fincarn of the Watch-tower on Slieve Fuad, +Deirdre and her attendants stayed behind the others a little: and she +fell asleep. And when Naisi missed her, he turned back and found her +just awakening; and he said to her:--"Why didst thou tarry, my +princess?" + +And she answered:--"I fell asleep and had a dream. And this is what I +saw in my dream:--Illan the Fair took your part: Buinni the Red did not: +and I saw Illan without his head: but Buinni had neither wound nor +hurt." + +"Alas, O beauteous princess," said Naisi, "thou utterest nought but evil +forebodings: but the king is true and will not break his plighted +word." + +So they fared on till they had come to the Ridge of the +Willows,[CLXXVI.] an hour's journey from the palace: and Deirdre, +looking upwards in great fear, said to Naisi:--"O Naisi, see yonder +cloud in the sky over Emain, a fearful chilling cloud of a blood-red +tinge: a baleful red cloud that bodes disaster! Come ye now to Dundalgan +and abide there with the mighty hero Cuculainn till Fergus returns from +Barach's feast; for I fear Concobar's treachery." + +But Naisi answered:--"We cannot follow thy advice, beloved Deirdre, for +it would be a mark of fear: and we have no fear." + +And as they came nigh the palace Deirdre said to them:--"I will now give +you a sign if Concobar meditates good or evil. If you are brought into +his own mansion where he sits surrounded by his nobles, to eat and drink +with him, this is a token that he means no ill; for no man will injure a +guest that has partaken of food at his table: but if you are sent to the +house of the Red Branch, be sure he is bent on treachery." + +When at last they arrived at the palace, they knocked loudly with the +handwood: and the door-keeper swang the great door wide open. And when +he had spoken with them, he went and told Concobar that the sons of Usna +and Fergus's two sons had come, with their people. + +And Concobar called to him his stewards and attendants and asked +them:--"How is it in the house of the Red Branch as to food and drink?" +And they replied that if the seven battalions of Ulaid were to come to +it, they would find enough of all good things. "If that is so," said +Concobar, "take the sons of Usna and their people to the Red Branch." + +Even then Deirdre besought them not to enter the Red Branch: for she +deemed now that of a certainty there was mischief afoot. But Illan the +Fair said:--"Never did we show cowardice or unmanliness, and we shall +not do so now." Then she was silent and went with them into the house. + +And the company, when they had come in, sat them down so that they +filled the great hall: and alluring viands and delicious drinks were set +before them: and they ate and drank till they became satisfied and +cheerful: all except Deirdre and the Sons of Usna, who did not partake +much of food or drink. And Naisi asked for the king's chessboard and +chessmen; which were brought: and he and Deirdre began to play. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[CLXXV.] This and the other places named in Deirdre's Farewell are all +in the west of Scotland. + +[CLXXVI.] Irish name, _Drum-Sailech_; the ridge on which Armagh was +afterwards built. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +TROUBLE LOOMING. + + +Let us now speak of Concobar. As he sat among his nobles, the thought of +Deirdre came into his mind, and he said:--"Who among you will go to the +Red Branch and bring me tidings of Deirdre, whether her youthful shape +and looks still live upon her: for if so there is not on the ridge of +the world a woman more beautiful." And Lavarcam said she would go. + +Now the sons of Usna were very dear to Lavarcam: and Naisi was dearer +than the others. And rising up she went to the Red Branch, where she +found Naisi and Deirdre with the chessboard between them, playing. And +she saluted them affectionately: and she embraced Deirdre, and wept over +her, and kissed her many times with the eagerness of her love: and she +kissed the cheeks of Naisi and of his brothers. + +And when her loving greeting was ended, she said:--"Beloved children, +evil is the deed that is to be done this night in Emain: for the three +torches of valour of the Gaels will be treacherously assailed, and +Concobar is certainly resolved to put them to death. And now set your +people on guard, and bolt and bar all doors, and close all windows; and +be steadfast and valorous, and defend your dear charge manfully, if you +may hold the assailants at bay till Fergus comes." And she departed +weeping piteously. + +And when Lavarcam had returned to Concobar he asked what tidings she +brought. "Good tidings have I," said she: "for the three sons of Usna +have come, the three valiant champions of Ulaid: and now that they are +with thee, O king, thou wilt hold sway in Erin without dispute. And bad +tidings I bring also: Deirdre indeed is not as she was, for her youthful +form and the splendour of her countenance have fled from her." + +And when Concobar heard this, his jealousy abated, and he joined in the +feasting. + +But again the thought of Deirdre came to him, and he asked:--"Who now +will go for me to the Red Branch, and bring me further tidings of +Deirdre and of the sons of Usna?" for he distrusted Lavarcam. But the +Knights of the Red Branch had misgivings of some evil design, and all +remained silent. + +Then he called to him Trendorn, one of the lesser chiefs: and he +said:--"Knowest thou, Trendorn, who slew thy father and thy three +brothers in battle?" And Trendorn answered:--"Verily, it was Naisi, the +son of Usna, that slew them." Then the king said:--"Go now to the Red +Branch and bring me back tidings of Deirdre and of the sons of Usna." + +Trendorn went right willingly. But when he found the doors and windows +of the Red Branch shut up, he was seized with fear, and he said:--"It is +not safe to approach the sons of Usna, for they are surely in wrathful +mood: nevertheless I must needs bring back tidings to the king." + +Whereupon, not daring to knock at the door, he climbed nimbly to a small +window high up that had been unwittingly left open, through which he +viewed the spacious banquet hall, and saw Naisi and Deirdre playing +chess. Deirdre chanced to look up at that moment, and seeing the face of +the spy with eyes intently gazing on her, she started with affright and +grasped Naisi's arm, as he was making a move with the chessman. Naisi, +following her gaze, and seeing the evil-looking face, flung the +chessman with unerring aim, and broke the eye in Trendorn's head. + +Trendorn dropped down in pain and rage; and going straight to Concobar, +he said:--"I have tidings for thee, O king: the three sons of Usna are +sitting in the banquet hall, stately and proud like kings: and Deirdre +is seated beside Naisi; and verily for beauty and queenly grace her peer +cannot be found." + +When Concobar heard this, a flame of jealousy and fury blazed up in his +heart, and he resolved that by no means should the sons of Usna escape +the doom he planned for them. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE ATTACK ON THE SONS OF USNA. + + +Coming forth on the lawn of Emain, King Concobar now ordered a large +body of hireling troops to beset the Red Branch: and he bade them force +the doors and bring forth the sons of Usna. And they uttered three +dreadful shouts of defiance, and assailed the house on every side; but +the strong oak stood bravely, and they were not able to break through +doors or walls. So they heaped up great piles of wood and brambles, and +kindled them till the red flames blazed round the house. + +Buinni the Red now stood up and said to the sons of Usna:--"To me be +entrusted the task to repel this first assault: for I am your pledge in +place of my father." And marshalling his men, and causing the great door +to be thrown wide open, he sallied forth and scattered the assailants, +and put out the fires: slaying thrice fifty hirelings in that onslaught. + +But Buinni returned not to the Red Branch: for the king sent to him with +a secret offer of great favours and bribes: namely, his own royal +friendship, and a fruitful tract of land; which Buinni took and basely +abandoned the sons of Usna. But none the better luck came to him of it: +for at that same hour a blight fell on the land, so that it became a +moor, waste and profitless, which is at this day called Slieve Fuad. + +When Illan the Fair became aware of his brother's treason, he was +grieved to the heart, and he said:--"I am the second pledge in place of +my father for the sons of Usna, and of a certainty I will not betray +them: while this straight sword lives in my hand I will be faithful: and +I will now repel this second attack." For at this time the king's +hirelings were again thundering at the doors. + +Forth he issued with his band: and he made three quick furious circuits +round the Red Branch, scattering the troops as he went: after which he +returned to the mansion and found Naisi and Deirdre still +playing.[CLXXVII.] But as the hireling hordes returned to the attack, +he went forth a second time and fell on them, dealing death and havoc +whithersoever he went. + +Then, while the fight was still raging, Concobar called to him his son +Ficra, and said to him:--"Thou and Illan the Fair were born on the same +night: and as he has his father's arms, so thou take mine, namely, my +shield which is called the Ocean, and my two spears which are called +Dart and Slaughter, and my great sword, the Blue-green blade. And bear +thyself manfully against him, and vanquish him, else none of my troops +will survive." + +Ficra did so and went against Illan the Fair; and they made a stout, +warlike, red-wounding attack on each other, while the others looked on +anxious: but none dared to interfere. And it came to pass that Illan +prevailed, so that Ficra was fain to shelter himself behind his father's +shield the Ocean, and he was like to be slain. Whereupon, the shield +moaned, and the Three Waves of Erin uttered their hollow melancholy +roar.[CLXXVIII.] + +The hero Conall Carnagh, sitting in his dun afar off, heard the moan of +the shield and the roar of the Wave of Tuath: and springing up from +where he sat, he said: "Verily, the king is in danger: I will go to his +rescue." + +He ran with the swiftness of the wind, and arrived on the Green of +Emain, where the two young heroes were fighting. Thinking it was +Concobar that crouched beneath the shield, he attacked Illan, not +knowing him, and wounded him even unto death. And Illan looking up said, +"Is it thou, Conall? Alas, dreadful is the deed thou hast done, not +knowing me, and not knowing that I am fighting in defence of the sons of +Usna, who are now in deadly peril from the treachery of Concobar." + +And Conall, finding he had unwittingly wounded his dear young friend +Illan, turned in his grief and rage on the other, and swept off his +head. And he stalked fierce and silent out of the battlefield. + +Illan, still faithful to his charge, called aloud to Naisi to defend +himself bravely: then putting forth his remaining strength, he flung his +arms, namely, his sword and his spears and his shield, into the Red +Branch; and falling prone on the green sward, the shades of death dimmed +his eyes, and his life departed. + +And now when it was the dusk of evening, another great battalion of the +hirelings assailed the Red Branch, and kindled fagots around it: +whereupon Ardan sallied out with his valorous band and scattered them, +and put out the fires, and held guard for the first third of the night. +And during the second third Ainnli kept them at bay. + +Then Naisi took his turn, issuing forth, and fought with them till the +morning's dawn: and until the sands of the seashore, or the leaves of +the forest, or the dew-drops on the grass, or the stars of heaven are +counted, it will not be possible to number the hirelings that were slain +in that fight by Naisi and his band of heroes. + +And as he was returning breathless from the rout, all grimy and terrible +with blood and sweat, he spied Lavarcam, as she stood watching the +battle anxiously; and he said:--"Go, Lavarcam, go and stand on the outer +rampart, and cast thine eyes eastwards, if perchance thou shouldst see +Fergus and his men coming." + +For many of Naisi's brave followers had fallen in these encounters: and +he doubted that he and the others could sustain much longer the +continual assaults of superior numbers. And Lavarcam went, but returned +downcast, saying she saw nought eastwards, but the open plain with the +peaceful herds browsing over it. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[CLXXVII.] These champions, as well as their wives, took care never to +show any signs of fear or alarm even in the time of greatest danger: so +Naisi and Deirdre kept playing quietly as if nothing was going on +outside, though they heard the din of battle resounding. + +[CLXXVIII.] The "Three _Tonns_ or Waves of Erin" were the Wave of Tuath +outside the mouth of the river Bann, off the coast of Derry; the Wave of +Rury in Dundrum Bay, off the county Down; and the Wave of Cleena in +Glandore Harbour in the south of Cork. In stormy weather, when the wind +blows from certain directions, the sea at those places, as it tumbles +over the sandbanks, or among the caves and fissures of the rocks, utters +a loud and solemn roar, which in old times was believed to forebode the +death of some king. + +The legends also tell that the shield belonging to a king moaned when +the person who wore it in battle--whether the king himself or a member +of his family--was in danger of death: the moan was heard all over +Ireland; and the "Three Waves of Erin" roared in response. See "Irish +Names of Places," Vol. II., Chap. XVI. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +DEATH OF THE SONS OF USNA. + + +Believing now that they could no longer defend the Red Branch, Naisi +took council with his brothers; and what they resolved on was this:--To +sally forth with all their men and fight their way to a place of +safety. Then making a close, firm fence of shields and spears round +Deirdre, they marched out in solid ranks and attacked the hireling +battalions and slew three hundred in that onslaught. + +Concobar, seeing the rout of his men, and being now sure that it was not +possible to subdue the sons of Usna in open fight, cast about if he +might take them by falsehood and craft. And sending for Caffa, the +druid, who loved them, he said:-- + +"These sons of Usna are brave men, and it is our pleasure to receive +them back into our service. Go now unto them, for thou art their loved +friend; and say to them that if they lay down their arms and submit to +me, I will restore them to favour and give them their places among the +Red Branch Knights. And I pledge thee my kingly word and my troth as a +true knight, that no harm shall befall them." + +Caffa, by no means distrusting him, went to the sons of Usna, and told +them all the king had said. And they, suspecting neither guile nor +treachery, joyfully threw their swords and spears aside, and went +towards the king to make submission. But now, while they stood +defenceless, the king caused them to be seized and bound. Then, turning +aside, he sought for some one to put them to death; but he found no man +of the Ultonians willing to do so. + +Among his followers was a foreigner named Maini of the Rough Hand, whose +father and two brothers had fallen in battle by Naisi: and this man +undertook to kill the sons of Usna. + +When they were brought forth to their doom, Ardan said:--"I am the +youngest: let me be slain first, that I may not see the death of my +brothers." And Ainnli earnestly pleaded for the same thing for himself, +saying that he was born before Ardan, and should die before him. + +But Naisi said:--"Lo, I have a sword, the gift of Mannanan mac Lir, +which leaves no remnant unfinished after a blow: let us be struck with +it, all three together, and we shall die at the same moment." + +This was agreed to: and the sword was brought forth, and they laid their +heads close together, and Maini swept off all three with one blow of the +mighty sword. And when it became known that the sons of Usna were dead, +the men of Ulaid sent forth three great cries of grief and lamentation. + +As for Deirdre, she cried aloud, and tore her golden hair, and became +like one distracted. And after a time, when her calmness had a little +returned, she uttered a lament:-- + + +I. + +"Three lions of the hill are dead, and I am left alone to weep for them. +The generous princes who made the stranger welcome have been guilefully +lured to their doom. + + +II. + +"The three strong hawks of Slieve Cullinn,[CLXXIX.] a king's three sons, +strong and gentle: willing obedience was yielded to them by heroes who +had conquered many lands. + + +III. + +"Three generous heroes of the Red Branch, who loved to praise the valour +of others: three props of the battalions of Quelna: their fall is the +cause of bitter grief. + + +IV. + +"Ainnli and Ardan, haughty and fierce in battle, to me were ever loving +and gentle: Naisi, Naisi, beloved spouse of my choice, thou canst not +hear thy Deirdre lamenting thee. + + +V. + +"When they brought down the fleet red deer in the chase, when they +speared the salmon skilfully in the clear water, joyful and proud were +they if I looked on. + + +VI. + +"Often when my feeble feet grew weary wandering along the valleys, and +climbing the hills to view the chase, often would they bear me home +lightly on their linked shields and spears. + + +VII. + +"It was gladness of heart to be with the sons of Usna: long and weary is +the day without their company: short will be my span of life since they +have left me. + + +VIII. + +"Sorrow and tears have dimmed my eyes, looking at the grave of Naisi: a +dark deadly sickness has seized my heart: I cannot, I cannot live after +Naisi. + + +IX. + +"O thou who diggest the new grave, make it deep and wide: let it be a +grave for four; for I will sleep for ever beside my beloved." + + +When she had spoken these words, she fell beside the body of Naisi and +died immediately. And a great cairn of stones was piled over their +grave, and their names were inscribed in Ogham, and their funeral rites +were performed. + +This is the sorrowful tale of The Fate of the Sons of Usna. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[CLXXIX.] Slieve Cullinn, now Slieve Gullion mountain in Armagh. + + + + +NOTES. + + +NOTE 1.--_The Dedannans._ + +According to the old bardic legends, the first man who led a colony to +Ireland after the Flood was Parthalon. Next came Nemed and his people; +and after these the Firbolgs, who were conquered and succeeded by the +Dedannans. + +The legend relates that the Dedannans, in the course of their +wanderings, spent some time in Greece, where they learned magic and +other curious arts. From this they migrated to Lochlann, in the north of +Europe (see note 6), from which they came through Scotland to their +final resting-place, Ireland. + +From the three queens of their three last kings, Ireland got the three +names, Erin, F[=o]la, and Banba. + +After the Dedannans had held sway in Ireland for about two hundred +years, they were in their turn conquered by the last and greatest colony +of all, the people of Miled or Milesius, who are commonly known by the +name of Milesians, and who are the ancestors of the leading Gaelic +families of Ireland. The Milesians defeated the Dedannans in two great +battles: one fought at _Tailltenn_, now Teltown, on the river +Blackwater, between Navan and Kells, in Meath; and the other at +_Druim-Lighean_, now Drumleene, about three miles from Lifford, in +Donegal. + +In the legendary and romantic literature of Ireland, the Dedannans are +celebrated as magicians. By the Milesians and their descendants they +were regarded as gods, and ultimately, in the imagination of the people, +they became what are now in Ireland called "fairies." + +After their defeat by the Milesians, they seem to have retired to remote +and lonely places; and their reputation as magicians, as well as the +obscure and mysterious manner in which they lived, gradually impressed +the vulgar with the belief that they were supernatural beings. + +The notion was that they lived in splendid palaces in the interior of +pleasant green hills. These hills were called _sidh_ (pronounced +_shee_); and hence the Dedannans were called _Daoine-sidhe_ +(_Deena-shee_), or people of the fairy hills; _Marcra-sidhe_ +(_Markra-shee_), fairy cavalcade; and _Sluagh-sidhe_ (_Sloo-shee_), +fairy host. + +Of this mysterious race, the following are the principal characters +mentioned in these tales. + +Mannanan Mac Lir, the Gaelic sea-god. In "Cormac's Glossary" (written +A.D. 900), we are told that he was a famous merchant who resided in, and +gave name to, _Inis-Manann_, or the Isle of Man; that he was the best +merchant in Western Europe; and that he used to know, by examining the +heavens, the length of time the fair and the foul weather would last. + +The Dagda, whose name some interpret to mean "the great good fire," so +called from his military ardour, who reigned as king of Ireland from +A.M. 3370 to 3450. + +Angus or Angus Oge, the son of the Dagda, who lived at _Brugh_ or Bruga, +on the north shore of the Boyne, a little below the village of Slane. +Angus is spoken of as the wisest and the most skilled in magic of all +the Dedannan race. + +Nuada of the Silver Hand. (See note 4.) + +Lir of Shee Finnaha, the father of the four "Children of Lir," and Bove +Derg of Shee Bove, of whom we know little more than what is told of them +in the "Fate of the Children of Lir." Shee Finnaha is supposed to have +been situated near Newtown Hamilton, in Armagh; and Shee Bove was on the +shore of Lough Derg, on the Shannon. + +Luga of the Long Arms, who imposed the eric-fine on the three sons of +Turenn for slaying his father Kian. (See note 7 for a further account of +this Luga.) + +Dianket, the great physician, of whose powers of cure extraordinary +stories are told. He had a son Midac, and a daughter Armedda, more +skilful than himself. The old legend relates that Midac took off the +silver arm which his father Dianket had put on Nuada (see note 4), and, +having procured the bones of the real arm, he clothed them with flesh +and skin, and fixed the arm in its place as well as ever "in three +moments." Dianket was so enraged at being outdone by his son that he +slew him. After Midac had been buried for some time, three hundred and +sixty-five healing herbs grew up from his grave, one from every joint +and sinew of his body--each herb to cure disease in that part of the +human body from which it grew--all which were gathered by his sister +Armedda, and placed carefully in her cloak in their proper order. But +before she had time to study their several virtues fully, her father +Dianket mixed them all up in utter confusion. (O'Curry, _Atlantis_, vii. +and viii. 158.) Were it not for this churlish proceeding, Armedda would +have found out, and we should now know, the exact herb to cure each +particular disease of the human frame. + + +NOTE 2.--_The Feast of Age._ + +This was also called the Feast of Gobnenn the Dedannan smith. It was +instituted by Mannanan Mac Lir, and whoever was present at it, and +partook of the food and drink, was free ever after from sickness, decay, +and old age. + + +NOTE 3.--_The Druids._ + +The ancient Irish druids do not appear to have been _priests_ in any +sense of the word. They were, in popular estimation, men of knowledge +and power--"Men of science," as they were often designated; they knew +the arts of healing and divination; and they were skilled above all in +magic. In fact, the Irish druids were magicians, neither more nor less; +and hence the Gaelic word for "druidical" is almost always applied where +we should use the term "magical"--to spells, incantations, +metamorphoses, etc. (See O'Curry, "Lectures on the Manners and Customs +of the Ancient Irish," Lecture ix.) + + +NOTE 4.--_Nuada of the Silver Hand._ + +Nuada of the Silver Hand was king of Ireland, according to the +chronology of the Four Masters, from A.M. 3311 to 3330. He commanded the +Dedannans in the first battle of Moytura (see note 11), where his arm +was cut off with a sword-blow by Sreng, the great Firbolg champion. +Afterwards Credne the artificer made him a silver arm with a hand, which +was fixed on by Dianket, the physician (see note 1). Nuada was slain in +the second battle of Moytura, by Balor of the Mighty Blows (see note +11). + + +NOTE 5.--_The Fomorians._ + +"Fomor," the simple form of this word, means, according to the old +etymologists, a sea-robber, from _fo_, on or along, and _muir_, the sea. +The word is also used to denote a giant, or a gigantic champion. + +The Fomorians of Irish history were sea-robbers, who infested the +coasts, and indeed the interior, of Ireland, for a long series of years, +and at one time fortified themselves in Tory Island. They are stated to +have come to Ireland from Lochlann, in the north of Europe (for which +see next note); but they were originally from Africa, being, according +to the legend, the descendants of Ham the son of Noah. + + +NOTE 6.--_Lochlann: The Lochlanns._ + +Lochlann was the Gaelic designation of the country from which came the +people who are known in European history as Danes, _i.e._ the country +round the southern shores of the Baltic, including the south part of +Sweden. The Lochlanns, or Lochlannachs, or Danes, it need hardly be +said, make a very conspicuous figure in our early history, and in our +mediaeval romantic literature. + +In the Gaelic tales, the chief city of Lochlann is always Berva; but +whether this represents a real name, or is merely an invention of the +old story-tellers, I cannot tell. + + +NOTE 7.--_Luga of the Long Arms: The Ildana._ + +Luga of the Long Arms was the son of Ethlenn, daughter of the Fomorian +king, Balor of the Mighty Blows (see note 9). His father, Kian (who was +slain by the three sons of Turenn), was a Dedannan; so that Luga was +half Fomorian and half Dedannan. But he always took the side of the +Dedannans against the Fomorians. + +Luga is often called The Ildana, the Man of many sciences, to signify +his accomplishments as a warrior and a man of general knowledge. + +It had been foretold that Balor would be slain by his own grandson. +Accordingly, when Luga was born, Balor sent him off to be drowned. But +Luga escaped, and lived to revenge the unnatural conduct of his +grandfather, whom he slew in the second battle of Moytura (see note 11), +after Balor had slain the Dedannan king, Nuada of the Silver Hand. Luga +succeeded Nuada as king of Ireland, and reigned, according to the +chronology of the Four Masters, from A.M. 3330 to 3370. + +It was by Luga that the celebrated yearly assembly of Tailltenn was +instituted, in honour of his foster mother _Taillte_, after whom the +place was called. (See note page 93, _supra._) + + +NOTE 8.--_The Land of Promise: Fairyland._ + +In ancient Gaelic romantic tales, mention is often made of _Tir +Tairrngire_, the Land of Promise, Fairyland, as being one of the chief +dwelling-places of the Dedannans or fairy host. In many passages this +Land of Promise is identified with _Inis-Manann_, or the Isle of Man, +which was ruled over by Mannanan Mac Lir, the sea-god, and named from +him. + + +NOTE 9.--_Balor of the Mighty Blows._ + +Balor was king of the Fomorians from Lochlann in the north; his wife was +Kethlenda; and his son, Bres. Balor is often called Balor of the Mighty +Blows; and also Balor of the Evil Eye, for he had one eye which would +strike people dead or turn them into stone, so that he kept it covered, +except when he wished to use it against his enemies. Balor is remembered +very vividly in tradition by the peasantry of Ireland, especially in +Donegal and in Tory Island, where a very high, tower-like rock is called +to this day Balor's Castle. + + +NOTE 10.--_Eric._ + +The eric was a fine paid as compensation for murder or homicide. The +friends of the murdered person might accept an eric, or they might +refuse it and seek instead the death of the murderer. An eric was often +paid for other crimes or injuries against the individual, as well as for +homicide. + + +NOTE 11.--_Battle of Moytura._ + +There were two great battles, each called the battle of Moytura. + +_First Battle of Moytura._ When the Dedannans came to invade Erin, they +found the country occupied by the Firbolgs, who were by no means +inclined to give up quiet possession to the newcomers. After some +parleying and manoeuvring, a great battle was fought between them, +A.M. 3303, at Moytura, near Cong, in Mayo, lasting for four days, in +which the Firbolgs were defeated with great slaughter, and their king +slain; after which the Dedannans took possession of the country, leaving +Connaught, however, to a powerful remnant of the Firbolgs who survived +the battle. This is called the First Battle of Moytura, or the Battle of +the Southern Moytura. On the plain where it was fought, there are still +great numbers of mounds, cromlechs, and other sepulchral monuments. (See +Sir William Wilde's "Lough Corrib," page 210.) + +_Second Battle of Moytura._ King Nuada, who led the Dedannans in the +first battle of Moytura, had his arm cut off by Sreng, one of the +Firbolg champions. He was under cure for seven years; during which time +Bres, the son of Elatha, who was a Fomorian by his father and a Dedannan +by his mother, ruled Ireland as regent. But at the end of the seven +years, Bres had to retire in favour of Nuada. Whereupon he repaired in +anger to his father in Lochlann; and at his instigation an army of +Fomorians was raised, after some years, for the invasion of Ireland, and +placed under the command of Balor of the Mighty Blows. + +Luga of the Long Arms seems to have foreseen this invasion. He knew that +Bres would have to abdicate whenever Nuada's arm came to be healed, and +he conjectured truly that he would not resign the sovereignty without a +struggle. But the old tales would lead to the inference that Luga had +some preternatural foreknowledge of the battle. Anyhow, the legend says +that for many years he made preparations for the coming struggle; and it +was with this intention that he imposed the celebrated eric-fine on the +sons of Turenn. + +The Fomorians landed, and were met by the Dedannan army at the Northern +Moytura, or, as it is often called, Moytura of the Fomorians, situated +in the parish of Kilmactranny, barony of Tirerrill, county Sligo. The +battle was fought on the eve of Samin, _i.e._ on the last day of +October, A.M. 3330; and the Fomorians were defeated with the slaughter +of their principal men and the best part of their army. In the course of +the battle, Nuada of the Silver Hand, the Dedannan king, was slain by +Balor; but soon after, Balor himself was killed by his grandson, Luga. +Luga, we are told, flung a stone at him from a crann-tavall or sling +(see note, page 240), and struck him in the evil eye with so much force +that the stone went clean through his head and out at the back. + +The site of this battle, like that of the Southern Moytura, abounds to +this day in sepulchral monuments. + +These two battles of Moytura form the subjects of two historic tales, +which are still in existence, though they have never been published. + + +NOTE 12.--_Gesa._ + +"Gesa" (pronounced _gessa_, the _g_ hard, as in _get_) is plural: +singular _geis_, plural _geasa_ or _gesa_. Gesa means solemn vows, +conjurations, injunctions, prohibitions. "I put you under gesa" means, I +adjure you solemnly, so solemnly that you dare not disobey. It would +appear that individuals were often under gesa or solemn vows to observe, +or to refrain from, certain lines of conduct--the vows being either +taken on themselves voluntarily, or imposed on them, with their consent, +by others. Thus Dermat O'Dyna was under gesa never to pass through a +wicket gate when entering or leaving a palace (page 282); Finn was under +gesa not to sleep at Allen more than nine nights in succession (page +337); Dermat put Oisin under gesa not to loose any one whom he bound +(page 312). It would appear, also, that if one person went through the +form of putting another under gesa to grant any reasonable request, the +abjured person could not refuse without loss of honour and reputation. +Thus Midac places Finn under gesa to come to the banquet in the Fairy +Palace of the Quicken Trees (page 189); and the witch-lady places gesa +on Finn to search for the ring in the lake (page 354). And sometimes, on +very solemn or urgent occasions, the gesa seem to have been imposed with +spells, so as to draw down ill luck as well as loss of honour on the +person who disregarded the injunction (page 281). + +Geis or gesa also means a charm or spell. + + +NOTE 13.--_Tir-fa-tonn._ + +The Gaelic tales abound in allusions to a beautiful country situated +under the sea--an enchanted land sunk at some remote time, and still +held under spell. In some romantic writings it is called _Tir-fa-tonn_, +the land beneath the wave; and occasionally one or more of the heroes +find their way to it, and meet with many strange adventures (page 253). +Sometimes it is _O'Brasil_, that dim land which appears over the water +once every seven years--"on the verge of the azure sea"--and which would +be freed from the spell, and would remain permanently over water, if any +one could succeed in throwing fire on it. (See Gerald Griffin's +beautiful ballad, "O'Brasil, the Isle of the Blest.") The Island of +Fincara (page 87), and the beautiful country seen beneath the waves by +Maildun (page 147), are remnants of the same superstition. + +This very old Celtic tradition is obviously the same as the legend of +the continent of Atlantis, mentioned by Plato, which at some remote time +was overwhelmed and sunk under the Atlantic Ocean. And it would seem +that they have the same shadowy tradition in the East; for in "Lalla +Rookh" Moore makes the Peri say, in her soliloquy: + + "I know where the Isles of Perfume are, + Many a fathom down in the sea, + To the south of sun-bright Araby." + + +NOTE 14.--_The Enchanted Well._ + +Res autem sic revera evenit. Cum Angus magus equum giganteum Eochaidio +et popularibus traderet, monebat homines nec stabulandi neque omnino +requiescendi copiam equo faciendam; ne forte quiescendo urinam +demitteret, quod si fieret exitio omnibus fore. Postea vero quam at +Planitiem Silvulae Cinereae pervenissent, intenti adeo sarcinis ingentis +equi dorso detrahendis incumbebant, ut monitorum Angi obliviscerentur; +restitit autem equus, et subinde urinam demisit. Extemplo hinc fons +ortus; qui cum scaturiisset, submersit omnes, sicuti in historia +narratur. + + +NOTE 15.--_Conal Carna of the Red Branch._ + +The Red Branch Knights of Ulster, a sort of militia in the service of +the monarch, much like the Fena of later date (see note 23), flourished +in the first century of the Christian era. Their home was the palace of +Emania, near the city of Armagh; and they received their name from one +of the houses of the palace in which they resided, which was called +_Craebh-ruadh_, or Red Branch. They attained their greatest glory in the +reign of Conor Mac Nessa, king of Ulster in the first century; and Conal +Carna, mentioned in the story of "Liban the Mermaid," was one of their +most illustrious champions. + + +NOTE 16.--_Ecca the Son of Marid: Comgall of Bangor._ + +This Marid was king of Munster about the beginning of the second century +of the Christian era. St. Comgall, one of the greatest saints of the +early Irish Church, flourished in the sixth century, and was the founder +of the celebrated monastery of Bangor in the county of Down. + + +NOTE 17.--_Curragh._ + +It would appear that in Ireland, and indeed in England and Scotland as +well, navigation was carried on in ancient times chiefly by means of +curraghs. The curragh was a boat or canoe, consisting of a light +framework of wood, covered over with the skins of animals. Curraghs are +still used on many parts of the western coast of Ireland; but they are +now covered with tarred canvas instead of skins. + + +NOTE 18.--_Conn the Hundred-fighter._ + +Conn Ced-cathach or Conn the Fighter of a Hundred (not Conn of the +Hundred Battles, as the name is generally translated), was king of +Ireland from A.D. 123 to 158. + + +NOTE 19.--_Land of the Living: Land of Life, etc._ + +The ancient Irish had a sort of dim, vague belief that there was a land +where people were always youthful, and free from care and trouble, +suffered no disease, and lived for ever. This country they called by +various names:--_Tir-na-mbeo_, the land of the [ever-]living; +_Tir-na-nog_, the land of the [ever-]youthful; _Moy-Mell_, the plain of +pleasure, etc. It had its own inhabitants--fairies; but mortals were +sometimes brought there; and while they lived in it, were gifted with +the everlasting youth and beauty of the fairy people themselves, and +partook of their pleasures. As to the exact place where Tirnanoge was +situated, the references are shadowy and variable, but they often place +it far out in the Atlantic Ocean, as far as the eye can reach from the +high cliffs of the western coast. And here it is identical with +O'Brasil, of which mention has been made in note 13. + +I have already remarked (see note 1) that the fairies were also supposed +to live in palaces in the interior of pleasant green hills, and that +they were hence called Aes-shee or Deena-shee, i.e. people of the _shee_ +or fairy hills; and hence also the word "banshee" _i.e._ a woman +(_bean_) of the fairy hills. Tirnanoge was often regarded as identical +with these bright, subterranean palaces. In my boyhood days, the +peasantry believed that the great limestone cavern near Mitchelstown, in +the county Cork, was one of the entrances to Tirnanoge. + + +NOTE 20.--_St. Brendan of Birra._ + +I have already, in the preface (page xiii.), spoken of the celebrated +voyage of St. Brendan of Birra (Birr, in King's County), undertaken in +the sixth century. He set out from near Brandon Mountain, in Kerry, +sailing westwards into the Atlantic Ocean, and, according to the belief +of some, landed on the shore of America. He had many imitators, who +ventured out on the great ocean in their curraghs as pilgrims; but none +were so enterprising as himself, or met with such a variety of strange +lands, if we except Maildun and the three sons of O'Corra, whose +adventures are quite as surprising as those of Brendan. + + +NOTE 21.--_Brendan's Satchel._ + +The ancient Irish saints, when on their missionary journeys through the +country, kept their precious books, as well as the portable sacred +utensils, in leather satchels, which they brought with them from place +to place. These satchels were often highly ornamented, and, like other +relics, were held in extraordinary veneration after the death of the +owners. The Gaelic term for this kind of satchel is _polaire_. (See +Petrie, "Round Towers," page 336.) + + +NOTE 22.--_Cormac Mac Art._ + +Cormac Mac Art, the most illustrious of the Irish kings, who began his +reign A.D. 254, was the son of Art the Lonely, who was son of Conn the +Hundred-fighter. During his reign flourished the Fena or militia, spoken +of in the next note; and the old chroniclers never tire of dwelling on +the magnificence of his court at Tara, and the prosperity of the country +during his reign. He was renowned for learning and wisdom, and he wrote +a book called _Tegusc-righ_, or instruction for kings, copies of which +are extant in the Books of Leinster and Ballymote. He also caused the +records of the kingdom to be collected and written down in one great +book called the Psalter of Tara, but no portion of this book is now +known to exist; and he established three schools at Tara--one for +military science, one for law, and one for history and chronology. He +spent the last years of his life in retirement and study at Cletty on +the Boyne, and died A.D. 277, forty years after he had ascended the +throne. + + +NOTE 23.--_Finn and the Fena._ + +The Fena or "Fena of Erin" were a sort of militia or standing army, +permanently maintained by the monarch for the support of the throne, and +regularly trained to military service. They attained their greatest +glory in the reign of Cormac Mac Art (see previous note). Each province +had its own militia under its own captain, but all were under the +command of one general-in-chief. Their most renowned commander was Finn +the son of Cumal, who of all the heroes of ancient Ireland is most +vividly remembered in popular tradition. Finn had his palace on the top +of the Hill of Allen, a remarkable flat-topped hill, lying about four +miles to the right of the railway as you pass Newbridge and approach +Kildare, rendered more conspicuous of late years by a tall pillar +erected on the top, on the very site of Finn's palace. Before the +erection of the pillar, there were considerable remains of the old fort +on the hill, but at present nearly every vestige is obliterated, cleared +away partly to make room for the foundation of the pillar, and partly by +cultivation; for the land has been tilled and cropped to the very +summit. The whole neighbourhood, however, teems with living traditions +of Finn and the Fena. + +The Fena were divided into distinct tribes or clanns, belonging to the +several provinces, each under its own commander. Of these, the Clann +Baskin of Leinster, under the immediate command of Finn; and the Clann +Morna of Connaught, commanded by Gaul Mac Morna, were rival tribes, and, +for reasons stated in note 27, regarded each other with hatred and +distrust. + +The following are some of the principal characters celebrated in the +romantic literature of the Fena. + +Finn the son of Cumal, commander-in-chief of the Fena under king Cormac +Mac Art (see note 22); brave, wise, and far-seeing, a man of supreme +military ability. His foresight seemed so extraordinary, that the people +believed it was a preternatural gift of divination, and the shanachies +invented a legend to account for it (see note 25). Like many great +commanders, he had a little of the tyrant in his character, and was +unforgiving to those who injured him. But in the story of Dermat and +Grania, he is drawn in too unfavourable a light. In his old age he was +killed by a fisherman at a place called Athbrea on the Boyne, A.D. 284, +as recorded in the Annals of Tighernach, of the Four Masters, and of +Innisfallen. + +Oisin or Ossian, Finn's son, the renowned hero-poet, to whom the bards +attribute many poems still extant. + +Oscar, the son of Oisin, youthful and handsome, kind-hearted, and one of +the most valiant of the Fena. + +Dermat O'Dyna, noble-minded, generous, of untarnished honour, and the +bravest of the brave. He was as handsome as he was valiant, whence he is +often styled Dermat of the Bright Face, Dermat of the White Teeth, etc. +He was the idol of the ladies of Ireland, and hence he is often called +Dermat-na-man, or Dermat of the Women (page 210). The Munster +traditions represent him as a native of Kerry; but he was in reality a +Leinsterman, though his descendants migrated to Munster at a very early +period. Mr. O'Grady, in his edition of the story of Dermat and Grania +(page 294), has given an ancient poetical genealogy of Dermat. This hero +is equally celebrated in popular story in the Highlands of Scotland. +According to Highland tradition, the great and illustrious Clann +Campbell, represented by the Duke of Argyll, descend from him; and their +crest is a boar's head, in memory of the manner of Dermat's +death.[CLXXX.] Dermat O'Dyna is, on the whole, the finest type of hero +among the Fena--as fine indeed as can be found in any literature; and +his noble character is very well maintained throughout the Ossianic +tales. + +Kylta Mac Ronan, Finn's nephew, renowned for his fleetness of foot. + +Dering, the son of Dobar O'Baskin, who was not only a brave warrior, but +also "a man of knowledge," gifted with some insight into futurity. + +Ligan Lumina, also celebrated for swiftness of foot. + +Fergus Finnvel, poet, warrior, and frequent adviser of the Fena. + +Gaul Mac Morna, the leader of the Clann Morna or Connaught Fena, one of +the mightiest of all the heroes. He served under Finn, but the two +chiefs bore no love to each other, for Gaul had slain Finn's father, +Cumal, in the battle of Knocka (see note 27). + +Conan Mail or Conan the Bald, the best-marked and best-sustained +character in the Ossianic romances; large-bodied, a great boaster, a +great coward, and a great glutton. He had a venomous tongue, and hardly +ever spoke a good word of any one. He belonged to the Clann Morna, and +was always reviling the Clann Baskin. He was the butt for the gibes and +mockery of the Fena, but they dreaded his foul tongue. The story-tellers +never lose an opportunity of having a fling at Conan, and of turning him +into ridicule for his cowardice, his big talk, and his gluttony. + + +NOTE 24.--_Cooking-Places._ + +The Fena, as related in the beginning of the story of the Gilla Dacker, +were quartered on the principal householders during the winter +half-year; and maintained themselves chiefly by the chase during the +summer months. When they were on their hunting expeditions, we are told +that they ate only one meal a day; and for this meal they cooked the +flesh of the animals brought down in the chase, in the following manner. +They first dug a deep pit in the earth near their camping-place, and, +having lighted a great fire beside it, they heated a number of round +stones. They next covered the bottom of the pit with the hot stones, on +which they placed the meat, bound up with sedge and grass ropes, and on +this again they put another layer of heated stones; and, having closely +covered up the whole with branches, they let it stand till the meat was +sufficiently cooked. The remains of these old earth-ovens are still to +be seen, and are called by the peasantry _fulachta-na-bhfiann_, the +cooking-places of the Fena. + + +NOTE 25.--_Finn's Tooth of Knowledge._ + +It had been prophesied of old that a man named Finn would be the first +to eat of the salmon of knowledge, which swam in the pool of Linn-Fec, +in the Boyne (near the present village of Slane); and that he would +thereby obtain the gifts of knowledge and of divination. A certain old +poet named Finn, knowing this, hoped that he might be the lucky man; so +he took up his abode on the shore of Linn-Fec; and he fished in the pool +every day from morn till night, in the hope of catching the salmon of +knowledge. At this time, Finn the son of Cumal was a boy, fleeing from +place to place from his hereditary enemies, the Clann Morna, disguised, +and bearing the assumed name of Demna; and, happening to come to +Linn-Fec, the old poet took him as his servant. + +After long watching and waiting, Finn the poet hooked the salmon at +last, and gave it to Demna to broil, warning him very strictly not to +eat or even taste of it. Demna proceeded to broil the fish; and soon the +heat of the fire raised a great blister from its side, which the boy +pressed with his thumb to keep it down, thereby scalding himself so +severely that he unthinkingly thrust his thumb into his mouth. + +When the salmon was cooked, the poet asked Demna had he eaten of it. +"No," replied the boy; "but I scalded my thumb on the fish, and put it +into my mouth." "Thy name is not Demna, but Finn," exclaimed the poet: +"in thee has the prophecy been fulfilled; and thou art now a diviner and +a man of knowledge!" + +In this manner Finn obtained the gift of divination, so that ever after, +when he wished to look into futurity, he put his thumb under his tooth +of knowledge, as he did when cooking the salmon of Linn-Fec, and the +whole future was revealed to him. There appears to have been some sort +of ceremony used, however (see page 339, _supra_); and it would seem +that the process was attended with pain (page 194), so that it was only +on very solemn and trying occasions he put his thumb under his tooth of +knowledge.[CLXXXI.] + + +NOTE 26.--_The Game of Chess._ + +Chess-playing was one of the favourite amusements of the ancient Irish +chiefs. The game is constantly mentioned in the very oldest Gaelic +tales; as, for instance, in the "Cattle-Spoil of Cooley," in "The Book +of the Dun Cow" (A.D. 1100). (See O'Donovan's "Introduction to the Book +of Rights," page lxi.) + + +NOTE 27.--_Battle of Knocka._ + +The battle of Knocka or _Cnucha_ (now Castleknock, near Dublin) was +fought in the reign of Conn the Hundred-fighter (see note 18). The +contending parties were, on the one side, Conn with his royal forces, +and the renowned hero, Gaul Mac Morna, with his Connaught Fena, the +Clann Morna; and on the other side, Cumal, the father of Finn, with the +Clann Baskin and the Leinster forces in general, aided by Owen More, +heir to the throne of Munster, with a large army of Munstermen. The +Leinster and Munster armies were defeated, chiefly through the valour of +Gaul, who slew Cumal with his own hand. This was the cause of the +irreconcilable enmity that existed ever after between the Clann Baskin +and the Clann Morna. + +When Finn the son of Cumal grew up to man's estate, he succeeded to the +position held by his father as leader of the Fena. But though he made +peace with Gaul Mac Morna, and though Gaul submitted to his command, +there was always a feeling of ill-concealed hatred and distrust between +them. + + +NOTE 28.--_Battle of Gavra._ + +When Carbri of the Liffey, son of Cormac Mac Art, ascended the throne of +Ireland, one of his first acts was to disband and outlaw the Clann +Baskin; and he took into his service in their place their rivals and +deadly enemies, the Clann Morna from Connaught. Whereupon the Clann +Baskin marched southwards, and entered the service of Fercorb, king of +Munster, Finn's grandson, in direct disobedience to king Carbri's +commands. This led to the bloody battle of Gavra, celebrated in Ossianic +literature, which was fought A.D. 284, at Garristown, in the north-west +of the county Dublin, where the rival clanns slaughtered each other +almost to annihilation. In the heat of the battle, Carbri and Oscar met +in single combat; and, after a long and terrible fight, the heroic Oscar +fell pierced by Carbri's spear, and died on the evening of the same day. +But Carbri himself was dreadfully wounded; and, while retiring from the +field, his own kinsman, Semeon, whom he had previously banished from +Tara, fell on him, and despatched him with a single blow. + +This battle is the subject of a poem which the bards ascribe to Oisin, +and which has been published, with translation, in the first volume of +the Ossianic Transactions. In this poem there is an affecting +description of the death of Oscar, surrounded by his few surviving +companions, and in presence of his father Oisin. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[CLXXX.] For a full account of the Highland traditions regarding Dermat, +and of the Highland monuments that commemorate his name, see "Loch Etive +and the Sons of Uisnach" (p. 255), a very valuable and interesting book, +recently published, which came into my hands after I had written the +above. + +[CLXXXI.] The above legend is taken from "The Boyish Exploits of Finn +Mac Cumal," published, with translation, by John O'Donovan, LL.D., in +the fourth volume of the Ossianic Society's Transactions, from a MS. +_transcribed_ in 1453, now lying in the Bodleian Library at Oxford. But +the internal evidence of the language shows that the piece is far more +ancient than the fifteenth century. The legend of Finn and the Salmon of +Knowledge is still current among the peasantry; and a modern popular +version of it may be seen in the _Dublin Penny Journal_, Vol. I. page +110. + +As to the process of putting his thumb under his tooth of knowledge, +even the English-speaking peasantry of the south still retain a +tradition that it was painful; for they say that Finn "chewed his thumb +from the skin to the flesh, from the flesh to the bone, from the bone to +the marrow, and from the marrow to the _smoosagh_." + + + + +LIST OF PROPER NAMES. + +ALPHABETICAL LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL PROPER NAMES OCCURRING IN THIS +VOLUME, WITH THEIR ORIGINAL GAELIC FORMS, AND, IN MANY CASES, THEIR +MEANINGS. + + +Every writer who attempts to popularise the Gaelic literature of Ireland +and Scotland, finds the proper names a serious difficulty. If they are +given in their original Gaelic forms, they are not unfrequently +unpronounceable and repulsive to the English reader; if they are written +phonetically, they are often strange and barbarous looking. In this +book, I have not followed any general principle in reducing the names to +forms suitable to readers of English. I have dealt with each, as it +were, on its own merits. Sometimes--very often, indeed--I have given the +original spelling; sometimes I have given the names phonetically; and +frequently I have mixed the two modes. But all through I have avoided +any great departure from the original forms, as will be seen by a glance +at the following list. + +In all cases the names occurring through the book may be pronounced just +as the letters would indicate to the English reader. + + + + + Aed, _Aedh_, a flame of fire. + + Ahaclee, _Ath-cliath_, hurdle-ford. + + Ailna, _Ailne_, beauty, joy. + + Aina, _Aine_. + + Allil, _Ailioll_, _Ailell_, or _Oilioll_. + + Allil Ocar Aga, _Ailell Ochair Aga_. + + Alva, _Ailbhe_. + + + Balor, _Balar_. + + Baskin, _Baoiscne_. + + Begallta, _Beagalltach_, little fury. + + Ben-Damis, _Beann-Damhuis_. + + Beoc, _Beoc_, _Dabheoc_, and _Beoan_. + + Berva, _Berbhe_. + + Borba, _Borb_, proud. + + Bran, _Bran_, a raven. + + Bres, _Breas_. + + Brian, _Brian_. + + Brickna, _Briccne_. + + Bruga of the _Brugh-na-Boinne_. + Boyne, + + + Canta, _Cainte_. + + Carn-Arenn, _Carnn-Airenn_. + + Carricknarone, _Carraic-na-ron_, the rock of the seals. + + Clann Navin, _Clann-Neamhuinn_. + + Cloghan Kincat, _Clochan-chinn-chait_, the stepping-stones of + the cat's head. + + Coil Croda, _Cael-crodha_, the slender valiant [man]. + + Colga, _Colga_. + + Colman, _Colman_, little dove. + + Comgall, _Comhghall_. + + Conal Carna, _Conall Cernach_. + + Conan Mail, _Conan Mael_, Conan the Bald. + + Conang, _Conaing_. + + Conn, the Hundred-fighter (not Conn of the Hundred + Battles, as it is usually translated), + _Conn-Cedcathach_. + + Connla, _Connla_. + + Coran, _Coran_. + + Cormac Mac Art, _Cormac Mac Airt_. + + Corr the _Coir Cos-luath_. + Swift-footed, + + Cuan, _Cuan_ or _Cuadhan_. + + Culand, _Culand_. + + Curnan the _Curnan Onmit_. + Simpleton, + + Curoi Mac Dara, _Curoi Mac Daire_. + + + Dagda, _Dagda_. + + Dara Donn, _Daire Donn_. + + Darvra, Lake, _Loch Dairbhreach_, the lake of oaks. + + Dathkeen, _Dathchaoin_, bright-complexioned. + + Decca, _Deoch_. + + Dedannans, _Tuatha De Danann_. + + Derdri of the _Deirdre Duibhshleibhe_. + Black Mountain, + + Dering, _Diorraing_. + + Dermat O'Dyna, _Diarmait O'Duibhne_. + + Dianket, _Diancecht_. + + Diuran Lekerd, _Diuran Lecerd_. + + Dobar O'Baskin, _Dobhar O'Baoiscne_. + + Dooclone, _Dubhchluain_, dark-coloured meadow. + + Dord-Fian, _Dord-Fiann_. + + Dryantore, _Draoigheantoir_. + + Ducoss, _Dubhchosach_, black-foot. + + + Eas-Dara, _Eas-Dara_. + + Ebb, _Eab_. + + Ebliu, _Ebliu_. + + Ebric, _Aibhric_. + + Ecca, _Eochaidh_, a horseman. + + Enbarr, _Aenbharr_, splendid mane. + + Encoss, _Aenchos_, one foot. + + Ethnea, _Eithne_, sweet nut-kernel. + + Etta, _Eitche_. + + Eva, _Aeife_. + + Eve, _Aebh_. + + + Failinis, _Failinis_. + + Fatha Conan, _Fatha Chonain_. + + Femin, _Feimeann_. + + Fena, _Fianna_. + + Ferdana, _Feardana_. + + Fergor, _Fearghoir_, manly or strong voice. + + Fergus, _Fearghus_, manly strength. + + Fiaca Findamnas, _Fiacha Findamnais_. + + Ficna, _Fiachna_, little raven. + + Ficra, _Fiachra_. + + Fincara, _Fianchaire_. + + Fincoss, _Finnchosach_, white-foot. + + Finn, _Finn_ or _Fionn_, fair-haired. + + Finnin, _Finghin_, fair offspring. + + Finola, _Fionnghuala_, white shoulder. + + Flidas, _Flidas_. + + Foltlebar, _Folt-leabhar_, long hair. + + Frevan, _Freamhainn_. + + + Ga-boi, _Ga-buidhe_, yellow javelin. + + Ga-derg, _Ga-dearg_, red javelin. + + Gael Glas, _Gaodhal-Glas_. + + Garva, _Garbh_, rough. + + Gaul Mac Morna, _Goll Mac Morna_. + + Germane, _Germane_. + + Gilla Dacker, _Giolla Deacair_, lazy fellow. + + Glanlua, _Glanluadh_, pure-spoken. + + Glas Mac Encarda, _Glas Mac Aeinchearda_. + + Glore, _Glor_, a voice. + + + Ilbrec, _Ilbhreach_. + + Ildana, _Ioldhanach_. + + Inis Glora, _Inis Gluaire_. + + Innia, _Innia_. + + Innsa, _Inse_. + + Inver-tre-Kenand, _Inbher-Tre-Cenand_. + + Iraun, _Irann_. + + Iroda, _Ioruaidhe_. + + Irros Domnann, _Iorrus Domnann_. + + Island of the _Inis Tuile_. + Torrent, + + + Kemoc, _Caemhoc_ or _Mochoemhoc_. + + Kenn-Avrat, _Ceann-Abhrat_. + + Kenri, _Caenraighe_. + + Kethen, _Cethen_. + + Kethlenda, _Ceithleann_ or _Ceithleand_. + + Kian, _Cian_. + + Kylta Mac Ronan, _Caeilte Mac Ronain_. + + + Largnen, _Lairgnen_. + + Lavaran, _Lobharan_. + + Liban, _Liban_. + + Lidas, _Liadhas_. + + Ligan Lumina, _Liagan Luaimneach_, Ligan the Bounding. + + Lir, _Lir_. + + Lobas, _Lobais_. + + Lochlann, _Lochlann_. + + Loskenn of the _Loiscinn Lomghluineach_. + Bare Knees, + + Luath, _Luaith_, swift. + + Luga of the Long _Lugh Lamh-fada_. + Arms, + + + Mac-an-Lona, _Mac-an-Luin_. + + Mac Luga, _Mac Luigheach_. + + Mac-na-Corra, _Mac-na-Corra_. + + Maildun, _Mail Duin_, chief of the fort. + + Manissa, _Maighneis_. + + Mannanan Mac Lir, _Manannan Mac Lir_. + + Marid Mac Carido, _Mairid Mac Cairedo_. + + Mergah, _Meargach_. + + Micorta, _Miodhchuarta_. + + Midac, _Miodhach_ or _Mioch_. + + Midir, _Midhir_. + + Midkena, _Miodhchaoin_. + + Milucra, _Miluchradh_. + + Modan, _Muadhan_. + + Morallta, _Moralltach_, great fury. + + Moyle, _Mael_, a bare hill. + + Moy-Mell, _Magh-Mell_, plain of pleasures. + + Moytura, _Magh-tuireadh_, plain of towers. + + Muman, _Mumha_, gen. _Mumhan_. + + Muridach, _Muridach_. + + Murthemna, _Muirthemhne_. + + + Niam, _Niamh_, beauty. + + Nuada of the _Nuadha Airgeatlaimh_. + Silver Hand, + + Nuca, _Nuca_. + + + Oisin, _Oisin_ (pronounced _Isheen_ in Munster, and + _Osh'in_ in Ulster and in Scotland). + + Oscar, _Oscar_. + + Owenaght, _Eoghanacht_, descendants of Owen. + + + Pezar, _Pisear_. + + + Racad, _Rachadh_. + + Rib, _Rib_. + + + Sencab, _Seanchab_, old mouth. + + Sharvan, _Searbhan_, a surly person. + + Shee Finnaha, _Sidh-Fionnachaidh_. + + Skeabrac, _Sciath-bhreac_, speckled shield. + + Skolan, _Sceolaing_. + + Slana, _Slanach_, healthy. + + Sorca, _Sorcha_. + + Sotal of the Large _Sotal Salmhor_. + Heels, + + + Taillkenn, _Tailcenn_. + + Tinna the Mighty, _Tinne Mor_. + + Tir-fa-tonn, _Tir-fa-thuinn_, country beneath the wave. + + Tirnanoge, _Tir na n-og_, land of youths. + + Trencoss, _Treunchosach_, strongfoot. + + Trenmore O'Baskin, _Treunmor O'Baoiscne_. + + Triscadal, _Triscadal_. + + Tuis, _Tuis_. + + Turenn, _Tuireann_. + + + Ur, _Uar_. + + Urcar, _Urchar_. + + + + +THE END + + + Transcriber's Notes: + Footnotes formatted in Roman. + Endnotes formatted in Arabic. + Italics shown as _Italics_. + Ligatures: [=o] o macron, [)e] e breve. + Inconsistent and archaic spelling retained. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Old Celtic Romances, by Unknown + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OLD CELTIC ROMANCES *** + +***** This file should be named 38041.txt or 38041.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/0/4/38041/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Rory OConor and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain 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