GODS AND FIGHTING MEN:

THE STORY OF THE TUATHA DE DANAANAND OF THE FIANNA OF IRELAND, ARRANGED AND PUT INTO ENGLISH BY LADY GREGORY. 

WITH A PREFACE BY W. B. YEATS

1905

DEDICATION TO THE MEMBERS OF THE IRISH LITERARY SOCIETY OF NEW YORK

My Friends, those I know and those I do not know, I am glad in the yearof the birth of your Society to have this book to offer you. 

It has given great courage to many workers here--working to build upbroken walls--to know you have such friendly thoughts of them in yourminds. A few of you have already come to see us, and we begin to hopethat one day the steamers across the Atlantic will not go out full, butcome back full, until some of you find your real home is here, and sayas some of us say, like Finn to the woman of enchantments--

[Illustration: Irish Gaelic]

"We would not give up our own country--Ireland--if we were to get thewhole world as an estate, and the Country of the Young along with it. "

AUGUSTA GREGORY. 

PREFACE

I

A few months ago I was on the bare Hill of Allen, "wide Almhuin ofLeinster, " where Finn and the Fianna lived, according to the stories, although there are no earthen mounds there like those that mark thesites of old buildings on so many hills. A hot sun beat down uponflowering gorse and flowerless heather; and on every side except theeast, where there were green trees and distant hills, one saw a levelhorizon and brown boglands with a few green places and here and therethe glitter of water. One could imagine that had it been twilight andnot early afternoon, and had there been vapours drifting and frothingwhere there were now but shadows of clouds, it would have set stirringin one, as few places even in Ireland can, a thought that is peculiar toCeltic romance, as I think, a thought of a mystery coming not as withGothic nations out of the pressure of darkness, but out of great spacesand windy light. The hill of Teamhair, or Tara, as it is now called, with its green mounds and its partly wooded sides, and its more gradualslope set among fat grazing lands, with great trees in the hedgerows, had brought before one imaginations, not of heroes who were in theiryouth for hundreds of years, or of women who came to them in thelikeness of hunted fawns, but of kings that lived brief and politiclives, and of the five white roads that carried their armies to thelesser kingdoms of Ireland, or brought to the great fair that had givenTeamhair its sovereignty, all that sought justice or pleasure or hadgoods to barter. 

II

It is certain that we must not confuse these kings, as did the mediævalchroniclers, with those half-divine kings of Almhuin. The chroniclers, perhaps because they loved tradition too well to cast out utterly muchthat they dreaded as Christians, and perhaps because popular imaginationhad begun the mixture, have mixed one with another ingeniously, makingFinn the head of a kind of Militia under Cormac MacArt, who is supposedto have reigned at Teamhair in the second century, and making Grania, who travels to enchanted houses under the cloak of Angus, god of Love, and keeps her troubling beauty longer than did Helen hers, Cormac'sdaughter, and giving the stories of the Fianna, although the impossiblehas thrust its proud finger into them all, a curious air of precisehistory. It is only when one separates the stories from that mediævalpedantry, as in this book, that one recognises one of the oldest worldsthat man has imagined, an older world certainly than one finds in thestories of Cuchulain, who lived, according to the chroniclers, about thetime of the birth of Christ. They are far better known, and one may becertain of the antiquity of incidents that are known in one form oranother to every Gaelic-speaking countryman in Ireland or in theHighlands of Scotland. Sometimes a labourer digging near to a cromlech, or Bed of Diarmuid and Crania as it is called, will tell one a traditionthat seems older and more barbaric than any description of theiradventures or of themselves in written text or story that has taken formin the mouths of professed story-tellers. Finn and the Fianna foundwelcome among the court poets later than did Cuchulain; and one findsmemories of Danish invasions and standing armies mixed with theimaginations of hunters and solitary fighters among great woods. Onenever hears of Cuchulain delighting in the hunt or in woodland things;and one imagines that the story-teller would have thought it unworthy inso great a man, who lived a well-ordered, elaborate life, and had hischariot and his chariot-driver and his barley-fed horses to delight in. If he is in the woods before dawn one is not told that he cannot knowthe leaves of the hazel from the leaves of the oak; and when Emerlaments him no wild creature comes into her thoughts but the cuckoo thatcries over cultivated fields. His story must have come out of a timewhen the wild wood was giving way to pasture and tillage, and men had nolonger a reason to consider every cry of the birds or change of thenight. Finn, who was always in the woods, whose battles were but hoursamid years of hunting, delighted in the "cackling of ducks from the Lakeof the Three Narrows; the scolding talk of the blackbird of Doire anCairn; the bellowing of the ox from the Valley of the Berries; thewhistle of the eagle from the Valley of Victories or from the roughbranches of the Ridge of the Stream; the grouse of the heather ofCruachan; the call of the otter of Druim re Coir. " When sorrow comesupon the queens of the stories, they have sympathy for the wild birdsand beasts that are like themselves: "Credhe wife of Cael came with theothers and went looking through the bodies for her comely comrade, andcrying as she went. And as she was searching she saw a crane of themeadows and her two nestlings, and the cunning beast the fox watchingthe nestlings; and when the crane covered one of the birds to save it, he would make a rush at the other bird, the way she had to stretchherself out over the birds; and she would sooner have got her own deathby the fox than the nestlings to be killed by him. And Credhe waslooking at that, and she said: 'It is no wonder I to have such love formy comely sweetheart, and the bird in that distress about hernestlings. '"

III

One often hears of a horse that shivers with terror, or of a dog thathowls at something a man's eyes cannot see, and men who live primitivelives where instinct does the work of reason are fully conscious of manythings that we cannot perceive at all. As life becomes more orderly, more deliberate, the supernatural world sinks farther away. Although thegods come to Cuchulain, and although he is the son of one of thegreatest of them, their country and his are far apart, and they come tohim as god to mortal; but Finn is their equal. He is continually intheir houses; he meets with Bodb Dearg, and Angus, and Manannan, now asfriend with friend, now as with an enemy he overcomes in battle; andwhen he has need of their help his messenger can say: "There is not aking's son or a prince, or a leader of the Fianna of Ireland, withouthaving a wife or a mother or a foster-mother or a sweetheart of theTuatha de Danaan. " When the Fianna are broken up at last, after hundredsof years of hunting, it is doubtful that he dies at all, and certainthat he comes again in some other shape, and Oisin, his son, is madeking over a divine country. The birds and beasts that cross his path inthe woods have been fighting men or great enchanters or fair women, andin a moment can take some beautiful or terrible shape. One thinks of himand of his people as great-bodied men with large movements, that seem, as it were, flowing out of some deep below the narrow stream of personalimpulse, men that have broad brows and quiet eyes full of confidence ina good luck that proves every day afresh that they are a portion of thestrength of things. They are hardly so much individual men as portionsof universal nature, like the clouds that shape themselves and re-shapethemselves momentarily, or like a bird between two boughs, or like thegods that have given the apples and the nuts; and yet this but bringsthem the nearer to us, for we can remake them in our image when we will, and the woods are the more beautiful for the thought. Do we not alwaysfancy hunters to be something like this, and is not that why we thinkthem poetical when we meet them of a sudden, as in these lines in"Pauline":

 "An old hunter Talking with gods; or a nigh-crested chief Sailing with troops of friends to Tenedos"

IV

One must not expect in these stories the epic lineaments, the manyincidents, woven into one great event of, let us say, the story of theWar for the Brown Bull of Cuailgne, or that of the last gathering atMuirthemne. Even Diarmuid and Grania, which is a long story, has nothingof the clear outlines of Deirdre, and is indeed but a succession ofdetached episodes. The men who imagined the Fianna had the imaginationof children, and as soon as they had invented one wonder, heaped anotheron top of it. Children--or, at any rate, it is so I remember my ownchildhood--do not understand large design, and they delight in littleshut-in places where they can play at houses more than in great expanseswhere a country-side takes, as it were, the impression of a thought. Thewild creatures and the green things are more to them than to us, forthey creep towards our light by little holes and crevices. When theyimagine a country for themselves, it is always a country where one canwander without aim, and where one can never know from one place whatanother will be like, or know from the one day's adventure what may meetone with to-morrow's sun. I have wished to become a child again that Imight find this book, that not only tells one of such a country, but isfuller than any other book that tells of heroic life, of the childhoodthat is in all folk-lore, dearer to me than all the books of the westernworld. 

Children play at being great and wonderful people, at the ambitionsthey will put away for one reason or another before they grow intoordinary men and women. Mankind as a whole had a like dream once;everybody and nobody built up the dream bit by bit, and the ancientstory-tellers are there to make us remember what mankind would have beenlike, had not fear and the failing will and the laws of nature trippedup its heels. The Fianna and their like are themselves so full of power, and they are set in a world so fluctuating and dream-like, that nothingcan hold them from being all that the heart desires. 

I have read in a fabulous book that Adam had but to imagine a bird, andit was born into life, and that he created all things out of himself bynothing more important than an unflagging fancy; and heroes who can makea ship out of a shaving have but little less of the divine prerogatives. They have no speculative thoughts to wander through eternity and wasteheroic blood; but how could that be otherwise, for it is at all timesthe proud angels who sit thinking upon the hill-side and not the peopleof Eden. One morning we meet them hunting a stag that is "as joyful asthe leaves of a tree in summer-time"; and whatever they do, whether theylisten to the harp or follow an enchanter over-sea, they do for the sakeof joy, their joy in one another, or their joy in pride and movement;and even their battles are fought more because of their delight in agood fighter than because of any gain that is in victory. They livealways as if they were playing a game; and so far as they have anydeliberate purpose at all, it is that they may become great gentlemenand be worthy of the songs of poets. It has been said, and I think theJapanese were the first to say it, that the four essential virtues areto be generous among the weak, and truthful among one's friends, andbrave among one's enemies, and courteous at all times; and if weunderstand by courtesy not merely the gentleness the story-tellers havecelebrated, but a delight in courtly things, in beautiful clothing andin beautiful verse, one understands that it was no formal succession oftrials that bound the Fianna to one another. Only the Table Round, thatis indeed, as it seems, a rivulet from the same river, is bound in alike fellowship, and there the four heroic virtues are troubled by theabstract virtues of the cloister. Every now and then some noble knightbuilds himself a cell upon the hill-side, or leaves kind women andjoyful knights to seek the vision of the Grail in lonely adventures. Butwhen Oisin or some kingly forerunner--Bran, son of Febal, or thelike--rides or sails in an enchanted ship to some divine country, he butlooks for a more delighted companionship, or to be in love with facesthat will never fade. No thought of any life greater than that of love, and the companionship of those that have drawn their swords upon thedarkness of the world, ever troubles their delight in one another as ittroubles Iseult amid her love, or Arthur amid his battles. It is one ofthe ailments of our speculation that thought, when it is not theplanning of something, or the doing of something or some memory of aplain circumstance separates us from one another because it makes usalways more unlike, and because no thought passes through another's earunchanged. Companionship can only be perfect when it is founded onthings, for things are always the same under the hand, and at last onecomes to hear with envy of the voices of boys lighting a lantern toensnare moths, or of the maids chattering in the kitchen about the foxthat carried off a turkey before breakfast. This book is full offellowship untroubled like theirs, and made noble by a courtesy that hasgone perhaps out of the world. I do not know in literature betterfriends and lovers. When one of the Fianna finds Osgar dying the prouddeath of a young man, and asks is it well with him, he is answered, "Iam as you would have me be. " The very heroism of the Fianna is indeedbut their pride and joy in one another, their good fellowship. Goll, oldand savage, and letting himself die of hunger in a cave because he isangry and sorry, can speak lovely words to the wife whose help herefuses. "'It is best as it is, ' he said, 'and I never took the adviceof a woman east or west, and I never will take it. And oh, sweet-voicedqueen, ' he said, 'what ails you to be fretting after me? and remembernow your silver and your gold, and your silks . .. And do not be cryingtears after me, queen with the white hands, ' he said, 'but remember yourconstant lover Aodh, son of the best woman of the world, that came fromSpain asking for you, and that I fought on Corcar-an-Dearg; and go tohim now, ' he said, 'for it is bad when a woman is without a good man. '"

VI

They have no asceticism, but they are more visionary than any ascetic, and their invisible life is but the life about them made more perfectand more lasting, and the invisible people are their own images in thewater. Their gods may have been much besides this, for we know them fromfragments of mythology picked out with trouble from a fantastic historyrunning backward to Adam and Eve, and many things that may have seemedwicked to the monks who imagined that history, may have been altered orleft out; but this they must have been essentially, for the old storiesare confirmed by apparitions among the country-people to-day. The Men ofDea fought against the mis-shapen Fomor, as Finn fights against theCat-Heads and the Dog-Heads; and when they are overcome at last by men, they make themselves houses in the hearts of hills that are like thehouses of men. When they call men to their houses and to their countryUnder-Wave they promise them all that they have upon earth, only ingreater abundance. The god Midhir sings to Queen Etain in one of themost beautiful of the stories: "The young never grow old; the fields andthe flowers are as pleasant to be looking at as the blackbird's eggs;warm streams of mead and wine flow through that country; there is nocare or no sorrow on any person; we see others, but we ourselves are notseen. " These gods are indeed more wise and beautiful than men; but men, when they are great men, are stronger than they are, for men are, as itwere, the foaming tide-line of their sea. One remembers the Druid whoanswered, when some one asked him who made the world, "The Druids madeit. " All was indeed but one life flowing everywhere, and taking onequality here, another there. It sometimes seems to one as if there is akind of day and night of religion, and that a period when the influencesare those that shape the world is followed by a period when the greaterpower is in influences that would lure the soul out of the world, out ofthe body. When Oisin is speaking with S. Patrick of the friends and thelife he has outlived, he can but cry out constantly against a religionthat has no meaning for him. He laments, and the country-people haveremembered his words for centuries: "I will cry my fill, but not forGod, but because Finn and the Fianna are not living. "

VII

Old writers had an admirable symbolism that attributed certain energiesto the influence of the sun, and certain others to the lunar influence. To lunar influence belong all thoughts and emotions that were created bythe community, by the common people, by nobody knows who, and to the sunall that came from the high disciplined or individual kingly mind. Imyself imagine a marriage of the sun and moon in the arts I take mostpleasure in; and now bride and bridegroom but exchange, as it were, fullcups of gold and silver, and now they are one in a mystical embrace. From the moon come the folk-songs imagined by reapers and spinners outof the common impulse of their labour, and made not by putting wordstogether, but by mixing verses and phrases, and the folk-tales made bythe capricious mixing of incidents known to everybody in new ways, asone deals out cards, never getting the same hand twice over. When onehears some fine story, one never knows whether it has not been hazardthat put the last touch of adventure. Such poetry, as it seems to me, desires an infinity of wonder or emotion, for where there is noindividual mind there is no measurer-out, no marker-in of limits. Thepoor fisher has no possession of the world and no responsibility for it;and if he dreams of a love-gift better than the brown shawl that seemstoo common for poetry, why should he not dream of a glove made from theskin of a bird, or shoes made from the skin of a fish, or a coat madefrom the glittering garment of the salmon? Was it not Aeschylus who saidhe but served up fragments from the banquet of Homer?--but Homer himselffound the great banquet on an earthen floor and under a broken roof. Wedo not know who at the foundation of the world made the banquet for thefirst time, or who put the pack of cards into rough hands; but we doknow that, unless those that have made many inventions are about tochange the nature of poetry, we may have to go where Homer went if weare to sing a new song. Is it because all that is under the moon thirststo escape out of bounds, to lose itself in some unbounded tidal stream, that the songs of the folk are mournful, and that the story of theFianna, whenever the queens lament for their lovers, reminds us of songsthat are still sung in country-places? Their grief, even when it is tobe brief like Grania's, goes up into the waste places of the sky. Butin supreme art or in supreme life there is the influence of the sun too, and the sun brings with it, as old writers tell us, not merelydiscipline but joy; for its discipline is not of the kind the multitudesimpose upon us by their weight and pressure, but the expression of theindividual soul turning itself into a pure fire and imposing its ownpattern, its own music, upon the heaviness and the dumbness that is inothers and in itself. When we have drunk the cold cup of the moon'sintoxication, we thirst for something beyond ourselves, and the mindflows outward to a natural immensity; but if we have drunk from the hotcup of the sun, our own fullness awakens, we desire little, for whereverone goes one's heart goes too; and if any ask what music is thesweetest, we can but answer, as Finn answered, "what happens. " And yetthe songs and stories that have come from either influence are a part, neither less than the other, of the pleasure that is the bride-bed ofpoetry. 

VIII

Gaelic-speaking Ireland, because its art has been made, not by theartist choosing his material from wherever he has a mind to, but byadding a little to something which it has taken generations to invent, has always had a popular literature. One cannot say how much thatliterature has done for the vigour of the race, for one cannot count thehands its praise of kings and high-hearted queens made hot upon thesword-hilt, or the amorous eyes it made lustful for strength and beauty. One remembers indeed that when the farming people and the labourers ofthe towns made their last attempt to cast out England by force of armsthey named themselves after the companions of Finn. Even when Gaelic hasgone, and the poetry with it, something of the habit of mind remains inways of speech and thought and "come-all-ye"s and poetical saying; noris it only among the poor that the old thought has been for strength orweakness. Surely these old stories, whether of Finn or Cuchulain, helpedto sing the old Irish and the old Norman-Irish aristocracy to their end. They heard their hereditary poets and story-tellers, and they took tohorse and died fighting against Elizabeth or against Cromwell; and whenan English-speaking aristocracy had their place, it listened to nopoetry indeed, but it felt about it in the popular mind an exacting andancient tribunal, and began a play that had for spectators men and womenthat loved the high wasteful virtues. I do not think that their ownmixed blood or the habit of their time need take all, or nearly all, credit or discredit for the impulse that made our modern gentlemen fightduels over pocket-handkerchiefs, and set out to play ball against thegates of Jerusalem for a wager, and scatter money before the public eye;and at last, after an epoch of such eloquence the world has hardly seenits like, lose their public spirit and their high heart and growquerulous and selfish as men do who have played life out not heartilybut with noise and tumult. Had they understood the people and the game alittle better, they might have created an aristocracy in an age that haslost the meaning of the word. When one reads of the Fianna, or ofCuchulain, or of some great hero, one remembers that the fine life isalways a part played finely before fine spectators. There also onenotices the hot cup and the cold cup of intoxication; and when the finespectators have ended, surely the fine players grow weary, andaristocratic life is ended. When O'Connell covered with a dark glove thehand that had killed a man in the duelling field, he played his part;and when Alexander stayed his army marching to the conquest of the worldthat he might contemplate the beauty of a plane-tree, he played hispart. When Osgar complained as he lay dying, of the keening of the womenand the old fighting men, he too played his part; "No man ever knew anyheart in me, " he said, "but a heart of twisted horn, and it covered withiron; but the howling of the dogs beside me, " he said, "and the keeningof the old fighting men and the crying of the women one after another, those are the things that are vexing me. " If we would create a greatcommunity--and what other game is so worth the labour?--we must recreatethe old foundations of life, not as they existed in that splendidmisunderstanding of the eighteenth century, but as they must alwaysexist when the finest minds and Ned the beggar and Seaghan the foolthink about the same thing, although they may not think the same thoughtabout it. 

IX

When I asked the little boy who had shown me the pathway up the Hill ofAllen if he knew stories of Finn and Oisin, he said he did not, but thathe had often heard his grandfather telling them to his mother in Irish. He did not know Irish, but he was learning it at school, and all thelittle boys he knew were learning it. In a little while he will knowenough stories of Finn and Oisin to tell them to his children some day. It is the owners of the land whose children might never have known whatwould give them so much happiness. But now they can read this book totheir children, and it will make Slieve-na-man, Allen, and Benbulben, the great mountain that showed itself before me every day through all mychildhood and was yet unpeopled, and half the country-sides of south andwest, as populous with memories as are Dundealgan and Emain Macha andMuirthemne; and after a while somebody may even take them to some famousplace and say, "This land where your fathers lived proudly and finelyshould be dear and dear and again dear"; and perhaps when many nameshave grown musical to their ears, a more imaginative love will havetaught them a better service. 

X

I need say nothing about the translation and arrangement of this bookexcept that it is worthy to be put beside "Cuchulain of Muirthemne. "Such books should not be commended by written words but by spoken words, were that possible, for the written words commending a book, whereinsomething is done supremely well, remain, to sound in the ears of alater generation, like the foolish sound of church bells from the towerof a church when every pew is full. 

W. B. YEATS. 

CONTENTS

PART I. THE GODS

 Book I. The Coming of the Tuatha de Danaan

 Chap. I. The Fight with the Firbolgs II. The Reign of Bres

 Book II. Lugh of the Long Hand

 Chap. I. The Coming of Lugh II. The Sons of Tuireann III. The Great Battle of Magh Tuireadh IV. The Hidden House of Lugh

 Book III. The Coming of the Gael

 Chap. I. The Landing II. The Battle of Tailltin

 Book IV. The Ever-Living Living Ones

 Chap. I. Bodb Dearg II. The Dagda III. Angus Og IV. The Morrigu V. Aine VI. Aoibhell VII. Midhir and Etain VIII. Manannan IX. Manannan at play X. His Call to Bran XI. His Three Calls to Cormac XII. Cliodna's Wave XIII. His Call to Connla XIV. Tadg in Manannan's Islands XV. Laegaire in the Happy Plain

 Book V. The Fate of The Children of Lir

PART II. THE FIANNA

 Book I. Finn, Son of Cumhal

 Chap. I. The Coming of Finn II. Finn's Household III. Birth of Bran IV. Oisin's Mother V. The Best Men of the Fianna

 Book II. Finn's Helpers

 Chap. I. The Lad of the Skins II. Black, Brown, and Grey III. The Hound IV. Red Ridge

 Book III. The Battle of the White Strand

 Chap. I. The Enemies of Ireland II. Cael and Credhe III. Conn Crither IV. Glas, Son of Dremen V. The Help of the Men of Dea VI. The March of the Fianna VII. The First Fighters VIII. The King of Ulster's Son IX. The High King's Son X. The King of Lochlann and his Sons XI. Labran's Journey XII. The Great Fight XIII. Credhe's Lament

 Book IV. Huntings and Enchantments

 Chap. I. The King of Britain's Son II. The Cave of Ceiscoran III. Donn, Son of Midhir IV. The Hospitality of Cuanna's House V. Cat-Heads and Dog-Heads VI. Lomna's Head VII. Ilbrec of Ess Ruadh VIII. The Cave of Cruachan IX. The Wedding at Ceann Slieve X. The Shadowy One XI. Finn's Madness XII. The Red Woman XIII. Finn and the Phantoms XIV. The Pigs of Angus XV. The Hunt of Slieve Cuilinn

 Book V. Oisin's Children

 Book VI. Diarmuid

 Chap. I. Birth of Diarmuid II. How Diarmuid got his Love-Spot III. The Daughter of King Under-Wave IV. The Hard Servant V. The House of the Quicken Trees

 Book VII. Diarmuid and Grania

 Chap. I. The Flight from Teamhair II. The Pursuit III. The Green Champions IV. The Wood of Dubhros V. The Quarrel VI. The Wanderers VII. Fighting and Peace VIII. The Boar of Beinn Gulbain

 Book VIII. Cnoc-an-Air

 Chap. I. Tailc, Son of Treon II. Meargach's Wife III. Ailne's Revenge

 Book IX. The Wearing Away of the Fianna

 Chap. I. The Quarrel with the Sons of Morna II. Death of Goll III. The Battle of Gabhra

 Book X. The End of the Fianna

 Chap. I. Death of Bran II. The Call of Oisin III. The Last of the Great Men

 Book XI. Oisin and Patrick

 Chap. I. Oisin's Story II. Oisin in Patrick's House III. The Arguments IV. Oisin's Laments

GODS AND FIGHTING MEN. 

PART ONE: THE GODS. 

BOOK ONE: THE COMING OF THE TUATHA DE DANAAN. 

CHAPTER I. THE FIGHT WITH THE FIRBOLGS

It was in a mist the Tuatha de Danaan, the people of the gods of Dana, or as some called them, the Men of Dea, came through the air and thehigh air to Ireland. 

It was from the north they came; and in the place they came from theyhad four cities, where they fought their battle for learning: greatFalias, and shining Gorias, and Finias, and rich Murias that lay to thesouth. And in those cities they had four wise men to teach their youngmen skill and knowledge and perfect wisdom: Senias in Murias; and Arias, the fair-haired poet, in Finias; and Urias of the noble nature inGorias; and Morias in Falias itself. And they brought from those fourcities their four treasures: a Stone of Virtue from Falias, that wascalled the Lia Fail, the Stone of Destiny; and from Gorias they broughta Sword; and from Finias a Spear of Victory; and from Murias the fourthtreasure, the Cauldron that no company ever went away from unsatisfied. 

It was Nuada was king of the Tuatha de Danaan at that time, butManannan, son of Lir, was greater again. And of the others that werechief among them were Ogma, brother to the king, that taught themwriting, and Diancecht, that understood healing, and Neit, a god ofbattle, and Credenus the Craftsman, and Goibniu the Smith. And thegreatest among their women were Badb, a battle goddess; and Macha, whosemast-feeding was the heads of men killed in battle; and the Morrigu, the Crow of Battle; and Eire and Fodla and Banba, daughters of theDagda, that all three gave their names to Ireland afterwards; and Eadon, the nurse of poets; and Brigit, that was a woman of poetry, and poetsworshipped her, for her sway was very great and very noble. And she wasa woman of healing along with that, and a woman of smith's work, and itwas she first made the whistle for calling one to another through thenight. And the one side of her face was ugly, but the other side wasvery comely. And the meaning of her name was Breo-saighit, a fieryarrow. And among the other women there were many shadow-forms and greatqueens; but Dana, that was called the Mother of the Gods, was beyondthem all. 

And the three things they put above all others were the plough and thesun and the hazel-tree, so that it was said in the time to come thatIreland was divided between those three, Coll the hazel, and Cecht theplough, and Grian the sun. 

And they had a well below the sea where the nine hazels of wisdom weregrowing; that is, the hazels of inspiration and of the knowledge ofpoetry. And their leaves and their blossoms would break out in the samehour, and would fall on the well in a shower that raised a purple wave. And then the five salmon that were waiting there would eat the nuts, andtheir colour would come out in the red spots of their skin, and anyperson that would eat one of those salmon would know all wisdom and allpoetry. And there were seven streams of wisdom that sprang from thatwell and turned back to it again; and the people of many arts have alldrank from that well. 

It was on the first day of Beltaine, that is called now May Day, theTuatha de Danaan came, and it was to the north-west of Connacht theylanded. But the Firbolgs, the Men of the Bag, that were in Irelandbefore them, and that had come from the South, saw nothing but a mist, and it lying on the hills. 

Eochaid, son of Erc, was king of the Firbolgs at that time, andmessengers came to him at Teamhair, and told him there was a new race ofpeople come into Ireland, but whether from the earth or the skies or onthe wind was not known, and that they had settled themselves at MaghRein. 

They thought there would be wonder on Eochaid when he heard that news;but there was no wonder on him, for a dream had come to him in thenight, and when he asked his Druids the meaning of the dream, it is whatthey said, that it would not be long till there would be a strong enemycoming against him. 

Then King Eochaid took counsel with his chief advisers, and it is whatthey agreed, to send a good champion of their own to see the strangersand to speak with them. So they chose out Sreng, that was a greatfighting man, and he rose up and took his strong red-brown shield, andhis two thick-handled spears, and his sword, and his head-covering, andhis thick iron club, and he set out from Teamhair, and went on towardsthe place the strangers were, at Magh Rein. 

But before he reached it, the watchers of the Tuatha de Danaan got sightof him, and they sent out one of their own champions, Bres, with hisshield and his sword and his two spears, to meet him and to talk withhim. 

So the two champions went one towards the other slowly, and keeping agood watch on one another, and wondering at one another's arms, tillthey came near enough for talking; and then they stopped, and each puthis shield before his body and struck it hard into the ground, and theylooked at one another over the rim. Bres was the first to speak, andwhen Sreng heard it was Irish he was talking, his own tongue, he wasless uneasy, and they drew nearer, and asked questions as to oneanother's family and race. 

And after a while they put their shields away, and it was what Srengsaid, that he had raised his in dread of the thin, sharp spears Bres hadin his hand. And Bres said he himself was in dread of the thick-handledspears he saw with Sreng, and he asked were all the arms of the Firbolgsof the same sort. And Sreng took off the tyings of his spears to showthem better, and Bres wondered at them, being so strong and so heavy, and so sharp at the sides though they had no points. And Sreng told himthe name of those spears was Craisech, and that they would break throughshields and crush flesh and bones, so that their thrust was death orwounds that never healed. And then he looked at the sharp, thin, hard-pointed spears that were with Bres. And in the end they made anexchange of spears, the way the fighters on each side would see theweapons the others were used to. And it is the message Bres sent to theFirbolgs, that if they would give up one half of Ireland, his peoplewould be content to take it in peace; but if they would not give up thatmuch, there should be a battle. And he and Sreng said to one anotherthat whatever might happen in the future, they themselves would befriends. 

Sreng went back then to Teamhair and gave the message and showed thespear; and it is what he advised his people, to share the country andnot to go into battle with a people that had weapons so much better thantheir own. But Eochaid and his chief men consulted together, and theysaid in the end: "We will not give up the half of the country to thesestrangers; for if we do, " they said, "they will soon take the whole. "

Now as to the Men of Dea, when Bres went back to them, and showed themthe heavy spear, and told them of the strong, fierce man he had got itfrom, and how sturdy he was and well armed, they thought it likely therewould soon be a battle. And they went back from where they were to abetter place, farther west in Connacht, and there they settledthemselves, and made walls and ditches on the plain of Magh Nia, wherethey had the great mountain, Belgata, in their rear. And while they weremoving there and putting up their walls, three queens of them, Badb andMacha and the Morrigu, went to Teamhair where the Firbolgs were makingtheir plans. And by the power of their enchantments they brought mistsand clouds of darkness over the whole place, and they sent showers offire and of blood over the people, the way they could not see or speakwith one another through the length of three days. But at the end ofthat time, the three Druids of the Firbolgs, Cesarn and Gnathach andIngnathach, broke the enchantment. 

The Firbolgs gathered their men together then, and they came with theireleven battalions and took their stand at the eastern end of the plainof Magh Nia. 

And Nuada, king of the Men of Dea, sent his poets to make the same offerhe made before, to be content with the half of the country if it wasgiven up to him. King Eochaid bade the poets to ask an answer of hischief men that were gathered there; and when they heard the offer theywould not consent. So the messengers asked them when would they beginthe battle. "We must have a delay, " they said; "for we want time to putour spears and our armour in order, and to brighten our helmets and tosharpen our swords, and to have spears made like the ones you have. Andas to yourselves, " they said, "you will be wanting to have spears likeour Craisechs made for you. " So they agreed then to make a delay of aquarter of a year for preparation. 

It was on a Midsummer day they began the battle. Three times ninehurlers of the Tuatha de Danaan went out against three times ninehurlers of the Firbolgs, and they were beaten, and every one of them waskilled. And the king, Eochaid, sent a messenger to ask would they havethe battle every day or every second day. And it is what Nuada answeredthat they would have it every day, but there should be just the samenumber of men fighting on each side. Eochaid agreed to that, but he wasnot well pleased, for there were more men of the Firbolgs than of theMen of Dea. 

So the battle went on for four days, and there were great feats done oneach side, and a great many champions came to their death. But for thosethat were alive at evening, the physicians on each side used to make abath of healing, with every sort of healing plant or herb in it, the waythey would be strong and sound for the next day's fight. 

And on the fourth day the Men of Dea got the upper hand, and theFirbolgs were driven back. And a great thirst came on Eochaid, theirking, in the battle, and he went off the field looking for a drink, andthree fifties of his men protecting him; but three fifties of the Tuathade Danaan followed after them till they came to the strand that iscalled Traigh Eothaile, and they had a fierce fight there, and at thelast King Eochaid fell, and they buried him there, and they raised agreat heap of stones over his grave. 

And when there were but three hundred men left of the eleven battalionsof the Firbolgs, and Sreng at the head of them, Nuada offered thempeace, and their choice among the five provinces of Ireland. And Srengsaid they would take Connacht; and he and his people lived there andtheir children after them. It is of them Ferdiad came afterwards thatmade such a good fight against Cuchulain, and Erc, son of Cairbre, thatgave him his death. And that battle, that was the first fought inIreland by the Men of Dea, was called by some the first battle of MaghTuireadh. 

And the Tuatha de Danaan took possession of Teamhair, that was sometimescalled Druim Cain, the Beautiful Ridge, and Liathdruim, the Grey Ridge, and Druim na Descan, the Ridge of the Outlook, all those names weregiven to Teamhair. And from that time it was above all other places, forits king was the High King over all Ireland. The king's rath lay to thenorth, and the Hill of the Hostages to the north-east of the High Seat, and the Green of Teamhair to the west of the Hill of the Hostages. Andto the north-east, in the Hill of the Sidhe, was a well called Nemnach, and out of it there flowed a stream called Nith, and on that stream thefirst mill was built in Ireland. 

And to the north of the Hill of the Hostages was the stone, the LiaFail, and it used to roar under the feet of every king that would takepossession of Ireland. And the Wall of the Three Whispers was near theHouse of the Women that had seven doors to the east, and seven doors tothe west; and it is in that house the feasts of Teamhair used to beheld. And there was the Great House of a Thousand Soldiers, and near it, to the south, the little Hill of the Woman Soldiers. 

CHAPTER II. THE REIGN OF BRES

But if Nuada won the battle, he lost his own arm in it, that was struckoff by Sreng; and by that loss there came troubles and vexation on hispeople. 

For it was a law with the Tuatha de Danaan that no man that was notperfect in shape should be king. And after Nuada had lost the battle hewas put out of the kingship on that account. 

And the king they chose in his place was Bres, that was the mostbeautiful of all their young men, so that if a person wanted to praiseany beautiful thing, whether it was a plain, or a dun, or ale, or aflame, or a woman, or a man, or a horse, it is what he would say, "It isas beautiful as Bres. " And he was the son of a woman of the Tuatha deDanaan, but who his father was no one knew but herself. 

But in spite of Bres being so beautiful, his reign brought no great goodluck to his people; for the Fomor, whose dwelling-place was beyond thesea, or as some say below the sea westward, began putting tribute onthem, the way they would get them under their own rule. 

It was a long time before that the Fomor came first to Ireland; dreadfulthey were to look at, and maimed, having but one foot or one hand, andthey under the leadership of a giant and his mother. There never came toIreland an army more horrible or more dreadful than that army of theFomor. And they were friendly with the Firbolgs and content to leaveIreland to them, but there was jealousy between them and the Men of Dea. 

And it was a hard tax they put on them, a third part of their corn theyasked, and a third part of their milk, and a third part of theirchildren, so that there was not smoke rising from a roof in Ireland butwas under tribute to them. And Bres made no stand against them, but letthem get their way. 

And as to Bres himself, he put a tax on every house in Ireland of themilk of hornless dun cows, or of the milk of cows of some other singlecolour, enough for a hundred men. And one time, to deceive him, Nechtansinged all the cows of Ireland in a fire of fern, and then he smearedthem with the ashes of flax seed, the way they were all dark brown. Hedid that by the advice of the Druid Findgoll, son of Findemas. Andanother time they made three hundred cows of wood with dark brown pailsin place of udders, and the pails were filled with black bog stuff. ThenBres came to look at the cows, and to see them milked before him, andCian, father of Lugh, was there. And when they were milked it was thebog stuff that was squeezed out; and Bres took a drink of it thinking itto be milk, and he was not the better of it for a long time. 

And there was another thing against Bres; he was no way open-handed, andthe chief men of the Tuatha de Danaan grumbled against him, for theirknives were never greased in his house, and however often they mightvisit him there was no smell of ale on their breath. And there was nosort of pleasure or merriment in his house, and no call for their poets, or singers, or harpers, or pipers, or horn-blowers, or jugglers, orfools. And as to the trials of strength they were used to see betweentheir champions, the only use their strength was put to now was to bedoing work for the king. Ogma himself, the shining poet, was underorders to bring firing to the palace every day for the whole army fromthe Islands of Mod; and he so weak for want of food that the sea wouldsweep away two-thirds of his bundle every day. And as to the Dagda, hewas put to build raths, for he was a good builder, and he made a trenchround Rath Brese. And he used often to be tired at the work, and onetime he nearly gave in altogether for want of food, and this is the waythat happened. He used to meet in the house an idle blind man, Cridenbelhis name was, that had a sharp tongue, and that coveted the Dagda'sshare of food, for he thought his own to be small beside it. So he saidto him: "For the sake of your good name let the three best bits of yourshare be given to me. " And the Dagda gave in to that every night; but hewas the worse of it, for what the blind man called a bit would be thesize of a good pig, and with his three bits he would take a full thirdof the whole. 

But one day, as the Dagda was in the trench, he saw his son, Angus Og, coming to him. "That is a good meeting, " said Angus; "but what is onyou, for you have no good appearance to-day?" "There is a reason forthat, " said the Dagda, "for every evening, Cridenbel, the blind man, makes a demand for the three best bits of my share of food, and takesthem from me. " "I will give you an advice, " said Angus. He put his handin his bag then, and took out three pieces of gold and gave them to him. 

"Put these pieces of gold into the three bits you will give this eveningto Cridenbel, " he said, "and they will be the best bits in the dish, andthe gold will turn within him the way he will die. "

So in the evening the Dagda did that; and no sooner had Cridenbelswallowed down the gold than he died. Some of the people said then tothe king: "The Dagda has killed Cridenbel, giving him some deadly herb. "The king believed that, and there was anger on him against the Dagda, and he gave orders he should be put to death. But the Dagda said: "Youare not giving the right judgment of a prince. " And he told all that hadhappened, and how Cridenbel used to say, "Give me the three best bitsbefore you, for my own share is not good to-night. " "And on thisnight, " he said, "the three pieces of gold were the best things beforeme, and I gave them to him, and he died. "

The king gave orders then to have the body cut open. And they found thegold inside it, and they knew it was the truth the Dagda had told. 

And Angus came to him again the next day, and he said: "Your work willsoon be done, and when you are given your wages, take nothing they mayoffer you till the cattle of Ireland are brought before you, and chooseout a heifer then, black and black-maned, that I will tell you the signsof. "

So when the Dagda had brought his work to an end, and they asked himwhat reward he wanted, he did as Angus had bidden him. And that seemedfolly to Bres; he thought the Dagda would have asked more than a heiferof him. 

There came a day at last when a poet came to look for hospitality at theking's house, Corpre, son of Etain, poet of the Tuatha de Danaan. And itis how he was treated, he was put in a little dark narrow house wherethere was no fire, or furniture, or bed; and for a feast three smallcakes, and they dry, were brought to him on a little dish. When he roseup on the morrow he was no way thankful, and as he was going across thegreen, it is what he said: "Without food ready on a dish; without milkenough for a calf to grow on; without shelter; without light in thedarkness of night; without enough to pay a story-teller; may that be theprosperity of Bres. "

And from that day there was no good luck with Bres, but it is going downhe was for ever after. And that was the first satire ever made inIreland. 

Now as to Nuada: after his arm being struck off, he was in his sicknessfor a while, and then Diancecht, the healer, made an arm of silver forhim, with movement in every finger of it, and put it on him. And fromthat he was called Nuada Argat-lamh, of the Silver Hand, for ever after. 

Now Miach, son of Diancecht, was a better hand at healing than hisfather, and had done many things. He met a young man, having but oneeye, at Teamhair one time, and the young man said: "If you are a goodphysician you will put an eye in the place of the eye I lost. " "I couldput the eye of that cat in your lap in its place, " said Miach. "I wouldlike that well, " said the young man. So Miach put the cat's eye in hishead; but he would as soon have been without it after, for when hewanted to sleep and take his rest, it is then the eye would start at thesqueaking of the mice, or the flight of the birds, or the movement ofthe rushes; and when he was wanting to watch an army or a gathering, itis then it was sure to be in a deep sleep. 

And Miach was not satisfied with what his father had done to the king, and he took Nuada's own hand that had been struck off, and brought it tohim and set it in its place, and he said: "Joint to joint, and sinew tosinew. " Three days and three nights he was with the king; the first dayhe put the hand against his side, and the second day against his breast, till it was covered with skin, and the third day he put bulrushes thatwere blackened in the fire on it, and at the end of that time the kingwas healed. 

But Diancecht was vexed when he saw his son doing a better cure thanhimself, and he threw his sword at his head, that it cut the flesh, butthe lad healed the wound by means of his skill. Then Diancecht threw ita second time, that it reached the bone, but the lad was able to curethe wound. Then he struck him the third time and the fourth, till he cutout the brain, for he knew no physician could cure him after that blow;and Miach died, and he buried him. 

And herbs grew up from his grave, to the number of his joints andsinews, three hundred and sixty-five. And Airmed, his sister, came andspread out her cloak and laid out the herbs in it, according to theirvirtue. But Diancecht saw her doing that, and he came and mixed up theherbs, so that no one knows all their right powers to this day. 

Then when the Tuatha de Danaan saw Nuada as well as he was before, theygathered together to Teamhair, where Bres was, and they bade him give upthe kingship, for he had held it long enough. So he had to give it up, though he was not very willing, and Nuada was put back in the kingshipagain. 

There was great vexation on Bres then, and he searched his mind to knowhow could he be avenged on those that had put him out, and how he couldgather an army against them; and he went to his mother, Eri, daughter ofDelbaith, and bade her tell him what his race was. 

"I know that well, " she said; and she told him then that his father wasa king of the Fomor, Elathan, son of Dalbaech, and that he came to herone time over a level sea in some great vessel that seemed to be ofsilver, but she could not see its shape, and he himself having theappearance of a young man with yellow hair, and his clothes sewed withgold, and five rings of gold about his neck. And she that had refusedthe love of all the young men of her own people, gave him her love, andshe cried when he left her. And he gave her a ring from his hand, andbade her give it only to the man whose finger it would fit, and he wentaway then the same way as he had come. 

And she brought out the ring then to Bres, and he put it round hismiddle finger, and it fitted him well. And they went then together tothe hill where she was the time she saw the silver vessel coming, anddown to the strand, and she and Bres and his people set out for thecountry of the Fomor. 

And when they came to that country they found a great plain with manygatherings of people on it, and they went to the gathering that lookedthe best, and the people asked where did they come from, and they saidthey were come from Ireland. "Have you hounds with you?" they asked themthen, for it was the custom at that time, when strangers came to agathering, to give them some friendly challenge. "We have hounds, " saidBres. So the hounds were matched against one another, and the hounds ofthe Tuatha de Danaan were better than the hounds of the Fomor. "Have youhorses for a race?" they asked then. "We have, " said Bres. And thehorses of the Tuatha de Danaan beat the horses of the Fomor. 

Then they asked was any one among them a good hand with the sword, andthey said Bres was the best. But when he put his hand to his sword, Elathan, his father, that was among them, knew the ring, and he askedwho was this young man. Then his mother answered him and told the wholestory, and that Bres was his own son. 

There was sorrow on his father then, and he said: "What was it drove youout of the country you were king over?" And Bres said: "Nothing drove meout but my own injustice and my own hardness; I took away theirtreasures from the people, and their jewels, and their food itself. Andthere were never taxes put on them before I was their king. "

"That is bad, " said his father; "it is of their prosperity you had aright to think more than of your own kingship. And their good-willwould be better than their curses, " he said; "and what is it you arecome to look for here?" "I am come to look for fighting men, " said Bres, "that I may take Ireland by force. " "You have no right to get it byinjustice when you could not keep it by justice, " said his father. "Whatadvice have you for me then?" said Bres. 

And Elathan bade him go to the chief king of the Fomor, Balor of theEvil Eye, to see what advice and what help would he give him. 

BOOK TWO: LUGH OF THE LONG HAND. 

CHAPTER I. THE COMING OF LUGH

Now as to Nuada of the Silver Hand, he was holding a great feast atTeamhair one time, after he was back in the kingship. And there were twodoor-keepers at Teamhair, Gamal, son of Figal, and Camel, son ofRiagall. And a young man came to the door where one of them was, andbade him bring him in to the king. "Who are you yourself?" said thedoor-keeper. "I am Lugh, son of Cian of the Tuatha de Danaan, and ofEthlinn, daughter of Balor, King of the Fomor, " he said; "and I amfoster-son of Taillte, daughter of the King of the Great Plain, and ofEchaid the Rough, son of Duach. " "What are you skilled in?" said thedoor-keeper; "for no one without an art comes into Teamhair. " "Questionme, " said Lugh; "I am a carpenter. " "We do not want you; we have acarpenter ourselves, Luchtar, son of Luachaid. " "Then I am a smith. " "Wehave a smith ourselves, Colum Cuaillemech of the Three New Ways. " "ThenI am a champion. " "That is no use to us; we have a champion before, Ogma, brother to the king. " "Question me again, " he said; "I am aharper. " "That is no use to us; we have a harper ourselves, Abhean, sonof Bicelmos, that the Men of the Three Gods brought from the hills. " "Iam-a poet, " he said then, "and a teller of tales. " "That is no use tous; we have a teller of tales ourselves, Ere, son of Ethaman. " "And I ama magician. " "That is no use to us; we have plenty of magicians andpeople of power. " "I am a physician, " he said. "That is no use; we haveDiancecht-for our physician. " "Let me be a cup-bearer, " he said. "We donot want you; we have nine cup-bearers ourselves. " "I am a good workerin brass. " "We have a worker in brass ourselves, that is Credne Cerd. "

Then Lugh said: "Go and ask the king if he has any one man that can doall these things, and if he has, I will not ask to come into Teamhair. "The door-keeper went into the king's house then and told him all that. "There is a young man at the door, " he said, "and his name should be theIldánach, the Master of all Arts, for all the things the people of yourhouse can do, he himself is able to do every one of them. " "Try him withthe chess-boards, " said Nuada. So the chess-boards were brought out, andevery game that was played, Lugh won it. And when Nuada was told that, he said: "Let him in, for the like of him never came into Teamhairbefore. "

Then the door-keeper let him pass, and he came into the king's house andsat down in the seat of knowledge. And there was a great flag-stonethere that could hardly be moved by four times twenty yoke of oxen, andOgma took it up and hurled it out through the house, so that it lay onthe outside of Teamhair, as a challenge to Lugh. But Lugh hurled it backagain that it lay in the middle of the king's house. He played the harpfor them then, and he had them laughing and crying, till he put themasleep at the end with a sleepy tune. And when Nuada saw all the thingsLugh could do, he began to think that by his help the country might getfree of the taxes and the tyranny put on it by the Fomor. And it is whathe did, he came down from his throne, and he put Lugh on it in hisplace, for the length of thirteen days, the way they might all listen tothe advice he would give. 

This now is the story of the birth of Lugh. The time the Fomor used tobe coming to Ireland, Balor of the Strong Blows, or, as some calledhim, of the Evil Eye, was living on the Island of the Tower of Glass. There was danger for ships that went near that island, for the Fomorwould come out and take them. And some say the sons of Nemed in the oldtime, before the Firbolgs were in Ireland, passed near it in theirships, and what they saw was a tower of glass in the middle of the sea, and on the tower something that had the appearance of men, and they wentagainst it with Druid spells to attack it. And the Fomor worked againstthem with Druid spells of their own; and the sons of Nemed attacked thetower, and it vanished, and they thought it was destroyed. But a greatwave rose over them then, and all their ships went down and all thatwere in them. 

And the tower was there as it was before, and Balor living in it. And itis the reason he was called "of the Evil Eye, " there was a power ofdeath in one of his eyes, so that no person could look at it and live. It is the way it got that power, he was passing one time by a housewhere his father's Druids were making spells of death, and the windowbeing open he looked in, and the smoke of the poisonous spells wasrising up, and it went into his eye. And from that time he had to keepit closed unless he wanted to be the death of some enemy, and then themen that were with him would lift the eyelid with a ring of ivory. 

Now a Druid foretold one time that it was by his own grandson he wouldget his death. And he had at that time but one child, a daughter whosename was Ethlinn; and when he heard what the Druid said, he shut her upin the tower on the island. And he put twelve women with her to takecharge of her and to guard her, and he bade them never to let her see aman or hear the name of a man. 

So Ethlinn was brought up in the tower, and she grew to be verybeautiful; and sometimes she would see men passing in the currachs, andsometimes she would see a man in her dreams. But when she would speak ofthat to the women, they would give her no answer. 

So there was no fear on Balor, and he went on with war and robbery as hewas used, seizing every ship that passed by, and sometimes going over toIreland to do destruction there. 

Now it chanced at that time there were three brothers of the Tuatha deDanaan living together in a place that was called Druim na Teine, theRidge of the Fire, Goibniu and Samthainn and Cian. Cian was a lord ofland, and Goibniu was the smith that had such a great name. Now Cian hada wonderful cow, the Glas Gaibhnenn, and her milk never failed. Andevery one that heard of her coveted her, and many had tried to steal heraway, so that she had to be watched night and day. 

And one time Cian was wanting some swords made, and he went to Goibniu'sforge, and he brought the Glas Gaibhnenn with him, holding her by ahalter. When he came to the forge his two brothers were there together, for Samthainn had brought some steel to have weapons made for himself;and Cian bade Samthainn to hold the halter while he went into the forgeto speak with Goibniu. 

Now Balor had set his mind for a long time on the Glas Gaibhnenn, but hehad never been able to get near her up to this time. And he was watchingnot far off, and when he saw Samthainn holding the cow, he put on theappearance of a little boy, having red hair, and came up to him and toldhim he heard his two brothers that were in the forge saying to oneanother that they would use all his steel for their own swords, and makehis of iron. "By my word, " said Samthainn, "they will not deceive me soeasily. Let you hold the cow, little lad, " he said, "and I will go in tothem. " With that he rushed into the forge, and great anger on him. Andno sooner did Balor get the halter in his hand than he set out, draggingthe Glas along with him, to the strand, and across the sea to his ownisland. 

When Cian saw his brother coming in he rushed out, and there he sawBalor and the Glas out in the sea. And he had nothing to do then but toreproach his brother, and to wander about as if his wits had left him, not knowing what way to get his cow back from Balor. At last he went toa Druid to ask an advice from him; and it is what the Druid told him, that so long as Balor lived, the cow would never be brought back, for noone would go within reach of his Evil Eye. 

Cian went then to a woman-Druid, Birog of the Mountain, for her help. And she dressed him in a woman's clothes, and brought him across the seain a blast of wind, to the tower where Ethlinn was. Then she called tothe women in the tower, and asked them for shelter for a high queen shewas after saving from some hardship, and the women in the tower did notlike to refuse a woman of the Tuatha de Danaan, and they let her and hercomrade in. Then Birog by her enchantments put them all into a deepsleep, and Cian went to speak with Ethlinn. And when she saw him shesaid that was the face she had seen in her dreams. So she gave him herlove; but after a while he was brought away again on a blast of wind. 

And when her time came, Ethlinn gave birth to a son. And when Balor knewthat, he bade his people put the child in a cloth and fasten it with apin, and throw him into a current of the sea. And as they were carryingthe child across an arm of the sea, the pin dropped out, and the childslipped from the cloth into the water, and they thought he was drowned. But he was brought away by Birog of the Mountain, and she brought him tohis father Cian; and he gave him to be fostered by Taillte, daughter ofthe King of the Great Plain. It is thus Lugh was born and reared. 

And some say Balor came and struck the head off Cian on a white stone, that has the blood marks on it to this day; but it is likely it was someother man he struck the head off, for it was by the sons of Tuireannthat Cian came to his death. 

And after Lugh had come to Teamhair, and made his mind up to join withhis father's people against the Fomor, he put his mind to the work; andhe went to a quiet place in Grellach Dollaid, with Nuada and the Dagda, and with Ogma; and Goibniu and Diancecht were called to them there. Afull year they stopped there, making their plans together in secret, theway the Fomor would not know they were going to rise against them tillsuch time as all would be ready, and till they would know what theirstrength was. And it is from that council the place got the nameafterwards of "The Whisper of the Men of Dea. "

And they broke up the council, and agreed to meet again that day threeyears, and every one of them went his own way, and Lugh went back to hisown friends, the sons of Manannan. 

And it was a good while after that, Nuada was holding a great assemblyof the people on the Hill of Uisnech, on the west side of Teamhair. Andthey were not long there before they saw an armed troop coming towardsthem from the east, over the plain; and there was a young man in frontof the troop, in command over the rest, and the brightness of his facewas like the setting sun, so that they were not able to look at himbecause of its brightness. 

And when he came nearer they knew it was Lugh Lamh-Fada, of the LongHand, that had come back to them, and along with him were the Riders ofthe Sidhe from the Land of Promise, and his own foster-brothers, thesons of Manannan, Sgoith Gleigeil, the White Flower, and GoitneGorm-Shuileach, the Blue-eyed Spear, and Sine Sindearg, of the Red Ring, and Donall Donn-Ruadh, of the Red-brown Hair. And it is the way Lughwas, he had Manannan's horse, the Aonbharr, of the One Mane, under him, that was as swift as the naked cold wind of spring, and the sea was thesame as dry land to her, and the rider was never killed off her back. And he had Manannan's breast-plate on him, that kept whoever was wearingit from wounds, and a helmet on his head with two beautiful preciousstones set in the front of it and one at the back, and when he took itoff, his forehead was like the sun on a dry summer day. And he hadManannan's sword, the Freagarthach, the Answerer, at his side, and noone that was wounded by it would ever get away alive; and when thatsword was bared in a battle, no man that saw it coming against him hadany more strength than a woman in child-birth. 

And the troop came to where the King of Ireland was with the Tuatha deDanaan, and they welcomed one another. 

And they were not long there till they saw a surly, slovenly troopcoming towards them, nine times nine of the messengers of the Fomor, that were coming to ask rent and taxes from the men of Ireland; and thenames of the four that were the hardest and the most cruel were Eine andEathfaigh and Coron and Compar; and there was such great dread of thesefour on the Tuatha de Danaan, that not one of them would so much aspunish his own son or his foster-son without leave from them. 

They came up then to where the King of Ireland was with the Riders ofthe Sidhe, and the king and all the Tuatha de Danaan stood up beforethem. And Lugh of the Long Hand said: "Why do you rise up before thatsurly, slovenly troop, when you did not rise up before us?"

"It is needful for us to do it, " said the king; "for if there was but achild of us sitting before them, they would not think that too small acause for killing him. " "By my word, " said Lugh, "there is a greatdesire coming on me to kill themselves. " "That is a thing would bringharm on us, " said the king, "for we would meet our own death anddestruction through it. " "It is too long a time you have been under thisoppression, " said Lugh. And with that he started up and made an attackon the Fomor, killing and wounding them, till he had made an end ofeight nines of them, but he let the last nine go under the protection ofNuada the king. "And I would kill you along with the others, " he said, "but I would sooner see you go with messages to your own country than myown people, for fear they might get any ill-treatment. "

So the nine went back then till they came to Lochlann, where the men ofthe Fomor were, and they told them the story from beginning to end, andhow a young well-featured lad had come into Ireland and had killed allthe tax-gatherers but themselves, "and it is the reason he let us off, "they said, "that we might tell you the story ourselves. "

"Do you know who is the young man?" said Balor of the Evil Eye then. 

"I know well, " said Ceithlenn, his wife; "he is the son of yourdaughter and mine. And it was foretold, " she said, "that from the timehe would come into Ireland, we would never have power there again forever. "

Then the chief men of the Fomor went into a council, Eab, son of Neid, and Seanchab, grandson of Neid, and Sital Salmhor, and Liath, son ofLobais, and the nine poets of the Fomor that had learning and the giftof foreknowledge, and Lobais the Druid, and Balor himself and his twelvewhite-mouthed sons, and Ceithlenn of the Crooked Teeth, his queen. 

And it was just at that time Bres and his father Elathan were come toask help of the Fomor, and Bres said: "I myself will go to Ireland, andseven great battalions of the Riders of the Fomor along with me, and Iwill give battle to this Ildánach, this master of all arts, and I willstrike his head off and bring it here to you, to the green of Berbhe. ""It would be a fitting thing for you to do, " said they all. "Let myships be made ready for me, " said Bres, "and let food and provisions beput in them. "

So they made no delay, but went and got the ships ready, and they putplenty of food and drink in them, and the two swift Luaths were sent outto gather the army to Bres. And when they were all gathered, they madeready their armour and their weapons, and they set out for Ireland. 

And Balor the king followed them to the harbour, and he said: "Givebattle to that Ildánach, and strike off his head; and tie that islandthat is called Ireland to the back of your ships, and let the destroyingwater take its place, and put it on the north side of Lochlann, and notone of the Men of Dea will follow it there to the end of life and time. "

Then they pushed out their ships and put up their painted sails, andwent out from the harbour on the untilled country, on the ridges of thewide-lying sea, and they never turned from their course till they cameto the harbour of Eas Dara. And from that they sent out an army throughWest Connacht and destroyed it altogether, through and through. And theKing of Connacht at that time was Bodb Dearg, son of the Dagda. 

CHAPTER II. THE SONS OF TUIREANN

And Lugh of the Long Hand was at that time at Teamhair with the King ofIreland, and it was showed to him that the Fomor were after landing atEas Dara. And when he knew that, he made ready Manannan's horse, theAonbharr, at the time of the battle of the day and night; and he wentwhere Nuada the king was, and told him how the Fomor had landed at EasDara and had spoiled Bodb Dearg's country; "and it is what I want, " hesaid, "to get help from you to give battle to them. " But Nuada was notminded to avenge the destruction that was done on Bodb Dearg and not onhimself, and Lugh was not well pleased with his answer, and he wentriding out of Teamhair westward. And presently he saw three armed mencoming towards him, his own father Cian, with his brothers Cu andCeithen, that were the three sons of Cainte, and they saluted him. "Whatis the cause of your early rising?" they said. "It is good cause I havefor it, " said Lugh, "for the Fomor are come into Ireland and have robbedBodb Dearg; and what help will you give me against them?" he said. 

"Each one of us will keep off a hundred from you in the battle, " saidthey. "That is a good help, " said Lugh; "but there is a help I wouldsooner have from you than that: to gather the Riders of the Sidhe to mefrom every place where they are. "

So Cu and Ceithen went towards the south, and Cian set out northward, and he did not stop till he reached the Plain of Muirthemne. And as hewas going across the plain he saw three armed men before him, that werethe three sons of Tuireann, son of Ogma. And it is the way it wasbetween the three sons of Tuireann and the three sons of Cainte, theywere in hatred and enmity towards one another, so that whenever they metthere was sure to be fighting among them. 

Then Cian said: "If my two brothers had been here it is a brave fight wewould make; but since they are not, it is best for me to fall back. "Then he saw a great herd of pigs near him, and he struck himself with aDruid rod that put on him the shape of a pig of the herd, and he beganrooting up the ground like the rest. 

Then Brian, one of the sons of Tuireann, said to his brothers: "Did yousee that armed man that was walking the plain a while ago?" "We did seehim, " said they. "Do you know what was it took him away?" said Brian. "We do not know that, " said they. "It is a pity you not to be keeping abetter watch over the plains of the open country in time of war, " saidBrian; "and I know well what happened him, for he struck himself withhis Druid rod into the shape of a pig of these pigs, and he is rootingup the ground now like any one of them; and whoever he is, he is nofriend to us. " "That is bad for us, " said the other two, "for the pigsbelong to some one of the Tuatha de Danaan, and even if we kill themall, the Druid pig might chance to escape us in the end. "

"It is badly you got your learning in the city of learning, " said Brian, "when you cannot tell an enchanted beast from a natural beast. " Andwhile he was saying that, he struck his two brothers with his Druidrod, and he turned them into two thin, fast hounds, and they began toyelp sharply on the track of the enchanted pig. 

And it was not long before the pig fell out from among the others, andnot one of the others made away but only itself, and it made for a wood, and at the edge of the wood Brian gave a cast of his spear that wentthrough its body. And the pig cried out, and it said: "It is a bad thingyou have done to have made a cast at me when you knew me. " "It seems tome you have the talk of a man, " said Brian. "I was a man indeed, " saidhe; "I am Cian, son of Cainte, and give me your protection now. " "Iswear by the gods of the air, " said Brian, "that if the life came backseven times to you, I would take it from you every time. " "If that isso, " said Cian, "give me one request: let me go into my own shapeagain. " "We will do that, " said Brian, "for it is easier to me to kill aman than a pig. "

So Cian took his own shape then, and he said: "Give me mercy now. " "Wewill not give it, " said Brian. "Well, I have got the better of you forall that, " said Cian; "for if it was in the shape of a pig you had killedme there would only be the blood money for a pig on me; but as it is inmy own shape you will kill me, there never was and never will be anyperson killed for whose sake a heavier fine will be paid than formyself. And the arms I am killed with, " he said, "it is they will tellthe deed to my son. "

"It is not with weapons you will be killed, but with the stones lying onthe ground, " said Brian. And with that they pelted him with stones, fiercely and roughly, till all that was left of him was a poor, miserable, broken heap; and they buried him the depth of a man's body inthe earth, and the earth would not receive that murder from them, butcast it up again. Brian said it should go into the earth again, and theyput it in the second time, and the second time the earth would not takeit. And six times the sons of Tuireann buried the body, and six times itwas cast up again; but the seventh time it was put underground the earthkept it. And then they went on to join Lugh of the Long Hand for thebattle. 

Now as to Lugh; upon parting with his father he went forward fromTeamhair westward, to the hills that were called afterwards Gairech andIlgairech, and to the ford of the Shannon that is now called Athluain, and to Bearna nah-Eadargana, the Gap of Separation, and over Magh Luirg, the Plain of Following, and to Corr Slieve na Seaghsa, the RoundMountain of the Poet's Spring, and to the head of Sean-Slieve, andthrough the place of the bright-faced Corann, and from that to Magh Moran Aonaigh, the Great Plain of the Fair, where the Fomor were, and thespoils of Connacht with them. 

It is then Bres, son of Elathan, rose up and said: "It is a wonder to methe sun to be rising in the west to-day, and it rising in the east everyother day. " "It would be better for us it to be the sun, " said theDruids. "What else is it?" said he. "It is the shining of the face ofLugh, son of Ethlinn, " said they. 

Lugh came up to them then and saluted them. "Why do you come like afriend to us?" said they. "There is good cause for that, " he said, "forthere is but one half of me of the Tuatha de Danaan, and the other halfof yourselves. And give me back now the milch cows of the men ofIreland, " he said. "May early good luck not come to you till you geteither a dry or a milch cow here, " said a man of them, and anger on him. 

But Lugh stopped near them for three days and three nights, and at theend of that time the Riders of the Sidhe came to him. And Bodb Dearg, son of the Dagda, came with twenty-nine hundred men, and he said:

"What is the cause of your delay in giving battle?"

"Waiting for you I was, " said Lugh. 

Then the kings and chief men of the men of Ireland took their armour onthem, and they raised the points of their spears over their heads, andthey made close fences of their shields. And they attacked their enemieson Magh Mor an Aonaigh, and their enemies answered them, and they threwtheir whining spears at one another, and when their spears were brokenthey drew their swords from their blue-bordered sheaths and began tostrike at one another, and thickets of brown flames rose above them fromthe bitterness of their many-edged weapons. 

And Lugh saw the battle pen where Bres, son of Elathan, was, and he madea fierce attack on him and on the men that were guarding him, till hehad made an end of two hundred of them. 

When Bres saw that, he gave himself up to Lugh's protection. "Give me mylife this time, " he said, "and I will bring the whole race of the Fomorto fight it out with you in a great battle; and I bind myself to that, by the sun and the moon, the sea and the land, " he said. 

On that Lugh gave him his life, and then the Druids that were with himasked his protection for themselves. "By my word, " said Lugh, "if thewhole race of the Fomor went under my protection they would not bedestroyed by me. " So then Bres and the Druids set out for their owncountry. 

Now as to Lugh and the sons of Tuireann. After the battle of Magh Mor anAonaigh, he met two of his kinsmen and asked them did they see hisfather in the fight. "We did not, " said they. "I am sure he is notliving, " said Lugh; "and I give my word, " he said, "there will no foodor drink go into my mouth till I get knowledge by what death my fatherdied. "

Then he set out, and the Riders of the Sidhe after him, till they cameto the place where he and his father parted from one another, and fromthat to the place where his father went into the shape of a pig when hesaw the sons of Tuireann. 

And when Lugh came to that place the earth spoke to him, and it said:"It is in great danger your father was here, Lugh, when he saw the sonsof Tuireann before him, and it is into the shape of a pig he had to go, but it is in his own shape they killed him. "

Then Lugh told that to his people, and he found the spot where hisfather was buried, and he bade them dig there, the way he would know bywhat death the sons of Tuireann had made an end of him. 

Then they raised the body out of the grave and looked at it, and it wasall one bed of wounds. And Lugh said: "It was the death of an enemy thesons of Tuireann gave my dear father. " And he gave him three kisses, andit is what he said: "It is bad the way I am myself after this death, forI can hear nothing with my ears, and I can see nothing with my eyes, andthere is not a living pulse in my heart, with grief after my father. Andyou gods I worship, " he said, "it is a pity I not to have come here thetime this thing was done. And it is a great thing that has been donehere, " he said, "the people of the gods of Dana to have done treacheryon one another, and it is long they will be under loss by it and beweakened by it. And Ireland will never be free from trouble from thisout, east and west, " he said. 

Then they put Cian under the earth again, and after that there waskeening made over his grave, and a stone was raised on it, and his namewas written in Ogham, And Lugh said: "This hill will take its name fromCian, although he himself is stripped and broken. And it was the sons ofTuireann did this thing, " he said, "and there will grief and anguishfall on them from it, and on their children after them. And it is nolying story I am telling you, " he said; "and it is a pity the way I am, and my heart is broken in my breast since Cian, the brave man, is notliving. "

Then he bade his people to go before him to Teamhair, "But do not tellthe story till I tell it myself, " he said. 

And when Lugh came to Teamhair he sat in the high seat of the king, andhe looked about him and he saw the three sons of Tuireann. And thosewere the three that were beyond all others at Teamhair at that time forquickness and skill, for a good hand in battle, for beauty and anhonourable name. 

Then Lugh bade his people to shake the chain of silence, and they didso, and they all listened. And Lugh said: "What are your minds fixed onat this time, Men of Dea?" "On yourself indeed, " said they. "I have aquestion to ask of you, " he said. "What is the vengeance each one of youwould take on the man that would kill your father?"

There was great wonder on them when they heard that, and one of thechief men among them said: "Tell us was it your own father that waskilled?" "It was indeed, " said Lugh; "and I see now in this house, " hesaid, "the men that killed him, and they know themselves what way theykilled him better than I know it. " Then the king said: "It is not adeath of one day only I would give the man that had killed my father, ifhe was in my power, but to cut off one of his limbs from day to day tillI would make an end of him. " All the chief men said the same, and thesons of Tuireann like the rest. 

"There are making that answer, " said Lugh, "the three men that killed myfather; and let them pay the fine for him now, since you are alltogether in the one place. And if they will not, " he said, "I will notbreak the protection of the king's house, but they must make no attemptto quit this house till they have settled with me. "

"If it was I myself had killed your father, " said the king, "I would bewell content you to take a fine from me for him. "

"It is at us Lugh is saying all this, " said the sons of Tuireann amongthemselves. "Let us acknowledge the killing of his father to him, " saidIuchar and Iucharba. "I am in dread, " said Brian, "that it is wanting anacknowledgment from us he is, in the presence of all the rest, and thathe will not let us off with a fine afterwards. " "It is best toacknowledge it, " said the others; "and let you speak it out since youare the eldest. "

Then Brian, son of Tuireann, said: "It is at us you are speaking, Lugh, for you are thinking we went against the sons of Cainte before now; andwe did not kill your father, " he said, "but we will pay the fine for himthe same as if we did kill him. " "I will take a fine from you that youdo not think of, " said Lugh, "and I will say here what it is, and if itis too much for you, I will let you off a share of it. " "Let us hear itfrom you, " said they. "Here it is, " said Lugh; "three apples, and theskin of a pig, and a spear, and two horses, and a chariot, and sevenpigs, and a dog's whelp, and a cooking-spit, and three shouts on a hill. That is the fine I am asking, " he said; "and if it is too much for you, a part of it will be taken off you presently, and if you do not think ittoo much, then pay it"

"It is not too much, " said Brian, "or a hundred times of it would not betoo much. And we think it likely, " he said, "because of its smallnessthat you have some treachery towards us behind it. " "I do not think ittoo little of a fine, " said Lugh; "and I give you the guarantee of theTuatha de Danaan I will ask no other thing, and I will be faithful toyou, and let you give the same pledge to me. " "It is a pity you to askthat, " said Brian, "for our own pledge is as good as any pledge in theworld. " "Your own pledge is not enough, " said Lugh, "for it is often thelike of you promised to pay a fine in this way, and would try to backout of it after. "

So then the sons of Tuireann bound themselves by the King of Ireland, and by Bodb Dearg, son of the Dagda, and by the chief men of the Tuathade Danaan, that they would pay that fine to Lugh. 

"It would be well for me now, " said Lugh, "to give you better knowledgeof the fine. " "It would be well indeed, " said they. 

"This is the way of it then, " said Lugh. "The three apples I asked ofyou are the three apples from the Garden in the East of the World, andno other apples will do but these, for they are the most beautiful andhave most virtue in them of the apples of the whole world. And it iswhat they are like, they are of the colour of burned gold, and they arethe size of the head of a child a month old, and there is the taste ofhoney on them, and they do not leave the pain of wounds or the vexationof sickness on any one that eats them, and they do not lessen by beingeaten for ever. And the skin I asked of you, " he said, "is the pig skinof Tuis, King of Greece, and it heals all the wounds and all thesickness of the world, and whatever danger a man may be in, if it canbut overtake the life in him, it will cure him; and it is the way it waswith that pig, every stream of water it would go through would be turnedinto wine to the end of nine days after, and every wound it touched washealed; and it is what the Druids of Greece said, that it is not initself this virtue was, but in the skin, and they skinned it, and theskin is there ever since. And I think, too, it will not be easy for youto get it, with or without leave. "

"And do you know what is the spear I am asking of you?" he said. "We donot, " said they. "It is a very deadly spear belonging to the King ofPersia, the Luin it is called, and every choice thing is done by it, andits head is kept steeped in a vessel of water, the way it will not burndown the place where it is, and it will be hard to get it. And do youknow what two horses and what chariot I am asking of you? They are thechariot and the two wonderful horses of Dobar, King of Siogair, and thesea is the same as land to them, and there are no faster horses thanthemselves, and there is no chariot equal to that one in shape and instrength. 

"And do you know what are the seven pigs I asked of you? They are thepigs of Easal, King of the Golden Pillars; and though they are killedevery night, they are found alive again the next day, and there will beno disease or no sickness on any person that will eat a share of them. 

"And the whelp I asked of you is Fail-Inis, the whelp belonging to theKing of Ioruaidh, the Cold Country. And all the wild beasts of the worldwould fall down at the sight of her, and she is more beautiful than thesun in his fiery wheels, and it will be hard to get her. 

"And the cooking-spit I asked of you is a spit of the spits of the womenof Inis Cenn-fhinne, the Island of Caer of the Fair Hair. And the threeshouts you are to give on a hill must be given on the Hill of Miochaoinin the north of Lochlann. And Miochaoin and his sons are under bonds notto allow any shouts to be given on that hill; and it was with them myfather got his learning, and if I would forgive you his death, theywould not forgive you. And if you get through all your other voyagesbefore you reach to them, it is my opinion they themselves will avengehim on you. And that is the fine I have asked of you, " said Lugh. 

There was silence and darkness on the sons of Tuireann when they heardthat. And they went to where their father was, and told him the finethat had been put on them. "It is bad news that is, " said Tuireann; "andit is to your death and your destruction you will be going, looking forthose things. But for all that, if Lugh himself had a mind to help you, you could work out the fine, and all the men of the world could not doit but by the power of Manannan or of Lugh. Go then and ask the loan ofManannan's horse, the Aonbharr, from Lugh, and if he has any wish to getthe fine, he will give it to you; but if he does not wish it he will saythe horse is not his, and that he would not give the loan of a loan. Askhim then for the loan of Manannan's curragh, the Scuabtuinne, theSweeper of the Waves. And he will give that, for he is under bonds notto refuse a second request, and the curragh is better for you than thehorse, " he said. 

So the sons of Tuireann went to where Lugh was, and they saluted him, and they said they could not bring him the fine without his own help, and for that reason it would be well for them to get a loan of theAonbharr. "I have that horse only on loan myself, " said Lugh, "and Iwill not give a loan of a loan. "

"If that is so, give us the loan of Manannan's curragh, " said Brian. "Iwill give that, " said Lugh. "What place is it?" said they. "At Brugh naBoinn, " said Lugh. 

Then they went back again to where Tuireann was, and his daughter Ethne, their sister, with him, and they told him they had got the curragh. "Itis not much the better you will be for it, " said Tuireann, "althoughLugh would like well to get every part of this fine he could make use ofbefore the battle with the Fomor. But he would like yourselves to cometo your death looking for it. "

Then they went away, and they left Tuireann sorrowful and lamenting, andEthne went with them to where the curragh was. And Brian got into it, and he said: "There is place but for one other person along with mehere. " And he began to find fault with its narrowness. "You ought not tobe faulting the curragh, " said Ethne; "and O my dear brother, " she said, "it was a bad thing you did, to kill the father of Lugh of the LongHand; and whatever harm may come to you from it, it is but just. " "Donot say that, Ethne, " they said, "for we are in good heart, and we willdo brave deeds. And we would sooner be killed a hundred times over, "they said, "than to meet with the death of cowards. " "My grief, " saidEthne, "there is nothing more sorrowful than this, to see you driven outfrom your own country. "

Then the three pushed out their curragh from the beautiful clear-bayedshore of Ireland. "What course shall we take first?" said they. "We willgo look for the apples, " said Brian, "as they were the first thing wewere bade bring. And so we ask of you, curragh of Manannan that is underus, to sail to the Garden in the East of the World. "

And the curragh did not neglect that order, but it sailed forward overthe green-sided waves and deep places till it came to its harbour in theeast of the world. 

And then Brian asked his brothers: "What way have you a mind to get intothe garden? for I think, " he said, "the king's champions and thefighting men of the country are always guarding it, and the king himselfis chief over them. " "What should we do, " said his brothers, "but tomake straight at them and attack them, and bring away the apples or fallourselves, since we cannot escape from these dangers that are before uswithout meeting our death in some place. " "It would be better, " saidBrian, "the story of our bravery and our craftiness to be told and tolive after us, than folly and cowardice to be told of us. And what isbest for us to do now, " he said, "is to go in the shape of swift hawksinto the garden, and the watchers have but their light spears to throwat us, and let you take good care to keep out of their reach; and afterthey have thrown them all, make a quick flight to the apples and leteach of you bring away an apple of them in your claws, and I will bringaway the third. "

They said that was a good advice, and Brian struck himself and theothers with his Druid rod, and changed them into beautiful hawks. Andthey flew towards the garden, and the watchers took notice of them andshouted on every side of them, and threw showers of spears and darts, but the hawks kept out of their reach as Brian had bade them, till allthe spears were spent, and then they swept down bravely on the apples, and brought them away with them, without so much as a wound. 

And the news went through the city and the whole district, and the kinghad three wise, crafty daughters, and they put themselves into the shapeof three ospreys, and they followed the hawks to the sea, and sentflashes of lightning before them and after them, that scorched themgreatly. 

"It is a pity the way we are now, " said the sons of Tuireann, "for wewill be burned through and through with this lightning if we do not getsome relief. " "If I can give you relief I will do it, " said Brian. Withthat he struck himself and his brothers with the Druid rod, and theywere turned into three swans, and they went down quickly into the sea, and the ospreys went away from them then, and the sons of Tuireann wentinto their boat. 

After that they consulted together, and it is what they agreed, to go toGreece and to bring away the skin of the pig, with or without leave. Sothey went forward till they came near to the court of the King ofGreece. 

"What appearance should we put on us going in here?" said Brian. "Whatappearance should we go in with but our own?" said the others. "That isnot what I think best, " said Brian; "but to go in with the appearance ofpoets from Ireland, the way the high people of Greece will hold us inrespect and in honour. " "It would be hard for us to do that, " they said, "and we without a poem, and it is little we know how to make one. "

However, they put the poet's tie on their hair, and they knocked at thedoor of the court, and the door-keeper asked who was in it. "We arepoets of Ireland, " said Brian, "and we are come with a poem to theking. "

The door-keeper went in and told the king that there were poets fromIreland at the door. "Let them in, " said the king, "for it is in searchof a good man they came so far from their own country. " And the kinggave orders that everything should be well set out in the court, the waythey would say they had seen no place so grand in all their travels. 

The sons of Tuireann were let in then, having the appearance of poets, and they fell to drinking and pleasure without delay; and they thoughtthey had never seen, and there was not in the world, a court so good asthat or so large a household, or a place where they had met with bettertreatment. 

Then the king's poets got up to give out their poems and songs. And thenBrian, son of Tuireann, bade his brothers to say a poem for the king. "We have no poem, " said they; "and do not ask any poem of us, but theone we know before, and that is to take what we want by the strength ofour hand if we are the strongest, or to fall by those that are againstus if they are the strongest. " "That is not a good way to make a poem, "said Brian. And with that he rose up himself and asked a hearing. Andthey all listened to him, and it is what he said:

"O Tuis, we do not hide your fame; we praise you as the oak among kings;the skin of a pig, bounty without hardness, this is the reward I ask forit. 

"The war of a neighbour against an ear; the fair ear of his neighbourwill be against him; he who gives us what he owns, his court will not bethe scarcer for it. 

"A raging army and a sudden sea are a danger to whoever goes againstthem. The skin of a pig, bounty without hardness, this is the reward Iask, O Tuis. "

"That is a good poem, " said the king; "but I do not know a word of itsmeaning. " "I will tell you its meaning, " said Brian. "'O Tuis, we do nothide your fame; we praise you as the oak above the kings. ' That is, asthe oak is beyond the kingly trees of the wood, so are you beyond thekings of the world for open-handedness and for grandeur. 

"'The skin of a pig, bounty without hardness. ' That is, the skin of apig you own is what I would wish to get from you as a reward for mypoem. 

"'The war of a neighbour against an ear, the fair ear of his neighbourwill be against him. ' That is, you and I will be by the ears about theskin, unless I get it with your consent. 

"And that is the meaning of the poem, " said Brian. 

"I would praise your poem, " said the king, "if there was not so muchabout my pig-skin in it; and you have no good sense, man of poetry, " hesaid, "to be asking that thing of me, and I would not give it to allthe poets and the learned men and the great men of the world, since theycould not take it away without my consent. But I will give you threetimes the full of the skin of gold as the price of your poem, " he said. 

"May good be with you, king, " said Brian, "and I know well it was noeasy thing I was asking, but I knew I would get a good ransom for it. And I am that covetous, " he said, "I will not be satisfied withoutseeing the gold measured myself into the skin. "

The king sent his servants with them then to the treasure-house tomeasure the gold. "Measure out the full of it to my brothers first, "said Brian, "and then give good measure to myself, since it was I madethe poem. "

But when the skin was brought out, Brian made a quick sudden snatch atit with his left hand, and drew his sword and made a stroke at the mannearest him, and made two halves of him. And then he kept a hold of theskin and put it about himself, and the three of them rushed out of thecourt, cutting down every armed man before them, so that not one escapeddeath or wounding. And then Brian went to where the king himself was, and the king made no delay in attacking him, and they made a hard fightof it, and at the end the King of Greece fell by the hand of Brian, sonof Tuireann. 

The three brothers rested for a while after that, and then they saidthey would go and look for some other part of the fine. "We will go toPisear, King of Persia, " said Brian, "and ask him for the spear. "

So they went into their boat, and they left the blue streams of thecoast of Greece, and they said: "We are well off when we have the applesand the skin. " And they stopped nowhere till they came to the borders ofPersia. 

"Let us go to the court with the appearance of poets, " said Brian, "thesame as we went to the King of Greece. " "We are content to do that, "said the others, "as all turned out so well the last time we took topoetry; not that it is easy for us to take to a calling that does notbelong to us. "

So they put the poet's tie on their hair, and they were as well treatedas they were at the other court; and when the time came for poems Brianrose up, and it is what he said:

"It is little any spear looks to Pisear; the battles of enemies arebroken, it is not too much for Pisear to wound every one of them. 

"A yew, the most beautiful of the wood, it is called a king, it is notbulky. May the spear drive on the whole crowd to their wounds of death. "

"That is a good poem, " said the king, "but I do not understand why myown spear is brought into it, O Man of Poetry from Ireland. "

"It is because it is that spear of your own I would wish to get as thereward of my poem, " said Brian. "It is little sense you have to beasking that of me, " said the king; "and the people of my court nevershowed greater respect for poetry than now, when they did not put you todeath on the spot. "

When Brian heard that talk from the king, he thought of the apple thatwas in his hand, and he made a straight cast and hit him in theforehead, so that his brains were put out at the back of his head, andhe bared the sword and made an attack on the people about him. And theother two did not fail to do the same, and they gave him their helpbravely till they had made an end of all they met of the people of thecourt. And then they found the spear, and its head in a cauldron ofwater, the way it would not set fire to the place. 

And after a while they said it was time for them to go and look for therest of the great fine that was on them, and they asked one another whatway should they go. "We will go to the King of the Island of Siogair, "said Brian, "for it is with him are the two horses and the chariot theIldánach asked of us. "

They went forward then and brought the spear with them, and it is proudthe three champions were after all they had done. And they went on tillthey were come to the court of the King of Siogair. 

"It is what we will do this time, " said Brian, "we will go in with theappearance of paid soldiers from Ireland, and we will make friends withthe king, the way we will get to know in what place the horses and thechariot are kept. " And when they had settled on that they went forwardto the lawn before the king's house. 

The king and the chief men that were with him rose up and came throughthe fair that was going on there, and they saluted the king, and heasked who were they. "We are trained fighting men from Ireland, " theysaid, "and we are earning wages from the kings of the world. " "Is ityour wish to stop with me for a while?" said the king. "That is what weare wanting, " said they. So then they made an agreement and took servicewith him. 

They stopped in the court a fortnight and a month, and they never sawthe horses through that time. Then Brian said: "This is a bad way we arein, to have no more news of the horses now than the first day we came tothe place. " "What is best for us to do now?" said his brothers. "Let usdo this, " said Brian, "let us take our arms and gather our thingstogether, and go to the king and tell him we will leave the country andthis part of the world unless he will show us those horses. "

So they went to the king that very day, and he asked them what did theymean by getting themselves ready for a journey. "You will hear that, high king, " said Brian; "it is because trained fighting men fromIreland, like ourselves, have always trust put in them by the kings theyguard, and we are used to be told the secrets and the whispers of anyperson we are with, and that is not the way you have treated us since wecame to you. For you have two horses and a chariot that are the best inthe world, as we have been told, and we have not been given a sight ofthem yet. " "It would be a pity you to go on that account, " said theking, "when I would have showed them to you the first day, if I hadknown you had a wish to see them. And if you have a mind to see themnow, " he said, "you may see them; for I think there never came soldiersfrom Ireland to this place that were thought more of by myself and by mypeople than yourselves. "

He sent for the horses then, and they were yoked to the chariot, andtheir going was as fast as the cold spring wind, and the sea was thesame as the land to them. 

And Brian was watching the horses closely, and on a sudden he took holdof the chariot and took the chariot driver out and dashed him againstthe nearest rock, and made a leap into his place himself, and made acast of the Persian spear at the king, that went through his heart. Andthen he and his brothers scattered the people before them, and broughtaway the chariot. 

"We will go now to Easal, the King of the Golden Pillars, " said Brian, "to look for the seven pigs the Ildánach bade us bring him. "

They sailed on then without delay or drawback to that high country. Andit is the way the people of that country were, watching their harboursfor fear of the sons of Tuireann, for the story of them had been toldin all parts, how they had been sent out of Ireland by force, and howthey were bringing away with them all the gifted treasures of the wholeworld. 

Easal came to the edge of the harbour to meet them, and he asked was ittrue what he heard, that the king of every country they had gone to hadfallen by them. Brian said it was true, whatever he might wish to do tothem for it. "What was it made you do that?" said Easal. Brian told himthen it was the oppression and the hard sentence of another had put themto it; and he told him all that had happened, and how they had put downall that offered to stand against them until that time. 

"What did you come to this country now for?" said the king. "For thepigs belonging to yourself, " said Brian; "for to bring them away with usis a part of the fine. " "What way do you think to get them?" said theking. "If we get them with good-will, " said Brian, "we are ready to takethem thankfully; and if we do not, we are ready to do battle withyourself and your people on the head of them, that you may fall by us, and we may bring away the pigs in spite of you. " "If that is to be theend of it, " said the king, "it would be a pity to bring my people into abattle. " "It would be a pity indeed, " said Brian. 

Then the king whispered and took advice with his people about thematter, and it is what they agreed, to give up the pigs of their ownfree will to the sons of Tuireann, since they could not see that any onehad been able to stand against them up to that time. 

Then the sons of Tuireann gave their thanks to Easal, and there waswonder on them to have got the pigs like that, when they had to fightfor every other part of the fine. And more than that, they had left ashare of their blood in every other place till then. 

Easal brought them to his own house that night, and they were servedwith food, and drink, and good beds, and all they could wish for. Andthey rose up on the morrow and came into the king's presence, and thepigs were given to them. "It is well you have done by us, giving usthese pigs, " said Brian, "for we did not get any share of the finewithout fighting but these alone. " And he made a poem for the king then, praising him, and putting a great name on him for what he had done. 

"What journey are you going to make now, sons of Tuireann?" said Easal. "We are going, " they said, "to the country of Ioruaidh, on account of awhelp that is there. " "Give me one request, " said Easal, "and that is tobring me with you to the King of Ioruaidh, for a daughter of mine is hiswife, and I would wish to persuade him to give you the whelp without abattle. " "That will please us well, " they said. 

So the king's ship was made ready, and we have no knowledge of whathappened till they came to the delightful, wonderful coast of Ioruaidh. The people and the armies were watching the harbours and landing-placesbefore them, and they knew them at once and shouted at them. 

Then Easal went on shore peaceably, and he went to where his son-in-law, the king, was, and told him the story of the sons of Tuireann frombeginning to end. "What has brought them to this country?" said the Kingof Ioruaidh. "To ask for the hound you have, " said Easal. "It was a badthought you had coming with them to ask it, " said the king, "for thegods have not given that much luck to any three champions in the world, that they would get my hound by force or by good-will. " "It would bebetter for you to let them have the hound, " said Easal, "since they haveput down so many of the kings of the world. "

But all he could say was only idleness to the king. So he went then towhere the sons of Tuireann were, and gave them the whole account. Andwhen they heard the king's answer, they made no delay, but put quickhands on their arms, and offered to give battle to the army of Ioruaidh. And when they met, there was a brave battle fought on both sides. And asfor the sons of Tuireann, they began to kill and to strike at the men ofIoruaidh till they parted from one another in the fight, so that Iucharand Iucharba chanced to be on one side, and Brian by himself on theother side. It was a gap of danger and a breaking of ranks was beforeBrian in every path he took, till he came to the King of Ioruaidh in thebattle pen where he was. And then the two brave champions began a fiercefight together, and they did not spare one another in it. And at thelast Brian overcame the king, and bound him, and brought him through themiddle of the army, till he came to the place where Easal was, and it iswhat he said: "There is your son-in-law for you, and I swear by my handof valour, I would think it easier to kill him three times than to bringhim to you once like this. "

So then the whelp was given to the sons of Tuireann, and the king wasunbound, and peace was made between them. And when they had brought allthis to an end, they bade farewell to Easal and to all the rest. 

Now as to Lugh of the Long Hand, it was showed to him that the sons ofTuireann had got all the things that were wanting to him against thebattle with the Fomor; and on that he sent a Druid spell after them toput forgetfulness on them of the rest of the fine that they had not got. And he put a great desire and longing on them to go back to Ireland; sothey forgot that a part of the fine was wanting to them, and they turnedback again toward home. 

And it is the place where Lugh was at the time, at a gathering of thepeople for a fair on the green outside Teamhair, and the King of Irelandalong with him. And it was made known to Lugh that the sons of Tuireannwere landed at Brugh na Boinn. And he went into the city of Teamhair, and shut the gate after him, and he put on Manannan's smooth armour, andthe cloak, of the daughters of Flidais, and he took his own arms in hishand. 

And the sons of Tuireann came where the king was, and they were madewelcome by him and by the Tuatha de Danaan. And the king asked them didthey get the fine. "We did get it, " said they; "and where is Lugh tillwe give it to him?" "He was here a while ago, " said the king. And thewhole fair was searched for him, but he was not found. 

"I know the place where he is, " said Brian; "for it has been made knownto him that we are come to Ireland, and these deadly arms with us, andhe is gone into Teamhair to avoid us. "

Messengers were sent to him then, and it is the answer he gave them thathe would not come, but that the fine should be given to the king. 

So the sons of Tuireann did that, and when the king had taken the finethey all went to the palace in Teamhair; and Lugh came out on the lawnand the fine was given to him, and it is what he said: "There is a goodpayment here for any one that ever was killed or that ever will bekilled. But there is something wanting to it yet that it is not lawfulto leave out. And where is the cooking-spit?" he said; "and where arethe three shouts on the hill that you did not give yet?"

And when the sons of Tuireann heard that there came clouds of weaknesson them. And they left the place and went to their father's house thatnight, and they told him all they had done, and the way Lugh had treatedthem. 

There was grief and darkness on Tuireann then, and they spent the nighttogether. And on the morrow they went to their ship, and Ethne, theirsister, with them, and she was crying and lamenting, and it is what shesaid:

"It is a pity, Brian of my life, it is not to Teamhair your going is, after all the troubles you have had before this, even if I could notfollow you. 

"O Salmon of the dumb Boinn, O Salmon of the Lifé River, since I cannotkeep you here I am loath to part from you. 

"O Rider of the Wave of Tuaidh, the man that stands best in the fight, if you come back again, I think it will not be pleasing to your enemy. 

"Is there pity with you for the sons of Tuireann leaning now on theirgreen shields? Their going is a cause for pity, my mind is filled upwith it. 

"You to be to-night at Beinn Edair till the heavy coming of the morning, you who have taken forfeits from brave men, it is you have increased ourgrief. 

"It is a pity your journey is from Teamhair, and from the pleasantplains, and from great Uisnech of Midhe; there is nothing so pitiful asthis. "

After that complaint they went out on the rough waves of the green sea;and they were a quarter of a year on the sea without getting any news ofthe island. 

Then Brian put on his water dress and he made a leap, and he was a longtime walking in the sea looking for the Island of the Fair-Haired Women, and he found it in the end. And he went looking for the court, and whenhe came to it, all he found was a troop of women doing needlework andembroidering borders. And among all the other things they had with them, there was the cooking-spit. 

And when Brian saw it, he took it up in his hand and he was going tobring it with him to the door. And all the women began laughing whenthey saw him doing that, and it is what they said: "It is a brave deedyou put your hand to; for even if your brothers were along with you, theleast of the three times fifty women of us would not let the spit gowith you or with them. But for all that, " they said, "take a spit of thespits with you, since you had the daring to try and take it in spite ofus. "

Brian bade them farewell then, and went to look for the boat. And hisbrothers thought it was too long he was away from them, and just as theywere going to leave the place they were, they saw him coming towardsthem, and that raised their courage greatly. 

And he went into the boat, and they went on to look for the Hill ofMiochaoin. And when they came there, Miochaoin, that was the guardian ofthe hill, came towards them; and when Brian saw him he attacked him, andthe fight of those two champions was like the fight of two lions, tillMiochaoin fell at the last. 

And after Miochaoin had fallen, his three sons came out to fight withthe three sons of Tuireann. And if any one ever came from the east ofthe world to look at any fight, it is to see the fight of thesechampions he had a right to come, for the greatness of their blows andthe courage of their minds. The names of the sons of Miochaoin were Coreand Conn and Aedh, and they drove their three spears through the bodiesof the sons of Tuireann, and that did not discourage them at all andthey put their own three spears through the bodies of the sons ofMiochaoin, so that they fell into the clouds and the faintness of death. 

And then Brian said: "What way are you now, my dear brothers?" "We arenear our death, " said they. "Let us rise up, " he said, "and give threeshouts upon the hill, for I see the signs of death coming on us. " "Weare not able to do that, " said they. Then Brian rose up and raised eachof them with one hand, and he shedding blood heavily all the time, until they gave the three shouts. 

After that Brian brought them with him to the boat, and they weretravelling the sea for a long time, but at last Brian said: "I see BeinnEdair and our father's dun, and Teamhair of the Kings. " "We would haveour fill of health if we could see that, " said the others; "and for thelove of your good name, brother, " they said, "raise up our heads on yourbreast till we see Ireland again, and life or death will be the same tous after that. And O Brian, " they said, "Flame of Valour withouttreachery, we would sooner death to bring ourselves away, than to seeyou with wounds upon your body, and with no physician to heal you. "

Then they came to Beinn Edair, and from that they went on to theirfather's house, and Brian said to Tuireann: "Go, dear father, toTeamhair, and give this spit to Lugh, and bring the skin that hashealing in it for our relief. Ask it from him for the sake offriendship, " he said, "for we are of the one blood, and let him not givehardness for hardness. And O dear father, " he said, "do not be long onyour journey, or you will not find us alive before you. "

Then Tuireann went to Teamhair, and he found Lugh of the Long Handbefore him, and he gave him the spit, and he asked the skin of him toheal his children, and Lugh said he would not give it And Tuireann cameback to them and told them he had not got the skin. And Brian said:"Bring me with you to Lugh, to see would I get it from him. "

So they went to Lugh, and Brian asked the skin of him. And Lugh said hewould not give it, and that if they would give him the breadth of theearth in gold for it, he would not take it from them, unless he was suretheir death would come on them in satisfaction for the deed they haddone. 

When Brian heard that, he went to the place his two brothers were, andhe lay down between them, and his life went out from him, and out fromthe other two at the same time. 

And their father cried and lamented over his three beautiful sons, thathad the making of a king of Ireland in each of them, and his strengthleft him and he died; and they were buried in the one grave. 

CHAPTER III. THE GREAT BATTLE OF MAGH TUIREADH

And it was not long after Lugh had got the fine from the sons ofTuireann that the Fomor came and landed at Scetne. 

The whole host of the Fomor were come this time, and their king, Balor, of the Strong Blows and of the Evil Eye, along with them; and Bres, andIndech, son of De Domnann, a king of the Fomor, and Elathan, son ofLobos, and Goll and Ingol, and Octriallach, son of Indech, and Elathan, son of Delbaeth. 

Then Lugh sent the Dagda to spy out the Fomor, and to delay them tillsuch time as the men of Ireland would come to the battle. 

So the Dagda went to their camp, and he asked them for a delay, and theysaid he might have that. And then to make sport of him, the Fomor madebroth for him, for he had a great love for broth. So they filled theking's cauldron with four times twenty gallons of new milk, and the sameof meal and fat, and they put in goats and sheep and pigs along withthat, and boiled all together, and then they poured it all out into agreat hole in the ground. And they called him to it then, and told himhe should eat his fill, the way the Fomor would not be reproached forwant of hospitality the way Bres was. "We will make an end of you ifyou leave any part of it after you, " said Indech, son of De Domnann. 

So the Dagda took the ladle, and it big enough for a man and a woman tolie in the bowl of it, and he took out bits with it, the half of asalted pig, and a quarter of lard a bit would be. "If the broth tastesas well as the bits taste, this is good food, " he said. And he went onputting the full of the ladle into his mouth till the hole was empty;and when all was gone he put down his hand and scraped up all that wasleft among the earth and the gravel. 

Sleep came on him then after eating the broth, and the Fomor werelaughing at him, for his belly was the size of the cauldron of a greathouse. But he rose up after a while, and, heavy as he was, he made hisway home; and indeed his dress was no way sightly, a cape to the hollowof the elbows, and a brown coat, long in the breast and short behind, and on his feet brogues of horse hide, with the hair outside, and in hishand a wheeled fork it would take eight men to carry, so that the trackhe left after him was deep enough for the boundary ditch of a province. And on his way he saw the Battle-Crow, the Morrigu, washing herself inthe river Unius of Connacht, and one of her two feet at Ullad Echne, tothe south of the water, and the other at Loscuinn, to the north of thewater, and her hair hanging in nine loosened locks. And she said to theDagda, that she would bring the heart's blood of Indech, son of DeDomnann, that had threatened him, to the men of Ireland. 

And while he was away Lugh had called together the Druids, and smiths, and physicians, and law-makers, and chariot-drivers of Ireland, to makeplans for the battle. 

And he asked the great magician Mathgen what could he do to help them. "It is what I can do, " said Mathgen, "through my power I can throw downall the mountains of Ireland on the Fomor, until their tops will berolling on the ground. And the twelve chief mountains of Ireland willbring you their help, " he said, "and will fight for you: Slieve Leag andDenda Ulad, and Bennai Boirche and Bri Ruri, and Slieve Bladma andSlieve Snechtae, and Slieve Mis and Blai-Slieve, and Nemthann and SlieveMacca Belgodon, and Segois and Cruachan Aigle. "

Then he asked the cup-bearers what help they could give. "We will put astrong thirst on the Fomor, " they said, "and then we will bring thetwelve chief lochs of Ireland before them, and however great theirthirst may be, they will find no water in them: Derc-Loch, LochLuimnech, Loch Orbsen, Loch Righ, Loch Mescdhae, Loch Cuan, Loch Laeig, Loch Echach, Loch Febail, Loch Decket, Loch Riach, Mor-Loch. And we willgo, " they said, "to the twelve chief rivers of Ireland: the Buas, theBoinn, the Banna, the Nem, the Laoi, the Sionnan, the Muaid, theSligech, the Samair, the Fionn, the Ruirtech, the Siuir; and they willall be hidden away from the Fomor the way they will not find a drop inthem. But as for the men of Ireland, " they said, "there will be drinkfor them if they were to be in the battle to the end of seven years. "

And Figol, son of Mamos, the Druid, was asked then what he would do, andhe said: "It is what I will do, I will cause three showers of fire topour on the faces of the army of the Fomor, and I will take from themtwo-thirds of their bravery and their strength, and I will put sicknesson their bodies, and on the bodies of their horses. But as to the men ofIreland, " he said, "every breath they breathe will be an increase ofstrength and of bravery to them; and if they are seven years in thebattle they will never be any way tired. "

Then Lugh asked his two witches, Bechulle and Dianan: "What power canyou bring to the battle?" "It is easy to say that, " they said. "We willput enchantment on the trees and the stones and the sods of the earth, till they become an armed host against the Fomor, and put terror on themand put them to the rout. "

Then Lugh asked Carpre, the poet, son of Etain, what could he do. "It isnot hard to say that, " said Carpre. "I will make a satire on them atsunrise, and the wind from the north, and I on a hill-top and my back toa thorn-tree, and a stone and a thorn in my hand. And with that satire, "he said, "I will put shame on them and enchantment, the way they willnot be able to stand against fighting men. "

Then he asked Goibniu the Smith what would he be able to do. "I will dothis, " he said. "If the men of Ireland stop in the battle to the end ofseven years, for every sword that is broken and for every spear that islost from its shaft, I will put a new one in its place. And nospear-point that will be made by my hand, " he said, "will ever miss itsmark; and no man it touches will ever taste life again. And that is morethan Dolb, the smith of the Fomor, can do, " he said. 

"And you, Credne, " Lugh said then to his worker in brass, "what help canyou give to our men in the battle?" "It is not hard to tell that, " saidCredne, "rivets for their spears and hilts for their swords and bossesand rims for their shields, I will supply them all. "

"And you, Luchta, " he said then to his carpenter, "what will you do?" "Iwill give them all they want of shields and of spear shafts, " saidLuchta. 

Then he asked Diancecht, the physician, what would he do, and it is whathe said: "Every man that will be wounded there, unless his head isstruck off, or his brain or his marrow cut through, I will make himwhole and sound again for the battle of the morrow. "

Then the Dagda said: "Those great things you are boasting you will do, I will do them all with only myself. " "It is you are the good god!" saidthey, and they all gave a great shout of laughter. 

Then Lugh spoke to the whole army and put strength in them, so that eachone had the spirit in him of a king or a great lord. 

Then when the delay was at an end, the Fomor and the men of Ireland cameon towards one another till they came to the plain of Magh Tuireadh. That now was not the same Magh Tuireadh where the first battle wasfought, but it was to the north, near Ess Dara. 

And then the two armies threatened one another. "The men of Ireland aredaring enough to offer battle to us, " said Bres to Indech, son of DeDomnann. "I give my word, " said Indech, "it is in small pieces theirbones will be, if they do not give in to us and pay their tribute. "

Now the Men of Dea had determined not to let Lugh go into the battle, because of the loss his death would be to them; and they left nine oftheir men keeping a watch on him. 

And on the first day none of the kings or princes went into the battle, but only the common fighting men, and they fierce and proud enough. 

And the battle went on like that from day to day with no great advantageto one or the other side. But there was wonder on the Fomor on accountof one thing. Such of their own weapons as were broken or blunted in thefight lay there as they were, and such of their own men as were killedshowed no sign of life on the morrow; but it was not so with the Tuathade Danaan, for if their men were killed or their weapons were brokento-day, they were as good as before on the morrow. 

And this is the way that happened. The well of Slaine lay to the westof Magh Tuireadh to the east of Loch Arboch. And Diancecht and his sonOctruil and his daughter Airmed used to be singing spells over the welland to be putting herbs in it; and the men that were wounded to death inthe battle would be brought to the well and put into it as dead men, andthey would come out of it whole and sound, through the power of thespells. And not only were they healed, but there was such fire put intothem that they would be quicker in the fight than they were before. 

And as to the arms, it is the way they were made new every day. Goibniuthe Smith used to be in the forge making swords and spears, and he wouldmake a spear-head by three turns, and then Luchta the Carpenter wouldmake the shaft by three cuts, and the third cut was a finish, and wouldset it in the ring of the spear. And when the spear-heads were stuck inthe side of the forge, he would throw the shaft and the rings the waythey would go into the spear-head and want no more setting. And thenCredne the Brazier would make the rivets by three turns and would castthe rings of the spears to them, and with that they were ready and wereset together. 

And all this went against the Fomor, and they sent one of their youngmen to spy about the camp and to see could he find out how these thingswere done. It was Ruadan, son of Bres and of Brigit daughter of theDagda they sent, for he was a son and grandson of the Tuatha de Danaan. So he went and saw all that was done, and came back to the Fomor. 

And when they heard his story it is what they thought, that Goibniu theSmith was the man that hindered them most. And they sent Ruadan backagain, and bade him make an end of him. 

So he went back again to the forge, and he asked Goibniu would he givehim a spear-head. And then he asked rivets of Credne, and a shaft ofthe carpenter, and all was given to him as he asked. And there was awoman there, Cron, mother to Fianlug, grinding the spears. 

And after the spear being given to Ruadan, he turned and threw it atGoibniu, that it wounded him. But Goibniu pulled it out and made a castof it at Ruadan, that it went through him and he died; and Bres, hisfather, and the army of the Fomor, saw him die. And then Brigit came andkeened her son with shrieking and with crying. 

And as to Goibniu, he went into the well and was healed. But after thatOctriallach, son of Indech, called to the Fomor and bade each man ofthem bring a stone of the stones of Drinnes and throw them into the wellof Slane. And they did that till the well was dried up, and a cairnraised over it, that is called Octriallach's Cairn. 

And it was while Goibniu was making spear-heads for the battle of MaghTuireadh, a charge was brought against his wife. And it was seen that itwas heavy news to him, and that jealousy came on him. And it is what hedid, there was a spear-shaft in his hand when he heard the story, Nesits name was; and he sang spells over the spear-shaft, and any one thatwas struck with that spear afterwards, it would burn him up like fire. 

And at last the day of the great battle came, and the Fomor came out oftheir camp and stood in strong ranks. And there was not a leader or afighting man of them was without good armour to his skin, and a helmeton his head, a broad spear in his right hand, a heavy sword in his belt, a strong shield on his shoulder. And to attack the army of the Fomorthat day was to strike the head against a rock, or to go up fightingagainst a fire. 

And the Men of Dea rose up and left Lugh and his nine comrades keepinghim, and they went on to the battle; and Midhir was with them, and BodbDearg and Diancecht. And Badb and Macha and the Morrigu called out thatthey would go along with them. 

And it was a hard battle was fought, and for a while it was goingagainst the Tuatha de Danaan; and Nuada of the Silver Hand, their King, and Macha, daughter of Emmass, fell by Balor, King of the Fomor. AndCass-mail fell by Octriallach, and the Dagda got a dreadful wound from acasting spear that was thrown by Ceithlenn, wife of Balor. 

But when the battle was going on, Lugh broke away from those that werekeeping him, and rushed out to the front of the Men of Dea. And thenthere was a fierce battle fought, and Lugh was heartening the men ofIreland to fight well, the way they would not be in bonds any longer. For it was better for them, he said, to die protecting their own countrythan to live under bonds and under tribute any longer. And he sang asong of courage to them, and the hosts gave a great shout as they wentinto battle, and then they met together, and each of them began toattack the other. 

And there was great slaughter, and laying low in graves, and many comelymen fell there in the stall of death. Pride and shame were there side byside, and hardness and red anger, and there was red blood on the whiteskin of young fighting men. And the dashing of spear against shield, andsword against sword, and the shouting of the fighters, and the whistlingof casting spears and the rattling of scabbards was like harsh thunderthrough the battle. And many slipped in the blood that was under theirfeet, and they fell, striking their heads one against another; and theriver carried away bodies of friends and enemies together. 

Then Lugh and Balor met in the battle, and Lugh called out reproaches tohim; and there was anger on Balor, and he said to the men that were withhim: "Lift up my eyelid till I see this chatterer that is talking tome. " Then they raised Balor's eyelid, but Lugh made a cast of his redspear at him, that brought the eye out through the back of his head, sothat it was towards his own army it fell, and three times nine of theFomor died when they looked at it. And if Lugh had not put out that eyewhen he did, the whole of Ireland would have been burned in one flash. And after this, Lugh struck his head off. 

And as for Indech, son of De Domnann, he fell and was crushed in thebattle, and blood burst from his mouth, and he called out for Leat Glas, his poet, as he lay there, but he was not able to help him. And then theMorrigu came into the battle, and she was heartening the Tuatha deDanaan to fight the battle well; and, as she had promised the Dagda, shetook the full of her two hands of Indech's blood, and gave it to thearmies that were waiting at the ford of Unius; and it was called theFord of Destruction from that day. 

And after that it was not a battle any more, but a rout, and the Fomorwere beaten back to the sea. And Lugh and his comrades were followingthem, and they came up with Bres, son of Elathan, and no guard with him, and he said: "It is better for you to spare my life than to kill me. Andif you spare me now, " he said, "the cows of Ireland will never go dry. ""I will ask an advice about that from our wise men, " said Lugh. So hetold Maeltine Mor-Brethach, of the Great Judgments, what Bres was aftersaying. But Maeltine said: "Do not spare him for that, for he has nopower over their offspring, though he has power so long as they areliving. "

Then Bres said: "If you spare me, the men of Ireland will reap a harvestof corn every quarter. " But Maeltine said: "The spring is for ploughingand sowing, and the beginning of summer for the strength of corn, andthe beginning of autumn for its ripeness, and the winter for using it. "

"That does not save you, " said Lugh then to Bres. But then to make anexcuse for sparing him, Lugh said: "Tell us what is the best way for themen of Ireland to plough and to sow and to reap. "

"Let their ploughing be on a Tuesday, and their casting seed into thefield on a Tuesday, and their reaping on a Tuesday, " said Bres. So Lughsaid that would do, and he let him go free after that. 

It was in this battle Ogma found Orna, the sword of Tethra, a king ofthe Fomor, and he took it from its sheath and cleaned it. And when thesword was taken out of the sheath, it told all the deeds that had beendone by it, for there used to be that power in swords. 

And Lugh and the Dagda and Ogma followed after the Fomor, for they hadbrought away the Dagda's harp with them, that was called Uaitne. Andthey came to a feasting-house, and in it they found Bres and his fatherElathan, and there was the harp hanging on the wall. And it was in thatharp the Dagda had bound the music, so that it would not sound till hewould call to it. And sometimes it was called Dur-da-Bla, the Oak of TwoBlossoms, and sometimes Coir-cethar-chuin, the Four-Angled Music. 

And when he saw it hanging on the wall it is what he said: "Come summer, come winter, from the mouth of harps and bags and pipes. " Then the harpsprang from the wall, and came to the Dagda, and it killed nine men onits way. 

And then he played for them the three things harpers understand, thesleepy tune, and the laughing tune, and the crying tune. And when heplayed the crying tune, their tearful women cried, and then he playedthe laughing tune, till their women and children laughed; and then heplayed the sleepy tune, and all the hosts fell asleep. And through thatsleep the three went away through the Fomor that would have been glad toharm them. And when all was over, the Dagda brought out the heifer hehad got as wages from Bres at the time he was making his dun. And shecalled to her calf, and at the sound of her call all the cattle ofIreland the Fomor had brought away as tribute, were back in their fieldsagain. 

And Cé, the Druid of Nuada of the Silver Hand, was wounded in thebattle, and he went southward till he came to Carn Corrslebe. And therehe sat down to rest, tired with his wounds and with the fear that was onhim, and the journey. And he saw a smooth plain before him, and it fullof flowers, and a great desire came on him to reach to that plain, andhe went on till he came to it, and there he died. And when his grave wasmade there, a lake burst out over it and over the whole plain, and itwas given the name of Loch Cé. And there were but four men of the Fomorleft in Ireland after the battle, and they used to be going through thecountry, spoiling corn and milk and fruit, and whatever came from thesea, till they were driven out one Samhain night by the Morrigu and byAngus Og, that the Fomor might never be over Ireland again. 

And after the battle was won, and the bodies were cleared away, theMorrigu gave out the news of the great victory to the hosts and to theroyal heights of Ireland and to its chief rivers and its invers, and itis what she said: "Peace up to the skies, the skies down to earth, theearth under the skies; strength to every one. "

And as to the number of men that fell in the battle, it will not beknown till we number the stars of the sky, or flakes of snow, or the dewon the grass, or grass under the feet of cattle, or the horses of theSon of Lir in a stormy sea. 

And Lugh was made king over the Men of Dea then, and it was at Nas hehad his court. 

And while he was king, his foster-mother Taillte, daughter of Magh Mor, the Great Plain, died. And before her death she bade her husband Duachthe Dark, he that built the Fort of the Hostages in Teamhair, to clearaway the wood of Cuan, the way there could be a gathering of the peoplearound her grave. So he called to the men of Ireland to cut down thewood with their wide-bladed knives and bill-hooks and hatchets, andwithin a month the whole wood was cut down. 

And Lugh buried her in the plain of Midhe, and raised a mound over her, that is to be seen to this day. And he ordered fires to be kindled, andkeening to be made, and games and sports to be held in the summer ofevery year out of respect to her. And the place they were held got itsname from her, that is Taillten. 

And as to Lugh's own mother, that was tall beautiful Ethlinn, she cameto Teamhair after the battle of Magh Tuireadh, and he gave her inmarriage to Tadg, son of Nuada. And the children that were born to themwere Muirne, mother of Finn, the Head of the Fianna of Ireland, andTuiren, that was mother of Bran. 

CHAPTER IV. THE HIDDEN HOUSE OF LUGH

And after Lugh had held the kingship for a long time, the Dagda was madeking in his place. 

And Lugh went away out of Ireland, and some said he died at Uisnech, theplace where the five provinces meet, and the first place there was evera fire kindled in Ireland. It was by Mide, son of Brath, it was kindled, for the sons of Nemed, and it was burning through six years, and it wasfrom that fire every chief fire was kindled in Ireland. 

But Lugh was seen again in Ireland at the time Conchubar and the Men ofthe Red Branch went following white birds southward to the Boinn at thetime of Cuchulain's birth. And it was he came and kept watch overCuchulain in his three days' sleep at the time of the War for the Bullof Cuailgne. 

And after that again he was seen by Conn of the Hundred Battles, andthis is the way that happened. 

Conn was in Teamhair one time, and he went up in the early morning tothe Rath of the Kings at the rising of the sun, and his three Druidswith him, Maol and Bloc and Bhuice; and his three poets, Ethain and Corband Cesarn. And the reason he had for going up there with them everyday, was to look about on every side, the way if any men of the Sidhewould come into Ireland they would not come unknown to him. And on thisday he chanced to stand upon a stone that was in the rath, and the stonescreamed under his feet, that it was heard all over Teamhair and as faras Bregia. 

Then Conn asked his chief Druid how the stone came there, and what itscreamed for. And the Druid said he would not answer that till the endof fifty-three days. And at the end of that time, Conn asked him again, and it is what the Druid said: "The Lia Fail is the name of the stone;it is out of Falias it was brought, and it is in Teamhair it was set up, and in Teamhair it will stay for ever. And as long as there is a king inTeamhair it is here will be the gathering place for games, and if thereis no king to come to the last day of the gathering, there will behardness in that year. And when the stone screamed under your feet, " hesaid, "the number of the screams it gave was a foretelling of the numberof kings of your race that would come after you. But it is not I myselfwill name them for you, " he said. 

And while they were in the same place, there came a great mist aboutthem and a darkness, so that they could not know what way they weregoing, and they heard the noise of a rider coming towards them. "Itwould be a great grief to us, " said Conn, "to be brought away into astrange country. " Then the rider threw three spears at them, and everyone came faster than the other. "It is the wounding of a king indeed, "said the Druids, "any one to cast at Conn of Teamhair. "

The rider stopped casting his spears on that, and he came to them andbade Conn welcome, and asked him to come to his house. They went on thentill they came to a beautiful plain, and there they saw a king's rath, and a golden tree at its door, and inside the rath a grand house with aroof of white bronze. So they went into the house, and the rider thathad come to meet them was there before them, in his royal seat, andthere had never been seen a man like him in Teamhair for comeliness orfor beauty, or the wonder of his face. 

And there was a young woman in the house, having a band of gold on herhead, and a silver vessel with hoops of gold beside her, and it full ofred ale, and a golden bowl on its edge, and a golden cup at its mouth. She said then to the master of the house: "Who am I to serve drink to?""Serve it to Conn of the Hundred Battles, " he said, "for he will gain ahundred battles before he dies. " And after that he bade her to pour outthe ale for Art of the Three Shouts, the son of Conn; and after that hewent through the names of all the kings of Ireland that would come afterConn, and he told what would be the length of their lifetime. And theyoung woman left the vessel with Conn, and the cup and the bowl, and shegave him along with that the rib of an ox and of a hog; twenty-four feetwas the length of the ox-rib. 

And the master of the house told them the young woman was the Kingshipof Ireland for ever. "And as for myself, " he said, "I am Lugh of theLong Hand, son of Ethlinn. "

BOOK THREE: THE COMING OF THE GAEL. 

CHAPTER I. THE LANDING

It is not known, now, for what length of time the Tuatha de Danaan hadthe sway over Ireland, and it is likely it was a long time they had it, but they were put from it at last. 

It was at Inver Slane, to the north of Leinster, the sons of Gaedhal ofthe Shining Armour, the Very Gentle, that were called afterwards theSons of the Gael, made their first attempt to land in Ireland to avengeIth, one of their race that had come there one time and had met with hisdeath. 

It is under the leadership of the sons of Miled they were, and it wasfrom the south they came, and their Druids had told them there was nocountry for them to settle in till they would come to that island in thewest. "And if you do not get possession of it yourselves, " they said, "your children will get possession of it. "

But when the Tuatha de Danaan saw the ships coming, they flocked to theshore, and by their enchantments they cast such a cloud over the wholeisland that the sons of Miled were confused, and all they could see wassome large thing that had the appearance of a pig. 

And when they were hindered from landing there by enchantments, theywent sailing along the coast till at last they were able to make alanding at Inver Sceine in the west of Munster. 

From that they marched in good order as far as Slieve Mis. And therethey were met by a queen of the Tuatha de Danaan, and a train ofbeautiful women attending on her, and her Druids and wise men followingher. Amergin, one of the sons of Miled, spoke to her then, and asked hername, and she said it was Banba, wife of Mac Cuill, Son of the Hazel. 

They went on then till they came to Slieve Eibhline, and there anotherqueen of the Tuatha de Danaan met them, and her women and her Druidsafter her, and they asked her name, and she said it was Fodhla, wife ofMac Cecht, Son of the Plough. 

They went on then till they came to the hill of Uisnech, and there theysaw another woman coming towards them. And there was wonder on themwhile they were looking at her, for in the one moment she would be awide-eyed most beautiful queen, and in another she would be asharp-beaked, grey-white crow. She came on to where Eremon, one of thesons of Miled, was, and sat down before him, and he asked her who wasshe, and she said: "I am Eriu, wife of Mac Greine, Son of the Sun. "

And the names of those three queens were often given to Ireland in theafter time. 

The Sons of the Gael went on after that to Teamhair, where the threesons of Cermait Honey-Mouth, son of the Dagda, that had the kingshipbetween them at that time held their court. And these three werequarrelling with one another about the division of the treasures theirfather had left, and the quarrel was so hot it seemed likely it wouldcome to a battle in the end. 

And the Sons of the Gael wondered to see them quarrelling about suchthings, and they having so fruitful an island, where the air was sowholesome, and the sun not too strong, or the cold too bitter, and wherethere was such a plenty of honey and acorns, and of milk, and of fish, and of corn, and room enough for them all. 

Great grandeur they were living in, and their Druids about them, at thepalace of Teamhair. And Amergin went to them, and it is what he said, that they must give up the kingship there and then, or they must leaveit to the chance of a battle. And he said he asked this in revenge forthe death of Ith, of the race of the Gael, that had come to their courtbefore that time, and that had been killed by treachery. 

When the sons of Cermait Honey-Mouth heard Amergin saying such fiercewords, there was wonder on them, and it is what they said, that theywere not willing to fight at that time, for their army was not ready. "But let you make an offer to us, " they said, "for we see well you havegood judgment and knowledge. But if you make an offer that is not fair, "they said, "we will destroy you with our enchantments. "

At that Amergin bade the men that were with him to go back to InverSceine, and to hurry again into their ships with the rest of the Sons ofthe Gael, and to go out the length of nine waves from the shore. Andthen he made his offer to the Tuatha de Danaan, that if they couldhinder his men from landing on their island, he and all his ships wouldgo back again to their own country, and would never make any attempt tocome again; but that if the Sons of the Gael could land on the coast inspite of them, then the Tuatha de Danaan should give up the kingship andbe under their sway. 

The Tuatha de Danaan were well pleased with that offer, for they thoughtthat by the powers of their enchantments over the winds and the sea, andby their arts, they would be well able to keep them from ever settingfoot in the country again. 

So the Sons of the Gael did as Amergin bade them and they went back intotheir ship and drew up their anchors, and moved out to the length ofnine waves from the shore. And as soon as the Men of Dea saw they hadleft the land, they took to their enchantments and spells, and theyraised a great wind that scattered the ships of the Gael, and drove themfrom one another. But Amergin knew it was not a natural storm was init, and Arranan, son of Miled, knew that as well, and he went up in themast of his ship to look about him. But a great blast of wind cameagainst him, and he fell back into the ship and died on the moment. Andthere was great confusion on the Gael, for the ships were tossed to andfro, and had like to be lost. And the ship that Donn, son of Miled, wasin command of was parted from the others by the dint of the storm, andwas broken in pieces, and he himself and all with him were drowned, four-and-twenty men and women in all. And Ir, son of Miled, came to hisdeath in the same way, and his body was cast on the shore, and it wasburied in a small island that is now called Sceilg Michill. A brave manIr was, leading the Sons of the Gael to the front of every battle, andtheir help and their shelter in battle, and his enemies were in dread ofhis name. 

And Heremon, another of the sons of Miled, with his share of the ships, was driven to the left of the island, and it is hardly he got safe toland. And the place where he landed was called Inver Colpa, becauseColpa of the Sword, another of the sons of Miled, was drowned there, andhe trying to get to land. Five of the sons of Miled in all weredestroyed by the storm and the winds the Men of Dea had raised by theirenchantments, and there were but three of them left, Heber, and Heremon, and Amergin. 

And one of them, Donn, before he was swept into the sea, called out: "Itis treachery our knowledgeable men are doing on us, not to put down thiswind. " "There is no treachery, " said Amergin, his brother. And he roseup then before them, and whatever enchantment he did on the winds andthe sea, he said these words along with it:

"That they that are tossing in the great wide food-giving sea may reachnow to the land. 

"That they may find a place upon its plains, its mountains, and itsvalleys; in its forests that are full of nuts and of all fruits; on itsrivers and its streams, on its lakes and its great waters. 

"That we may have our gatherings and our races in this land; that theremay be a king of our own in Teamhair; that it may be the possession ofour many kings. 

"That the sons of Miled may be seen in this land, that their ships andtheir boats may find a place there. 

"This land that is now under darkness, it is for it we are asking; letour chief men, let their learned wives, ask that we may come to thenoble woman, great Eriu. "

After he had said this, the wind went down and the sea was quiet againon the moment. 

And those that were left of the sons of Miled and of the Sons of theGael landed then at Inver Sceine. 

And Amergin was the first to put his foot on land, and when he stood onthe shore of Ireland, it is what he said:

 "I am the wind on the sea; I am the wave of the sea; I am the bull of seven battles; I am the eagle on the rock; I am a flash from the sun; I am the most beautiful of plants; I am a strong wild boar; I am a salmon in the water; I am a lake in the plain; I am the word of knowledge; I am the head of the spear in battle; I am the god that puts fire in the head; Who spreads light in the gathering on the hills? Who can tell the ages of the moon? Who can tell the place where the sun rests?"

CHAPTER II. THE BATTLE OF TAILLTIN

And three days after the landing of the Gael, they were attacked byEriu, wife of Mac Greine, Son of the Sun, and she having a good share ofmen with her. And they fought a hard battle, and many were killed onboth sides. And this was the first battle fought between the Sons of theGael and the Men of Dea for the kingship of Ireland. 

It was in that battle Fais, wife of Un, was killed in a valley at thefoot of the mountain, and it was called after her, the Valley of Fais. And Scota, wife of Miled, got her death in the battle, and she wasburied in a valley on the north side of the mountain near the sea. Butthe Sons of the Gael lost no more than three hundred men, and they beatback the Men of Dea and killed a thousand of them. And Eriu was beatenback to Tailltin, and as many of her men as she could hold together; andwhen she came there she told the people how she had been worsted in thebattle, and the best of her men had got their death. But the Gaelstopped on the battle-field, and buried their dead, and they gave agreat burial to two of their Druids, Aer and Eithis, that were killed inthe fight. 

And after they had rested for a while, they went on to Inver Colpa inLeinster, and Heremon and his men joined them there. And then they sentmessengers to the three kings of Ireland, the three sons of CermaitHoney-Mouth, and bade them to come out and fight a battle that wouldsettle the ownership of the country once for all. 

So they came out, and the best of the fighters of the Tuatha de Danaanwith them, to Tailltin. And there they attacked one another, and theSons of the Gael remembered the death of Ith, and there was great angeron them, and they fell on the Men of Dea to avenge him, and there was afierce battle fought. And for a while neither side got the better of theother, but at the last the Gael broke through the army of the Men of Deaand put them to the rout, with great slaughter, and drove them out ofthe place. And their three kings were killed in the rout, and the threequeens of Ireland, Eriu and Fodhla and Banba. And when the Tuatha deDanaan saw their leaders were dead they fell back in great disorder, andthe Sons of the Gael followed after them. But in following them theylost two of their best leaders, Cuailgne, son of Breagan, at SlieveCuailgne, and Fuad, his brother, at Slieve Fuad. But they were no waydaunted by that, but followed the Men of Dea so hotly that they werenever able to bring their army together again, but had to own themselvesbeaten, and to give up the country to the Gael. 

And the leaders, the sons of Miled, divided the provinces of Irelandbetween them. Heber took the two provinces of Munster, and he gave ashare of it to Amergin; and Heremon got Leinster and Connacht for hisshare, and Ulster was divided between Eimhir, son of Ir, son of Miled, and some others of their chief men. And it was of the sons of Eimhir, that were called the Children of Rudraighe, and that lived in EmainMacha for nine hundred years, some of the best men of Ireland came;Fergus, son of Rogh, was of them, and Conall Cearnach, of the Red Branchof Ulster. 

And from the sons of Ith, the first of the Gael to get his death inIreland, there came in the after time Fathadh Canaan, that got the swayover the whole world from the rising to the setting sun, and that tookhostages of the streams and the birds and the languages. 

And it is what the poets of Ireland used to be saying, that every braveman, good at fighting, and every man that could do great deeds and notbe making much talk about them, was of the Sons of the Gael; and thatevery skilled man that had music and that did enchantments secretly, was of the Tuatha de Danaan. But they put a bad name on the Firbolgs andthe men of Domnand and the Gaileoin, for lies and for big talk andinjustice. But for all that there were good fighters among them, andFerdiad, that made so good a stand against Cuchulain, in the war for theBull of Cuailgne was one of them. And the Gaileoin fought well in thesame war; but the men of Ireland had no great liking for them, and theirDruids drove them out of the country afterwards. 

BOOK FOUR: THE EVER-LIVING LIVING ONES. 

CHAPTER I. BODB DEARG

But as to the Tuatha de Danaan after they were beaten, they would not gounder the sway of the sons of Miled, but they went away by themselves. And because Manannan, son of Lir, understood all enchantments, they leftit to him to find places for them where they would be safe from theirenemies. So he chose out the most beautiful of the hills and valleys ofIreland for them to settle in; and he put hidden walls about them, thatno man could see through, but they themselves could see through them andpass through them. 

And he made the Feast of Age for them, and what they drank at it was theale of Goibniu the Smith, that kept whoever tasted it from age and fromsickness and from death. And for food at the feast he gave them his ownswine, that though they were killed and eaten one day, would be aliveand fit for eating again the next day, and that would go on in that wayfor ever. 

And after a while they said: "It would be better for us one king to beover us, than to be scattered the way we are through the whole ofIreland. "

Now the men among them that had the best chance of getting the kingshipat that time were Bodb Dearg, son of the Dagda; and Ilbrech of EssRuadh; and Lir of Sidhe Fionnachaidh, the Hill of the White Field, onSlieve Fuad; and Midhir the Proud of Bri Leith, and Angus Og, son of theDagda; but he did not covet the kingship at all, but would sooner beleft as he was. Then all the chief men but those five went into counciltogether, and it is what they agreed, to give the kingship to BodbDearg, for the sake of his father, for his own sake, and because he wasthe eldest among the children of the Dagda. 

It was in Sidhe Femen Bodb Dearg had his house, and he put greatenchantments about it. Cliach, the Harper of the King of the ThreeRosses in Connacht, went one time to ask one of his daughters inmarriage, and he stayed outside the place through the whole length of ayear, playing his harp, and able to get no nearer to Bodb or to hisdaughter. And he went on playing till a lake burst up under his feet, the lake that is on the top of a mountain, Loch Bel Sead. 

It was Bodb's swineherd went to Da Derga's Inn, and his squealing pigalong with him, the night Conaire, the High King of Ireland, met withhis death; and it was said that whatever feast that swineherd would goto, there would blood be shed before it was over. 

And Bodb had three sons, Angus, and Artrach, and Aedh. And they usedoften to be living among men in the time of the Fianna afterwards. Artrach had a house with seven doors, and a free welcome for all thatcame, and the king's son of Ireland, and of Alban, used to be coming toAngus to learn the throwing of spears and darts; and troops of poetsfrom Alban and from Ireland used to be with Aedh, that was the comeliestof Bodb's sons, so that his place used to be called "The Rath of Aedh ofthe Poets. " And indeed it was a beautiful rath at that time, withgolden-yellow apples in it and crimson-pointed nuts of the wood. Butafter the passing away of the Fianna, the three brothers went back tothe Tuatha de Danaan. 

And Bodb Dearg was not always in his own place, but sometimes he waswith Angus at Brugh na Boinn. 

Three sons of Lugaidh Menn, King of Ireland, Eochaid, and Fiacha, andRuide, went there one time, for their father refused them any land tillthey would win it for themselves. And when he said that, they rose withthe ready rising of one man, and went and sat down on the green of Brughna Boinn, and fasted there on the Tuatha de Danaan, to see if theycould win some good thing from them. 

And they were not long there till they saw a young man, quiet and withpleasant looks, coming towards them, and he wished them good health, andthey answered him the same way. "Where are you come from?" they askedhim then. "From the rath beyond, with the many lights, " he said. "And Iam Bodb Dearg, son of the Dagda, " he said, "and come in with me now tothe rath. "

So they went in, and supper was made ready for them, but they did notuse it. Bodb Dearg asked them then why was it they were using nothing. "It is because our father has refused land to us, " said they; "and thereare in Ireland but the two races, the Sons of the Gael and the Men ofDea, and when the one failed us we are come to the other. "

Then the Men of Dea consulted together. And the chief among them wasMidhir of the Yellow Hair, and it is what he said: "Let us give a wifeto every one of these three men, for it is from a wife that good or badfortune comes. "

So they agreed to that, and Midhir's three daughters, Doirenn, and Aife, and Aillbhe, were given to them. Then Midhir asked Bodb to say whatmarriage portion should be given to them. "I will tell you that, " saidBodb. "We are three times fifty sons of kings in this hill; let everyking's son give three times fifty ounces of red gold. And I myself, " hesaid, "will give them along with that, three times fifty suits ofclothing of all colours. " "I will give them a gift, " said a young man ofthe Tuatha de Danaan, from Rachlainn in the sea. "A horn I will givethem, and a vat. And there is nothing wanting but to fill the vat withpure water, and it will turn into mead, fit to drink, and strong enoughto make drunken. And into the horn, " he said, "you have but to put saltwater from the sea, and it will turn into wine on the moment. " "A giftto them from me, " said Lir of Sidhe Fionnachaidh, "three times fiftyswords, and three times fifty well-riveted long spears. " "A gift fromme, " said Angus Og, son of the Dagda, "a rath and a good town with highwalls, and with bright sunny houses, and with wide houses, in whateverplace it will please them between Rath Chobtaige and Teamhair. " "A giftto them from me, " said Aine, daughter of Modharn, "a woman-cook that Ihave, and there is _geasa_ on her not to refuse food to any; andaccording as she serves it out, her store fills up of itself again. ""Another gift to them from me, " said Bodb Dearg, "a good musician that Ihave, Fertuinne, son of Trogain; and although there were women in thesharpest pains of childbirth, and brave men wounded early in the day, ina place where there were saws going through wood, they would sleep atthe sweetness of the music he makes. And whatever house he may be in, the people of the whole country round will hear him. "

So they stopped in Brugh na Boinne three days and three nights, and whenthey left it, Angus bade them bring away from the oak-wood threeapple-trees, one in full bloom, and one shedding its blossom, and thethird covered with ripe fruit. 

They went then to their own dun that was given them, and it is a goodplace they had there, and a troop of young men, and great troops ofhorses and of greyhounds; and they had three sorts of music that comelykings liked to be listening to, the music of harps and of lutes, and thechanting of Trogain's son; and there were three great sounds, thetramping on the green, and the uproar of racing, and the lowing ofcattle; and three other sounds, the grunting of good pigs with the fatthick on them, and the voices of the crowd on the green lawn, and thenoise of men drinking inside the house. And as to Eochaid, it was saidof him that he never took a step backwards in flight, and his house wasnever without music or drinking of ale. And it was said of Fiacha thatthere was no man of his time braver than himself, and that he never saida word too much. And as to Ruide, he never refused any one, and neverasked anything at all of any man. 

And when their lifetime was over, they went back to the Tuatha deDanaan, for they belonged to them through their wives, and there theyhave stopped ever since. 

And Bodb Dearg had a daughter, Scathniamh, the Flower of Brightness, that gave her love to Caoilte in the time of the Fianna; and they wereforced to part from one another, and they never met again till the timeCaoilte was, old and withered, and one of the last that was left of theFianna. And she came to him out of the cave of Cruachan, and asked himfor the bride-price he had promised her, and that she was never able tocome and ask for till then. And Caoilte went to a cairn that was nearand that was full up of gold, that was wages earned by Conan Maol andhidden there, and he gave the gold to Bodb Dearg's daughter. And thepeople that were there wondered to see the girl so young and comely, andCaoilte so grey and bent and withered. "There is no wonder in that, "said Caoilte, "for I am of the sons of Miled that wither and fade away, but she is of the Tuatha de Danaan that never change and that neverdie. "

CHAPTER II. THE DAGDA

And it was at Brugh na Boinne the Dagda, the Red Man of all Knowledge, had his house. And the most noticeable things in it were the Hall of theMorrigu, and the Bed of the Dagda, and the Birthplace of CermaitHoney-Mouth, and the Prison of the Grey of Macha that was Cuchulain'shorse afterwards. And there was a little hill by the house that wascalled the Comb and the Casket of the Dagda's wife; and another that wascalled the Hill of Dabilla, that was the little hound belonging toBoann. And the Valley of the Mata was there, the Sea-Turtle that couldsuck down a man in armour. 

And it is likely the Dagda put up his cooking oven there, that Druimne, son of Luchair, made for him at Teamhair. And it is the way it was, theaxle and the wheel were of wood, and the body was iron, and there weretwice nine wheels in its axle, that it might turn the faster; and it wasas quick as the quickness of a stream in turning, and there were threetimes nine spits from it, and three times nine pots. And it used to liedown with the cinders and to rise to the height of the roof with theflame. 

The Dagda himself made a great vat one time for Ainge, his daughter, butshe was not well satisfied with it, for it would not stop from drippingwhile the sea was in flood, though it would not lose a drop during theebb-tide. And she gathered a bundle of twigs to make a new vat forherself, but Gaible, son of Nuada of the Silver Hand, stole it from herand hurled it away. And in the place where it fell a beautiful wood grewup, that was called Gaible's Wood. 

And the Dagda had his household at Brugh na Boinne, and his steward wasDichu, and Len Linfiaclach was the smith of the Brugh. It was he livedin the lake, making the bright vessels of Fand, daughter of Flidhais;and every evening when he left off work he would make a cast of theanvil eastward to Indeoin na Dese, the Anvil of the Dese, as far as theGrave End. Three showers it used to cast, a shower of fire, and a showerof water, and a shower of precious stones of pure purple. 

But Tuirbe, father of Goibniu the Smith, used to throw better again, forhe would make a cast of his axe from Tulach na Bela, the Hill of theAxe, in the face of the flood tide, and he would put his order on thesea, and it would not come over the axe. 

And Corann was the best of the harpers of the household; he was harperto the Dagda's son, Diancecht. And one time he called with his harp toCailcheir, one of the swine of Debrann. And it ran northward with allthe strength of its legs, and the champions of Connacht were followingafter it with all their strength of running, and their hounds with them, till they got as far as Ceis Corain, and they gave it up there, allexcept Niall that went on the track of the swine till he found it in theoak-wood of Tarba, and then it made away over the plain of Ai, andthrough a lake. And Niall and his hound were drowned in following itthrough the lake. And the Dagda gave Corann a great tract of land fordoing his harping so well. 

But however great a house the Dagda had, Angus got it away from him inthe end, through the help of Manannan, son of Lir. For Manannan bade himto ask his father for it for the length of a day and a night, and thathe by his art would take away his power of refusing. So Angus asked forthe Brugh, and his father gave it to him for a day and a night. But whenhe asked it back again, it is what Angus said, that it had been given tohim for ever, for the whole of life and time is made up of a day and anight, one following after the other. 

So when the Dagda heard that he went away and his people and hishousehold with him, for Manannan had put an enchantment on them all. 

But Dichu the Steward was away at the time, and his wife and his son, for they were gone out to get provisions for a feast for Manannan andhis friends. And when he came back and knew his master was gone, he tookservice with Angus. 

And Angus stopped in Brugh na Boinne, and some say he is there to thisday, with the hidden walls about him, drinking Goibniu's ale and eatingthe pigs that never fail. 

As to the Dagda, he took no revenge, though he had the name of beingrevengeful and quick in his temper. And some say it was at Teamhair hemade his dwelling-place after that, but wherever it was, a greatmisfortune came on him. 

It chanced one time Corrgenn, a great man of Connacht, came to visithim, and his wife along with him. And while they were there, Corrgenngot it in his mind that there was something that was not right going onbetween his wife and Aedh, one of the sons of the Dagda. And greatjealousy and anger came on him, and he struck at the young man andkilled him before his father's face. 

Every one thought the Dagda would take Corrgenn's life then and there inrevenge for his son's life. But he would not do that, for he said if hisson was guilty, there was no blame to be put on Corrgenn for doing whathe did. So he spared his life for that time, but if he did, Corrgenn didnot gain much by it. For the punishment he put on him was to take thedead body of the young man on his back, and never to lay it down till hewould find a stone that would be its very fit in length and in breadth, and that would make a gravestone for him; and when he had found that, hecould bury him in the nearest hill. 

So Corrgenn had no choice but to go, and he set out with his load; buthe had a long way to travel before he could find a stone that would fit, and it is where he found one at last, on the shore of Loch Feabhail. Sothen he left the body up on the nearest hill, and he went down andraised the stone and brought it up and dug a grave and buried theDagda's son. And it is many an Ochone! he gave when he was putting thestone over him, and when he had that done he was spent, and he droppeddead there and then. 

And the Dagda brought his two builders, Garbhan and Imheall, to theplace, and he bade them build a rath there round the grave. It wasGarbhan cut the stones and shaped them, and Imheall set them all roundthe house till the work was finished, and then he closed the top of thehouse with a slab. And the place was called the Hill of Aileac, that is, the Hill of Sighs and of a Stone, for it was tears of blood the Dagdashed on account of the death of his son. 

CHAPTER III. ANGUS OG

And as to Angus Og, son of the Dagda, sometimes he would come from Brughna Boinn and let himself be seen upon the earth. 

It was a long time after the coming of the Gael that he was seen byCormac, King of Teamhair, and this is the account he gave of him. 

He was by himself one day in his Hall of Judgment, for he used to beoften reading the laws and thinking how he could best carry them out. And on a sudden he saw a stranger, a very comely young man, at the endof the hall; and he knew on the moment it was Angus Og, for he had oftenheard his people talking of him, but he himself used to be saying he didnot believe there was any such person at all. And when his people cameback to the hall, he told them how he had seen Angus himself, and hadtalked with him, and Angus had told him his name, and had foretold whatwould happen him in the future. "And he was a beautiful young man, " hesaid, "with high looks, and his appearance was more beautiful than allbeauty, and there were ornaments of gold on his dress; in his hand heheld a silver harp with strings of red gold, and the sound of itsstrings was sweeter than all music under the sky; and over the harp weretwo birds that seemed to be playing on it. He sat beside me pleasantlyand played his sweet music to me, and in the end he foretold things thatput drunkenness on my wits. "

The birds, now, that used to be with Angus were four of his kisses thatturned into birds and that used to be coming about the young men ofIreland, and crying after them. "Come, come, " two of them would say, and"I go, I go, " the other two would say, and it was hard to get free ofthem. But as to Angus, even when he was in his young youth, he used tobe called the Frightener, or the Disturber; for the plough teams of theworld, and every sort of cattle that is used by men, would make away interror before him. 

And one time he appeared in the shape of a land-holder to two men, Ribhand Eocho, that were looking for a place to settle in. The first placethey chose was near Bregia on a plain that was belonging to Angus; andit was then he came to them, leading his horse in his hand, and toldthem they should not stop there. And they said they could not carry awaytheir goods without horses. Then he gave them his horse, and bade themto put all they had a mind to on that horse and he would carry it, andso he did. But the next place they chose was Magh Find, the Fine Plain, that was the playing ground of Angus and of Midhir. And that time Midhircame to them in the same way and gave them a horse to put their goodson, and he went on with them as far as Magh Dairbthenn. 

And there were many women loved Angus, and there was one Enghi, daughterof Elcmair, loved him though she had not seen him. And she went one timelooking for him to the gathering for games between Cletech and Sidhe inBroga; and the bright troops of the Sidhe used to come to that gatheringevery Samhain evening, bringing a moderate share of food with them, thatis, a nut. And the sons of Derc came from the north, out of SidheFindabrach, and they went round about the young men and women withouttheir knowledge and they brought away Elcmair's daughter. There weregreat lamentations made then, and the name the place got was Cnoguba, the Nut Lamentation, from the crying there was at that gathering. 

And Derbrenn, Eochaid Fedlech's daughter, was another that was loved byAngus, and she had six fosterlings, three boys and three girls. But themother of the boys, Dalb Garb, the Rough, put a spell on them she madefrom a gathering of the nuts of Caill Ochuid, that turned them intoswine. 

And Angus gave them into the care of Buichet, the Hospitaller ofLeinster, and they stopped a year with him. But at the end of that timethere came a longing On Buichet's wife to eat a bit of the flesh of oneof them. So she gathered a hundred armed men and a hundred hounds totake them. But the pigs made away, and went to Brugh na Boinn, to Angus, and he bade them welcome, and they asked him to give them his help. Buthe said he could not do that till they had shaken the Tree of Tarbga, and eaten the salmon of Inver Umaill. 

So they went to Glascarn, and stopped a year in hiding with Derbrenn. And then they shook the Tree of Tarbga, and they went on towards InverUmaill. But Maeve gathered the men of Connacht to hunt them, and theyall fell but one, and their heads were put in a mound, and it got thename of Duma Selga, the Mound of the Hunting. 

And it was in the time of Maeve of Cruachan that Angus set his love onCaer Ormaith, of the Province of Connacht, and brought her away to Brughna Boinn. 

CHAPTER IV. THE MORRIGU

As to the Morrigu, the Great Queen, the Crow of Battle, where she livedafter the coming of the Gael is not known, but before that time it wasin Teamhair she lived. And she had a great cooking-spit there, that heldthree sorts of food on it at the one time: a piece of raw meat, and apiece of dressed meat, and a piece of butter. And the raw was dressed, and the dressed was not burned, and the butter did not melt, and thethree together on the spit. 

Nine men that were outlaws went to her one time and asked for a spit tobe made for themselves. And they brought it away with them, and it hadnine ribs in it, and every one of the outlaws would carry a rib in hishand wherever he would go, till they would all meet together at theclose of day. And if they wanted the spit to be high, it could be raisedto a man's height, and at another time it would not be more than theheight of a fist over the fire, without breaking and without lessening. 

And Mechi, the son the Morrigu had, was killed by Mac Cecht on MaghMechi, that till that time had been called Magh Fertaige. Three heartshe had, and it is the way they were, they had the shapes of threeserpents through them. And if Mechi had not met with his death, thoseserpents in him would have grown, and what they left alive in Irelandwould have wasted away. And Mac Cecht burned the three hearts on MaghLuathad, the Plain of Ashes, and he threw the ashes into the stream; andthe rushing water of the stream stopped and boiled up, and everycreature in it died. 

And the Morrigu used often to be meddling in Ireland in Cuchulain'stime, stirring up wars and quarrels. It was she came and roused upCuchulain one time when he was but a lad, and was near giving in to someenchantment that was used against him. "There is not the making of ahero in you, " she said to him, "and you lying there under the feet ofshadows. " And with that Cuchulain rose up and struck off the head of ashadow that was standing over him, with his hurling stick. And the timeConchubar was sending out Finched to rouse up the men of Ulster at thetime of the war for the Bull of Cuailgne, he bade him to go to thatterrible fury, the Morrigu, to get help for Cuchulain. And she had adispute with Cuchulain one time he met her, and she bringing away a cowfrom the Hill of Cruachan; and another time she helped Talchinem, aDruid of the household of Conaire Mor, to bring away a bull his wife hadset her mind on. And indeed she was much given to meddling with cattle, and one time she brought away a cow from Odras, that was of thehousehold of the cow-chief of Cormac Hua Cuined, and that was goingafter her husband with cattle. And the Morrigu brought the cow away withher to the Cave of Cruachan, and the Hill of the Sidhe. And Odrasfollowed her there till sleep fell on her in the oak-wood of Falga; andthe Morrigu awoke her and sang spells over her, and made of her a poolof water that went to the river that flows to the west of Slieve Buane. 

And in the battle of Magh Rath, she fluttered over Congal Claen in theshape of a bird, till he did not know friend from foe. And after thatagain at the battle of Cluantarbh, she was flying over the head ofMurchadh, son of Brian; for she had many shapes, and it was in the shapeof a crow she would sometimes fight her battles. 

And if it was not the Morrigu, it was Badb that showed herself in thebattle of Dunbolg, where the men of Ireland were fighting under Aedh, son of Niall; and Brigit was seen in the same battle on the side of themen of Leinster. 

CHAPTER V. AINE

And as to Aine, that some said was a daughter of Manannan, but some saidwas the Morrigu herself, there was a stone belonging to her that wascalled Cathair Aine. And if any one would sit on that stone he would bein danger of losing his wits, and any one that would sit on it threetimes would lose them for ever. And people whose wits were astray wouldmake their way to it, and mad dogs would come from all parts of thecountry, and would flock around it, and then they would go into the seato Aine's place there. But those that did cures by herbs said she hadpower over the whole body; and she used to give gifts of poetry and ofmusic, and she often gave her love to men, and they called her theLeanan Sidhe, the Sweet-heart of the Sidhe. 

And it was no safe thing to offend Aine, for she was very revengeful. Oilioll Oluim, a king of Ireland, killed her brother one time, and it iswhat she did, she made a great yew-tree by enchantment beside the riverMaigh in Luimnech, and she put a little man in it, playing sweet musicon a harp. And Oilioll's son was passing the river with hisstep-brother, and they saw the tree and heard the sweet music from it. And first they quarrelled as to which of them would have the littleharper, and then they quarrelled about the tree, and they asked ajudgment from Oilioll, and he gave it for his own son. And it was thebad feeling about that judgment that led to the battle of MaghMucruimhe, and Oilioll and his seven sons were killed there, and so Ainegot her revenge. 

CHAPTER VI. AOIBHELL

And Aoibhell, another woman of the Sidhe, made her dwelling-place inCraig Liath, and at the time of the battle of Cluantarbh she set herlove on a young man of Munster, Dubhlaing ua Artigan, that had been sentaway in disgrace by the King of Ireland. But before the battle he cameback to join with Murchadh, the king's son, and to fight for the Gael. And Aoibhell came to stop him; and when he would not stop with her sheput a Druid covering about him, the way no one could see him. 

And he went where Murchadh was fighting, and he made a great attack onthe enemies of Ireland, and struck them down on every side. And Murchadhlooked around him, and he said; "It seems to me I hear the sound of theblows of Dubhlaing ua Artigan, but I do not see himself. " Then Dubhlaingthrew off the Druid covering that was about him, and he said: "I willnot keep this covering upon me when you cannot see me through it. Andcome now across the plain to where Aoibhell is, " he said, "for she cangive us news of the battle. "

So they went where she was, and she bade them both to quit the battle, for they would lose their lives in it. But Murchadh said to her, "I willtell you a little true story, " he said; "that fear for my own body willnever make me change my face. And if we fall, " he said, "the strangerswill fall with us; and it is many a man will fall by my own hand, andthe Gael will be sharing their strong places. " "Stop with me, Dubhlaing, " she said then, "and you will have two hundred years of happylife with myself. " "I will not give up Murchadh, " he said, "or my owngood name, for silver or gold. " And there was anger on Aoibhell when hesaid that, and she said: "Murchadh will fall, and you yourself willfall, and your proud blood will be on the plain to-morrow. " And theywent back into the battle, and got their death there. 

And it was Aoibhell gave a golden harp to the son of Meardha the timehe was getting his learning at the school of the Sidhe in Connacht andthat he heard his father had got his death by the King of Lochlann. Andwhoever heard the playing of that harp would not live long after it. AndMeardha's son went where the three sons of the King of Lochlann were, and played on his harp for them, and they died. 

It was that harp Cuchulain heard the time his enemies were gatheringagainst him at Muirthemne, and he knew by it that his life was near itsend. 

CHAPTER VII. MIDHIR AND ETAIN

And Midhir took a hill for himself, and his wife Fuamach was with himthere, and his daughter, Bri. And Leith, son of Celtchar of Cualu, wasthe most beautiful among the young men of the Sidhe of Ireland at thattime, and he loved Bri, Midhir's daughter. And Bri went out with heryoung girls to meet him one time at the Grave of the Daughters besideTeamhair. And Leith came and his young men along with him till he was onthe Hill of the After Repentance. And they could not come nearer to oneanother because of the slingers on Midhir's hill that were answering oneanother till their spears were as many as a swarm of bees on a day ofbeauty. And Cochlan, Leith's servant, got a sharp wound from them and hedied. 

Then the girl turned back to Midhir's hill, and her heart broke in herand she died. And Leith said: "Although I am not let come to this girl, I will leave my name with her. " And the hill was called Bri Leith fromthat time. 

After a while Midhir took Etain Echraide to be his wife. And there wasgreat jealousy on Fuamach, the wife he had before, when she saw thelove that Midhir gave to Etain, and she called to the Druid, BresalEtarlaim to help her, and he put spells on Etain the way Fuamach wasable to drive her away. 

And when she was driven out of Bri Leith, Angus Og, son of the Dagda, took her into his keeping; and when Midhir asked her back, he would notgive her up, but he brought her about with him to every place he went. And wherever they rested, he made a sunny house for her, and putsweet-smelling flowers in it, and he made invisible walls about it, thatno one could see through and that could not be seen. 

But when news came to Fuamach that Etain was so well cared by Angus, anger and jealousy came on her again, and she searched her mind for away to destroy Etain altogether. 

And it is what she did, she persuaded Midhir and Angus to go out andmeet one another and to make peace, for there had been a quarrel betweenthem ever since the time Etain was sent away. And when Angus was awayfrom Brugh na Boinn, Fuamach went and found Etain there, in her sunnyhouse. And she turned her with Druid spells into a fly, and then shesent a blast of wind into the house, that swept her away through thewindow. 

But as to Midhir and Angus, they waited a while for Fuamach to come andjoin them. And when she did not come they were uneasy in their minds, and Angus hurried back to Brugh na Boinn. And when he found the sunnyhouse empty, he went in search of Fuamach, and it was along withEtarlaim, the Druid, he found her, and he struck her head off there andthen. 

And for seven years Etain was blown to and fro through Ireland in greatmisery. And at last she came to the house of Etar, of Inver Cechmaine, where there was a feast going on, and she fell from a beam of the roofinto the golden cup that was beside Etar's wife. And Etar's wife drankher down with the wine, and at the end of nine months she was born againas Etar's daughter. 

And she had the same name as before, Etain; and she was reared as aking's daughter, and there were fifty young girls, daughters of princes, brought up with her to keep her company. 

And it happened one day Etain and all the rest of the young girls wereout bathing in the bay at Inver Cechmaine, and they saw from the water aman, with very high looks, coming towards them over the plain, and heriding a bay horse with mane and tail curled. A long green cloak he hadon him, and a shirt woven with threads of red gold, and a brooch of goldthat reached across to his shoulders on each side. And he had on hisback a shield of silver with a rim of gold and a boss of gold, and inhis hand a sharp-pointed spear covered with rings of gold from heel tosocket. Fair yellow hair he had, coming over his forehead, and it boundwith a golden band to keep it from loosening. 

And when he came near them he got down from his horse, and sat down onthe bank, and it is what he said:

"It is here Etain is to-day, at the Mound of Fair Women. It is amonglittle children is her life on the strand of Inver Cechmaine. 

"It is she healed the eye of the king from the well of Loch da Lig; itis she was swallowed in a heavy drink by the wife of Etar. 

"Many great battles will happen for your sake to Echaid of Midhe;destruction will fall upon the Sidhe, and war on thousands of men. "

And when he had said that, he vanished, and no one knew where he went. And they did not know the man that had come to them was Midhir of BriLeith. 

And when Etain was grown to be a beautiful young woman, she was seen byEochaid Feidlech, High King of Ireland, and this is the way thathappened. 

He was going one time over the fair green of Bri Leith, and he saw atthe side of a well a woman, with a bright comb of gold and silver, andshe washing in a silver basin having four golden birds on it, and littlebright purple stones set in the rim of the basin. A beautiful purplecloak she had, and silver fringes to it, and a gold brooch; and she hadon her a dress of green silk with a long hood, embroidered in red gold, and wonderful clasps of gold and silver on her breasts and on hershoulder. The sunlight was falling on her, so that the gold and thegreen silk were shining out. Two plaits of hair she had, four locks ineach plait, and a bead at the point of every lock, and the colour of herhair was like yellow flags in summer, or like red gold after it isrubbed. 

There she was, letting down her hair to wash it, and her arms outthrough the sleeve-holes of her shift. Her soft hands were as white asthe snow of a single night, and her eyes as blue as any blue flower, andher lips as red as the berries of the rowan-tree, and her body as whiteas the foam of a wave. The bright light of the moon was in her face, thehighness of pride in her eyebrows, a dimple of delight in each of hercheeks, the light of wooing in her eyes, and when she walked she had astep that was steady and even like the walk of a queen. 

And Eochaid sent his people to bring her to him, and he asked her name, and she told him her name was Etain, daughter of Etar, King of theRiders of the Sidhe. And Eochaid gave her his love, and he paid thebride-price, and brought her home to Teamhair as his wife, and there wasa great welcome before her there. 

And after a while there was a great feast made at Teamhair, and all thechief men of Ireland came to it, and it lasted from the fortnight beforeSamhain to the fortnight after it. And King Eochaid's brother Ailell, that was afterwards called Ailell Anglonach, of the Only Fault, came tothe feast. And when he saw his brother's wife Etain, he fell in lovewith her on the moment, and all through the length of the feast he wasnot content unless he could be looking at her. And a woman, the daughterof Luchta Lamdearg, of the Red Hand, took notice of it, and she said:"What far thing are you looking at, Ailell? It is what I think, that tobe looking the way you are doing is a sign of love. " Then Ailell checkedhimself, and did not look towards Etain any more. 

But when the feast was at an end, and the gathering broken up, greatdesire and envy came on Ailell, so that he fell sick, and they broughthim to a house in Teffia. And he stopped there through the length of ayear, and he was wasting away, but he told no one the cause of hissickness. And at the end of the year, Eochaid came to visit his brother, and he passed his hand over his breast, and Ailell let a groan. "Whatway are you?" said Eochaid then. "Are you getting any easier, for youmust not let this illness come to a bad end. " "By my word, " said Ailell, "it is not easier I am, but worse and worse every day and every night. ""What is it ails you?" said Eochaid. "And what is it that is comingagainst you. " "By my word, I cannot tell you that, " said Ailell. "I willbring one here that will know the cause of your sickness, " said theking. 

With that he sent Fachtna, his own physician, to Ailell; and when hecame he passed his hand over Ailell's heart, and at that he groanedagain. "This sickness will not be your death, " said Fachtna then; "and Iknow well what it comes from. It is either from the pains of jealousy, or from love you have given, and that you have not found a way out of. "But there was shame on Ailell, and he would not confess to the physicianthat what he said was right. So Fachtna went away then and left him. 

As to King Eochaid, he went away to visit all the provinces of Irelandthat were under his kingship, and he left Etain after him, and it iswhat he said: "Good Etain, " he said, "take tender care of Ailell so longas he is living; and if he should die from us, make a sodded grave forhim, and raise a pillar stone over it, and write his name on it inOgham. " And with that he went away on his journey. 

One day, now, Etain went into the house where Ailell was lying in hissickness, and they talked together, and then she made a little song forhim, and it is what she said:

"What is it ails you, young man, for it is a long time you are wastedwith this sickness, and it is not the hardness of the weather hasstopped your light footstep. "

And Ailell answered her in the same way, and he said: "I have good causefor my hurt; the music of my own harp does not please me; there is nosort of food is pleasant to me, and so I am wasted away. " Then Etainsaid: "Tell me what is it ails you, for I am a woman that is wise. Tellme is there anything that would cure you, the way I may help you to it?"And Ailell answered her: "O kind, beautiful woman, it is not good totell a secret to a woman, but sometimes it may be known through theeyes. " And Etain said: "Though it is bad to tell a secret, yet it oughtto be told now, or how can help be given to you?" And Ailell answered:"My blessing on you, fair-haired Etain. It is not fit I am to be spokenwith; my wits have been no good help to me; my body is a rebel to me. All Ireland knows, O king's wife, there is sickness in my head and in mybody. " And Etain said: "If there is a woman of the fair-faced women ofIreland tormenting you this way, she must come to you here if itpleases you; and it is I myself will woo her for you, " she said. 

Then Ailell said to her: "Woman, it would be easy for you yourself toput my sickness from me. And my desire, " he said, "is a desire that isas long as a year; but it is love given to an echo, the spending ofgrief on a wave, a lonely fight with a shadow, that is what my love andmy desire have been to me. "

And it is then Etain knew what was the sickness that was on him, and itwas a heavy trouble to her. 

But she came to him every day to tend him, and to make ready his food, and to pour water over his hands, and all she could do she did for him, for it was a grief to her, he to wither away and to be lost for hersake. And at last one day she said to him: "Rise up, Ailell, son of aking, man of high deeds, and I will do your healing. "

Then he put his arms about her, and she kissed him, and she said: "Comeat the morning of to-morrow at the break of day to the house outside thedun, and I will give you all your desire. "

That night Ailell lay without sleep until the morning was at hand. Andat the very time he should have risen to go to her, it was at that timehis sleep settled down upon him, and he slept on till the full light ofday. 

But Etain went to the house outside the dun, and she was not long therewhen she saw a man coming towards her having the appearance of Ailell, sick and tired and worn. But when he came near and she looked closely athim, she saw it was not Ailell that was in it. Then he went away, andafter she had waited a while, she herself went back into the dun. 

And it was then Ailell awoke, and when he knew the morning had passedby, he would sooner have had death than life, and he fretted greatly. And Etain came in then, and he told her what had happened him. And shesaid: "Come to-morrow to the same place. "

But the same thing happened the next day. And when it happened on thethird day, and the same man came to meet Etain, she said to him: "It isnot you at all I come to meet here, and why is it that you come to meetme? And as to him I came to meet, " she said, "indeed it is not for gainor through lightness I bade him come to me, but to heal him of thesickness he is lying under for my sake. " Then the man said: "It would bemore fitting for you to come to meet me than any other one. For in thetime long ago, " he said, "I was your first husband, and your first man. ""What is it you are saying, " she said, "and who are you yourself?" "Itis easy to tell that, " he said; "I am Midhir of Bri Leith. " "And whatparted us if I was your wife?" said Etain. "It was through Fuamach'ssharp jealousy and through the spells of Bresal Etarlaim, the Druid, wewere parted. And will you come away with me now?" he said. But Etainsaid: "It is not for a man whose kindred is unknown I will give up theHigh King of Ireland. " And Midhir said: "Surely it was I myself put thatgreat desire for you on Ailell, and it was I hindered him from going tomeet you, the way you might keep your good name. "

And when she went back to Ailell's house, she found his sickness wasgone from him, and his desire. And she told him all that had happened, and he said: "It has turned out well for us both: I am well of mysickness and your good name is not lessened. " "We give thanks to ourgods for that, " said Etain, "for we are well pleased to have it so. "

And just at that time Eochaid came back from his journey, and they toldhim the whole story, and he was thankful to his wife for the kindnessshe had showed to Ailell. 

It was a good while after that, there was a great fair held at Teamhair, and Etain was out on the green looking at the games and the races. Andshe saw a rider coming towards her, but no one could see him butherself; and when he came near she saw he had the same appearance asthe man that came and spoke with her and her young girls the time theywere out in the sea at Inver Cechmaine. And when he came up to her hebegan to sing words to her that no one could hear but herself. And it iswhat he said:

"O beautiful woman, will you come with me to the wonderful country thatis mine? It is pleasant to be looking at the people there, beautifulpeople without any blemish; their hair is of the colour of theflag-flower, their fair body is as white as snow, the colour of thefoxglove is on every cheek. The young never grow old there; the fieldsand the flowers are as pleasant to be looking at as the blackbird'seggs; warm, sweet streams of mead and of wine flow through that country;there is no care and no sorrow on any person; we see others, but weourselves are not seen. 

"Though the plains of Ireland are beautiful, it is little you wouldthink of them after our great plain; though the ale of Ireland is heady, the ale of the great country is still more heady. O beautiful woman, ifyou come to my proud people it is the flesh of pigs newly killed I willgive you for food; it is ale and new milk I will give you for drink; itis feasting you will have with me there; it is a crown of gold you willhave upon your hair, O beautiful woman!

"And will you come there with me, Etain?" he said. But Etain said shewould not leave Eochaid the High King. "Will you come if Eochaid givesyou leave?" Midhir said then. "I will do that, " said Etain. 

One day, after that time, Eochaid the High King was looking out from hispalace at Teamhair, and he saw a strange man coming across the plain. Yellow hair he had, and eyes blue and shining like the flame of acandle, and a purple dress on him, and in his hand a five-pronged spearand a shield having gold knobs on it. 

He came up to the king, and the king bade him welcome. "Who are youyourself?" he said; "and what are you come for, for you are a strangerto me?" "If I am a stranger to you, you are no stranger to me, for Ihave known you this long time, " said the strange man. "What is yourname?" said the king. "It is nothing very great, " said he; "I am calledMidhir of Bri Leith. " "What is it brings you here?" said Eochaid. "I amcome to play a game of chess with you, " said the stranger. "Are you agood player?" said the king. "A trial will tell you that, " said Midhir. "The chessboard is in the queen's house, and she is in her sleep at thistime, " said Eochaid. "That is no matter, " said Midhir, "for I have withme a chess-board as good as your own. " And with that he brought out hischessboard, and it made of silver, and precious stones shining in everycorner of it. And then he brought out the chessmen, and they made ofgold, from a bag that was of shining gold threads. 

"Let us play now, " said Midhir. "I will not play without a stake, " saidthe king. "What stake shall We play for?" said Midhir. "We can settlethat after the game is over, " said the king. 

They played together then, and Midhir was beaten, and it is what theking asked of him, fifty brown horses to be given to him. And then theyplayed the second time, and Midhir was beaten again, and this time theking gave him four hard things to do: to make a road over Moin Lamraide, and to clear Midhe of stones, and to cover the district of Tethra withrushes, and the district of Darbrech with trees. 

So Midhir brought his people from Bri Leith to do those things, and itis bard work they had doing them. And Eochaid used to be out watchingthem, and he took notice that when the men of the Sidhe yoked theiroxen, it was by the neck and the shoulder they used to yoke them, andnot by the forehead and the head. And it was after Eochaid taught hispeople to yoke them that way, he was given the name of Eochaid Airem, that is, of the Plough. 

And when all was done, Midhir came to Eochaid again, looking thin andwasted enough with the dint of the hard work he had been doing, and heasked Eochaid to play the third game with him. Eochaid agreed, and itwas settled as before, the stake to be settled by the winner. It wasMidhir won the game that time, and when the king asked him what hewanted, "It is Etain, your wife, I want, " said he. "I will not give herto you, " said the king. "All I will ask then, " said Midhir, "is to putmy arms about her and to kiss her once. " "You may do that, " said theking, "if you will wait to the end of a month. " So Midhir agreed tothat, and went away for that time. 

At the end of the month he came back again, and stood in the great hallat Teamhair, and no one had ever seen him look so comely as he did thatnight. And Eochaid had all his best fighting men gathered in the hall, and he shut all the doors of the palace when he saw Midhir come in, forfear he would try to bring away Etain by force. 

"I am come to be paid what is due to me, " said Midhir. "I have not beenthinking of it up to this time, " said Eochaid, and there was anger onhim. "You promised me Etain, your wife, " said Midhir. The redness ofshame came on Etain when she heard that, but Midhir said: "Let there beno shame on you, Etain, for it is through the length of a year I havebeen asking your love, and I have offered you every sort of treasure andriches, and you refused to come to me till such a time as your husbandwould give you leave. " "It is true I said that, " said Etain, "I will goif Eochaid gives me up to you. " "I will not give you up, " said Eochaid;"I will let him do no more than put his arms about you in this place, aswas promised him. " "I will do that, " said Midhir. 

With that he took his sword in his left hand, and he took Etain in hisright arm and kissed her. All the armed men in the house made a rush athim then, but he rose up through the roof bringing Etain with him, andwhen they rushed out of the house to follow him, all they could see wastwo swans high up in the air, linked together by a chain of gold. 

There was great anger on Eochaid then, and he went and searched allthrough Ireland, but there were no tidings of them to be had, for theywere in the houses of the Sidhe. 

It was to the Brugh of Angus on the Boinn they went first, and afterthey had stopped there a while they went to a hill of the Sidhe inConnacht. And there was a serving-maid with Etain at that time, CruachanCroderg her name was, and she said to Midhir: "Is this your own place weare in?" "It is not, " said Midhir; "my own place is nearer to the risingof the sun. " She was not well pleased to stop there when she heard that, and Midhir said to quiet her: "It is your own name will be put on thisplace from this out. " And the hill was called the Hill of Cruachan fromthat time. 

Then they went to Bri Leith; and Etain's daughter Esa came to themthere, and she brought a hundred of every sort of cattle with her, andMidhir fostered her for seven years. And all through that time Eochaidthe High King was making a search for them. 

But at last Codal of the Withered Breast took four rods of yew and wroteOghams on them, and through them and through his enchantments he foundout that Etain was with Midhir in Bri Leith. 

So Eochaid went there, and made an attack on the place, and he was fornine years besieging it, and Midhir was driving him away. And then hispeople began digging through the hill; and when they were getting nearto where Etain was, Midhir sent three times twenty beautiful women, having all of them the appearance of Etain, and he bade the king chooseher out from among them. And the first he chose was his own daughterEsa. But then Etain called to him, and he knew her, and he brought herhome to Teamhair. 

And Eochaid gave his daughter Esa her choice of a place for herself. Andshe chose it, and made a rath there, that got the name of Rath Esa. Andfrom it she could see three notable places, the Hill of the Sidhe inBroga, and the Hill of the Hostages in Teamhair, and Dun Crimthain onBeinn Edair. 

But there was great anger on Midhir and his people because of their hillbeing attacked and dug into. And it was in revenge for that insult theybrought Conaire, High King of Ireland, that was grandson of Eochaid andof Etain, to his death afterwards at Da Derga's Inn. 

CHAPTER VIII. MANANNAN

Now as to Manannan the Proud, son of Lir, after he had made places forthe rest of the Tuatha de Danaan to live in, he went away out of Irelandhimself. And some said he was dead, and that he got his death by UillennFaebarderg, of the Red Edge, in battle. And it is what they said, thatthe battle was fought at Magh Cuilenn, and that Manannan was buriedstanding on his feet, and no sooner was he buried than a great lakeburst up under his feet in the place that was a red bog till that time. And the lake got the name of Loch Orbson, from one of the names ofManannan. And it was said that red Badb was glad and many women weresorry at that battle. 

But he had many places of living, and he was often heard of in Irelandafter. It was he sent a messenger to Etain, mother of Conaire the HighKing, the time she was hidden in the cowherd's house. And it was hebrought up Deirdre's children in Emhain of the Apple Trees, and it wassaid of that place, "a house of peace is the hill of the Sidhe ofEmhain. " And it was he taught Diarmuid of the Fianna the use of weapons, and it was he taught Cuchulain the use of the Gae Bulg, and some say itwas he was Deirdre's father, and that he brought Conchubar, king ofUlster, to the place she was hidden, and he running with the appearanceof a hare before the hounds of the men of Ulster to bring them there. 

And it is what they say, that the time Conchubar had brought the sons ofUsnach to Emain Macha, and could not come at them to kill them becauseof their bravery, it was to Manannan he went for help. And Manannan saidhe would give him no help, for he had told him at the time he broughtDeirdre away that she would be the cause of the breaking up of hiskingdom, and he took her away in spite of him. But Conchubar asked himto put blindness for a while on the sons of Usnach, or the whole armywould be destroyed with their blows. So after a while he consented tothat. And when the sons of Usnach came out again against the army ofUlster, the blindness came on them, and it was at one another theystruck, not seeing who was near them, and it was by one another's handsthey fell. But more say Manannan had no hand in it, and that it wasCathbad, the Druid, put a sea about them and brought them to their deathby his enchantments. 

And some say Culain, the Smith, that gave his name to Cuchulainafterwards, was Manannan himself, for he had many shapes. 

Anyway, before Culain came to Ulster, he was living in the Island ofFalga, that was one of Manannan's places. And one time before Conchubarcame into the kingdom, he went to ask advice of a Druid, and the Druidbade him to go to the Island of Falga and to ask Culain, the smith hewould find there, to make arms for him. So Conchubar did so, and thesmith promised to make a sword and spear and shield for him. 

And while he was working at them Conchubar went out one morning early towalk on the strand, and there he saw a sea-woman asleep on the shore. And he put bonds on her in her sleep, the way she would not make herescape. But when she awoke and saw what had happened, she asked him toset her free. "And I am Tiabhal, " she said, "one of the queens of thesea. And bid Culain, " she said, "that is making your shield for you, toput my likeness on it and my name about it. And whenever you will gointo a battle with that shield the strength of your enemies will lessen, and your own strength and the strength of your people will increase. "

So Conchubar let her go, and bade the smith do as she had told him. Andwhen he went back to Ireland he got the victory wherever he brought thatshield. 

And he sent for Culain then, and offered him a place on the plains ofMuirthemne. And whether he was or was not Manannan, it is likely he gaveCuchulain good teaching the time he stopped with him there after killinghis great dog. 

Manannan had good hounds one time, but they went hunting after a pigthat was destroying the whole country, and making a desert of it. Andthey followed it till they came to a lake, and there it turned on them, and no hound of them escaped alive, but they were all drowned or maimed. And the pig made for an island then, that got the name of Muc-inis, thePigs Island afterwards; and the lake got the name of Loch Conn, theLake of the Hounds. 

And it was through Manannan the wave of Tuaig, one of the three greatwaves of Ireland, got its name, and this is the way that happened. 

There was a young girl of the name of Tuag, a fosterling of Conaire theHigh King, was reared in Teamhair, and a great company of the daughtersof the kings of Ireland were put about her to protect her, the way shewould be kept for a king's asking. But Manannan sent Fer Ferdiad, of theTuatha de Danaan, that was a pupil of his own and a Druid, in the shapeof a woman of his own household, and he went where Tuag was, and sang asleep-spell over her, and brought her away to Inver Glas. And there helaid her down while he went looking for a boat, that he might bring heraway in her sleep to the Land of the Ever-Living Women. But a wave ofthe flood-tide came over the girl, and she was drowned, and Manannankilled Fer Ferdiad in his anger. 

And one time Manannan's cows came up out of the sea at Baile Cronin, three of them, a red, and a white, and a black, and the people that werethere saw them standing on the strand for a while, as if thinking, andthen they all walked up together, side by side, from the strand. And atthat time there were no roads in Ireland, and there was great wonder onthe people when they saw a good wide road ready before the three cows towalk on. And when they got about a mile from the sea they parted; thewhite cow went to the north-west, towards Luimnech, and the red cow wentto the south-west, and on round the coast of Ireland, and the black cowwent to the north-east, towards Lis Mor, in the district of Portlairge, and a road opened before each of them, that is to be seen to this day. 

And some say it was Manannan went to Finn and the Fianna in the form ofthe Gilla Decair, the Bad Servant, and brought them away toLand-under-Wave. Anyway, he used often to go hunting with them on CnocAine, and sometimes he came to their help. 

CHAPTER IX. MANANNAN AT PLAY

And it was he went playing tricks through Ireland a long time after thatagain, the time he got the name of O'Donnell's Kern. And it is the wayit happened, Aodh Dubh O'Donnell was holding a feast one time inBel-atha Senaig, and his people were boasting of the goodness of hishouse and of his musicians. 

And while they were talking, they saw a clown coming towards them, oldstriped clothes he had, and puddle water splashing in his shoes, and hissword sticking out naked behind him, and his ears through the old cloakthat was over his head, and in his hand he had three spears of hollywoodscorched and blackened. 

He wished O'Donnell good health, and O'Donnell did the same to him, andasked where did he come from. "It is where I am, " he said, "I slept lastnight at Dun Monaidhe, of the King of Alban; I am a day in Ile, a day inCionn-tire, a day in Rachlainn, a day in the Watchman's Seat in SlieveFuad; a pleasant, rambling, wandering man I am, and it is with yourselfI am now, O'Donnell, " he said. "Let the gate-keeper be brought to me, "said O'Donnell. And when the gate-keeper came, he asked was it he let inthis man, and the gate-keeper said he did not, and that he never saw himbefore. "Let him off, O'Donnell, " said the stranger, "for it was as easyfor me to come in, as it will be to me to go out again. " There waswonder on them all then, any man to have come into the house withoutpassing the gate. 

The musicians began playing their music then, and all the best musiciansof the country were there at the time, and they played very sweet tuneson their harps. But the strange man called out: "By my word, O'Donnell, there was never a noise of hammers beating on iron in any bad place wasso bad to listen to as this noise your people are making. "

With that he took a harp, and he made music that would put women intheir pains and wounded men after a battle into a sweet sleep, and it iswhat O'Donnell said: "Since I first heard talk of the music of the Sidhethat is played in the hills and under the earth below us, I never heardbetter music than your own. And it is a very sweet player you are, " hesaid. "One day I am sweet, another day I am sour, " said the clown. 

Then O'Donnell bade his people to bring him up to sit near himself. "Ihave no mind to do that, " he said; "I would sooner be as I am, an uglyclown, making sport for high-up people. " Then O'Donnell sent him downclothes, a hat and a striped shirt and a coat, but he would not havethem. "I have no mind, " he said, "to let high-up people be making aboast of giving them to me. "

They were afraid then he might go from them, and they put twenty armedhorsemen and twenty men on foot to hold him back from leaving the house, and as many more outside at the gate, for they knew him not to be a manof this world. "What are these men for?" said he. "They are to keep youhere, " said O'Donnell. "By my word, it is not with you I will be eatingmy supper to-morrow, " he said, "but at Cnoc Aine, where Seaghan, Son ofthe Earl is, in Desmumain. " "If I find you giving one stir out ofyourself, between this and morning, I will knock you into a round lumpthere on the ground, " said O'Donnell. 

But at that the stranger took up the harp again, and he made the samesweet music as before. And when they were all listening to him, hecalled out to the men outside: "Here I am coming, and watch me well nowor you will lose me. " When the men that were watching the gate heardthat, they lifted up their axes to strike at him, but in their haste itwas at one another they struck, till they were all lying stretched inblood. Then the clown said to the gate-keeper: "Let you ask twenty cowsand a hundred of free land of O'Donnell as a fee for bringing his peopleback to life. And take this herb, " he said, "and rub it in the mouth ofeach man of them, and he will rise up whole and well again. " So thegate-keeper did that, and he got the cows and the land from O'Donnell, and he brought all the people to life again. 

Now at that time Seaghan, Son of the Earl, was holding a gathering onthe green in front of his dun, and he saw the same man coming towardshim, and dressed in the same way, and the water splashing in his shoes. But when he asked who was he, he gave himself the name of a very learnedman, Duartane O'Duartane, and he said it was by Ess Ruadh he was come, and by Ceiscorainn and from that to Corrslieve, and to Magh Lorg of theDagda, and into the district of Hy'Conaill Gabhra, "till I came toyourself, " he said, "by Cruachan of Magh Ai. " So they brought him intothe house, and gave him wine for drinking and water for washing hisfeet, and he slept till the rising of the sun on the morrow. And at thattime Seaghan, Son of the Earl, came to visit him, and he said: "It is along sleep you had, and there is no wonder in that, and your journey solong yesterday. But I often heard of your learning in books and of yourskill on the harp, and I would like to hear you this morning, " he said. "I am good in those arts indeed, " said the stranger. So they brought hima book, but he could not read a word of it, and then they brought him aharp, and he could not play any tune. "It is likely your reading andyour music are gone from you, " said Seaghan; and he made a little rannon him, saying it was a strange thing Duartane O'Duartane that had sucha great name not to be able to read a line of a book, or even toremember one. But when the stranger heard how he was being mocked at, hetook up the book, and read from the top to the bottom of the page verywell and in a sweet-sounding voice. And after that he took the harp andplayed and sang the same way he did at O'Donnell's house the day before. "It is a very sweet man of learning you are, " said Seaghan. "One day Iam sweet, another day I am sour, " said the stranger. 

They walked out together then on Cnoc Aine, but while they were talkingthere, the stranger was gone all of a minute, and Seaghan, Son of theEarl, could not see where he went. 

And after that he went on, and he reached Sligach just at the timeO'Conchubar was setting out with the men of Connacht to avenge theConnacht hag's basket on the hag of Munster. And this time he gavehimself the name of the Gilla Decair, the Bad Servant. And he joinedwith the men of Connacht, and they went over the Sionnan westward intoMunster, and there they hunted and drove every creature that could bemade travel, cattle and horses and flocks, into one place, till they gotthe hornless bull of the Munster hag and her two speckled cows, andO'Conchubar brought them away to give to the Connacht hag insatisfaction for her basket. 

But the men of Munster made an attack on them as they were going back;and the Gilla Decair asked O'Conchubar would he sooner have the cowsdriven, or have the Munster men checked, and he said he would soonerhave the Munster men checked. So the Gilla Decair turned on them, andwith his bow and twenty-four arrows he kept them back till O'Conchubarand his people were safe out of their reach in Connacht. 

But he took some offence then, on account of O'Conchubar taking thefirst drink himself when they came to his house, and not giving it tohim, that had done so much, and he took his leave and went from them onthe moment. 

After that he went to where Tadg O'Cealaigh was, and having his oldstriped clothes and his old shoes as before. And when they asked himwhat art he had, he said: "I am good at tricks. And if you will give mefive marks I will show you a trick, " he said. "I will give that, " saidTadg. 

With that the stranger put three rushes on the palm of his hand. "I willblow away the middle rush now, " he said, "and the other two will stop asthey are. " So they told him to do that, and he put the tops of two ofhis fingers on the two outside rushes, and blew the middle one away. "There is a trick now for you, Tadg O'Cealaigh, " he said then. "By myword, that is not a bad trick, " said O'Cealaigh. But one of his mensaid: "That there may be no good luck with him that did it. And give methe half of that money now, Tadg, " he said, "and I will do the sametrick for you myself. " "I will give you the half of what I got if youwill do it, " said the stranger. So the other put the rushes on his hand, but if he did, when he tried to do the trick, his two finger-tips wentthrough the palm of his hand. "Ob-Ob-Ob!" said the stranger, "that isnot the way I did the trick. But as you have lost the money, " he said, "I will heal you again. "

"I could do another trick for you, " he said; "I could wag the ear onone side of my head and the ear on the other side would stay still. " "Doit then, " said O'Cealaigh. So the man of tricks took hold of one of hisears and wagged it up and down. "That is a good trick indeed, " saidO'Cealaigh. "I will show you another one now, " he said. 

With that he took from his bag a thread of silk, and gave a cast of itup into the air, that it was made fast to a cloud. And then he took ahare out of the same bag, and it ran up the thread; and then took out alittle dog and laid it on after the hare, and it followed yelping on itstrack; and after that again he brought out a little serving-boy and badehim to follow dog and hare up the thread. Then out of another bag he hadwith him he brought out a beautiful, well-dressed young woman, and badeher to follow after the hound and the boy, and to take care and not letthe hare be torn by the dog. She went up then quickly after them, and itwas a delight to Tadg O'Cealaigh to be looking at them and to belistening to the sound of the hunt going on in the air. 

All was quiet then for a long time, and then the man of tricks said: "Iam afraid there is some bad work going on up there. " "What is that?"said O'Cealaigh. "I am thinking, " said he, "the hound might be eatingthe hare, and the serving-boy courting the girl. " "It is likely enoughthey are, " said O'Cealaigh. With that the stranger drew in the thread, and it is what he found, the boy making love to the girl and the houndchewing the bones of the hare. There was great anger on the man oftricks when he saw that, and he took his sword and struck the head offthe boy. "I do not like a thing of that sort to be done in my presence, "said Tadg O'Cealaigh. "If it did not please you, I can set all rightagain, " said the stranger. And with that he took up the head and made acast of it at the body, and it joined to it, and the young man stoodup, but if he did his face was turned backwards. "It would be better forhim to be dead than to be living like that, " said O'Cealaigh. When theman of tricks heard that, he took hold of the boy and twisted his headstraight, and he was as well as before. 

And with that the man of tricks vanished, and no one saw where was hegone. 

That is the way Manannan used to be going round Ireland, doing tricksand wonders. And no one could keep him in any place, and if he was puton a gallows itself, he would be found safe in the house after, and someother man on the gallows in his place. But he did no harm, and thosethat would be put to death by him, he would bring them to life againwith a herb out of his bag. 

And all the food he would use would be a vessel of sour milk and a fewcrab-apples. And there never was any music sweeter than the music heused to be playing. 

CHAPTER X. HIS CALL TO BRAN

And there were some that went to Manannan's country beyond the sea, andthat gave an account of it afterwards. 

One time Bran, son of Febal, was out by himself near his dun, and heheard music behind him. And it kept always after him, and at last hefell asleep with the sweetness of the sound. And when he awoke from hissleep he saw beside him a branch of silver, and it having whiteblossoms, and the whiteness of the silver was the same as the whitenessof the blossoms. 

And he brought the branch in his hand into the royal house, and when allhis people were with him they saw a woman with strange clothing standingin the house. 

And she began to make a song for Bran, and all the people were lookingat her and listening to her, and it is what she said:

"I bring a branch of the apple-tree from Emhain, from the far islandaround which are the shining horses of the Son of Lir. A delight of theeyes is the plain where the hosts hold their games; curragh racingagainst chariot in the White Silver Plain to the south. 

"There are feet of white bronze under it, shining through life and time;a comely level land through the length of the world's age, and manyblossoms falling on it. 

"There is an old tree there with blossoms, and birds calling from amongthem; every colour is shining there, delight is common, and music, inthe Gentle-Voiced Plain, in the Silver Cloud Plain to the south. 

"Keening is not used, or treachery, in the tilled familiar land; thereis nothing hard or rough, but sweet music striking on the ear. 

"To be without grief, without sorrow, without death, without anysickness, without weakness; that is the sign of Emhain; it is not commonwonder that is. 

"There is nothing to liken its mists to, the sea washes the wave againstthe land; brightness falls from its hair. 

"There are riches, there are treasures of every colour in the GentleLand, the Bountiful Land. Sweet music to be listening to; the best ofwine to drink. 

"Golden chariots in the Plain of the Sea, rising up to the sun with thetide; silver chariots and bronze chariots on the Plain of Sports. 

"Gold-yellow horses on the strand, and crimson horses, and others withwool on their backs, blue like the colour of the sky. 

"It is a day of lasting weather, silver is dropping on the land; a purewhite cliff on the edge of the sea, getting its warmth from the sun. 

"The host race over the Plain of Sports; it is beautiful and not weaktheir game is; death or the ebbing of the tide will not come to them inthe Many-Coloured Land. 

"There will come at sunrise a fair man, lighting up the level lands; herides upon the plain that is beaten by the waves, he stirs the sea tillit is like blood. 

"An army will come over the clear sea, rowing to the stone that is insight, that a hundred sounds of music come from. 

"It sings a song to the army; it is not sad through the length of time;it increases music with hundreds singing together; they do not look fordeath or the ebb-tide. 

"There are three times fifty far islands in the ocean to the west of us, and every one of them twice or three times more than Ireland. 

"It is not to all of you I am speaking, though I have made all thesewonders known. Let Bran listen from the crowd of the world to all thewisdom that has been told him. 

"Do not fall upon a bed of sloth; do not be overcome by drunkenness; setout on your voyage over the clear sea, and you may chance to come to theLand of Women. "

With that the woman went from them, and they did not know where shewent. And she brought away her branch with her, for it leaped into herhand from Bran's hand, and he had not the strength to hold it. 

Then on the morrow Bran set out upon the sea, and three companies ofnine along with him; and one of his foster-brothers and comrades was setover each company of nine. 

And when they had been rowing for two days and two nights, they saw aman coming towards them in a chariot, over the sea. And the man madehimself known to them, and he said that he was Manannan, son of Lir. 

And then Manannan spoke to him in a song, and it is what he said:

"It is what Bran thinks, he is going in his curragh over the wonderful, beautiful clear sea; but to me, from far off in my chariot, it is aflowery plain he is riding on. 

"What is a clear sea to the good boat Bran is in, is a happy plain withmany flowers to me in my two-wheeled chariot. 

"It is what Bran sees, many waves beating across the clear sea; it iswhat I myself see, red flowers without any fault. 

"The sea-horses are bright in summer-time, as far as Bran's eyes canreach; there is a wood of beautiful acorns under the head of your littleboat. 

"A wood with blossom and with fruit, that has the smell of wine; a woodwithout fault, without withering, with leaves of the colour of gold. 

"Let Bran row on steadily, it is not far to the Land of Women; beforethe setting of the sun you will reach Emhain, of many-colouredhospitality. "

With that Bran went from him; and after a while he saw an island, and herowed around it, and there was a crowd on it, wondering at them, andlaughing; and they were all looking at Bran and at his people, but theywould not stop to talk with them, but went on giving out gusts oflaughter. Bran put one of his men on the island then, but he joined withthe others, and began to stare the same way as the men of the island. And Bran went on rowing round about the island; and whenever they wentpast his own man, his comrades would speak to him, but he would notanswer them, but would only stare and wonder at them. So they went awayand left him on that island that is called the Island of Joy. 

It was not long after that they reached to the Land of Women. And theysaw the chief one of the women at the landing-place, and it is what shesaid: "Come hither to land, Bran, son of Febal, it is welcome yourcoming is. " But Bran did not dare to go on shore. Then the woman threw aball of thread straight to him, and he caught it in his hand, and itheld fast to his palm, and the woman kept the thread in her own hand, and she pulled the curragh to the landing-place. 

On that they went into a grand house, where there was a bed for everycouple, three times nine beds. And the food that was put on every dishnever came to an end, and they had every sort of food and of drink theywished for. 

And it seemed to them they were only a year there when the desire ofhome took hold on one of them, Nechtan, son of Collbrain, and hiskinsmen were begging and praying Bran to go back with him to Ireland. The woman said there would be repentance on them if they went; but inspite of that they set out in the end. And the woman said to them not totouch the land when they would come to Ireland, and she bade them tovisit and to bring with them the man they left in the Island of Joy. 

So they went on towards Ireland till they came to a place called SrubBruin. And there were people on the strand that asked them who they werethat were coming over the sea. And Bran said: "I am Bran, son of Febal. "But the people said: "We know of no such man, though the voyage of Branis in our very old stories. "

Then Nechtan, son of Collbrain, made a leap out of the curragh, and nosooner did he touch the shore of Ireland than he was a heap of ashes, the same as if he had been in the earth through hundreds of years. 

And then Bran told the whole story of his wanderings to the people, from the beginning. And after that he bade them farewell, and hiswanderings from that time are not known. 

CHAPTER XI. HIS THREE CALLS TO CORMAC

And another that went to Manannan's country was Cormac, grandson ofConn, King of Teamhair, and this is the way it happened. He was byhimself in Teamhair one time, and he saw an armed man coming towardshim, quiet, with high looks, and having grey hair; a shirt ribbed withgold thread next his skin, broad shoes of white bronze between his feetand the ground, a shining branch, having nine apples of red gold, on hisshoulder. And it is delightful the sound of that branch was, and no oneon earth would keep in mind any want, or trouble, or tiredness, whenthat branch was shaken for him; and whatever trouble there might be onhim, he would forget it at the sound. 

Then Cormac and the armed man saluted one another, and Cormac askedwhere did he come from. "I come, " he said, "from a country where thereis nothing but truth, and where there is neither age nor withering away, nor heaviness, nor sadness, nor jealousy nor envy, nor pride. " "That isnot so with us, " said Cormac, "and I would be well pleased to have yourfriendship, " he said. "I am well pleased to give it, " said the stranger. "Give me your branch along with it, " said Cormac. "I will give it, " saidthe stranger, "if you will give me the three gifts I ask in return. " "Iwill give them to you indeed, " said Cormac. 

Then the strange man left the branch and went away, and Cormac did notknow where was he gone to. 

He went back then into the royal house, and there was wonder on all thepeople when they saw the branch. And he shook it at them, and it putthem all asleep from that day to the same time on the morrow. 

At the end of a year the strange man came back again, and he asked forthe first of his three requests. "You will get it, " said Cormac. "I willtake your daughter, Aille, to-day, " said the stranger. 

So he brought away the girl with him, and the women of Ireland gavethree loud cries after the king's daughter. But Cormac shook the branchat them, until it put away sorrow from them, and put them all into theirsleep. 

That day month the stranger came again, and he brought Cormac's son, Carpre Lifecar, away with him. There was crying and lamenting withoutend in Teamhair after the boy, and on that night no one ate or slept, and they were all under grief and very downhearted. But when Cormacshook the branch their sorrow went from them. 

Then the stranger came the third time, and Cormac asked him what did hewant. "It is your wife, Ethne, I am asking this time, " he said. And hewent away then, bringing Ethne, the queen, along with him. 

But Cormac would not bear that, and he went after them, and all hispeople were following him. But in the middle of the Plain of the Wall, athick mist came on them, and when it was gone, Cormac found himselfalone on a great plain. And he saw a great dun in the middle of theplain, with a wall of bronze around it, and in the dun a house of whitesilver, and it half thatched with the white wings of birds. And therewas a great troop of the Riders of the Sidhe all about the house, andtheir arms full of white birds' wings for thatching. But as soon as theywould put on the thatch, a blast of wind would come and carry it awayagain. 

Then he saw a man kindling a fire, and he used to throw a thickoak-tree upon it. And when he would come back with a second tree, thefirst one would be burned out. "I will be looking at you no longer, "Cormac said then, "for there is no one here to tell me your story, and Ithink I could find good sense in your meanings if I understood them, " hesaid. 

Then he went on to where there was another dun, very large and royal, and another wall of bronze around it, and four houses within it. And hewent in and saw a great king's house, having beams of bronze and wallsof silver, and its thatch of the wings of white birds. And then he sawon the green a shining well, and five streams flowing from it, and thearmies drinking water in turn, and the nine lasting purple hazels ofBuan growing over it. And they were dropping their nuts into the water, and the five salmon would catch them and send their husks floating downthe streams. And the sound of the flowing of those streams is sweeterthan any music that men sing. 

Then he went into the palace, and he found there waiting for him a manand a woman, very tall, and having clothes of many colours. The man wasbeautiful as to shape, and his face wonderful to look at; and as to theyoung woman that was with him, she was the loveliest of all the women ofthe world, and she having yellow hair and a golden helmet. And there wasa bath there, and heated stones going in and out of the water ofthemselves, and Cormac bathed himself in it. 

"Rise up, man of the house, " the woman said after that, "for this is acomely traveller is come to us; and if you have one kind of food or meatbetter than another, let it be brought in. " The man rose up then and hesaid: "I have but seven pigs, but I could feed the whole world withthem, for the pig that is killed and eaten to-day, you will find italive again to-morrow. "

Another man came into the house then, having an axe in his right hand, and a log in his left hand, and a pig behind him. 

"It is time to make ready, " said the man of the house, "for we have ahigh guest with us to-day. "

Then the man struck the pig and killed it, and he cut the logs and madea fire and put the pig on it in a cauldron. "It is time for you to turnit, " said the master of the house after a while. "There would be no usedoing that, " said the man, "for never and never will the pig be boileduntil a truth is told for every quarter of it. " "Then let you tell yoursfirst, " said the master of the house. "One day, " said the man, "I foundanother man's cows in my land, and I brought them with me into a cattlepound. The owner of the cows followed me, and he said he would give me areward to let the cows go free. So I gave them back to him, and he gaveme an axe, and when a pig is to be killed, it is with the axe it iskilled, and the log is cut with it, and there is enough wood to boil thepig, and enough for the palace besides. And that is not all, for the logis found whole again in the morning. And from that time till now, thatis the way they are. "

"It is true indeed that story is, " said the man of the house. 

They turned the pig in the cauldron then, and but one quarter of it wasfound to be cooked. "Let us tell another true story, " they said. "I willtell one, " said the master of the house. "Ploughing time had come, andwhen we had a mind to plough that field outside, it is the way we foundit, ploughed, and harrowed, and sowed with wheat. When we had a mind toreap it, the wheat was found in the haggard, all in one thatched rick. We have been using it from that day to this, and it is no bigger and noless. "

Then they turned the pig, and another quarter was found to be ready. "Itis my turn now, " said the woman. "I have seven cows, " she said, "andseven sheep. And the milk of the seven cows would satisfy the whole ofthe men of the world, if they were in the plain drinking it, and it isenough for all the people of the Land of Promise, and it is from thewool of the seven sheep all the clothes they wear are made. " And at thatstory the third quarter of the pig was boiled. 

"If these stories are true, " said Cormac to the man of the house, "youare Manannan, and this is Manannan's wife; for no one on the whole ridgeof the world owns these treasures but himself. It was to the Land ofPromise he went to look for that woman, and he got those seven cows withher. "

They said to Cormac that it was his turn now. So Cormac told them howhis wife, and his son, and his daughter, had been brought away from him, and how he himself had followed them till he came to that place. 

And with that the whole pig was boiled, and they cut it up, and Cormac'sshare was put before him. "I never used a meal yet, " said he, "havingtwo persons only in my company. " The man of the house began singing tohim then, and put him asleep. And when he awoke, he saw fifty armed men, and his son, and his wife, and his daughter, along with them. There wasgreat gladness and courage on him then, and ale and food were given outto them all. And there was a gold cup put in the hand of the master ofthe house, and Cormac was wondering at it, for the number of the shapeson it, and for the strangeness of the work. "There is a stranger thingyet about it, " the man said; "let three lying words be spoken under it, and it will break into three, and then let three true words be spokenunder it, and it will be as good as before. " So he said three lyingwords under it, and it broke in three pieces. "It is best to speak truthnow under it, " he said, "and to mend it. And I give my word, Cormac, " hesaid, "that until to-day neither your wife or your daughter has seen theface of a man since they were brought away from you out of Teamhair, andthat your son has never seen the face of a woman. " And with that the cupwas whole again on the moment. "Bring away your wife and your childrenwith you now, " he said, "and this cup along with them, the way you willhave it for judging between truth and untruth. And I will leave thebranch with you for music and delight, but on the day of your death theywill be taken from you again. " "And I myself, " he said, "am Manannan, sonof Lir, King of the Land of Promise, and I brought you here byenchantments that you might be with me to-night in friendship. 

"And the Riders you saw thatching the house, " he said, "are the men ofart and poets, and all that look for a fortune in Ireland, puttingtogether cattle and riches. For when they go out, all that they leave intheir houses goes to nothing, and so they go on for ever. 

"And the man you saw kindling the fire, " he said, "is a young lord thatis more liberal than he can afford, and every one else is served whilehe is getting the feast ready, and every one else profiting by it. 

"And the well you saw is the Well of Knowledge, and the streams are thefive streams through which all knowledge goes. And no one will haveknowledge who does not drink a draught out of the well itself or out ofthe streams. And the people of many arts are those who drink from themall. "

And on the morning of the morrow, when Cormac rose up, he found himselfon the green of Teamhair, and his wife, and his son, and his daughter, along with him, and he having his branch and his cup. And it was giventhe name of Cormac's Cup, and it used to judge between truth andfalsehood among the Gael. But it was not left in Ireland after the nightof Cormac's death, as Manannan had foretold him. 

CHAPTER XII. CLIODNA'S WAVE

And it was in the time of the Fianna of Ireland that Ciabhan of theCurling Hair, the king of Ulster's son, went to Manannan's country. 

Ciabhan now was the most beautiful of the young men of the world at thattime, and he was as far beyond all other kings' sons as the moon isbeyond the stars. And Finn liked him well, but the rest of the Fiannagot to be tired of him because there was not a woman of their women, wedor unwed, but gave him her love. And Finn had to send him away at thelast, for he was in dread of the men of the Fianna because of thegreatness of their jealousy. 

So Ciabhan went on till he came to the Strand of the Cairn, that iscalled now the Strand of the Strong Man, between Dun Sobairce and thesea. And there he saw a curragh, and it having a narrow stern of copper. And Ciabhan got into the curragh, and his people said: "Is it to leaveIreland you have a mind, Ciabhan?" "It is indeed, " he said, "for inIreland I get neither shelter or protection. " He bade farewell to hispeople then, and he left them very sorrowful after him, for to part withhim was like the parting of life from the body. 

And Ciabhan went on in the curragh, and great white shouting waves roseup about him, every one of them the size of a mountain; and thebeautiful speckled salmon that are used to stop in the sand and theshingle rose up to the sides of the curragh, till great dread came onCiabhan, and he said: "By my word, if it was on land I was I could makea better fight for myself"

And he was in this danger till he saw a rider coming towards him on adark grey horse having a golden bridle, and he would be under the seafor the length of nine waves, and he would rise with the tenth wave, andno wet on him at all. And he said: "What reward would you give towhoever would bring you out of this great danger?" "Is there anything inmy hand worth offering you?" said Ciabhan. "There is, " said the rider, "that you would give your service to whoever would give you his help. "Ciabhan agreed to that, and he put his hand into the rider's hand. 

With that the rider drew him on to the horse, and the curragh came onbeside them till they reached to the shore of Tir Tairngaire, the Landof Promise. They got off the horse there, and came to Loch Luchra, theLake of the Dwarfs, and to Manannan's city, and a feast was after beingmade ready there, and comely serving-boys were going round with smoothhorns, and playing on sweet-sounding harps till the whole house wasfilled with the music. 

Then there came in clowns, long-snouted, long-heeled, lean and bald andred, that used to be doing tricks in Manannan's house. And one of thesetricks was, a man of them to take nine straight willow rods, and tothrow them up to the rafters of the house, and to catch them again asthey came down, and he standing on one leg, and having but one handfree. And they thought no one could do that trick but themselves, andthey were used to ask strangers to do it, the way they could see themfail. 

So this night when one of them had done the trick, he came up toCiabhan, that was beyond all the Men of Dea or the Sons of the Gael thatwere in the house, in shape and in walk and in name, and he put the ninerods in his hand. And Ciabhan stood up and he did the feat before themall, the same as if he had never learned to do any other thing. 

Now Gebann, that was a chief Druid in Manannan's country, had adaughter, Cliodna of the Fair Hair, that had never given her love to anyman. But when she saw Ciabhan she gave him her love, and she agreed togo away with him on the morrow. 

And they went down to the landing-place and got into a curragh, and theywent on till they came to Teite's Strand in the southern part ofIreland. It was from Teite Brec the Freckled the strand got its name, that went there one time for a wave game, and three times fifty younggirls with her, and they were all drowned in that place. 

And as to Ciabhan, he came on shore, and went looking for deer, as wasright, under the thick branches of the wood; and he left the young girlin the boat on the strand. 

But the people of Manannan's house came after them, having forty ships. And Iuchnu, that was in the curragh with Cliodna, did treachery, and heplayed music to her till she lay down in the boat and fell asleep. Andthen a great wave came up on the strand and swept her away. 

And the wave got its name from Cliodna of the Fair Hair, that will belong remembered. 

CHAPTER XIII. HIS CALL TO CONNLA

And it is likely it was Manannan sent his messenger for Connla of theRed Hair the time he went away out of Ireland, for it is to his countryConnla was brought; and this is the way he got the call. 

It chanced one day he was with his father Conn, King of Teamhair, on theHill of Uisnach, and he saw a woman having wonderful clothing comingtowards him. "Where is it you come from?" he asked her. "I come, " shesaid, "from Tir-nam-Beo, the Land of the Ever-Living Ones, where nodeath comes. We use feasts that are lasting, " she said, "and we do everykind thing without quarrelling, and we are called the people of theSidhe. " "Who are you speaking to, boy?" said Conn to him then, for noone saw the strange woman but only Connla. "He is speaking to a highwoman that death or old age will never come to, " she said. "I am askinghim to come to Magh Mell, the Pleasant Plain where the triumphant kingis living, and there he will be a king for ever without sorrow or fret. Come with me, Connla of the Red Hair, " she said, "of the fair freckledneck and of the ruddy cheek; come with me, and your body will not witherfrom its youth and its comeliness for ever. "

They could all hear the woman's words then, though they could not seeher, and it is what Conn said to Coran his Druid: "Help me, Coran, youthat sing spells of the great arts. There is an attack made on me thatis beyond my wisdom and beyond my power, I never knew so strong anattack since the first day I was a king. There is an unseen figurefighting with me; she is using her strength against me to bring away mybeautiful son; the call of a woman is bringing him away from the handsof the king. "

Then Coran, the Druid, began singing spells against the woman of theSidhe, the way no one would hear her voice, and Connla could not see herany more. But when she was being driven away by the spells of the Druid, she threw an apple to Connla. 

And through the length of a month from that time, Connla used no otherfood nor drink but that apple, for he thought no other food or drinkworth the using. And for all he ate of it, the apple grew no smaller, but was whole all the while. And there was great trouble on Connla onaccount of the woman he had seen. 

And at the end of a month Connla was at his father's side in MaghArchomnim, and he saw the same woman coming towards him, and it is whatshe said: "It is a high place indeed Connla has among dying people, anddeath before him. But the Ever-Living Living Ones, " she said, "areasking you to take the sway over the people of Tethra, for they arelooking at you every day in the gatherings of your country among yourdear friends. "

When Conn, the king, heard her voice, he said to his people: "CallCoran, the Druid to me, for I hear the sound of the woman's voiceagain. " But on that she said: "O Conn, fighter of a hundred, it islittle love and little respect the wonderful tribes of Traig Mor, theGreat Strand, have for Druids; and where its law comes, it scatters thespells on their lips. "

Then Conn looked to his son Connla to see what he would say, and Connlasaid: "My own people are dearer to me than any other thing, yet sorrowhas taken hold of me because of this woman. " Then the woman spoke to himagain, and it is what she said: "Come now into my shining ship, if youwill come to the Plain of Victory. There is another country it would notbe worse for you to look for; though the bright sun is going down, weshall reach to that country before night. That is the country thatdelights the mind of every one that turns to me. There is no living racein it but women and girls only. "

And when the woman had ended her song, Connla made a leap from hispeople into the shining boat, and they saw him sailing away from themfar off and as if in a mist, as far as their eyes could see. It is awayacross the sea they went, and they have never come back again, and onlythe gods know where was it they went. 

CHAPTER XIV. TADG IN MANANNAN'S ISLANDS

And another that went to the Land of the Ever-Living Ones, but that cameback again, was Tadg, son of Cian, son of Olioll; and this is the waythat happened. 

It was one time Tadg was going his next heir's round, into the west ofMunster, and his two brothers, Airnelach and Eoghan, along with him. AndCathmann, son of Tabarn, that was king of the beautiful country ofFresen that lay to the south-east of the Great Plain, was searching thesea for what he could find just at that time, and nine of his ships withhim. And they landed at Beire do Bhunadas, to the west of Munster, andthe country had no stir in it, and so they slipped ashore, and no onetook notice of them till all were surrounded, both men and cattle. AndTadg's wife Liban, daughter of Conchubar Abratrudh of the Red Brows, andhis two brothers, and a great many of the people of Munster, were takenby the foreigners and brought away to the coasts of Fresen. And Cathmanntook Liban to be his own wife, and he put hardship on Tadg's twobrothers: Eoghan he put to work a common ferry across a channel of thecoast, and Airnelach to cut firing and to keep up fires for all thepeople; and all the food they got was barley seed and muddy water. 

And as to Tadg himself, it was only by his courage and the use of hissword he made his escape, but there was great grief and discouragementon him, his wife and his brothers to have been brought away. But he hadforty of his fighting men left that had each killed a man of theforeigners, and they had brought one in alive. And this man told themnews of the country he came from. And when Tadg heard that, he made aplan in his own head, and he gave orders for a curragh to be built thatwould be fit for a long voyage. Very strong it was, and forty ox-hideson it of hard red leather, that was after being soaked in bark. And itwas well fitted with masts, and oars, and pitch, and everything that waswanting. And they put every sort of meat, and drink, and of clothes init, that would last them through the length of a year. 

When all was ready, and the curragh out in the tide, Tadg said to hispeople: "Let us set out now on the high sea, looking for our own peoplethat are away from us this long time. "

They set out then over the stormy, heavy flood, till at last they saw noland before them or behind them, but only the hillsides of the greatsea. And farther on again they heard the singing of a great flock ofunknown birds; and pleasant white-bellied salmon were leaping about thecurragh on every side, and seals, very big and dark, were coming afterthem, breaking through the shining wash of the oars; and great whalesafter them again, so that the young men liked to be looking at them, forthey were not used to see the like before. 

They went on rowing through twenty days and twenty nights, and at theend of that time they got sight of a high land, having a smooth coast. And when they reached it they all landed, and they pulled up the curraghand lit their fires, and food was given out to them, and they were notlong making an end of it. They made beds for themselves then on thebeautiful green grass, and enjoyed their sleep till the rising of thesun on the morrow. 

Tadg rose up then and put on his arms, and went out, and thirty of hismen along with him, to search the whole island. 

They went all through it, but they found no living thing on it, man orbeast, but only flocks of sheep. And the size of the sheep was past alltelling, as big as horses they were, and the whole island was filledwith their wool. And there was one great flock beyond all the others, all of very big rams, and one of them was biggest of all, nine horns hehad, and he charged on Tadg's chief men, attacking them and butting atthem. 

There was vexation on them then, and they attacked him again, and therewas a struggle between them. And at the first the ram broke through fiveof their shields. But Tadg took his spear that there was no escape from, and made a lucky cast at the ram and killed him. And they brought theram to the curragh and made it ready for the young men to eat, and theystopped three nights on the island, and every night it was a sheep theyhad for their food. And they gathered a good share of the wool and putit in the curragh because of the wonder and the beauty of it. And theyfound the bones of very big men on the island, but whether they died ofsickness or were killed by the rams they did not know. 

They left that island then and went forward till they found two strangeislands where there were great flocks of wonderful birds, likeblackbirds, and some of them the size of eagles or of cranes, and theyred with green heads on them, and the eggs they had were blue and purecrimson. And some of the men began eating the eggs, and on the momentfeathers began to grow out on them. But they went bathing after that, and the feathers dropped off them again as quick as they came. 

It was the foreigner they had with them gave them the course up to thistime, for he had been on the same track before. But now they went onthrough the length of six weeks and never saw land, and he said then, "We are astray on the great ocean that has no boundaries. " Then the windwith its sharp voice began to rise, and there was a noise like thetramping of feet in the sea, and it rose up into great mountains hard toclimb, and there was great fear on Tadg's people, for they had neverseen the like. But he began to stir them up and to rouse them, and hebade them to meet the sea like men. "Do bravery, " he said, "young men ofMunster, and fight for your lives against the waves that are rising upand coming at the sides of the curragh. " Tadg took one side of thecurragh then and his men took the other side, and he was able to pull itround against the whole twenty-nine of them, and to bale it out and keepit dry along with that. And after a while they got a fair wind and putup their sail, the way less water came into the curragh, and then thesea went down and lay flat and calm, and there were strange birds ofmany shapes singing around them in every part. They saw land before themthen, with a good coast, and with that courage and gladness came onthem. 

And when they came nearer to the land they found a beautiful inver, ariver's mouth, with green hills about it, and the bottom of it sandy andas bright as silver, and red-speckled salmon in it, and pleasant woodswith purple tree-tops edging the stream. "It is a beautiful countrythis is, " said Tadg, "and it would be happy for him that would be alwaysin it; and let you pull up the ship now, " he said, "and dry it out. "

A score of them went forward then into the country, and a score stoppedto mind the curragh. And for all the cold and discouragement and badweather they had gone through, they felt no wish at all for food or forfire, but the sweet smell of the crimson branches in the place they werecome to satisfied them. They went on through the wood, and after a whilethey came to an apple garden having red apples in it, and leafyoak-trees, and hazels yellow with nuts. "It is a wonder to me, " saidTadg, "to find summer here, and it winter time in our own country. "

It was a delightful place they were in, but they went on into anotherwood, very sweet smelling, and round purple berries in it, every one ofthem bigger than a man's head, and beautiful shining birds eating theberries, strange birds they were, having white bodies and purple headsand golden beaks. And while they were eating the berries they weresinging sweet music, that would have put sick men and wounded men intotheir sleep. 

Tadg and his men went farther on again till they came to a great smoothflowery plain with a dew of honey over it, and three steep hills on theplain, having a very strong dun on every one of them. And when they gotto the nearest hill they found a white-bodied woman, the best of thewomen of the whole world, and it is what she said: "Your coming iswelcome, Tadg, son of Cian, and there will be food and provision for youas you want it. "

"I am glad of that welcome, " said Tadg; "and tell me now, woman of sweetwords, " he said, "what is that royal dun on the hill, having walls ofwhite marble around it?" "That is the dun of the royal line of the kingsof Ireland, from Heremon, son of Miled, to Conn of the Hundred Battles, that was the last to go into it. " "What is the name of this country?"Tadg said then. "It is Inislocha, the Lake Island, " she said, "and thereare two kings over it, Rudrach and Dergcroche, sons of Bodb. " And thenshe told Tadg the whole story of Ireland, to the time of the coming ofthe Sons of the Gael. "That is well, " said Tadg then, "and you have goodknowledge and learning. And tell me now, " he said, "who is living inthat middle dun that has the colour of gold?" "It is not myself willtell you that, " she said, "but go on to it yourself and you will getknowledge of it. " And with that she went from them into the dun of whitemarble. 

Tadg and his men went on then till they came to the middle dun, andthere they found a queen of beautiful shape, and she wearing a goldendress. "Health to you, Tadg, " she said. "I thank you for that, " saidTadg. "It is a long time your coming on this journey was foretold, " shesaid. "What is your name?" he asked then. "I am Cesair, " she said, "thefirst that ever reached Ireland. But since I and the men that were withme came out of that dark, unquiet land, we are living for ever in thiscountry. "

"Tell me, woman, " said Tadg, "who is it lives in that dun having a wallof gold about it?" "It is not hard to tell that, " she said, "every king, and every chief man, and every noble person that was in a high place ofall those that had power in Ireland, it is in that dun beyond they are;Parthalon and Nemed, Firbolgs and Tuatha de Danaan. " "It is goodknowledge and learning you have, " said Tadg. "Indeed I have goodknowledge of the history of the world, " she said, "and this island, " shesaid, "is the fourth paradise of the world; and as to the others, theyare Inis Daleb to the south, and Inis Ercandra to the north, and Adam'sParadise in the east of the world. " "Who is there living in that dunwith the silver walls?" said Tadg then. "I will not tell you that, although I have knowledge of it, " said the woman; "but go to thebeautiful hill where it is, and you will get knowledge of it. "

They went on then to the third hill, and on the top of the hill was avery beautiful resting-place, and two sweethearts there, a boy and agirl, comely and gentle. Smooth hair they had, shining like gold, andbeautiful green clothes of the one sort, and any one would think them tohave had the same father and mother. Gold chains they had around theirnecks, and bands of gold above those again. And Tadg spoke to them: "Obright, comely children, " he said, "it is a pleasant place you havehere. " And they answered him back, and they were praising his courageand his strength and his wisdom, and they gave him their blessing. 

And it is how the young man was, he had a sweet-smelling apple, havingthe colour of gold, in his hand, and he would eat a third part of it, and with all he would eat, it would never be less. And that was the foodthat nourished the two of them, and neither age or sorrow could touchthem when once they had tasted it. 

"Who are you yourself?" Tadg asked him then. "I am son to Conn of theHundred Battles, " he said. "Is it Connla you are?" said Tadg. "I amindeed, " said the young man, "and it is this girl of many shapes thatbrought me here. " And the girl said: "I have given him my love and myaffection, and it is because of that I brought him to this place, theway we might be looking at one another for ever, and beyond that we havenever gone. "

"That is a beautiful thing and a strange thing, " said Tadg, "and a thingto wonder at. And who is there in that grand dun with the silverwalls?" he said. "There is no one at all in it, " said the girl. "What isthe reason of that?" said Tadg. "It is for the kings that are to ruleIreland yet, " she said; "and there will be a place in it for yourself, Tadg. And come now, " she said, "till you see it. "

The lovers went on to the dun, and it is hardly the green grass was bentunder their white feet. And Tadg and his people went along with them. 

They came then to the great wonderful house that was ready for thecompany of the kings; it is a pleasant house that was, and any one wouldlike to be in it. Walls of white bronze it had, set with crystal andwith carbuncles, that were shining through the night as well as throughthe day. 

Tadg looked out from the house then, and he saw to one side of him agreat sheltering apple-tree, and blossoms and ripe fruit on it. "What isthat apple tree beyond?" said Tadg. "It is the fruit of that tree isfood for the host in this house, " said the woman. "And it was an appleof that apple-tree brought Connla here to me; a good tree it is, withits white-blossomed branches, and its golden apples that would satisfythe whole house. "

And then Connla and the young girl left them, and they saw comingtowards them a troop of beautiful women. And there was one among themwas most beautiful of all, and when she was come to them she said: "Awelcome to you, Tadg. " "I thank you for that welcome, " said Tadg; "andtell me, " he said, "who are you yourself?" "I am Cliodna of the FairHair, " she said, "daughter of Gebann, son of Treon, of the Tuatha deDanaan, a sweetheart of Ciabhan of the Curling Hair; and it is from meCliodna's wave on the coast of Munster got its name; and I am a longtime now in this island, and it is the apples of that tree you saw thatwe use for food. " And Tadg was well pleased to be listening to her talk, but after a while he said: "It is best for us to go on now to look forour people. " "We will be well pleased if you stop longer with us, " saidthe woman. 

And while she was saying those words they saw three beautiful birdscoming to them, one of them blue and his head crimson, and one wascrimson and his head green, and the third was speckled and his head thecolour of gold, and they lit on the great apple-tree, and every bird ofthem ate an apple, and they sang sweet music then, that would put sickmen into their sleep. 

"Those birds will go with you, " Cliodna said then; "they will give youguidance on your way, and they will make music for you, and there willbe neither sorrow or sadness on you, by land or by sea, till you come toIreland. And bring away this beautiful green cup with you, " she said, "for there is power in it, and if you do but pour water into it, it willbe turned to wine on the moment. And do not let it out of your hand, "she said, "but keep it with you; for at whatever time it will escapefrom you, your death will not be far away. And it is where you will meetyour death, in the green valley at the side of the Boinn; and it is awandering wild deer will give you a wound, and after that, it isstrangers will put an end to you. And I myself will bury your body, andthere will be a hill over it, and the name it will get is Croidhe Essu. "

They went out of the shining house then, and Cliodna of the Fair Hairwent with them to the place they had left their ship, and she bade theircomrades a kindly welcome; and she asked them how long had they been inthat country. "It seems to us, " they said, "we are not in it but one dayonly. " "You are in it through the whole length of a year, " said she, "and through all that time you used neither food nor drink. But howeverlong you would stop here, " she said, "cold or hunger would never come onyou. " "It would be a good thing to live this way always, " said Tadg'speople when they heard that. But he himself said: "It is best for us togo on and to look for our people. And we must leave this country, although it is displeasing to us to leave it. "

Then Cliodna and Tadg bade farewell to one another, and she gave herblessing to him and to his people. And they set out then over the ridgesof the sea; and they were downhearted after leaving that country untilthe birds began to sing for them, and then their courage rose up, andthey were glad and light-hearted. 

And when they looked back they could not see the island they had comefrom, because of a Druid mist that came on it and hid it from them. 

Then by the leading of the birds they came to the country of Fresen, andthey were in a deep sleep through the whole voyage. And then theyattacked the foreigners and got the better of them, and Tadg killedCathmann, the king, after a hard fight; and Liban his wife made nodelay, and came to meet her husband and her sweetheart, and it is gladshe was to see him. 

And after they had rested a while they faced the sea again, and Tadg andhis wife Liban, and his two brothers, and a great many other treasuresalong with them, and they came home to Ireland safely at the last. 

CHAPTER XV. LAEGAIRE IN THE HAPPY PLAIN

And another that went to visit Magh Mell, the Happy Plain, was Laegaire, son of the King of Connacht, Crimthan Cass. 

He was out one day with the king, his father, near Loch na-n Ean, theLake of Birds, and the men of Connacht with them, and they saw a mancoming to them through the mist. Long golden-yellow hair he had, and itstreaming after him, and at his belt a gold-hilted sword, and in hishand two five-barbed darts, a gold-rimmed shield on his back, afive-folded crimson cloak about his shoulders. 

"Give a welcome to the man that is coming towards you, " said Laegaire, that had the best name of all the men of Connacht, to his people. And tothe stranger he said: "A welcome to the champion we do not know. "

"I am thankful to you all, " said he. 

"What is it you are come for, and where are you going?" said Laegairethen. 

"I am come to look for the help of fighting men, " said the stranger. "And my name, " he said, "is Fiachna, son of Betach, of the men of theSidhe; and it is what ails me, my wife was taken from my pillow andbrought away by Eochaid, son of Sal. And we fought together, and Ikilled him, and now she is gone to a brother's son of his, Goll, son ofDalbh, king of a people of Magh Mell. Seven battles I gave him, but theyall went against me; and on this very day there is another to be fought, and I am come to ask help. And to every one that deserves it, I willgive a good reward of gold and of silver for that help. "

And it is what he said:

"The most beautiful of plains is the Plain of the Two Mists; it is notfar from this; it is a host of the men of the Sidhe full of courage arestirring up pools of blood upon it. 

"We have drawn red blood from the bodies of high nobles; many women arekeening them with cries and with tears. 

"The men of the host in good order go out ahead of their beautiful king;they march among blue spears, white troops of fighters with curled hair. 

"They scatter the troops of their enemies, they destroy every countrythey make an attack on; they are beautiful in battle, a host with highlooks, rushing, avenging. 

"It is no wonder they to have such strength: every one of them is theson of a king and a queen; manes of hair they have of the colour ofgold. 

"Their bodies smooth and comely; their eyes blue and far-seeing; theirteeth bright like crystal, within their thin red lips. 

"White shields they have in their hands, with patterns on them of whitesilver; blue shining swords, red horns set with gold. 

"They are good at killing men in battle; good at song-making, good atchess-playing. 

"The most beautiful of plains is the Plain of the Two Mists; the men ofthe Sidhe are stirring up pools of blood on it; it is not far from thisplace. "

"It would be a shameful thing not to give our help to this man, " saidLaegaire. 

Fiachna, son of Betach, went down into the lake then, for it was out ofit he had come, and Laegaire went down into it after him, and fiftyfighting men along with him. 

They saw a strong place before them then, and a company of armed men, and Goll, son of Dalbh, at the head of them. 

"That is well, " said Laegaire, "I and my fifty men will go out againstthis troop. " "I will answer you, " said Goll, son of Dalbh. 

The two fifties attacked one another then, and Goll fell, but Laegaireand his fifty escaped with their lives and made a great slaughter oftheir enemies, that not one of them made his escape. 

"Where is the woman now?" said Laegaire. "She is within the dun of MaghMell, and a troop of armed men keeping guard about it, " said Fiachna. "Let you stop here, and I and my fifty will go there, " said Laegaire. 

So he and his men went on to the dun, and Laegaire called out to the menthat were about it: "Your king has got his death, your chief men havefallen, let the woman come out, and I will give you your own lives. " Themen agreed to that, and they brought the woman out. And when she cameout she made this complaint:

"It is a sorrowful day that swords are reddened for the sake of the deardead body of Goll, son of Dalbh. It was he that loved me, it was himselfI loved, it is little Laegaire Liban cares for that. 

"Weapons were hacked and were split by Goll; it is to Fiachna, son ofBetach, I must go; it is Goll son of Dalbh, I loved. "

And that complaint got the name of "The Lament of the Daughter ofEochaid the Dumb. "

Laegaire went back with her then till he put her hand in Fiachna's hand. And that night Fiachna's daughter, Deorgreine, a Tear of the Sun, wasgiven to Laegaire as his wife, and fifty other women were given to hisfifty fighting men, and they stopped with them there to the end of ayear. 

And at the end of that time, Laegaire said: "Let us go and ask news ofour own country. " "If you have a mind to go, " said Fiachna, "bringhorses with you; but whatever happens, " he said, "do not get off fromthem. "

So they set out then; and when they got back to Ireland, they found agreat gathering of the whole of the men of Connacht that were keeningthem. 

And when the men of Connacht saw them coming they rose up to meet them, and to bid them welcome. But Laegaire called out: "Do not come to us, for it is to bid you farewell we are here. " "Do not go from us again, "said Crimthan, his father, "and I will give you the sway over the threeConnachts, their silver and their gold, their horses and their bridles, and their beautiful women, if you will not go from us. "

And it is what Laegaire said: "In the place we are gone to, the armiesmove from kingdom to kingdom, they listen to the sweet-sounding music ofthe Sidhe, they drink from shining cups, we talk with those we love, itis beer that falls instead of rain. 

"We have brought from the dun of the Pleasant Plain thirty cauldrons, thirty drinking horns; we have brought the complaint that was sung bythe Sea, by the daughter of Eochaid the Dumb. 

"There is a wife for every man of the fifty; my own wife to me is theTear of the Sun; I am made master of a blue sword; I would not give forall your whole kingdom one night of the nights of the Sidhe. "

With that Laegaire turned from them, and went back to the kingdom. Andhe was made king there along with Fiachna, son of Betach, and hisdaughter, and he did not come out of it yet. 

BOOK FIVE: THE FATE OF THE CHILDREN OF LIR

Now at the time when the Tuatha de Danaan chose a king for themselvesafter the battle of Tailltin, and Lir heard the kingship was given toBodb Dearg, it did not please him, and he left the gathering withoutleave and with no word to any one; for he thought it was he himself hada right to be made king. But if he went away himself, Bodb was given thekingship none the less, for not one of the five begrudged it to him butonly Lir, And it is what they determined, to follow after Lir, and toburn down his house, and to attack himself with spear and sword, onaccount of his not giving obedience to the king they had chosen. "Wewill not do that, " said Bodb Dearg, "for that man would defend any placehe is in; and besides that, " he said, "I am none the less king over theTuatha de Danaan, although he does not submit to me. "

All went on like that for a good while, but at last a great misfortunecame on Lir, for his wife died from him after a sickness of threenights. And that came very hard on Lir, and there was heaviness on hismind after her. And there was great talk of the death of that woman inher own time. 

And the news of it was told all through Ireland, and it came to thehouse of Bodb, and the best of the Men of Dea were with him at thattime. And Bodb said: "If Lir had a mind for it, " he said, "my help andmy friendship would be good for him now, since his wife is not living tohim. For I have here with me the three young girls of the best shape, and the best appearance, and the best name in all Ireland, Aobh, Aoife, and Ailbhe, the three daughters of Oilell of Aran, my own threenurselings. " The Men of Dea said then it was a good thought he had, andthat what he said was true. 

Messages and messengers were sent then from Bodb Dearg to the place Lirwas, to say that if he had a mind to join with the Son of the Dagda andto acknowledge his lordship, he would give him a foster-child of hisfoster-children. And Lir thought well of the offer, and he set out onthe morrow with fifty chariots from Sidhe Fionnachaidh; and he went byevery short way till he came to Bodb's dwelling-place at Loch Dearg, andthere was a welcome before him there, and all the people were merry andpleasant before him, and he and his people got good attendance thatnight. 

And the three daughters of Oilell of Aran were sitting on the one seatwith Bodb Dearg's wife, the queen of the Tuatha de Danaan, that wastheir foster-mother. And Bodb said: "You may have your choice of thethree young girls, Lir. " "I cannot say, " said Lir, "which one of them ismy choice, but whichever of them is the eldest, she is the noblest, andit is best for me to take her. " "If that is so, " said Bodb, "it is Aobhis the eldest, and she will be given to you, if it is your wish. " "It ismy wish, " he said. And he took Aobh for his wife that night, and hestopped there for a fortnight, and then he brought her away to his ownhouse, till he would make a great wedding-feast. 

And in the course of time Aobh brought forth two children, a daughterand a son, Fionnuala and Aodh their names were. And after a while shewas brought to bed again, and this time she gave birth to two sons, andthey called them Fiachra and Conn. And she herself died at their birth. And that weighed very heavy on Lir, and only for the way his mind wasset on his four children he would have gone near to die of grief. 

The news came to Bodb Dearg's place, and all the people gave out threeloud, high cries, keening their nursling. And after they had keened herit is what Bodb Dearg said: "It is a fret to us our daughter to havedied, for her own sake and for the sake of the good man we gave her to, for we are thankful for his friendship and his faithfulness. However, "he said, "our friendship with one another will not be broken, for I willgive him for a wife her sister Aoife. "

When Lir heard that, he came for the girl and married her, and broughther home to his house. And there was honour and affection with Aoife forher sister's children; and indeed no person at all could see those fourchildren without giving them the heart's love. 

And Bodb Dearg used often to be going to Lir's house for the sake ofthose children; and he used to bring them to his own place for a goodlength of time, and then he would let them go back to their own placeagain. And the Men of Dea were at that time using the Feast of Age inevery hill of the Sidhe in turn; and when they came to Lir's hill thosefour children were their joy and delight, for the beauty of theirappearance; and it is where they used to sleep, in beds in sight oftheir father Lir. And he used to rise up at the break of every morning, and to lie down among his children. 

But it is what came of all this, that a fire of jealousy was kindled inAoife, and she got to have a dislike and a hatred of her sister'schildren. 

Then she let on to have a sickness, that lasted through nearly thelength of a year. And the end of that time she did a deed of jealousyand cruel treachery against the children of Lir. 

And one day she got her chariot yoked, and she took the four childrenin it, and they went forward towards the house of Bodb Dearg; butFionnuala had no mind to go with her, for she knew by her she had someplan for their death or their destruction, and she had seen in a dreamthat there was treachery against them in Aoife's mind. But all the sameshe was not able to escape from what was before her. 

And when they were on their way Aoife said to her people: "Let you killnow, " she said, "the four children of Lir, for whose sake their fatherhas given up my love, and I will give you your own choice of a rewardout of all the good things of the world. " "We will not do that indeed, "said they; "and it is a bad deed you have thought of, and harm will cometo you out of it. "

And when they would not do as she bade them, she took out a swordherself to put an end to the children with; but she being a woman andwith no good courage, and with no great strength in her mind, she wasnot able to do it. 

They went on then west to Loch Dairbhreach, the Lake of the Oaks, andthe horses were stopped there. And Aoife bade the children of Lir to goout and bathe in the lake, and they did as she bade them. And as soon asAoife saw them out in the lake she struck them with a Druid rod, and puton them the shape of four swans, white and beautiful. And it is what shesaid: "Out with you, children of the king, your luck is taken away fromyou for ever; it is sorrowful the story will be to your friends; it iswith flocks of birds your cries will be heard for ever. "

And Fionnuala said: "Witch, we know now what your name is, you havestruck us down with no hope of relief; but although you put us from waveto wave, there are times when we will touch the land. We shall get helpwhen we are seen; help, and all that is best for us; even though wehave to sleep upon the lake, it is our minds will be going abroadearly. "

And then the four children of Lir turned towards Aoife, and it is whatFionnuala said: "It is a bad deed you have done, Aoife, and it is a badfulfilling of friendship, you to destroy us without cause; and vengeancefor it will come upon you, and you will fall in satisfaction for it, foryour power for our destruction is not greater than the power of ourfriends to avenge it on you; and put some bounds now, " she said, "to thetime this enchantment is to stop on us. " "I will do that, " said Aoife, "and it is worse for you, you to have asked it of me. And the bounds Iset to your time are this, till the Woman from the South and the Manfrom the North will come together. And since you ask to hear it of me, "she said, "no friends and no power that you have will be able to bringyou out of these shapes you are in through the length of your lives, until you have been three hundred years on Loch Dairbhreach, and threehundred years on Sruth na Maoile between Ireland and Alban, and threehundred years at Irrus Domnann and Inis Gluaire; and these are to beyour journeys from this out, " she said. 

But then repentance came on Aoife, and she said: "Since there is noother help for me to give you now, you may keep your own speech; and youwill be singing sweet music of the Sidhe, that would put the men of theearth to sleep, and there will be no music in the world equal to it; andyour own sense and your own nobility will stay with you, the way it willnot weigh so heavy on you to be in the shape of birds. And go away outof my sight now, children of Lir, " she said, "with your white faces, with your stammering Irish. It is a great curse on tender lads, they tobe driven out on the rough wind. Nine hundred years to be on the water, it is a long time for any one to be in pain; it is I put this on youthrough treachery, it is best for you to do as I tell you now. 

"Lir, that got victory with so many a good cast, his heart is a kernelof death in him now; the groaning of the great hero is a sickness to me, though it is I that have well earned his anger. "

And then the horses were caught for Aoife, and the chariot yoked forher, and she went on to the palace of Bodb Dearg, and there was awelcome before her from the chief people of the place. And the son ofthe Dagda asked her why she did not bring the children of Lir with her. "I will tell you that, " she said. "It is because Lir has no liking foryou, and he will not trust you with his children, for fear you mightkeep them from him altogether. "

"I wonder at that, " said Bodb Dearg, "for those children are dearer tome than my own children. " And he thought in his own mind it was deceitthe woman was doing on him, and it is what he did, he sent messengers tothe north to Sidhe Fionnachaidh. And Lir asked them what did they comefor. "On the head of your children, " said they. "Are they not gone toyou along with Aoife?" he said. "They are not, " said they; "and Aoifesaid it was yourself would not let them come. "

It is downhearted and sorrowful Lir was at that news, for he understoodwell it was Aoife had destroyed or made an end of his children. Andearly in the morning of the morrow his horses were caught, and he setout on the road to the south-west. And when he was as far as the shoreof Loch Dairbhreach, the four children saw the horses coming towardsthem, and it is what Fionnuala said: "A welcome to the troop of horses Isee coming near to the lake; the people they are bringing are strong, there is sadness on them; it is us they are following, it is for us theyare looking; let us move over to the shore, Aodh, Fiachra, and comelyConn. Those that are coming can be no others in the world but only Lirand his household. "

Then Lir came to the edge of the lake, and he took notice of the swanshaving the voice of living people, and he asked them why was it they hadthat voice. 

"I will tell you that, Lir, " said Fionnuala. "We are your own fourchildren, that are after being destroyed by your wife, and by the sisterof our own mother, through the dint of her jealousy. " "Is there any wayto put you into your own shapes again?" said Lir. "There is no way, "said Fionnuala, "for all the men of the world could not help us till wehave gone through our time, and that will not be, " she said, "till theend of nine hundred years. "

When Lir and his people heard that, they gave out three great heavyshouts of grief and sorrow and crying. 

"Is there a mind with you, " said Lir, "to come to us on the land, sinceyou have your own sense and your memory yet?" "We have not the power, "said Fionnuala, "to live with any person at all from this time; but wehave our own language, the Irish, and we have the power to sing sweetmusic, and it is enough to satisfy the whole race of men to be listeningto that music. And let you stop here to-night, " she said, "and we willbe making music for you. "

So Lir and his people stopped there listening to the music of the swans, and they slept there quietly that night. And Lir rose up early on themorning of the morrow and he made this complaint:--

"It is time to go out from this place. I do not sleep though I am in mylying down. To be parted from my dear children, it is that is tormentingmy heart. 

"It is a bad net I put over you, bringing Aoife, daughter of Oilell ofAran, to the house. I would never have followed that advice if I hadknown what it would bring upon me. 

"O Fionnuala, and comely Conn, O Aodh, O Fiachra of the beautiful arms;it is not ready I am to go away from you, from the border of the harbourwhere you are. "

Then Lir went on to the palace of Bodb Dearg, and there was a welcomebefore him there; and he got a reproach from Bodb Dearg for not bringinghis children along with him. "My grief!" said Lir. "It is not I thatwould not bring my children along with me; it was Aoife there beyond, your own foster-child and the sister of their mother, that put them inthe shape of four white swans on Loch Dairbhreach, in the sight of thewhole of the men of Ireland; but they have their sense with them yet, and their reason, and their voice, and their Irish. "

Bodb Dearg gave a great start when he heard that, and he knew what Lirsaid was true, and he gave a very sharp reproach to Aoife, and he said:"This treachery will be worse for yourself in the end, Aoife, than tothe children of Lir. And what shape would you yourself think worst ofbeing in?" he said. 

"I would think worst of being a witch of the air, " she said. "It is intothat shape I will put you now, " said Bodb. And with that he struck herwith a Druid wand, and she was turned into a witch of the air there andthen, and she went away on the wind in that shape, and she is in it yet, and will be in it to the end of life and time. 

As to Bodb Dearg and the Tuatha de Danaan they came to the shore of LochDairbhreach, and they made their camp there to be listening to the musicof the swans. 

And the Sons of the Gael used to be coming no less than the Men of Deato hear them from every part of Ireland, for there never was any musicor any delight heard in Ireland to compare with that music of the swans. And they used to be telling stories, and to be talking with the men ofIreland every day, and with their teachers and their fellow-pupils andtheir friends. And every night they used to sing very sweet music of theSidhe; and every one that heard that music would sleep sound and quietwhatever trouble or long sickness might be on him; for every one thatheard the music of the birds, it is happy and contented he would beafter it. 

These two gatherings now of the Tuatha de Danaan and of the Sons of theGael stopped there around Loch Dairbhreach through the length of threehundred years. And it is then Fionnuala said to her brothers: "Do youknow, " she said, "we have spent all we have to spend of our time here, but this one night only. "

And there was great sorrow on the sons of Lir when they heard that, forthey thought it the same as to be living people again, to be talkingwith their friends and their companions on Loch Dairbhreach, incomparison with going on the cold, fretful sea of the Maoil in thenorth. 

And they came early on the morrow to speak with their father and withtheir foster-father, and they bade them farewell, and Fionnuala madethis complaint:--

"Farewell to you, Bodb Dearg, the man with whom all knowledge is inpledge. And farewell to our father along with you, Lir of the Hill ofthe White Field. 

"The time is come, as I think, for us to part from you, O pleasantcompany; my grief it is not on a visit we are going to you. 

"From this day out, O friends of our heart, our comrades, it is on thetormented course of the Maoil we will be, without the voice of anyperson near us. 

"Three hundred years there, and three hundred years in the bay of themen of Domnann, it is a pity for the four comely children of Lir, thesalt waves of the sea to be their covering by night. 

"O three brothers, with the ruddy faces gone from you, let them allleave the lake now, the great troop that loved us, it is sorrowful ourparting is. "

After that complaint they took to flight, lightly, airily, till theycame to Sruth na Maoile between Ireland and Alban. And that was a griefto the men of Ireland, and they gave out an order no swan was to bekilled from that out, whatever chance there might be of killing one, allthrough Ireland. 

It was a bad dwelling-place for the children of Lir they to be on Sruthna Maoile. When they saw the wide coast about them, they were filledwith cold and with sorrow, and they thought nothing of all they had gonethrough before, in comparison to what they were going through on thatsea. 

Now one night while they were there a great storm came on them, and itis what Fionnuala said: "My dear brothers, " she said, "it is a pity forus not to be making ready for this night, for it is certain the stormwill separate us from one another. And let us, " she said, "settle onsome place where we can meet afterwards, if we are driven from oneanother in the night. "

"Let us settle, " said the others, "to meet one another at Carraig naRon, the Rock of the Seals, for we all have knowledge of it. "

And when midnight came, the wind came on them with it, and the noise ofthe waves increased, and the lightning was flashing, and a rough stormcame sweeping down, the way the children of Lir were scattered over thegreat sea, and the wideness of it set them astray, so that no one ofthem could know what way the others went. But after that storm a greatquiet came on the sea, and Fionnuala was alone on Sruth na Maoile; andwhen she took notice that her brothers were wanting she was lamentingafter them greatly, and she made this complaint:--

"It is a pity for me to be alive in the state I am; it is frozen to mysides my wings are; it is little that the wind has not broken my heartin my body, with the loss of Aodh. 

"To be three hundred years on Loch Dairbhreach without going into my ownshape, it is worse to me the time I am on Sruth na Maoile. 

"The three I loved, Och! the three I loved, that slept under the shelterof my feathers; till the dead come back to the living I will see them nomore for ever. 

"It is a pity I to stay after Fiachra, and after Aodh, and after comelyConn, and with no account of them; my grief I to be here to face everyhardship this night. "

She stopped all night there upon the Rock of the Seals until the risingof the sun, looking out over the sea on every side till at last she sawConn coming to her, his feathers wet through and his head hanging, andher heart gave him a great welcome; and then Fiachra came wet andperished and worn out, and he could not say a word they could understandwith the dint of the cold and the hardship he had gone through. AndFionnuala put him under her wings, and she said: "We would be well offnow if Aodh would but come to us. "

It was not long after that, they saw Aodh coming, his head dry and hisfeathers beautiful, and Fionnuala gave him a great welcome, and she puthim in under the feathers of her breast, and Fiachra under her rightwing and Conn under her left wing, the way she could put her feathersover them all. "And Och! my brothers, " she said, "this was a bad nightto us, and it is many of its like are before us from this out. "

They stayed there a long time after that, suffering cold and misery onthe Maoil, till at last a night came on them they had never known thelike of before, for frost and snow and wind and cold. And they werecrying and lamenting the hardship of their life, and the cold of thenight and the greatness of the snow and the hardness of the wind. Andafter they had suffered cold to the end of a year, a worse night againcame on them, in the middle of winter. And they were on Carraig na Ron, and the water froze about them, and as they rested on the rock, theirfeet and their wings and their feathers froze to the rock, the way theywere not able to move from it. And they made such a hard struggle to getaway, that they left the skin of their feet and their feathers and thetops of their wings on the rock after them. 

"My grief, children of Lir, " said Fionnuala, "it is bad our state isnow, for we cannot bear the salt water to touch us, and there are bondson us not to leave it; and if the salt water goes into our sores, " shesaid, "we will get our death. " And she made this complaint:--

"It is keening we are to-night; without feathers to cover our bodies; itis cold the rough, uneven rocks are under our bare feet. 

"It is bad our stepmother was to us the time she played enchantments onus, sending us out like swans upon the sea. 

"Our washing place is on the ridge of the bay, in the foam of flyingmanes of the sea; our share of the ale feast is the salt water of theblue tide. 

"One daughter and three sons; it is in the clefts of the rocks we are;it is on the hard rocks we are, it is a pity the way we are. "

However, they came on to the course of the Maoil again, and the saltwater was sharp and rough and bitter to them, but if it was itself, theywere not able to avoid it or to get shelter from it. And they were thereby the shore under that hardship till such time as their feathers grewagain, and their wings, and till their sores were entirely healed. Andthen they used to go every day to the shore of Ireland or of Alban, butthey had to come back to Sruth na Maoile every night. 

Now they came one day to the mouth of the Banna, to the north ofIreland, and they saw a troop of riders, beautiful, of the one colour, with well-trained pure white horses under them, and they travelling theroad straight from the south-west. 

"Do you know who those riders are, sons of Lir?" said Fionnuala. 

"We do not, " they said; "but it is likely they might be some troop ofthe Sons of the Gael, or of the Tuatha de Danaan. "

They moved over closer to the shore then, that they might know who theywere, and when the riders saw them they came to meet them until theywere able to hold talk together. 

And the chief men among them were two sons of Bodb Dearg, AodhAithfhiosach, of the quick wits, and Fergus Fithchiollach, of the chess, and a third part of the Riders of the Sidhe along with them, and it wasfor the swans they had been looking for a long while before that, andwhen they came together they wished one another a kind and lovingwelcome. 

And the children of Lir asked for news of all the Men of Dea, and aboveall of Lir, and Bodb Dearg and their people. 

"They are well, and they are in the one place together, " said they, "inyour father's house at Sidhe Fionnachaidh, using the Feast of Agepleasantly and happily, and with no uneasiness on them, only for beingwithout yourselves, and without knowledge of what happened you from theday you left Loch Dairbhreach. "

"That has not been the way with us, " said Fionnuala, "for we have gonethrough great hardship and uneasiness and misery on the tides of the seauntil this day. "

And she made this complaint:--

"There is delight to-night with the household of Lir! Plenty of ale withthem and of wine, although it is in a cold dwelling-place this night arethe four children of the king. 

"It is without a spot our bedclothes are, our bodies covered over withcurved feathers; but it is often we were dressed in purple, and wedrinking pleasant mead. 

"It is what our food is and our drink, the white sand and the bitterwater of the sea; it is often we drank mead of hazel-nuts from roundfour-lipped drinking cups. 

"It is what our beds are, bare rocks out of the power of the waves; itis often there used to be spread out for us beds of the breast-feathersof birds. 

"Though it is our work now to be swimming through the frost and throughthe noise of the waves, it is often a company of the sons of kings wereriding after us to the Hill of Bodb. 

"It is what wasted my strength, to be going and coming over the currentof the Maoil the way I never was used to, and never to be in thesunshine on the soft grass. 

"Fiachra's bed and Conn's bed is to come under the cover of my wings onthe sea. Aodh has his place under the feathers of my breast, the four ofus side by side. 

"The teaching of Manannan without deceit, the talk of Bodb Dearg on thepleasant ridge; the voice of Angus, his sweet kisses; it is by theirside I used to be without grief. "

After that the riders went on to Lir's house, and they told the chiefmen of the Tuatha de Danaan all the birds had gone through, and thestate they were in. "We have no power over them, " the chief men said, "but we are glad they are living yet, for they will get help in the endof time. "

As to the children of Lir, they went back towards their old place in theMaoil, and they stopped there till the time they had to spend in it wasspent. And then Fionnuala said: "The time is come for us to leave thisplace. And it is to Irrus Domnann we must go now, " she said, "after ourthree hundred years here. And indeed there will be no rest for us there, or any standing ground, or any shelter from the storms. But since it istime for us to go, let us set out on the cold wind, the way we will notgo astray. "

So they set out in that way, and left Sruth na Maoile behind them, andwent to the point of Irrus Domnann, and there they stopped, and it is alife of misery and a cold life they led there. And one time the seafroze about them that they could not move at all, and the brothers werelamenting, and Fionnuala was comforting them, for she knew there wouldhelp come to them in the end. 

And they stayed at Irrus Domnann till the time they had to spend therewas spent. And then Fionnuala said: "The time is come for us to go backto Sidhe Fionnachaidh, where our father is with his household and withall our own people. "

"It pleases us well to hear that, " they said. 

So they set out flying through the air lightly till they came to SidheFionnachaidh; and it is how they found the place, empty before them, andnothing in it but green hillocks and thickets of nettles, without ahouse, without a fire, without a hearthstone. And the four pressed closeto one another then, and they gave out three sorrowful cries, andFionnuala made this complaint:--

"It is a wonder to me this place is, and it without a house, without adwelling-place. To see it the way it is now, Ochone! it is bitterness tomy heart. 

"Without dogs, without hounds for hunting, without women, without greatkings; we never knew it to be like this when our father was in it. 

"Without horns, without cups, without drinking in the lighted house;without young men, without riders; the way it is to-night is aforetelling of sorrow. 

"The people of the place to be as they are now, Ochone! it is grief tomy heart! It is plain to my mind to-night the lord of the house is notliving. 

"Och, house where we used to see music and playing and the gathering ofpeople! I think it a great change to see it lonely the way it isto-night. 

"The greatness of the hardships we have gone through going from one waveto another of the sea, we never heard of the like of them coming on anyother person. 

"It is seldom this place had its part with grass and bushes; the man isnot living that would know us, it would be a wonder to him to see ushere. "

However, the children of Lir stopped that night in their father's placeand their grandfather's, where they had been reared, and they weresinging very sweet music of the Sidhe. And they rose up early on themorning of the morrow and went to Inis Gluaire, and all the birds of thecountry gathered near them on Loch na-n Ean, the Lake of the Birds. Andthey used to go out to feed every day to the far parts of the country, to Inis Geadh and to Accuill, the place Donn, son of Miled, and hispeople that were drowned were buried, and to all the western islands ofConnacht, and they used to go back to Inis Gluaire every night. 

It was about that time it happened them to meet with a young man of goodrace, and his name was Aibric; and he often took notice of the birds, and their singing was sweet to him and he loved them greatly, and theyloved him. And it is this young man that told the whole story of allthat had happened them, and put it in order. 

And the story he told of what happened them in the end is this. 

It was after the faith of Christ and blessed Patrick came into Ireland, that Saint Mochaomhog came to Inis Gluaire. And the first night he cameto the island, the children of Lir heard the voice of his bell, ringingnear them. And the brothers started up with fright when they heard it"We do not know, " they said, "what is that weak, unpleasing voice wehear. "

"That is the voice of the bell of Mochaomhog, " said Fionnuala; "and itis through that bell, " she said, "you will be set free from pain andfrom misery. "

They listened to that music of the bell till the matins were done, andthen they began to sing the low, sweet music of the Sidhe. 

And Mochaomhog was listening to them, and he prayed to God to show himwho was singing that music, and it was showed to him that the childrenof Lir were singing it. And on the morning of the morrow he went forwardto the Lake of the Birds, and he saw the swans before him on the lake, and he went down to them at the brink of the shore. "Are you thechildren of Lir?" he said. 

"We are indeed, " said they. 

"I give thanks to God for that, " said he, "for it is for your sakes I amcome to this island beyond any other island, and let you come to landnow, " he said, "and give your trust to me, that you may do good deedsand part from your sins. "

They came to the land after that, and they put trust in Mochaomhog, andhe brought them to his own dwelling-place, and they used to be hearingMass with him. And he got a good smith and bade him make chains ofbright silver for them, and he put a chain between Aodh and Fionnuala, and a chain between Conn and Fiachra. And the four of them were raisinghis heart and gladdening his mind, and no danger and no distress thatwas on the swans before put any trouble on them now. 

Now the king of Connacht at that time was Lairgnen, son of Colman, sonof Cobthach, and Deoch, daughter of Finghin, was his wife. And that wasthe coming together of the Man from the North and the Woman from theSouth, that Aoife had spoken of. 

And the woman heard talk of the birds, and a great desire came on her toget them, and she bade Lairgnen to bring them to her, and he said hewould ask them of Mochaomhog. 

And she gave her word she would not stop another night with him unlesshe would bring them to her. And she set out from the house there andthen. And Lairgnen sent messengers after her to bring her back, and theydid not overtake her till she was at Cill Dun. She went back home withthem then, and Lairgnen sent messengers to ask the birds of Mochaomhog, and he did not get them. 

There was great anger on Lairgnen then, and he went himself to the placeMochaomhog was, and he asked was it true he had refused him the birds. "It is true indeed, " said he. At that Lairgnen rose up, and he took holdof the swans, and pulled them off the altar, two birds in each hand, tobring them away to Deoch. But no sooner had he laid his hand on themthan their bird skins fell off, and what was in their place was threelean, withered old men and a thin withered old woman, without blood orflesh. 

And Lairgnen gave a great start at that, and he went out from theplace. It is then Fionnuala said to Mochaomhog: "Come and baptize usnow, for it is short till our death comes; and it is certain you do notthink worse of parting with us than we do of parting with you. And makeour grave afterwards, " she said, "and lay Conn at my right side andFiachra on my left side, and Aodh before my face, between my two arms. And pray to the God of Heaven, " she said, "that you may be able tobaptize us. "

The children of Lir were baptized then, and they died and were buried asFionnuala had desired; Fiachra and Conn one at each side of her, andAodh before her face. And a stone was put over them, and their nameswere written in Ogham, and they were keened there, and heaven was gainedfor their souls. 

And that is the fate of the children of Lir so far. 

PART TWO: THE FIANNA. 

BOOK ONE: FINN, SON OF CUMHAL. 

CHAPTER I. THE COMING OF FINN

At the time Finn was born his father Cumhal, of the sons of Baiscne, Head of the Fianna of Ireland, had been killed in battle by the sons ofMorna that were fighting with him for the leadership. And his mother, that was beautiful long-haired Muirne, daughter of Tadg, son of Nuada ofthe Tuatha de Danaan and of Ethlinn, mother of Lugh of the Long Hand, did not dare to keep him with her; and two women, Bodhmall, the womanDruid, and Liath Luachra, came and brought him away to care him. 

It was to the woods of Slieve Bladhma they brought him, and they nursedhim secretly, because of his father's enemies, the sons of Morna, andthey kept him there a long time. 

And Muirne, his mother, took another husband that was king of Carraighe;but at the end of six years she came to see Finn, going through everylonely place till she came to the wood, and there she found the littlehunting cabin, and the boy asleep in it, and she lifted him up in herarms and kissed him, and she sang a little sleepy song to him; and thenshe said farewell to the women, and she went away again. 

And the two women went on caring him till he came to sensible years; andone day when he went out he saw a wild duck on the lake with her clutch, and he made a cast at her that cut the wings off her that she could notfly, and he brought her back to the cabin, and that was his first hunt. 

And they gave him good training in running and leaping and swimming. Oneof them would run round a tree, and she having a thorn switch, and Finnafter her with another switch, and each one trying to hit at the other;and they would leave him in a field, and hares along with him, and wouldbid him not to let the hares quit the field, but to keep before themwhichever way they would go; and to teach him swimming they would throwhim into the water and let him make his way out. 

But after a while he went away with a troop of poets, to hide from thesons of Morna, and they hid him in the mountain of Crotta Cliach; butthere was a robber in Leinster at that time, Fiacuil, son of Codhna, andhe came where the poets were in Fidh Gaible and killed them all. But hespared the child and brought him to his own house, that was in a coldmarsh. But the two women, Bodhmall and Liath, came looking for him aftera while, and Fiacuil gave him up to them, and they brought him back tothe same place he was before. 

He grew up there, straight and strong and fair-haired and beautiful. Andone day he was out in Slieve Bladhma, and the two women along with him, and they saw before them a herd of the wild deer of the mountain. "It isa pity, " said the old women, "we not to be able to get a deer of thosedeer. " "I will get one for you, " said Finn; and with that he followedafter them, and caught two stags of them and brought them home to thehunting cabin. And after that he used to be hunting for them every day. But at last they said to him: "It is best for you to leave us now, forthe sons of Morna are watching again to kill you. "

So he went away then by himself, and never stopped till he came to MaghLifé, and there he saw young lads swimming in a lake, and they called tohim to swim against them. So he went into the lake, and he beat them atswimming. "Fair he is and well shaped, " they said when they saw himswimming, and it was from that time he got the name of Finn, that is, Fair. But they got to be jealous of his strength, and he went away andleft them. 

He went on then till he came to Loch Lein, and he took service therewith the King of Finntraigh; and there was no hunter like him, and theking said: "If Cumhal had left a son, you would be that son. "

He went from that king after, and he went into Carraighe, and there hetook service with the king, that had taken his mother Muirne for hiswife. And one day they were playing chess together, and he won sevengames one after another. "Who are you at all?" said the king then. "I ama son of a countryman of the Luigne of Teamhair, " said Finn. "That isnot so, " said the king, "but you are the son that Muirne my wife bore toCumhal. And do not stop here any longer, " he said, "that you may not bekilled under my protection. "

From that he went into Connacht looking for his father's brother, Crimall, son of Trenmor; and as he was going on his way he heard thecrying of a lone woman. He went to her, and looked at her, and tears ofblood were on her face. "Your face is red with blood, woman, " he said. "I have reason for it, " said she, "for my only son is after being killedby a great fighting man that came on us. " And Finn followed after thebig champion and fought with him and killed him. And the man he killedwas the same man that had given Cumhal his first wound in the battlewhere he got his death, and had brought away his treasure-bag with him. 

Now as to that treasure-bag, it is of a crane skin it was made, that wasone time the skin of Aoife, the beautiful sweetheart of Ilbrec, son ofManannan, that was put into the shape of a crane through jealousy. Andit was in Manannan's house it used to be, and there were treasures keptin it, Manannan's shirt and his knife, and the belt and the smith's hookof Goibniu, and the shears of the King of Alban, and the helmet of theKing of Lochlann, and a belt of the skin of a great fish, and the bonesof Asal's pig that had been brought to Ireland by the sons of Tuireann. All those treasures would be in the bag at full tide, but at the ebbingof the tide it would be empty. And it went from Manannan to Lugh, son ofEthlinn, and after that to Cumhal, that was husband to Muirne, Ethlinn'sdaughter. 

And Finn took the bag and brought it with him till he found Crimall, that was now an old man, living in a lonely place, and some of the oldmen of the Fianna were with him, and used to go hunting for him. AndFinn gave him the bag, and told him his whole story. 

And then he said farewell to Crimall, and went on to learn poetry fromFinegas, a poet that was living at the Boinn, for the poets thought itwas always on the brink of water poetry was revealed to them. And he didnot give him his own name, but he took the name of Deimne. Seven years, now, Finegas had stopped at the Boinn, watching the salmon, for it wasin the prophecy that he would eat the salmon of knowledge that wouldcome there, and that he would have all knowledge after. And when at thelast the salmon of knowledge came, he brought it to where Finn was, andbade him to roast it, but he bade him not to eat any of it. And whenFinn brought him the salmon after a while he said: "Did you eat any ofit at all, boy?" "I did not, " said Finn; "but I burned my thumb puttingdown a blister that rose on the skin, and after doing that, I put mythumb in my mouth. " "What is your name, boy?" said Finegas. "Deimne, "said he. "It is not, but it is Finn your name is, and it is to you andnot to myself the salmon was given in the prophecy. " With that he gaveFinn the whole of the salmon, and from that time Finn had the knowledgethat came from the nuts of the nine hazels of wisdom that grow besidethe well that is below the sea. 

And besides the wisdom he got then, there was a second wisdom came tohim another time, and this is the way it happened. There was a well ofthe moon belonging to Beag, son of Buan, of the Tuatha de Danaan, andwhoever would drink out of it would get wisdom, and after a second drinkhe would get the gift of foretelling. And the three daughters of Beag, son of Buan, had charge of the well, and they would not part with avessel of it for anything less than red gold. And one day Finn chancedto be hunting in the rushes near the well, and the three women ran outto hinder him from coming to it, and one of them that had a vessel ofthe water in her hand, threw it at him to stop him, and a share of thewater went into his mouth. And from that out he had all the knowledgethat the water of that well could give. 

And he learned the three ways of poetry; and this is the poem he made toshow he had got his learning well:--

"It is the month of May is the pleasant time; its face is beautiful; theblackbird sings his full song, the living wood is his holding, thecuckoos are singing and ever singing; there is a welcome before thebrightness of the summer. 

"Summer is lessening the rivers, the swift horses are looking for thepool; the heath spreads out its long hair, the weak white bog-downgrows. A wildness comes on the heart of the deer; the sad restless seais asleep. 

"Bees with their little strength carry a load reaped from the flowers;the cattle go up muddy to the mountains; the ant has a good full feast. 

"The harp of the woods is playing music; there is colour on the hills, and a haze on the full lakes, and entire peace upon every sail. 

"The corncrake is speaking, a loud-voiced poet; the high lonelywaterfall is singing a welcome to the warm pool, the talking of therushes has begun. 

"The light swallows are darting; the loudness of music is around thehill; the fat soft mast is budding; there is grass on the tremblingbogs. 

"The bog is as dark as the feathers of the raven; the cuckoo makes aloud welcome; the speckled salmon is leaping; as strong is the leapingof the swift fighting man. 

"The man is gaining; the girl is in her comely growing power; every woodis without fault from the top to the ground, and every wide good plain. 

"It is pleasant is the colour of the time; rough winter is gone; everyplentiful wood is white; summer is a joyful peace. 

"A flock of birds pitches in the meadow; there are sounds in the greenfields, there is in them a clear rushing stream. 

"There is a hot desire on you for the racing of horses; twisted hollymakes a leash for the hound; a bright spear has been shot into theearth, and the flag-flower is golden under it. 

"A weak lasting little bird is singing at the top of his voice; the larkis singing clear tidings; May without fault, of beautiful colours. 

"I have another story for you; the ox is lowing, the winter is creepingin, the summer is gone. High and cold the wind, low the sun, cries areabout us; the sea is quarrelling. 

"The ferns are reddened and their shape is hidden; the cry of the wildgoose is heard; the cold has caught the wings of the birds; it is thetime of ice-frost, hard, unhappy. "

And after that, Finn being but a young lad yet, made himself ready andwent up at Samhain time to the gathering of the High King at Teamhair. And it was the law at that gathering, no one to raise a quarrel orbring out any grudge against another through the whole of the time itlasted. And the king and his chief men, and Goll, son of Morna, that wasnow Head of the Fianna, and Caoilte, son of Ronan, and Conan, son ofMorna, of the sharp words, were sitting at a feast in the great house ofthe Middle Court; and the young lad came in and took his place amongthem, and none of them knew who he was. 

The High King looked at him then, and the horn of meetings was broughtto him, and he put it into the boy's hand, and asked him who was he. 

"I am Finn, son of Cumhal, " he said, "son of the man that used to behead over the Fianna, and king of Ireland; and I am come now to get yourfriendship, and to give you my service. "

"You are son of a friend, boy, " said the king, "and son of a man Itrusted. "

Then Finn rose up and made his agreement of service and of faithfulnessto the king; and the king took him by the hand and put him sittingbeside his own son, and they gave themselves to drinking and to pleasurefor a while. 

Every year, now, at Samhain time, for nine years, there had come a manof the Tuatha de Danaan out of Sidhe Finnachaidh in the north, and hadburned up Teamhair. Aillen, son of Midhna, his name was, and it is theway he used to come, playing music of the Sidhe, and all the people thatheard it would fall asleep. And when they were all in their sleep, hewould let a flame of fire out of his mouth, and would blow the flametill all Teamhair was burned. 

The king rose up at the feast after a while, and his smooth horn in hishand, and it is what he said: "If I could find among you, men ofIreland, any man that would keep Teamhair till the break of dayto-morrow without being burned by Aillen, son of Midhna, I would givehim whatever inheritance is right for him to have, whether it be much orlittle. "

But the men of Ireland made no answer, for they knew well that at thesound of the sweet pitiful music made by that comely man of the Sidhe, even women in their pains and men that were wounded would fall asleep. 

It is then Finn rose up and spoke to the King of Ireland. "Who will beyour sureties that you will fulfil this?" he said. "The kings of theprovinces of Ireland, " said the king, "and Cithruadh with his Druids. "So they gave their pledges, and Finn took in hand to keep Teamhair safetill the breaking of day on the morrow. 

Now there was a fighting man among the followers of the King of Ireland, Fiacha, son of Conga, that Cumhal, Finn's father, used to have a greatliking for, and he said to Finn: "Well, boy, " he said, "what rewardwould you give me if I would bring you a deadly spear, that no falsecast was ever made with?" "What reward are you asking of me?" said Finn. "Whatever your right hand wins at any time, the third of it to be mine, "said Fiacha, "and a third of your trust and your friendship to be mine. ""I will give you that, " said Finn. Then Fiacha brought himthe spear, unknown to the sons of Morna or to any other person, and hesaid: "When you will hear the music of the Sidhe, let you strip thecovering off the head of the spear and put it to your forehead, and thepower of the spear will not let sleep come upon you. "

Then Finn rose up before all the men of Ireland, and he made a round ofthe whole of Teamhair. And it was not long till he heard the sorrowfulmusic, and he stripped the covering from the head of the spear, and heheld the power of it to his forehead. And Aillen went on playing hislittle harp, till he had put every one in their sleep as he was used;and then he let a flame of fire out from his mouth to burn Teamhair. And Finn held up his fringed crimson cloak against the flame, and itfell down through the air and went into the ground, bringing thefour-folded cloak with it deep into the earth. 

And when Aillen saw his spells were destroyed, he went back to SidheFinnachaidh on the top of Slieve Fuad; but Finn followed after himthere, and as Aillen was going in at the door he made a cast of thespear that went through his heart. And he struck his head off then, andbrought it back to Teamhair, and fixed it on a crooked pole and left itthere till the rising of the sun over the heights and invers of thecountry. 

And Aillen's mother came to where his body was lying, and there wasgreat grief on her, and she made this complaint:--

"Ochone! Aillen is fallen, chief of the Sidhe of Beinn Boirche; the slowclouds of death are come on him. Och! he was pleasant, Och! he was kind. Aillen, son of Midhna of Slieve Fuad. 

"Nine times he burned Teamhair. It is a great name he was always lookingfor, Ochone, Ochone, Aillen!"

And at the breaking of day, the king and all the men of Ireland came outupon the lawn at Teamhair where Finn was. "King, " said Finn, "there isthe head of the man that burned Teamhair, and the pipe and the harp thatmade his music. And it is what I think, " he said, "that Teamhair and allthat is in it is saved. "

Then they all came together into the place of counsel, and it is whatthey agreed, the headship of the Fianna of Ireland to be given to Finn. And the king said to Goll, son of Morna: "Well, Goll, " he said, "is ityour choice to quit Ireland or to put your hand in Finn's hand?" "By myword, I will give Finn my hand, " said Goll. 

And when the charms that used to bring good luck had done their work, the chief men of the Fianna rose up and struck their hands in Finn'shand, and Goll, son of Morna, was the first to give him his hand the waythere would be less shame on the rest for doing it. 

And Finn kept the headship of the Fianna until the end; and the place helived in was Almhuin of Leinster, where the white dun was made by Nuadaof the Tuatha de Danaan, that was as white as if all the lime in Irelandwas put on it, and that got its name from the great herd of cattle thatdied fighting one time around the well, and that left their horns there, speckled horns and white. 

And as to Finn himself, he was a king and a seer and a poet; a Druid anda knowledgeable man; and everything he said was sweet-sounding to hispeople. And a better fighting man than Finn never struck his hand into aking's hand, and whatever any one ever said of him, he was three timesbetter. And of his justice it used to be said, that if his enemy and hisown son had come before him to be judged, it is a fair judgment he wouldhave given between them. And as to his generosity it used to be said, henever denied any man as long as he had a mouth to eat with, and legs tobring away what he gave him; and he left no woman without herbride-price, and no man without his pay; and he never promised at nightwhat he would not fulfil on the morrow, and he never promised in the daywhat he would not fulfil at night, and he never forsook his right-handfriend. And if he was quiet in peace he was angry in battle, and Oisinhis son and Osgar his son's son followed him in that. There was a youngman of Ulster came and claimed kinship with them one time, saying theywere of the one blood. "If that is so, " said Oisin, "it is from the menof Ulster we took the madness and the angry heart we have in battle. ""That is so indeed, " said Finn. 

CHAPTER II. FINN'S HOUSEHOLD

And the number of the Fianna of Ireland at that time was seven score andten chief men, every one of them having three times nine righting menunder him. And every man of them was bound to three things, to take nocattle by oppression, not to refuse any man, as to cattle or riches; noone of them to fall back before nine fighting men. And there was no mantaken into the Fianna until his tribe and his kindred would givesecurities for him, that even if they themselves were all killed hewould not look for satisfaction for their death. But if he himself wouldharm others, that harm was not to be avenged on his people. And therewas no man taken into the Fianna till he knew the twelve books ofpoetry. And before any man was taken, he would be put into a deep holein the ground up to his middle, and he having his shield and a hazel rodin his hand. And nine men would go the length of ten furrows from himand would cast their spears at him at the one time. And if he got awound from one of them, he was not thought fit to join with the Fianna. And after that again, his hair would be fastened up, and he put to runthrough the woods of Ireland, and the Fianna following after him to trycould they wound him, and only the length of a branch between themselvesand himself when they started. And if they came up with him and woundedhim, he was not let join them; or if his spears had trembled in hishand, or if a branch of a tree had undone the plaiting of his hair, orif he had cracked a dry stick under his foot, and he running. And theywould not take him among them till he had made a leap over a stick theheight of himself, and till he had stooped under one the height of hisknee, and till he had taken a thorn out from his foot with his nail, and he running his fastest. But if he had done all these things, he wasof Finn's people. 

It was good wages Finn and the Fianna got at that time; in everydistrict a townland, in every house the fostering of a pup or a whelpfrom Samhain to Beltaine, and a great many things along with that. Butgood as the pay was, the hardships and the dangers they went through forit were greater. For they had to hinder the strangers and robbers frombeyond the seas, and every bad thing, from coming into Ireland. And theyhad hard work enough in doing that. 

And besides the fighting men, Finn had with him his five Druids, thebest that ever came into the west, Cainnelsciath, of the Shining Shield, one of them was, that used to bring down knowledge from the clouds inthe sky before Finn, and that could foretell battles. And he had hisfive wonderful physicians, four of them belonging to Ireland, and onethat came over the sea from the east. And he had his five high poets andhis twelve musicians, that had among them Daighre, son of Morna, andSuanach, son of Senshenn, that was Finn's teller of old stories, thesweetest that ever took a harp in his hand in Ireland or in Alban. Andhe had his three cup-bearers and his six door-keepers and hishorn-players and the stewards of his house and his huntsman, Comhrag ofthe five hundred hounds, and his serving-men that were underGarbhcronan, of the Rough Buzzing; and a great troop of others alongwith them. 

And there were fifty of the best sewing-women in Ireland broughttogether in a rath on Magh Feman, under the charge of a daughter of theKing of Britain, and they used to be making clothing for the Fiannathrough the whole of the year. And three of them, that were a king'sdaughters, used to be making music for the rest on a little silverharp; and there was a very great candlestick of stone in the middle ofthe rath, for they were not willing to kindle a fire more than threetimes in the year for fear the smoke and the ashes might harm theneedlework. 

And of all his musicians the one Finn thought most of was Cnu Deireoil, the Little Nut, that came to him from the Sidhe. 

It was at Slieve-nam-ban, for hunting, Finn was the time he came to him. Sitting down he was on the turf-built grave that is there; and when helooked around him he saw a small little man about four feet in heightstanding on the grass. Light yellow hair he had, hanging down to hiswaist, and he playing music on his harp. And the music he was making hadno fault in it at all, and it is much that the whole of the Fianna didnot fall asleep with the sweetness of its sound. He came up then, andput his hand in Finn's hand. "Where do you come from, little one, yourself and your sweet music?" said Finn. "I am come, " he said, "out ofthe place of the Sidhe in Slieve-nam-ban, where ale is drunk and made;and it is to be in your company for a while I am come here. " "You willget good rewards from me, and riches and red gold, " said Finn, "and myfull friendship, for I like you well. " "That is the best luck ever cameto you, Finn, " said all the rest of the Fianna, for they were wellpleased to have him in their company. And they gave him the name of theLittle Nut; and he was good in speaking, and he had so good a memory henever forgot anything he heard east or west; and there was no one butmust listen to his music, and all the Fianna liked him well. And therewere some said he was a son of Lugh Lamh-Fada, of the Long Hand. 

And the five musicians of the Fianna were brought to him, to learn themusic of the Sidhe he had brought from that other place; for there wasnever any music heard on earth but his was better. These were the threebest things Finn ever got, Bran and Sceolan that were without fault, andthe Little Nut from the House of the Sidhe in Slieve-nam-ban. 

CHAPTER III. BIRTH OF BRAN. 

This, now, is the story of the birth of Bran. 

Finn's mother, Muirne, came one time to Almhuin, and she brought withher Tuiren, her sister. And Iollan Eachtach, a chief man of the Fiannaof Ulster, was at Almhuin at the time, and he gave his love to Tuiren, and asked her in marriage, and brought her to his own house. But beforethey went, Finn made him gave his word he would bring her back safe andsound if ever he asked for her, and he bade him find sureties forhimself among the chief men of the Fianna. And Iollan did that, and thesureties he got were Caoilte and Goll and Lugaidh Lamha, and it wasLugaidh gave her into the hand of Iollan Eachtach. 

But before Iollan made that marriage, he had a sweetheart of the Sidhe, Uchtdealb of the Fair Breast; and there came great jealousy on her whenshe knew he had taken a wife. And she took the appearance of Finn'swoman-messenger, and she came to the house where Tuiren was, and shesaid: "Finn sends health and long life to you, queen, and he bids you tomake a great feast; and come with me now, " she said, "till I speak a fewwords with you, for there is hurry on me. "

So Tuiren went out with her, and when they were away from the house thewoman of the Sidhe took out her dark Druid rod from under her cloak andgave her a blow of it that changed her into a hound, the most beautifulthat was ever seen. And then she went on, bringing the hound with her, to the house of Fergus Fionnliath, king of the harbour of Gallimh. Andit is the way Fergus was, he was the most unfriendly man to dogs in thewhole world, and he would not let one stop in the same house with him. But it is what Uchtdealb said to him: "Finn wishes you life and health, Fergus, and he says to you to take good care of his hound till he comeshimself; and mind her well, " she said, "for she is with young, and donot let her go hunting when her time is near, or Finn will be no waythankful to you. " "I wonder at that message, " said Fergus, "for Finnknows well there is not in the world a man has less liking for dogs thanmyself. But for all that, " he said, "I will not refuse Finn the firsttime he sent a hound to me. "

And when he brought the hound out to try her, she was the best he everknew, and she never saw the wild creature she would not run down; andFergus took a great liking for hounds from that out. 

And when her time came near, they did not let her go hunting any more, and she gave birth to two whelps. 

And as to Finn, when he heard his mother's sister was not living withIollan Eachtach, he called to him for the fulfilment of the pledge thatwas given to the Fianna. And Iollan asked time to go looking for Tuiren, and he gave his word that if he did not find her, he would give himselfup in satisfaction for her. So they agreed to that, and Iollan went tothe hill where Uchtdealb was, his sweetheart of the Sidhe, and told herthe way things were with him, and the promise he had made to givehimself up to the Fianna. "If that is so, " said she, "and if you willgive me your pledge to keep me as your sweetheart to the end of yourlife, I will free you from that danger. " So Iollan gave her his promise, and she went to the house of Fergus Fionnliath, and she brought Tuirenaway and put her own shape on her again, and gave her up to Finn. AndFinn gave her to Lugaidh Lamha that asked her in marriage. 

And as to the two whelps, they stopped always with Finn, and the nameshe gave them were Bran and Sceolan. 

CHAPTER IV. OISIN'S MOTHER. 

It happened one time Finn and his men were coming back from the hunting, a beautiful fawn started up before them, and they followed after it, menand dogs, till at last they were all tired and fell back, all but Finnhimself and Bran and Sceolan. And suddenly as they were going through avalley, the fawn stopped and lay down on the smooth grass, and Bran andSceolan came up with it, and they did not harm it at all, but wentplaying about it, licking its neck and its face. 

There was wonder on Finn when he saw that, and he went on home toAlmhuin, and the fawn followed after him playing with the hounds, and itcame with them into the house at Almhuin. And when Finn was alone latethat evening, a beautiful young woman having a rich dress came beforehim, and she told him it was she herself was the fawn he was afterhunting that day. "And it is for refusing the love of Fear Doirche, theDark Druid of the Men of Dea, " she said, "I was put in this shape. Andthrough the length of three years, " she said, "I have lived the life ofa wild deer in a far part of Ireland, and I am hunted like a wild deer. And a serving-man of the Dark Druid took pity on me, " she said, "and hesaid that if I was once within the dun of the Fianna of Ireland, theDruid would have no more power over me. So I made away, and I neverstopped through the whole length of a day till I came into the districtof Almhuin. And I never stopped then till there was no one after me butonly Bran and Sceolan, that have human wits; and I was safe with them, for they knew my nature to be like their own. "

Then Finn gave her his love, and took her as his wife, and she stoppedin Almhuin. And so great was his love for her, he gave up his huntingand all the things he used to take pleasure in, and gave his mind to noother thing but herself. 

But at last the men of Lochlann came against Ireland, and their shipswere in the bay below Beinn Edair, and they landed there. 

And Finn and the battalions of the Fianna went out against them, anddrove them back. And at the end of seven days Finn came back home, andhe went quickly over the plain of Almhuin, thinking to see Sadbh hiswife looking out from the dun, but there was no sign of her. And when hecame to the dun, all his people came out to meet him, but they had avery downcast look. "Where is the flower of Almhuin, beautiful gentleSadbh?" he asked them. And it is what they said: "While you were awayfighting, your likeness, and the likeness of Bran and of Sceolanappeared before the dun, and we thought we heard the sweet call of theDord Fiann. And Sadbh, that was so good and so beautiful, came out ofthe house, " they said, "and she went out of the gates, and she would notlisten to us, and we could not stop her. " "Let me go meet my love, " shesaid, "my husband, the father of the child that is not born. " And withthat she went running out towards the shadow of yourself that was beforeher, and that had its arms stretched out to her. But no sooner did shetouch it than she gave a great cry, and the shadow lifted up a hazelrod, and on the moment it was a fawn was standing on the grass. Threetimes she turned and made for the gate of the dun, but the two houndsthe shadow had with him went after her and took her by the throat anddragged her back to him. "And by your hand of valour, Finn, " they said, "we ourselves made no delay till we went out on the plain after her. Butit is our grief, they had all vanished, and there was not to be seenwoman, or fawn or Druid, but we could hear the quick tread of feet onthe hard plain, and the howling of dogs. And if you would ask every oneof us in what quarter he heard those sounds, he would tell you adifferent one. "

When Finn heard that, he said no word at all, but he struck his breastover and over again with his shut hands. And he went then to his owninside room, and his people saw him no more for that day, or till thesun rose over Magh Lifé on the morrow. 

And through the length of seven years from that time, whenever he wasnot out fighting against the enemies of Ireland, he went searching andever searching in every far corner for beautiful Sadbh. And there wasgreat trouble on him all the time, unless he might throw it off for awhile in hunting or in battle. And through all that time he neverbrought out to any hunting but the five hounds he had most trust in, Bran and Sceolan and Lomaire and Brod and Lomluath, the way there wouldbe no danger for Sadbh if ever he came on her track. 

But after the end of seven years, Finn and some of his chief men werehunting on the sides of Beinn Gulbain, and they heard a great outcryamong the hounds, that were gone into some narrow place. And when theyfollowed them there, they saw the five hounds of Finn in a ring, andthey keeping back the other hounds, and in the middle of the ring was ayoung boy, with high looks, and he naked and having long hair. And hewas no way daunted by the noise of the hounds, and did not look at themat all, but at the men that were coming up. And as soon as the fight wasstopped Bran and Sceolan went up to the little lad, and whined andlicked him, that any one would think they had forgotten their master. Finn and the others came up to him then, and put their hands on hishead, and made much of him. And they brought him to their own huntingcabin, and he ate and drank with them, and before long he lost hiswildness and was the same as themselves. And as to Bran and Sceolan, they were never tired playing about him. 

And it is what Finn thought, there was some look of Sadbh in his face, and that it might be he was her son, and he kept him always beside him. And little by little when the boy had learned their talk, he told themall he could remember. He used to be with a deer he loved very much, hesaid, and that cared and sheltered him, and it was in a wide place theyused to be, having hills and valleys and streams and woods in it, butthat was shut in with high cliffs on every side, that there was no wayof escape from it. And he used to be eating fruits and roots in thesummer, and in the winter there was food left for him in the shelter ofa cave. And a dark-looking man used to be coming to the place, andsometimes he would speak to the deer softly and gently, and sometimeswith a loud angry voice. But whatever way he spoke, she would alwaysdraw away from him with the appearance of great dread on her, and theman would go away in great anger. And the last time he saw the deer, hismother, the dark man was speaking to her for a long time, from softnessto anger. And at the end he struck her with a hazel rod, and with thatshe was forced to follow him, and she looking back all the while at thechild, and crying after him that any one would pity her. And he triedhard to follow after her, and made every attempt, and cried out withgrief and rage, but he had no power to move, and when he could hear hismother no more he fell on the grass and his wits went from him. And whenhe awoke it is on the side of the hill he was, where the hounds foundhim. And he searched a long time for the place where he was brought up, but he could not find it. 

And the name the Fianna gave him was Oisin, and it is he was their makerof poems, and their good fighter afterwards. 

CHAPTER V. THE BEST MEN OF THE FIANNA

And while Oisin was in his young youth, Finn had other good men alongwith him, and the best of them were Goll, son of Morna, and Caoilte, sonof Ronan, and Lugaidh's Son. 

As to Goll, that was of Connacht, he was very tall and light-haired, andsome say he was the strongest of all the Fianna. Finn made a poem inpraise of him one time when some stranger was asking what sort he was, saying how hardy he was and brave in battle, and as strong as a hound oras the waves, and with all that so kind and so gentle, and open-handedand sweet-voiced, and faithful to his friends. 

And the chessboard he had was called the Solustairtech, the ShiningThing, and some of the chessmen were made of gold, and some of them ofsilver, and each one of them was as big as the fist of the biggest manof the Fianna; and after the death of Goll it was buried in SlieveBaune. 

And as to Caoilte, that was a grey thin man, he was the best runner ofthem all. And he did a good many great deeds; a big man of the Fomor hekilled one time, and he killed a five-headed giant in a wheeling door, and another time he made an end of an enchanted boar that no one elsecould get near, and he killed a grey stag that had got away from theFianna through twenty-seven years. And another time he brought Finn outof Teamhair, where he was kept by force by the High King, because ofsome rebellion the Fianna had stirred up. And when Caoilte heard Finnhad been brought away to Teamhair, he went out to avenge him. And thefirst he killed was Cuireach, a king of Leinster that had a great name, and he brought his head up to the hill that is above Buadhmaic. Andafter that he made a great rout through Ireland, bringing sorrow intoevery house for the sake of Finn, killing a man in every place, andkilling the calves with the cows. 

And every door the red wind from the east blew on, he would throw itopen, and go in and destroy all before him, setting fire to the fields, and giving the wife of one man to another. 

And when he came to Teamhair, he came to the palace, and took theclothes off the door-keeper, and he left his own sword that was wornthin in the king's sheath, and took the king's sword that had greatpower in it. And he went into the palace then in the disguise of aservant, to see how he could best free Finn. 

And when evening came Caoilte held the candle at the king's feast in thegreat hall, and after a while the king said: "You will wonder at what Itell you, Finn, that the two eyes of Caoilte are in my candlestick. " "Donot say that, " said Finn, "and do not put reproach on my people althoughI myself am your prisoner; for as to Caoilte, " he said, "that is not theway with him, for it is a high mind he has, and he only does highdeeds, and he would not stand serving with a candle for all the gold ofthe whole world. "

After that Caoilte was serving the King of Ireland with drink, and whenhe was standing beside him he gave out a high sorrowful lament. "Thereis the smell of Caoilte's skin on that lament, " said the king. And whenCaoilte saw he knew him he spoke out and he said: "Tell me what way Ican get freedom for my master. " "There is no way to get freedom for himbut by doing one thing, " said the king, "and that is a thing you cannever do. If you can bring me together a couple of all the wildcreatures of Ireland, " he said, "I will give up your master to youthen. "

When Caoilte heard him say that he made no delay, but he set out fromTeamhair, and went through the whole of Ireland to do that work for thesake of Finn. It is with the flocks of birds he began, though they werescattered in every part, and from them he went on to the beasts. And hegathered together two of every sort, two ravens from Fiodh da Bheann;two wild ducks from Loch na Seillein; two foxes from Slieve Cuilinn; twowild oxen from Burren; two swans from blue Dobhran; two owls from thewood of Faradhruim; two polecats from the branchy wood on the side ofDruim da Raoin, the Ridge of the Victories; two gulls from the strand ofLoch Leith; four woodpeckers from white Brosna; two plovers fromCarraigh Dhain; two thrushes from Leith Lomard; two wrens from DunAoibh; two herons from Corrain Cleibh; two eagles from Carraig of thestones; two hawks from Fiodh Chonnach; two sows from Loch Meilghe; twowater-hens from Loch Erne; two moor-hens from Monadh Maith; twosparrow-hawks from Dubhloch; two stonechats from Magh Cuillean; twotomtits from Magh Tuallainn; two swallows from Sean Abhla; twocormorants from Ath Cliath; two wolves from Broit Cliathach; twoblackbirds from the Strand of the Two Women; two roebucks from LuachairIre; two pigeons from Ceas Chuir; two nightingales from Leiter Ruadh;two starlings from green-sided Teamhair; two rabbits from Sith DubhDonn; two wild pigs from Cluaidh Chuir; two cuckoos from Drom Daibh; twolapwings from Leanain na Furraich; two woodcocks from Craobh Ruadh; twohawks from the Bright Mountain; two grey mice from Luimneach; two ottersfrom the Boinn; two larks from the Great Bog; two bats from the Cave ofthe Nuts; two badgers from the province of Ulster; two landrail from thebanks of the Sionnan; two wagtails from Port Lairrge; two curlews fromthe harbour of Gallimh; two hares from Muirthemne; two deer from SithBuidhe; two peacocks from Magh Mell; two cormorants from Ath Cliath; twoeels from Duth Dur; two goldfinches from Slieve na-n Eun; two birds ofslaughter from Magh Bhuilg; two bright swallows from Granard; tworedbreasts from the Great Wood; two rock-cod from Cala Chairge; twosea-pigs from the great sea; two wrens from Mios an Chuil; two salmonfrom Eas Mhic Muirne; two clean deer from Gleann na Smoil; two cows fromMagh Mor; two cats from the Cave of Cruachan; two sheep from brightSidhe Diobhlain; two pigs of the pigs of the son of Lir; a ram and acrimson sheep from Innis. 

And along with all these he brought ten hounds of the hounds of theFianna, and a horse and a mare of the beautiful horses of Manannan. 

And when Caoilte had gathered all these, he brought them to the oneplace. But when he tried to keep them together, they scattered here andthere from him; the raven went away southward, and that vexed himgreatly, but he overtook it again in Gleann da Bheann, beside LochLurcan. And then his wild duck went away from him, and it was not easyto get it again, but he followed it through every stream to grey Accuilltill he took it by the neck and brought it back, and it no way willing. 

And indeed through the length of his life Caoilte remembered well all hewent through that time with the birds, big and little, travelling overhills and ditches and striving to bring them with him, that he might setFinn his master free. 

And when he came to Teamhair he had more to go through yet, for the kingwould not let him bring them in before morning, but gave him a househaving nine doors in it to put them up in for the night. And no soonerwere they put in than they raised a loud screech all together, for alittle ray of light was coming to them through fifty openings, and theywere trying to make their escape. And if they were not easy in thehouse, Caoilte was not easy outside it, watching every door till therising of the sun on the morrow. 

And when he brought out his troop, the name the people gave them was"Caoilte's Rabble, " and there was no wonder at all in that. 

But all the profit the King of Ireland got from them was to see themtogether for that one time. For no sooner did Finn get his freedom thanthe whole of them scattered here and there, and no two of them went bythe same road out of Teamhair. 

And that was one of the best things Caoilte, son of Ronan, ever did. Andanother time he ran from the wave of Cliodna in the south to the wave ofRudraige in the north. And Colla his son was a very good runner too, andone time he ran a race backwards against the three battalions of theFianna for a chessboard. And he won the race, but if he did, he wentbackward over Beinn Edair into the sea. 

And very good hearing Caoilte had. One time he heard the King of theLuigne of Connacht at his hunting, and Blathmec that was with him said, "What is that hunt, Caoilte?" "A hunt of three packs of hounds, " hesaid, "and three sorts of wild creatures before them. The first hunt, "he said, "is after stags and large deer and the second hunt is afterswift small hares, and the third is a furious hunt after heavy boars. ""And what is the fourth hunt, Caoilte?" said Blathmec. "It is thehunting of heavy-sided, low-bellied badgers. " And then they heard comingafter the hunt the shouts of the lads and of the readiest of the men andthe serving-men that were best at carrying burdens. And Blathmec wentout to see the hunting, and just as Caoilte had told him, that was theway it was. 

And he understood the use of herbs, and one time he met with two womenthat were very downhearted because their husbands had gone from them totake other wives. And Caoilte gave them Druid herbs, and they put themin the water of a bath and washed in it, and the love of their husbandscame back to them, and they sent away the new wives they had taken. 

And as to Lugaidh's Son, that was of Finn's blood, and another of thebest men of the Fianna, he was put into Finn's arms as a child, and hewas reared up by Duban's daughter, that had reared eight hundredfighting men of the Fianna, till his twelfth year, and then she gave himall he wanted of arms and of armour, and he went to Chorraig Conluainand the mountains of Slieve Bladhma, where Finn and the Fianna were atthat time. 

And Finn gave him a very gentle welcome, and he struck his hand inFinn's hand, and made his agreement of service with him. And he stoppedthrough the length of a year with the Fianna; but he was somewaysluggish through all that time, so that under his leading not more thannine of the Fianna got to kill so much as a boar or a deer. And alongwith that, he used to beat both his servants and his hounds. 

And at last the three battalions of the Fianna went to where Finn was, at the Point of the Fianna on the edge of Loch Lein, and they made theircomplaint against Lugaidh's Son, and it is what they said: "Make yourchoice now, will you have us with you, or will you have Lugaidh's Son byhimself. "

Then Lugaidh's Son came to Finn, and Finn asked him, "What is it has putthe whole of the Fianna against you?" "By my word, " said the lad, "I donot know the reason, unless it might be they do not like me to be doingmy feats and casting my spears among them. "

Then Finn gave him an advice, and it is what he said: "If you have amind to be a good champion, be quiet in a great man's house; be surly inthe narrow pass. Do not beat your hound without a cause; do not bring acharge against your wife without having knowledge of her guilt; do nothurt a fool in fighting, for he is without his wits. Do not find faultwith high-up persons; do not stand up to take part in a quarrel; have nodealings with a bad man or a foolish man. Let two-thirds of yourgentleness be showed to women and to little children that are creepingon the floor, and to men of learning that make the poems, and do not berough with the common people. Do not give your reverence to all; do notbe ready to have one bed with your companions. Do not threaten or speakbig words, for it is a shameful thing to speak stiffly unless you cancarry it out afterwards. Do not forsake your lord so long as you live;do not give up any man that puts himself under your protection for allthe treasures of the world. Do not speak against others to their lord, that is not work for a good man. Do not be a bearer of lying stories, ora tale-bearer that is always chattering. Do not be talking too much; donot find fault hastily; however brave you may be, do not raise factionsagainst you. Do not be going to drinking-houses, or finding fault withold men; do not meddle with low people; this is right conduct I amtelling you. Do not refuse to share your meat; do not have a niggard foryour friend; do not force yourself on a great man or give him occasionto speak against you. Hold fast to your arms till the hard fight is wellended. Do not give up your opportunity, but with that follow aftergentleness. "

That was good advice Finn gave, and he was well able to do that; for itwas said of him that he had all the wisdom of a little child that isbusy about the house, and the mother herself not understanding what heis doing; and that is the time she has most pride in him. 

And as to Lugaidh's Son, that advice stayed always with him, and hechanged his ways, and after a while he got a great name among the poetsof Ireland and of Alban, and whenever they would praise Finn in theirpoems, they would praise him as well. 

And Aoife, daughter of the King of Lochlann, that was married to Mal, son of Aiel, King of Alban, heard the great praise the poets were givingto Lugaidh's Son, and she set her love on him for the sake of thosestories. 

And one time Mal her husband and his young men went hunting toSlieve-mor-Monaidh in the north of Alban. And when he was gone Aoifemade a plan in her sunny house where she was, to go over to Ireland, herself and her nine foster-sisters. And they set out and went over themanes of the sea till they came to Beinn Edair, and there they landed. 

And it chanced on that day there was a hunting going on, from SlieveBladhma to Beinn Edair. And Finn was in his hunting seat, and hisfosterling, brown-haired Duibhruinn, beside him. And the little lad waslooking about him on every side, and he saw a ship coming to thestrand, and a queen with modest looks in the ship, and nine women alongwith her. They landed then, and they came up to where Finn was, bringingevery sort of present with them, and Aoife sat down beside him. And Finnasked news of her, and she told him the whole story, and how she hadgiven her love to Lugaidh's Son, and was come over the sea looking forhim; and Finn made her welcome. 

And when the hunting was over, the chief men of the Fianna came back towhere Finn was, and every one asked who was the queen that was with him. And Finn told them her name, and what it was brought her to Ireland. "Wewelcome her that made that journey, " said they all; "for there is not inIreland or in Alban a better man than the man she is come looking for, unless Finn himself. "

And as to Lugaidh's Son, it was on the far side of Slieve Bladhma he washunting that day, and he was the last to come in. And he went intoFinn's tent, and when he saw the woman beside him he questioned Finn thesame as the others had done, and Finn told him the whole story. "And itis to you she is come, " he said; "and here she is to you out of my hand, and all the war and the battles she brings with her; but it will notfall heavier on you, " he said, "than on the rest of the Fianna. "

And she was with Lugaidh's Son a month and a year without being askedfor. But one day the three battalions of the Fianna were on the Hill ofthe Poet in Leinster, and they saw three armed battalions equal tothemselves coming, against them, and they asked who was bringing them. "It is Mal, son of Aiel, is bringing them, " said Finn, "to avenge hiswife on the Fianna. And it is a good time they are come, " he said, "whenwe are gathered together at the one spot. "

Then the two armies went towards one another, and Mal, son of Aiel, took hold of his arms, and three times he broke through the Fianna, andevery time a hundred fell by him. And in the middle of the battle he andLugaidh's Son met, and they fought against one another with spear andsword. And whether the fight was short or long, it was Mal fell byLugaidh's Son at the last. 

And Aoife stood on a hill near by, as long as the battle lasted. Andfrom that out she belonged to Lugaidh's Son, and was a mother ofchildren to him. 

BOOK TWO: FINN'S HELPERS

CHAPTER I. THE LAD OF THE SKINS

Besides all the men Finn had in his household, there were some thatwould come and join him from one place or another. One time a young manwearing a dress of skins came to Finn's house at Almhuin, and his wifealong with him, and he asked to take service with Finn. 

And in the morning, as they were going to their hunting, the Lad of theSkins said to Finn: "Let me have no one with me but myself, and let mego into one part of the country by myself, and you yourself with allyour men go to another part. " "Is it on the dry ridges you will go, "said Finn, "or is it in the deep bogs and marshes, where there is dangerof drowning?" "I will go in the deep boggy places, " said he. 

So they all went out from Almhuin, Finn and the Fianna to one part, andthe Lad of the Skins to another part, and they hunted through the day. And when they came back at evening, the Lad of the Skins had killed morethan Finn and all his men together. 

When Finn saw that, he was glad to have so good a servant. But Conansaid to him: "The Lad of the Skins will destroy ourselves and the wholeof the Fianna of Ireland unless you will find some way to rid yourselfof him. " "I never had a good man with me yet, Conan, " said Finn, "butyou wanted me to put him away; and how could I put away a man likethat?" he said. "The way to put him away, " said Conan, "is to send himto the King of the Floods to take from him the great cauldron that isnever without meat, but that has always enough in it to feed the wholeworld. And let him bring that cauldron back here with him to Almhuin, "he said. 

So Finn called to the Lad of the Skins, and he said: "Go from me now tothe King of the Floods and get the great cauldron that is never emptyfrom him, and bring it here to me. " "So long as I am in your service Imust do your work, " said the Lad of the Skins. With that he set out, leaping over the hills and valleys till he came to the shore of the sea. And then he took up two sticks and put one of them across the other, anda great ship rose out of the two sticks. The Lad of the Skins went intothe ship then, and put up the sails and set out over the sea, and heheard nothing but the whistling of eels in the sea and the calling ofgulls in the air till he came to the house of the King of the Floods. And at that time there were hundreds of ships waiting near the shore;and he left his ship outside them all, and then he stepped from ship toship till he stood on land. 

There was a great feast going on at that time in the king's house, andthe Lad of the Skins went up to the door, but he could get no fartherbecause of the crowd. So he stood outside the door for a while, and noone looked at him, and he called out at last: "This is a hospitablehouse indeed, and these are mannerly ways, not to ask a stranger ifthere is hunger on him or thirst. " "That is true, " said the king; "andgive the cauldron of plenty now to this stranger, " he said, "till heeats his fill. "

So his people did that, and no sooner did the Lad of the Skins get ahold of the cauldron than he made away to the ship and put it safe intoit. But when he had done that he said: "There is no use in taking thepot by my swiftness, if I do not take it by my strength. " And with thathe turned and went to land again. And the whole of the men of the armyof the King of the Floods were ready to fight; but if they were, so wasthe Lad of the Skins, and he went through them and over them all tillthe whole place was quiet. 

He went back to his ship then and raised the sails and set out againfor Ireland, and the ship went rushing back to the place where he madeit. And when he came there, he gave a touch of his hand to the ship, andthere was nothing left of it but the two sticks he made it from, andthey lying on the strand before him, and the cauldron of plenty withthem. And he took up the cauldron on his back, and brought it to Finn, son of Cumhal, at Almhuin. And Finn gave him his thanks for the work hehad done. 

One day, now, Finn was washing himself at the well, and a voice spokeout of the water, and it said: "You must give back the cauldron, Finn, to the King of the Floods, or you must give him battle in place of it. "

Finn told that to the Lad of the Skins, but the answer he got from himwas that his time was up, and that he could not serve on time that waspast. "But if you want me to go with you, " he said, "let you watch mywife, that is Manannan's daughter, through the night; and in the middleof the night, when she will be combing her hair, any request you make ofher, she cannot refuse it. And the request you will make is that shewill let me go with you to the King of the Floods, to bring the cauldronto his house and to bring it back again. "

So Finn watched Manannan's daughter through the night, and when he sawher combing her hair, he made his request of her. "I have no power torefuse you, " she said; "but you must promise me one thing, to bring myhusband back to me, alive or dead. And if he is alive, " she said, "putup a grey-green flag on the ship coming back; but if he is dead, put upa red flag. "

So Finn promised to do that, and he himself and the Lad of the Skins setout together for the dun of the King of the Floods, bringing thecauldron with them. 

No sooner did the king see them than he gave word to all his armies tomake ready. But the Lad of the Skins made for them and overthrew them, and he went into the king's dun, and Finn with him, and they overcamehim and brought away again the cauldron that was never empty. 

But as they were going back to Ireland, they saw a great ship comingtowards them. And when the Lad of the Skins looked at the ship, he said:"I think it is an old enemy of my own is in that ship, that is trying tobring me to my death, because of my wife that refused him her love. " Andwhen the ship came alongside, the man that was in it called out: "I knowyou well, and it is not by your dress I know you, son of the King of theHills. " And with that he made a leap on to the ship, and the two foughta great battle together, and they took every shape; they began younglike two little boys, and fought till they were two old men; they foughtfrom being two young pups until they were two old dogs; from being twoyoung horses till they were two old horses. And then they began to fightin the shape of birds, and it is in that shape they killed one anotherat the last. And Finn threw the one bird into the water, but the other, that was the Lad of the Skins, he brought with him in the ship. And whenhe came in sight of Ireland, he raised a red flag as he had promised thewoman. 

And when he came to the strand, she was there before him, and when shesaw Finn, she said: "It is dead you have brought him back to me. " AndFinn gave her the bird, and she asked was that what she was to get inthe place of her husband. And she was crying over the bird, and shebrought it into a little boat with her, and she bade Finn to push outthe boat to sea. 

And he pushed it out, and it was driven by wind and waves till at lastshe saw two birds flying, having a dead one between them. And the twoliving birds let down the dead one on an island; and it was not longtill it rose up living, and the three went away together. 

And when Manannan's daughter saw that, she said: "There might be somecure for my man on the island, the way there was for that dead bird. "

And the sea brought the boat to the island, and she went searchingaround, but all she could find was a tree having green leaves. "It mightbe in these leaves the cure is, " she said; and she took some of theleaves and brought them to where the Lad of the Skins was, and put themabout him. And on that moment he stood up as well and as sound as everhe was. 

They went back then to Ireland, and they came to Almhuin at midnight, and the Lad of the Skins knocked at the door, and he said: "Put me outmy wages. " "There is no man, living or dead, has wages on me but the Ladof the Skins, " said Finn; "and I would sooner see him here to-night, " hesaid, "than the wages of three men. " "If that is so, rise up and youwill see him, " said he. 

So Finn rose up and saw him, and gave him a great welcome, and paid himhis wages. 

And after that he went away and his wife with him to wherever his owncountry was; but there were some said he was gone to the country of hiswife's father, Manannan, Son of the Sea. 

CHAPTER II. BLACK, BROWN, AND GREY

Finn was hunting one time near Teamhair of the Kings, and he saw threestrange men coming towards him, and he asked what were their names. "Dubh and Dun and Glasan, Black, Brown, and Grey, are our names, " theysaid, "and we are come to find Finn, son of Cumhal, Head of the Fianna, and to take service with him. "

So Finn took them into his service, and when evening came he said: "Leteach one of you watch through a third part of the night. " And there wasa trunk of a tree there, and he bade them make three equal parts of it, and he gave a part to each of the three men, and he said: "When each oneof you begins his watch, let him set fire to his own log, and as long asthe wood burns let him watch. "

Then they drew lots, and the lot fell to Dubh to go on the first watch. So he set fire to his log, and he went out around the place, and Branwith him. He went farther and farther till at last he saw a brightlight, and when he came to the place where it was, he saw a large house. He went inside, and there was a great company of very strange-lookingmen in it, and they drinking out of a single cup. One of the men, thatseemed to be the highest, gave the cup to the man nearest him; and afterhe had drunk his fill he passed it on to the next, and so on to thelast. And while it was going round, he said: "This is the great cup thatwas taken from Finn, son of Cumhal, a hundred years ago, and howevermany men may be together, every man of them can drink his fill from it, of whatever sort of drink he has a mind for. "

Dubh was sitting near the door, on the edge of the crowd, and when thecup came to him he took a drink from it, and then he slipped away in thedark, bringing it with him. And when he came to the place where Finnwas, his log was burned out. 

Then it was the turn of Dun to go out, for the second lot had fallen onhim, and he put a light to his log, and went out, and Bran with him. 

He walked on through the night till he saw a fire that was shining froma large house, and when he went in he saw a crowd of men, and theyfighting. And a very old man that was in a high place above the restcalled out: "Stop fighting now, for I have a better gift for you thanthe one you lost to-night. " And with that he drew a knife out of hisbelt and held it up, and said: "This is the wonderful knife, the smallknife of division, that was stolen from Finn, son of Cumhal, a hundredyears ago; and you have but to cut on a bone with that knife and youwill get your fill of the best meat in the world. " Then he gave theknife to the man nearest him, and a bare bone with it, and the man beganto cut, and there came off the bone slices of the best meat in theworld. 

The knife and the bone were sent round then from man to man till theycame to Dun, and as soon as he had the knife in his hand he slipped outunknown and hurried back, and he had just got to the well where Finnwas, when his part of the log burned out. 

Then Glasan lighted his log and went out on his watch till he came tothe house, the same way the others did. And he looked in and he saw thefloor full of dead bodies, and he thought to himself: "There must besome great wonder here. And if I lie down on the floor and put some ofthe bodies over me, " he said, "I will be able to see all that happens. "

So he lay down and pulled some of the bodies over him, and he was notlong there till he saw an old hag coming into the house, having one legand one arm and one upper tooth, that was long enough to serve her inplace of a crutch. And when she came inside the door she took up thefirst dead body she met with, and threw it aside, for it was lean. Andas she went on, she took two bites out of every fat body she met with, and threw away every lean one. 

She had her fill of flesh and blood before she came to Glasan, and shedropped down on the floor and fell asleep, and Glasan thought that everybreath she drew would bring down the roof on his head. He rose up thenand looked at her, and wondered at the bulk of her body. And at last hedrew his sword and hit her a slash that killed her; but if he did, threeyoung men leaped out of her body. And Glasan made a stroke that killedthe first of them, and Bran killed the second, but the third made hisescape. 

Glasan made his way back then, and just when he got to where Finn was, his log of wood was burned out, and the day was beginning to break. 

And when Finn rose up in the morning he asked news of the threewatchers, and they gave him the cup and the knife and told him all theyhad seen, and he gave great praise to Dubh and to Dun; but to Glasan hesaid: "It might have been as well for you to have left that old hagalone, for I am in dread the third young man may bring trouble on usall. "

It happened at the end of twenty-one years, Finn and the Fianna were attheir hunting in the hills, and they saw a Red-Haired Man comingtowards them, and he spoke to no one, but came and stood before Finn. "What is it you are looking for?" said Finn. "I am looking for a masterfor the next twenty-one years, " he said. "What wages are you asking?"said Finn. "No wages at all, but only if I die before the twenty-oneyears are up, to bury me on Inis Caol, the Narrow Island. " "I will dothat for you, " said Finn. 

So the Red-Haired Man served Finn well through the length of twentyyears. But in the twenty-first year he began to waste and to witheraway, and he died. 

And when he was dead, the Fianna were no way inclined to go to Inis Caolto bury him. But Finn said he would break his word for no man, and thathe himself would bring his body there. And he took an old white horsethat had been turned loose on the hills, and that had got younger andnot older since it was put out, and he put the body of the Red-HairedMan on its back, and let it take its own way, and he himself followedit, and twelve men of the Fianna. 

And when they came to Inis Caol they saw no trace of the horse or of thebody. And there was an open house on the island, and they went in. Andthere were seats for every man of them inside, and they sat down to restfor a while. 

But when they tried to rise up it failed them to do it, for there wasenchantment on them. And they saw the Red-Haired Man standing beforethem in that moment. 

"The time is come now, " he said, "for me to get satisfaction from youfor the death of my mother and my two brothers that were killed byGlasan in the house of the dead bodies. " He began to make an attack onthem then, and he would have made an end of them all, but Finn tookhold of the Dord Fiann, and blew a great blast on it. 

And before the Red-Haired Man was able to kill more than three of them, Diarmuid, grandson of Duibhne, that had heard the sound of the DordFiann, came into the house and made an end of him, and put an end to theenchantment. And Finn, with the nine that were left of the Fianna, cameback again to Almhuin. 

CHAPTER III. THE HOUND

One day the three battalions of the Fianna came to Magh Femen, and therethey saw three young men waiting for them, having a hound with them; andthere was not a colour in the world but was on that hound, and it wasbigger than any other hound. 

"Where do you come from, young men?" said Finn. "Out of the greaterIruath in the east, " said they; "and our names are Dubh, the Dark, andAgh, the Battle, and Ilar, the Eagle. " "What is it you came for?" "Toenter into service, and your friendship, " said they. "What good will itdo us, you to be with us?" said Finn. "We are three, " said they, "andyou can make a different use of each one of us. " "What uses are those?"said Finn. "I will do the watching for all the Fianna of Ireland and ofAlban, " said one of them. "I will take the weight of every fight andevery battle that will come to them, the way they can keep themselves inquiet, " said the second. "I will meet every troublesome thing that mightcome to my master, " said the third; "and let all the wants of the worldbe told to me and I will satisfy them. And I have a pipe with me, " hesaid; "and all the men of the world would sleep at the sound of it, andthey in their sickness. And as to the hound, " he said, "as long as thereare deer in Ireland he will get provision for the Fianna every secondnight. And I myself, " he said, "will get it on the other nights. " "Whatwill you ask of us to be with us like that?" said Finn. "We will askthree things, " they said: "no one to come near to the place where wehave our lodging after the fall of night; nothing to be given out to us, but we to provide for ourselves; and the worst places to be given to usin the hunting. " "Tell me by your oath now, " said Finn, "why is it youwill let no one see you after nightfall?" "We have a reason, " said they;"but do not ask it of us, whether we are short or long on the one pathwith you. But we will tell you this much, " they said, "every thirdnight, one of us three is dead and the other two are watching him, andwe have no mind for any one to be looking at us. "

So Finn promised that; but if he did there were some of the Fianna werenot well pleased because of the ways of those three men, living as theydid by themselves, and having a wall of fire about them, and they wouldhave made an end of them but for Finn protecting them. 

About that time there came seven men of poetry belonging to the peopleof Cithruadh, asking the fee for a poem, three times fifty ounces ofgold and the same of silver to bring back to Cithruadh at Teamhair. "Whatever way we get it, we must find some way to get that, " said a manof the Fianna. Then the three young men from Iruath said: "Well, men oflearning, " they said, "would you sooner get the fee for your poemto-night or to-morrow?" "To-morrow will be time enough, " said they. 

And the three young men went to the place where the hound had his bed alittle way off from the rath, and the hound threw out of his mouthbefore them the three times fifty ounces of gold and three times fiftyof silver, and they gave them to the men of poetry, and they went away. 

Another time Finn said: "What can the three battalions of the Fianna doto-night, having no water?" And one of the men of Iruath said: "How manydrinking-horns are with you?" "Three hundred and twelve, " said Caoilte. "Give me the horns into my hand, " said the young man, "and whatever youwill find in them after that, you may drink it. " He filled the hornsthen with beer and they drank it, and he did that a second and a thirdtime; and with the third time of filling they were talkative and theirwits confused. "This is a wonderful mending of the feast, " said Finn. And they gave the place where all that happened the name of the LittleRath of Wonders. 

And one time after that again there came to Finn three bald red clowns, holding three red hounds in their hands, and three deadly spears. Andthere was poison on their clothes and on their hands and their feet, andon everything they touched. And Finn asked them who were they. And theysaid they were three sons of Uar, son of Indast of the Tuatha de Danaan;and it was by a man of the Fianna, Caoilte son of Ronan, their fatherwas killed in the battle of the Tuatha de Danaan on Slieve nan Ean, theMountain of Birds, in the east. "And let Caoilte son of Ronan give usthe blood-fine for him now, " they said. "What are your names?" saidFinn. "Aincel and Digbail and Espaid; Ill-wishing and Harm and Want areour names. And what answer do you give us now, Finn?" they said. "No onebefore me ever gave a blood-fine for a man killed in battle, and I willnot give it, " said Finn. "We will do revenge and robbery on you so, "said they. "What revenge is that?" said Finn. "It is what I will do, "said Aincel, "if I meet with two or three or four of the Fianna, I willtake their feet and their hands from them. " "It is what I will do, "said Digbail, "I will not leave a day without loss of a hound or aserving-boy or a fighting man to the Fianna of Ireland. " "And I myselfwill be always leaving them in want of people, or of a hand, or of aneye, " said Espaid. "Without we get some help against them, " saidCaoilte, "there will not be one of us living at the end of a year. ""Well, " said Finn, "we will make a dun and stop here for a while, for Iwill not be going through Ireland and these men following after me, tillI find who are the strongest, themselves or ourselves. "

So the Fianna made little raths for themselves all about Slieve Mis, andthey stopped there through a month and a quarter and a year. And throughall that time the three red bald-headed men were doing every sort ofhurt and harm upon them. 

But the three sons of the King of Iruath came to speak with Finn, and itis what they said: "It is our wish, Finn, to send the hound that is withus to go around you three times in every day, and however many may betrying to hurt or to rob you, they will not have power to do it afterthat. But let there be neither fire nor arms nor any other dog in thehouse he goes into, " they said. "I will let none of these things go intothe one house with him, " said Finn, "and he will go safe back to you. "So every day the hound would be sent to Finn, having his chain of ridgesof red gold around his neck, and he would go three times around Finn, and three times he would put his tongue upon him. And to the people thatwere nearest to the hound when he came into the house it would seem likeas if a vat of mead was being strained, and to others there would comethe sweet smell of an apple garden. 

And every harm and sickness the three sons of Uar would bring on theFianna, the three sons of the King of Iruath would take it off themwith their herbs and their help and their healing. 

And after a while the High King of Ireland came to Slieve Mis with agreat, troop of his men, to join with Finn and the Fianna. And they toldthe High King the whole story, and how the sons of Uar were destroyingthem, and the three sons of the King of Iruath were helping them againstthem. "Why would not the men that can do all that find some good spellthat would drive the sons of Uar out of Ireland?" said the High King. 

With that Caoilte went looking for the three young men from Iruath andbrought them to the High King. "These are comely men, " said the HighKing, "good in their shape and having a good name. And could you findany charm, my sons, " he said, "that will drive out these three enemiesthat are destroying the Fianna of Ireland?" "We would do that if wecould find those men near us, " said they; "and it is where they arenow, " they said, "at Daire's Cairn at the end of the raths. " "Where areGarb-Cronan, the Rough Buzzing One, and Saltran of the Long Heel?" saidFinn. "Here we are, King of the Fianna, " said they. "Go out to those menbeyond, and tell them I will give according to the judgment of the Kingof Ireland in satisfaction for their father. " The messengers went outthen and brought them in, and they sat down on the bank of the rath. 

Then the High King said: "Rise up, Dubh, son of the King of Iruath, andcommand these sons of Uar with a spell to quit Ireland. " And Dubh roseup, and he said: "Go out through the strength of this spell and thischarm, you three enemies of the Fianna, one-eyed, lame-thighed, left-handed, of the bad race. And go out on the deep bitter sea, " hesaid, "and let each one of you strike a blow of his sword on the headof his brothers. For it is long enough you are doing harm anddestruction on the King of the Fianna, Finn, son of Cumhal. "

With that the hound sent a blast of wind under them that brought themout into the fierce green sea, and each of them struck a blow on thehead of the others. And that was the last that was seen of the threedestroying sons of Uar, Aincel and Digbail and Espaid. 

But after the time of the Fianna, there came three times in the oneyear, into West Munster, three flocks of birds from the western seahaving beaks of bone and fiery breath, and the wind from their wings wasas cold as a wind of spring. And the first time they came was at reapingtime, and every one of them brought away an ear of corn from the field. And the next time they came they did not leave apple on tree, or nut onbush, or berry on the rowan; and the third time they spared no livething they could lift from the ground, young bird or fawn or sillylittle child. And the first day they came was the same day of the yearthe three sons of Uar were put out in the sea. 

And when Caoilte, that was one of the last of the Fianna, and that wasliving yet, heard of them, he remembered the sons of Uar, and he made aspell that drove them out into the sea again, and they perished there byone another. 

It was about the length of a year the three sons of the King of Iruathstopped with Finn. And at the end of that time Donn and Dubhan, two sonsof the King of Ulster, came out of the north to Munster. And one nightthey kept watch for the Fianna, and three times they made a round of thecamp. And it is the way the young men from Iruath used to be, in a placeby themselves apart from the Fianna, and their hound in the middlebetween them; and at the fall of night there used a wall of fire to bearound them, the way no one could look at them. 

And the third time the sons of the King of Ulster made the round of thecamp, they saw the fiery wall, and Donn said: "It is a wonder the waythose three young men are through the length of a year now, and theirhound along with them, and no one getting leave to look at them. "

With that he himself and his brother took their arms in their hands, andwent inside the wall of fire, and they began looking at the three menand at the hound. And the great hound they used to see every day at thehunting was at this time no bigger than a lap-dog that would be with aqueen or a high person. And one of the young men was watching over thedog, and his sword in his hand, and another of them was holding a vesselof white silver to the mouth of the dog; and any drink any one of thethree would ask for, the dog would put it out of his mouth into thevessel. 

Then one of the young men said to the hound: "Well, noble one and braveone and just one, take notice of the treachery that is done to you byFinn. " When the dog heard that he turned to the King of Ulster's sons, and there rose a dark Druid wind that blew away the shields from theirshoulders and the swords from their sides into the wall of fire. Andthen the three men came out and made an end of them; and when that wasdone the dog came and breathed on them, and they turned to ashes on themoment, and there was never blood or flesh or bone of them found after. 

And the three battalions of the Fianna divided themselves into companiesof nine, and went searching through every part of Ireland for the Kingof Ulster's two sons. 

And as to Finn, he went to Teamhair Luachra, and no one with him but theserving-lads and the followers of the army. And the companies of ninethat were looking for the King of Ulster's sons came back to him therein the one night; but they brought no word of them, if they were dead orliving. 

But as to the three sons of the King of Iruath and the hound that waswith them, they were seen no more by Finn and the Fianna. 

CHAPTER IV. RED RIDGE

There was another young man came and served Finn for a while; out ofConnacht he came, and he was very daring, and the Red Ridge was the namethey gave him. And he all but went from Finn one time, because of hiswages that were too long in coming to him. And the three battalions ofthe Fianna came trying to quiet him, but he would not stay for them. Andat the last Finn himself came, for it is a power he had, if he wouldmake but three verses he would quiet any one. And it is what he said:"Daring Red Ridge, " he said, "good in battle, if you go from me to-daywith your great name it is a good parting for us. But once at Rath Cro, "he said, "I gave you three times fifty ounces in the one day; and at CamRuidhe I gave you the full of my cup of silver and of yellow gold. Anddo you remember, " he said, "the time we were at Rath Ai, when we foundthe two women, and when we ate the nuts, myself and yourself were theretogether. "

And after that the young man said no more about going from him. 

And another helper came to Finn one time he was fighting at a ford, andall his weapons were used or worn with the dint of the fight. And therecame to him a daughter of Mongan of the Sidhe, bringing him a flat stonehaving a chain of gold to it. And he took the stone and did great deedswith it. And after the fight the stone fell into the ford, that got thename of Ath Liag Finn. 

And that stone will never be found till the Woman of the Waves will findit, and will bring it to land on a Sunday morning; and on that day sevenyears the world will come to an end. 

BOOK THREE: THE BATTLE OF THE WHITE STRAND. 

CHAPTER I. THE ENEMIES OF IRELAND

Of all the great battles the Fianna fought to keep the foreigners out ofIreland, the greatest was the one that was fought at Finntraigh theWhite Strand, in Munster; and this is the whole story of it, and of theway the Fianna came to have so great a name. 

One time the enemies of Ireland gathered together under Daire Donn, HighKing of the Great World, thinking to take Ireland and to put it undertribute. 

The King of Greece was of them, and the King of France, and the King ofthe Eastern World, and Lughman of the Broad Arms, King of the Saxons, and Fiacha of the Long Hair, King of the Gairean, and Tor the son ofBreogan, King of the Great Plain, and Sligech, son of the King of theMen of Cepda, and Comur of the Crooked Sword, King of the Men of theDog-Heads, and Caitchenn, King of the Men of the Cat-Heads, and Caiselof the Feathers, King of Lochlann, and Madan of the Bent Neck, son ofthe King of the Marshes, and three kings from the rising of the sun inthe east, and Ogarmach, daughter of the King of Greece, the bestwoman-warrior that ever came into the world, and a great many otherkings and great lords. 

The King of the World asked then: "Who is there can give me knowledge ofthe harbours of Ireland?" "I will do that for you, and I will bring youto a good harbour, " said Glas, son of Bremen, that had been put out ofIreland by Finn for doing some treachery. 

Then the armies set out in their ships, and they were not gone far whenthe wind rose and the waves, and they could hear nothing but the wildplaying of the sea-women, and the screams of frightened birds, and thebreaking of ropes and of sails. But after a while, when the wind foundno weakness in the heroes, it rose from them and went up into its ownhigh place. And then the sea grew quiet and the waves grew tame and theharbours friendly, and they stopped for a while at an island that wascalled the Green Rock. But the King of the World said then: "It is not aharbour like this you promised me, Glas, son of Dremen, but a shore ofwhite sand where my armies could have their fairs and their gatheringsthe time they would not be fighting. " "I know a harbour of that sort inthe west of Ireland, " said Glas, "the Harbour of the White Strand inCorca Duibhne. " So they went into their ships again, and went on overthe sea towards Ireland. 

CHAPTER II. CAEL AND CREDHE

Now as to Finn, when it was shown to him that the enemies of Irelandwere coming, he called together the seven battalions of the Fianna. Andthe place where they gathered was on the hill that was calledFionntulach, the White Hill, in Munster. They often stopped on that hillfor a while, and spear-shafts with spells on them were brought to themthere, and they had every sort of thing for food, beautifulblackberries, haws of the hawthorn, nuts of the hazels of Cenntire, tender twigs of the bramble bush, sprigs of wholesome gentian, watercress at the beginning of summer. And there would be brought totheir cooking-pots birds out of the oak-woods, and squirrels fromBerramain, and speckled eggs from the cliffs, and salmon out ofLuimnech, and eels of the Sionnan, and woodcocks of Fidhrinne, andotters from the hidden places of the Doile, and fish from the coasts ofBuie and Beare, and dulse from the bays of Cleire. 

And as they were going to set out southwards, they saw one of theiryoung men, Gael, grandson of Nemhnain, coming towards them. "Where areyou come from, Cael?" Finn asked him. "From Brugh na Boinne, " said he. "What were you asking there?" said Finn. "I was asking to speak withMuirenn, daughter of Derg, that was my own nurse, " said he. "For whatcause?" said Finn. "It was about a high marriage and a woman of theSidhe that was showed to me in a dream; Credhe it was I saw, daughter ofthe King of Ciarraighe Luachra. " "Do you know this, Cael, " said Finn, "that she is the greatest deceiver of all the women of Ireland; andthere is hardly a precious thing in Ireland but she has coaxed it awayto her own great dun. " "Do you know what she asks of every man thatcomes asking for her?" said Cael. "I know it, " said Finn; "she will letno one come unless he is able to make a poem setting out the report ofher bowls and her horns and her cups, her grand vessels and all herpalaces. " "I have all that ready, " said Cael; "it was given to me by mynurse, Muirenn, daughter of Derg. "

They gave up the battle then for that time, and they went on over everyhilly place and every stony place till they came to Loch Cuire in thewest; and they came to the door of the hill of the Sidhe and knocked atit with the shafts of their long gold-socketted spears. And there cameyoung girls having yellow hair to the windows of the sunny houses; andCredhe herself, having three times fifty women with her, came out tospeak with them. "It is to ask you in marriage we are come, " said Finn. "Who is it is asking for me?" said she. "It is Cael, the hundred-killer, grandson of Nemhnain, son of the King of Leinster in the east. " "I haveheard talk of him, but I have never seen him, " said Credhe. "And has heany poem for me?" she said. "I have that, " said Cael, and he rose upthen and sang his poem:

"A journey I have to make, and it is no easy journey, to the house ofCredhe against the breast of the mountain, at the Paps of Dana; it isthere I must be going through hardships for the length of seven days. Itis pleasant her house is, with men and boys and women, with Druids andmusicians, with cup-bearer and door-keeper, with horse-boy that does notleave his work, with distributer to share food; and Credhe of the FairHair having command over them all. 

"It would be delightful to me in her dun, with coverings and with down, if she has but a mind to listen to me. 

"A bowl she has with juice of berries in it to make her eyebrows black;crystal vats of fermenting grain; beautiful cups and vessels. Her houseis of the colour of lime; there are rushes for beds, and many silkencoverings and blue cloaks; red gold is there, and bright drinking-horns. Her sunny house is beside Loch Cuire, made of silver and yellow gold;its ridge is thatched without any fault, with the crimson wings ofbirds. The doorposts are green, the lintel is of silver taken in battle. Credhe's chair on the left is the delight of delights, covered with goldof Elga; at the foot of the pleasant bed it is, the bed that was made ofprecious stones by Tuile in the east. Another bed there is on the right, of gold and silver, it is made without any fault, curtains it has of thecolour of the foxglove, hanging on rods of copper. 

"The people of her house, it is they have delight, their cloaks are notfaded white, they are not worn smooth; their hair is fair and curling. Wounded men in their blood would sleep hearing the birds of the Sidhesinging in the eaves of the sunny house. 

"If I have any thanks to give to Credhe, for whom the cuckoo calls, shewill get better praise than this; if this love-service I have done ispleasing to her, let her not delay, let her say, 'Your coming iswelcome to me. '

"A hundred feet there are in her house, from one corner to another;twenty feet fully measured is the width of her great door; her roof hasits thatch of the wings of blue and yellow birds, the border of her wellis of crystals and carbuncles. 

"There is a vat there of royal bronze; the juice of pleasant malt isrunning from it; over the vat is an apple-tree with its heavy fruit;when Credhe's horn is filled from the vat, four apples fall into ittogether. 

"She that owns all these things both at low water and at flood, Credhefrom the Hill of the Three Peaks, she is beyond all the women of Irelandby the length of a spear-cast. 

"Here is this song for her, it is no sudden bride-gift it is, no hurriedasking; I bring it to Credhe of the beautiful shape, that my coming maybe very bright to her. "

Then Credhe took him for her husband, and the wedding-feast was made, and the whole of the Fianna stopped there through seven days, atdrinking and pleasure, and having every good thing. 

CHAPTER III. CONN CRITHER

Finn now, when he had turned from his road to go to Credhe's house, hadsent out watchmen to every landing-place to give warning when the shipsof the strangers would be in sight. And the man that was keeping watchat the White Strand was Conn Crither, son of Bran, from TeamhairLuachra. 

And after he had been a long time watching, he was one night west fromthe Round Hill of the Fianna that is called Cruachan Adrann, and therehe fell asleep. And while he was in his sleep the ships came; and whatroused him was the noise of the breaking of shields and the clashing ofswords and of spears, and the cries of women and children and of dogsand horses that were under flames, and that the strangers were making anattack on. 

Conn Crither started up when he heard that, and he said: "It is greattrouble has come on the people through my sleep; and I will not stayliving after this, " he said, "for Finn and the Fianna of Ireland to seeme, but I will rush into the middle of the strangers, " he said, "andthey will fall by me till I fall by them. "

He put on his suit of battle then and ran down towards the strand. Andon the way he saw three women dressed in battle clothes before him, andfast as he ran he could not overtake them. He took his spear then tomake a cast of it at the woman was nearest him, but she stopped on themoment, and she said: "Hold your hand and do not harm us, for we are notcome to harm you but to help you. " "Who are you yourselves?" said ConnCrither. "We are three sisters, " she said, "and we are come from Tir nanOg, the Country of the Young, and we have all three given you our love, and no one of us loves you less than the other, and it is to give youour help we are come. " "What way will you help me?" said Conn. "We willgive you good help, " she said, "for we will make Druid armies about youfrom stalks of grass and from the tops of the watercress, and they willcry out to the strangers and will strike their arms from their hands, and take from them their strength and their eyesight. And we will put aDruid mist about you now, " she said, "that will hide you from the armiesof the strangers, and they will not see you when you make an attack onthem. And we have a well of healing at the foot of Slieve Iolair, theEagle's Mountain, " she said, "and its waters will cure every wound madein battle. And after bathing in that well you will be as whole and assound as the day you were born. And bring whatever man you like bestwith you, " she said, "and we will heal him along with you. "

Conn Crither gave them his thanks for that, and he hurried on to thestrand. And it was at that time the armies of the King of the GreatPlain were taking spoils from Traigh Moduirn in the north to Finntraighein the south. And Conn Crither came on them, and the Druid army withhim, and he took their spoils from them, and the Druid army took theirsight and their strength from them, and they were routed, and they madeaway to where the King of the Great Plain was, and Conn Critherfollowed, killing and destroying. "Stop with me, king-hero, " said theKing of the Great Plain, "that I may fight with you on account of mypeople, since there is not one of them that turns to stand against you. "

So the two set their banners in the earth and attacked one another, andfought a good part of the day until Conn Crither struck off the king'shead. And he lifted up the head, and he was boasting of what he haddone. "By my word, " he said, "I will not let myself be parted from thisbody till some of the Fianna, few or many, will come to me. "

CHAPTER IV. GLAS, SON OF BREMEN

The King of the World heard that, and he said: "It is a big word thatman is saying, " he said; "and rise up now, Glas, son of Dremen, and seewhich of the Fianna of Ireland it is that is saying it. "

Glas left the ship then, and he went to where Conn

Crither was, and he asked who was he. "I am Conn Crither, son of Bran, from Teamhair Luachra, " said he. "If that is so, " said Glas, "you are ofthe one blood with myself, for I am Glas, son of Bremen from TeamhairLuachra. " "It is not right for you to come fighting against me fromthose foreigners, so, " said Conn. "It is a pity indeed, " said Glas; "andbut for Finn and the Fianna driving me from them, I would not fightagainst you or against one of themselves for all the treasures of thewhole world. " "Do not say that, " said Conn, "for I swear by my hand ofvalour, " he said, "if you had killed Finn's own son and the sons of hispeople along with him, you need not be in dread of him if only you cameunder his word and his protection. " "I think indeed the day is come forme to fight beside you, " said Glas, "and I will go back and tell that tothe King of the World. "

He went back then to where the king was, and the king asked him which ofthe men of the Fianna was in it. "It is a kinsman of my own is in it, High King, " said Glas; "and it is weak my heart is, he to be alone, andI have a great desire to go and help him. " "If you go, " said the King ofthe World, "it is what I ask you, to come and to tell me every day howmany of the Fianna of Ireland have fallen by me; and if a few of my ownmen should fall, " he said, "come and tell me who it was they fell by. ""It is what I ask you, " said Glas, "not to let your armies land till theFianna come to us, but to let one man only come to fight with each of usuntil that time, " he said. 

So two of the strangers were sent against them that day, and they gottheir death by Glas and by Conn Crither. Then they asked to have two mensent against each of them, and that was done; and three times nine fellby them before night. And Conn Crither was covered with wounds afterthe day, and he said to Glas: "Three women came to me from the Countryof the Young, and they promised to put me in a well of healing for mywounds. And let you watch the harbour to-night, " he said, "and I will golook for them. " So he went to them, and they bathed him in the well ofhealing, and he was whole of his wounds. 

And as to Glas, son of Dremen, he went down to the harbour, and he said:"O King of the World, " he said, "there is a friend of mine in the ships, Madan of the Bent Neck, son of the King of the Marshes; and it is whathe said in the great world in the east, that he himself would be enoughto take Ireland for you, and that he would bring it under tribute to youby one way or another. And I ask you to let him come alone against meto-night, till we see which of us will fight best for Ireland. "

So Madan came to the land, and the two attacked one another, and made avery hard fight; but as it was not in the prophecy that Glas would findhis death there, it was the son of the King of the Marshes that got hisdeath by him. 

And not long after that Conn Crither came back to Glas, and he gave Glasgreat praise for all he had done. 

CHAPTER V. THE HELP OF THE MEN OF DEA

Then Taistellach that was one of Finn's messengers came to the WhiteStrand asking news; and Conn bade him go back to where Finn was and tellhim the way things were. But Taistellach would not go until he hadwetted his sword in the blood of one of the enemies of Ireland, the sameas the others had done. And he sent a challenge to the ships, andCoimhleathan, a champion that was very big and tall, came and foughtwith him on the strand, and took him in his arms to bring him backliving to the ship of the High King; but Taistellach struck his head offin the sea and brought it back to land. 

"Victory and blessing be with you!" said Conn Crither. "And go nowto-night, " he said, "to the house of Bran, son of Febal my father atTeamhair Luachra, and bid him to gather all the Tuatha de Danaan to helpus; and go on to-morrow to the Fianna of Ireland. " So Taistellach wenton to Bran's house, and he told him the whole story and gave him themessage. 

Then Bran, son of Febal, went out to gather the Tuatha de Danaan, and hewent to Dun Sesnain in Ui Conall Gabra, where they were holding a feastat that time. And there he found three of the best young men of theTuatha de Danaan, Ilbrec the Many Coloured, son of Manannan, andNemanach the Pearly, son of Angus Og, and Sigmall, grandson of Midhir, and they made him welcome and bade him to stop with them. "There is agreater thing than this for you to do, Men of Dea, " said Bran; and hetold them the whole story, and the way Conn Crither his son was. "Stopwith me to-night, " said Sesnan, "and my son Dolb will go to Bodb Dearg, son of the Dagda, and gather in the Tuatha de Danaan to us. "

So he stopped there, and Dolb, son of Sesnan, went to Sidhe Bean Finnabove Magh Femen, and Bodb Dearg was there at that time, and Dolb gavehim his message. "Young man, " said Bodb Dearg, "we are no way bound tohelp the men of Ireland out of that strait. " "Do not say that, " saidDolb, "for there is not a king's son or a prince or a leader of theFianna of Ireland without having a wife or a mother or a foster-motheror a sweetheart of the Tuatha de Danaan; and it is good help they havegiven you every time you were in want of it. " "I give my word, " saidBodb Dearg, "it is right to give a good answer to so good a messenger. "With that he sent word to the Tuatha de Danaan in every place where theywere, and they gathered to him. And from that they went on to DunSesnain, and they stopped there through the night And they rose up inthe morning and put on their shirts of the dearest silk and theirembroidered coats of rejoicing, and they took their green shields andtheir swords and their spears. And their leaders at that time besidesBodb Dearg were Midhir of Bri Leith, and Lir of Sidhe Finnachaidh, andAbarthach, son of Ildathach, and Ilbrec, son of Manannan, and Fionnbharof Magh Suil, and Argat Lamh, the Silver Hand, from the Sionnan, and theMan of Sweet Speech from the Boinn. 

And the whole army of them came into Ciarraighe Luachra, and tored-haired Slieve Mis, and from that to the harbour of the White Strand. "O Men of Dea, " said Abarthach then, "let a high mind and high couragerise within you now in the face of the battle. For the doings of everyone among you, " he said, "will be told till the end of the world; andlet you fulfil now the big words you have spoken in thedrinking-houses. " "Rise up, Glas, son of Dremen, " said Bodb Dearg then, "and tell out to the King of the World that I am come to do battle. "Glas went then to the King of the World. "Are those the Fianna ofIreland I see?" said the king. "They are not, " said Glas, "but anotherpart of the men of Ireland that do not dare to be on the face of theearth, but that live in hidden houses under the earth, and it is to givewarning of battle from them I am come. " "Who will answer the Tuatha deDanaan for me?" said the King of the World. "We will go against them, "said two of the kings that were with him, Comur Cromchenn, King of theMen of the Dog-Heads, and Caitchenn, King of the Men of the Cat-Heads. And they had five red-armed battalions with them, and they went to theshore like great red waves. "Who is there to match with the King of theDog-Heads for me?" said Bodb Dearg. "I will go against him, " said Lir ofSidhe Finnachaidh, "though I heard there is not in the world a man withstronger hands than himself. " "Who will be a match for the King of theCat-Heads?" said Bodb Dearg. "I will be a match for him, " saidAbarthach, son of Ildathach. 

So Lir and the King of the Dog-Heads attacked one another, and they madea hard fight; but after a while Lir was getting the worst of it. "It isa pity the way Lir is, " said Bodb Dearg; "and let some of you rise upand help him, " he said. Then Ilbrec, son of Manannan, went to his help;but if he did, he got a wound himself and could do nothing. Then Sigmal, grandson of Midhir, went to his help, and after him the five sons ofFinnaistucan, and others of the Men of Dea, but they were all driven offby the King of the Dog-Heads. But at that time Abarthach had made an endof the King of the Cat-Heads, and he rose on his spear, and made a leap, and came down between Lir and his enemy. "Leave off now and look on atthe fight, " he said to Lir, "and leave it to me and the foreigner. " Withthat he took his sword in his left hand and made a thrust with his spearin through the king's armour. And as the king was raising up his shield, he struck at him with the sword that was in his left hand, and cut offboth his legs at the knees, and the king let fall his shield then, andAbarthach struck off his head. And the two kings being dead, theirpeople broke away and ran, but the Men of Dea followed them and made anend of them all; but if they did, they lost a good many of their ownmen. 

CHAPTER VI. THE MARCH OF THE FIANNA

Ana Finn and the Fianna were at the house of Credhe yet, and they sawTaistellach coming towards them. It was the custom, now, with Finn whenhe sent any one looking for news, that it was to himself it was to betold first, the way that if he got bad news he would let on not to mindit; and if it was good news he got, he would have the satisfaction oftelling it himself. So Taistellach told him how the foreigners were cometo the harbour of the White Strand. 

Then Finn turned to his chief men, and he said: "Fianna of Ireland, there never came harm or danger to Ireland to be put aside this greatdanger that is come against us now. And you get great tribute and greatservice from the chief men of Ireland, " he said, "and if you take thatfrom them it is right for you to defend them now. "

And the Fianna all said they would not go back one step from the defenceof Ireland. And as to Credhe, she gave every one of them a battle dress, and they were taking leave of her, and Finn said: "Let the woman comealong with us till we know is it good or bad the end of this journeywill be. " So she came with them, bringing a great herd of cattle; andthrough the whole length of the battle, that lasted a year and a day, she had new milk for them, and it was to her house the wounded werebrought for healing. 

Then the Fianna set out, and they went to the borders of CiarraigheLuachra and across by the shores of the Bannlid with their left hand toSlieve Mis, and they made shelters for themselves that night, andkindled fires. 

But Caoilte and Oisin and Lugaidh's Son said to one another they wouldgo on to the harbour, the way they would have time to redden their handsin the blood of the foreigners before the rest of the Fianna would come. 

And at that time the King of the World bade some of his chief men to goon shore and to bring him back some spoils. So they went to land andthey gave out a great shout, and the people of the ships gave out agreat shout at the same time. "I swear by the oath my people swear by, "said Caoilte, "I have gone round the whole world, but I never heard somany voices together in the one place. " And with that he himself andOisin and Lugaidh's Son made an attack on the strangers, and struckgreat blows at them. And when Conn Crither and Glas, son of Bremen, heard the noise of those blows, they knew they were struck by some ofthe Fianna of Ireland, and they came and joined with them, and did greatdestruction on the strangers, till there was not one left of all thathad come to land. 

CHAPTER VII. THE FIRST FIGHTERS

And in the morning they saw Finn and all his people coming to the raththat is above the harbour. "My father Finn, " said Oisin than, "let usfight now with the whole of the foreigners altogether. " "That is not myadvice, " said Finn, "for the number of their armies is too great for us, and we could not stand against them. But we will send out every day, "he said, "some son of a king or of a leader against some king of thekings of the world that is equal in blood to ourselves. And let none ofyou redden your arms, " he said, "but against a king or a chief man atfirst, for when a king is fallen, his people will be more inclined togive way. And who will give out a challenge of battle from me now?" hesaid. "I will do that, " said the son of Cuban, leader of the Fianna ofMunster. "Do not go, my son, " said Finn, "for it is not showed to methat you will have good luck in the battle, and I never sent out any manto fight without I knew he would come back safe to me. " "Do not saythat, " said Cuban's son, "for I would not for the treasure of the wholeworld go back from a fight on account of a bad foretelling. And as it ismy own country they have done their robbery in first, " he said, "I willdefend it for you. " "It is sorrowful I am for that, " said Finn, "forwhichever of the kings of the world will meet you to-day, yourself andhimself will fall together. "

Then Glas, son of Dremen, gave out a challenge of fight from Cuban'sson, and the King of Greece answered it. And the two fought hand tohand, and the King of Greece made a great cast of his thick spear atCuban's son, that went through his body and broke his back in two. Buthe did not take that blow as a gift, but he paid for it with a strongcast of his own golden spear that went through the ringed armour of theKing of Greece. And those two fell together, sole to sole, and lip tolip. "There is grief on me, Cuban's son to have fallen, " said Finn, "forno one ever went from his house unsatisfied; and a man that I would notkeep, or the High King of Ireland would not keep for a week, he wouldkeep him in his house through the length of a year. And let Follamain, his son, be called to me now, " he said, "and I will give him hisfather's name and place. "

They stopped there then till the next morning. "Who will go and fightto-day?" said Finn then. "I will do that, " said Goll Garb, son of theKing of Alban and of the daughter of Goll, son of Morna. 

So he put on his battle dress, and there came against him the threekings from the rising of the sun in the east, and their three battalionswith them. And Goll Garb rushed among their men, and wounded and maimedand destroyed them, and blinded their eyes for ever, so that their witswent from them, and they called to him to stop his deadly sword for awhile. So he did that; and it is what they agreed to take their threekings and to give them over to Goll Garb that he might stop doingdestruction with his sword. 

"Who will go out and fight to-day?" said Finn, on the morning of themorrow. "I will go, " said Oisin, "and the chief men of the sons ofBaiscne with me; for we get the best share of all the pleasant things ofIreland, and we should be first to defend her. " "I will answer thatchallenge, " said the King of France, "for it is against Finn I am cometo Ireland, on account of my wife that he brought away from me; andthese men will fall by me now, " he said, "and Finn himself at the last;for when the branches of a tree are cut off, it is not hard to cut downthe tree itself. "

So the King of France and Oisin met one another at the eastern end ofthe strand, and they struck their banners of soft silk into the greenhill, and bared their swords and made a quick attack on one another. Andat one time the king struck such a great blow that he knocked a groanout of Oisin. But for all that he was worsted in the end, and great fearcame on him, like the fear of a hundred horses at the sound of thunder, and he ran from Oisin, and he rose like a swallow, that his feet nevertouched the earth at all; and he never stopped till he came to Gleannna-n Gealt, the Valley of Wild Men. And ever since that time, peoplethat have lost their wits make for that valley; and every mad person inIreland, if he had his way, would go there within twenty-four hours. 

And there rose great cries of lamentation from the armies of the Worldwhen they saw him going from them, and the Fianna of Ireland raisedgreat shouts of joy. 

And when the night was coming on, it is what Finn said: "It is sad andgloomy the King of the World is to-night; and it is likely he will makean attack on us. And which of you will keep watch over the harbourthrough the night?" he said. "I will, " said Oisin, "with the same numberthat was fighting along with me to-day; for it is not too much for youto fight for the Fianna of Ireland through a day and a night, " he said. 

So they went down to the harbour, and it was just at that time the Kingof the World was saying, "It seems to me, men of the World, that ourluck of battle was not good to-day. And let a share of you rise up now, "he said, "and make an attack on the Fianna of Ireland. " Then there roseup the nine sons of Garb, King of the Sea of Icht, that were smiths, andsixteen hundred of their people along with them, and they all went onshore but Dolar Durba that was the eldest of them. And the sons ofBaiscne were ready for them, and they fought a great battle till theearly light of the morrow. And not one of them was left alive on eitherside that could hold a weapon but only Oisin and one of the sons ofGarb. And they made rushes at one another, and threw their swords out oftheir hands, and closed their arms about one another, and wrestledtogether, so that it was worth coming from the east to the west of theworld to see the fight of those two. Then the foreigner gave a suddengreat fall to Oisin, to bring him into the sea, for he was a greatswimmer, and he thought to get the better of him there. And Oisinthought it would not be worthy of him to refuse any man his place offighting. So they went into the water together, and they were trying todrown one another till they came to the sand and the gravel of the clearsea. And it was a torment to the heart of the Fianna, Oisin to be inthat strait. "Rise up, Fergus of the Sweet Lips, " said Finn then, "andgo praise my son and encourage him. " So Fergus went down to the edge ofthe sea, and he said: "It is a good fight you are making, Oisin, andthere are many to see it, for the armies of the whole world are lookingat you, and the Fianna of Ireland. And show now, " he said, "your waysand your greatness, for you never went into any place but some woman ofhigh beauty or some king's daughter set her love on you. " Then Oisin'scourage increased, and anger came on him and he linked his hands behindthe back of the foreigner and put him down on the sand under the seawith his face upwards, and did not let him rise till the life was gonefrom him. And he brought the body to shore then, and struck off his headand brought it to the Fianna. 

But there was great grief and anger on Dolar Durba, the eldest of thesons of Garb, that had stopped in the ship, and he made a great oaththat he would have satisfaction for his brothers. And he went to theHigh King, and he said: "I will go alone to the strand, and I will killa hundred men every day till I have made an end of the whole of thearmies of Ireland; and if any one of your own men comes to interferewith me, " he said, "I will kill him along with them. "

The next morning Finn asked who would lead the battle that day. "Iwill, " said Dubhan, son of Donn. "Do not, " said Finn, "but let someother one go. "

But Dubhan went to the strand, and a hundred men along with him; andthere was no one there before him but Dolar Durba, and he said he wasthere to fight with the whole of them. And Dubhan's men gave a greatshout of laughter when they heard that; but Dolar Durba rushed on them, and he made an end of the whole hundred, without a man of them beingable to put a scratch on him. And then he took a hurling stick and aball, and he threw up the ball and kept it in the air with the hurl fromthe west to the east of the strand without letting it touch the groundat all. And then he put the ball on his right foot and kicked it highinto the air, and when it was coming down he gave it a kick of his leftfoot and kept it in the air like that, and he rushing like a blast ofMarch wind from one end of the strand to the other. And when he had donethat he walked up and down on the strand making great boasts, andchallenging the men of Ireland to do the like of those feats. And everyday he killed a hundred of the men that were sent against him. 

CHAPTER VIII. THE KING OF ULSTER'S SON

Now it chanced at that time that news of the great battle that was goingon reached to the court of the King of Ulster. And the king's son, thatwas only twelve years of age, and that was the comeliest of all theyoung men of Ireland, said to his father: "Let me go to help Finn, sonof Cumhal, and his men. " "You are not old enough, or strong enough, boy;your bones are too soft, " said the king. And when the boy went onasking, his father shut him up in some close place, and put twelveyoung men, his foster-brothers, in charge of him. 

There was great anger on the young lad then, and he said to hisfoster-brothers: "It is through courage and daring my father won a greatname for himself in his young youth, and why does he keep me fromwinning a name for myself? And let you help me now, " he said, "and Iwill be a friend to you for ever. " And he went on talking to them andpersuading them till he got round them all, and they agreed to go withhim to join Finn and the Fianna. And when the king was asleep, they wentinto the house where the arms were kept, and every lad of them broughtaway with him a shield and a sword and a helmet and two spears and twogreyhound whelps. And they went across Ess Ruadh in the north, andthrough Connacht of many tribes, and through Caille an Chosanma, theWoods of Defence, that were called the choice of every king and the truehonour of every poet, and into Ciarraighe, and so on to the WhiteStrand. 

And when they came there Dolar Durba was on the strand, boasting beforethe men of Ireland. And Oisin was rising up to go against him, for hesaid he would sooner die fighting with him than see the destruction hewas doing every day on his people. And all the wise men and the fightingmen and the poets and the musicians of the Fianna gave a great cry ofsorrow when they heard Oisin saying that. 

And the King of Ulster's son went to Finn and stood before him andsaluted him, and Finn asked who was he, and where did he come from. "Iam the son of the King of Ulster, " he said; "and I am come here, myselfand my twelve foster-brothers, to give you what help we can. " "I giveyou a welcome, " said Finn. 

Just then they heard the voice of Dolar Durba, very loud and boastful. "Who is that I hear?" said the king's son. "It is a man of theforeigners asking for a hundred of my men to go and meet him, " saidFinn. 

Now, when the twelve foster-brothers heard that, they said no word butwent down to the strand, unknown to the king's son and to Finn. 

"You are not a grown man, " said Conan; "and neither yourself or yourcomrades are fit to face any fighting man at all. " "I never saw theFianna of Ireland till this day, " said the young lad; "but I know wellthat you are Conan Maol, that never says a good word of any man. And youwill see now, " he said, "if I am in dread of that man on the strand, orof any man in the world, for I will go out against him by myself. "

But Finn kept him back and was talking with him; but then Conan beganagain, and he said: "It is many men Dolar Durba has made an end of, andthere was not a man of all those that could not have killed a hundred ofthe like of you every day. "

When the king's son heard that, there was great anger on him, and heleaped up, and just then Dolar Durba gave a great shout on the strand. "What is he giving, that shout for?" said the king's son. "He is shoutingfor more men to come against him, " said Conan, "for he is just afterkilling your twelve comrades. " "That is a sorrowful story, " said theking's son. 

And with that he took hold of his arms, and no one could hold him orhinder him, and he rushed down to the strand where Dolar Durba was. Andall the armies of the strangers gave a great shout of laughter, for theythought all Finn's men had been made an end of, when he sent a young ladlike that against their best champion. And when the boy heard that, hiscourage grew the greater, and he fell on Dolar Durba and gave him manywounds before he knew he was attacked at all. And they fought a veryhard fight together, till their shields and their swords were broken inpieces. And that did not stop the battle, but they grappled togetherand fought and wrestled that way, till the tide went over them anddrowned them both. And when the sea went over them the armies on eachside gave out a great sorrowful cry. 

And after the ebb-tide on the morrow, the two bodies were found cold andquiet, each one held fast by the other. But Dolar Durba was beneath theking's son, so they knew it was the young lad was the best and had gotthe victory. And they buried him, and put a flag-stone over his grave, and keened him there. 

CHAPTER IX. THE HIGH KING'S SON

Then Finn said he would send a challenge himself to Daire Bonn, the Kingof the Great World. But Caoilte asked leave to do that day's fightinghimself. And Finn said he would agree to that if he could find enough ofmen to go with him. And he himself gave him a hundred men, and Oisin didthe same, and so on with the rest. And he gave out his challenge, and itwas the son of the King of the Great Plain that answered it. And whilethey were in the heat of the fight, a fleet of ships came into theharbour, and Finn thought they were come to help the foreigners. ButOisin looked at them, and he said: "It is seldom your knowledge failsyou, Finn, but those are friends of our own: Fiachra, son of the King ofthe Fianna of the Bretons, and Duaban Donn, son of the King ofTuathmumain with his own people. "

And when those that were in the ships came on shore, they saw Caoilte'sbanner going down before the son of the King of the Great Plain. Andthey all went hurrying on to his help, and between them they made anend of the king's son and of all his people. 

"Who will keep watch to-night?" said Finn then. "We will, " said the nineGarbhs of the Fianna, of Slieve Mis, and Slieve Cua, and Slieve Clair, and Slieve Crot, and Slieve Muice, and Slieve Fuad, and Slieve AthaMoir, and Dun Sobairce and Dundealgan. 

And they were not long watching till they saw the King of the Men ofDregan coming towards them, and they fought a fierce battle; and at theend of the night there were left standing but three of the Garbhs, andthe King of the Men of Dregan. And they fought till their wits were gonefrom them; and those four fell together, sole against sole, and lipagainst lip. 

And the fight went on from day to day, and from week to week, and therewere great losses on both sides. And when Fergus of the Sweet Lips sawthat so many of the Fianna were fallen, he asked no leave but went toTeamhair of the Kings, where the High King of Ireland was, and he toldhim the way it was with Finn and his people. "That is good, " said theHigh King, "Finn to be in that strait; for there is no labouring mandares touch a pig or a deer or a salmon if he finds it dead before himon account of the Fianna; and there is no man but is in dread to go fromone place to another without leave from Finn, or to take a wife till heknows if she has a sweetheart among the Fianna of Ireland. And it isoften Finn has given bad judgments against us, " he said, "and it wouldbe better for us the foreigners to gain the day than himself. "

Then Fergus went out to the lawn where the High King's son was playingat ball. "It is no good help you are giving to Ireland, " said Fergusthen, "to be playing a game without lasting profit, and strangers takingaway your country from you. " And he was urging him and blaming him, andgreat shame came on the young man, and he threw away the stick and wentthrough the people of Teamhair and brought together all the young men, athousand and twenty of them that were in it. And they asked no leave andno advice from the High King, but they set out and went on till theycame to Finntraigh. And Fergus went to where Finn was, and told him theson of the High King of Ireland was come with him; and all the Fiannarose up before the young man and bade him welcome. And Finn said: "Youngman, " he said, "we would sooner see you coming at a time when therewould be musicians and singers and poets and high-up women to makepleasure for you than at the time we are in the straits of battle theway we are now. " "It is not for playing I am come, " said the young man, "but to give you my service in battle. " "I never brought a lad new tothe work into the breast of battle, " said Finn, "for it is often a ladcoming like that finds his death, and I would not wish him to fallthrough me. " "I give my word, " said the young man, "I will do battlewith them on my own account if I may not do it on yours. " Then Fergus ofthe Fair Lips went out to give a challenge of battle from the son of theHigh King of Ireland to the King of the World. 

"Who will answer the King of Ireland's son for me?" said the King of theWorld. "I will go against him, " said Sligech, King of the Men of Cepda;and he went on shore, and his three red battalions with him. And theHigh King's son went against them, and his comrades were near him, andthey were saying to him: "Take a good heart now into the fight, for theFianna will be no better pleased if it goes well with you than if itgoes well with the foreigner. " And when the High King's son heard that, he made a rush through the army of the foreigners, and began killing andoverthrowing them, till their chief men were all made an end of. ThenSligech their king came to meet him, very angry and destroying, andthey struck at one another and made a great fight, but at the last theKing of Ireland's son got the upper hand, and he killed the King of theMen of Cepda and struck off his head. 

CHAPTER X. THE KING OF LOCHLANN AND HIS SONS

And the fighting went on from day to day, and at last Finn said toFergus of the Sweet Lips: "Go out, Fergus, and see how many of theFianna are left for the fight to-day. " And Fergus counted them, and hesaid: "There is one battalion only of the Fianna left in good order; butthere are some of the men of it, " he said, "are able to fight againstthree, and some that are able to fight against nine or thirty or ahundred. " "If that is so, " said Finn, "rise up and go to where the Kingof the World is, and bid him to come out to the great battle. "

So Fergus went to the King of the World, and it is the way he was, onhis bed listening to the music of harps and pipes. "King of the World, "said Fergus, "it is long you are in that sleep; and that is no shame foryou, " he said, "for it will be your last sleep. And the whole of theFianna are gone out to their place of battle, " he said, "and let you goout and answer them. " "In my opinion, " said the King of the World, "there is not a man of them is able to fight against me; and how manyare there left of the Fianna of Ireland?" "One battalion only that is ingood order, " said Fergus. "And how many of the armies of the World arethere left?" he said. "Thirty battalions came with me to Ireland; andthere are twenty of them fallen by the Fianna, and what is left of themis ten red battalions in good order. And there are eight good fightersof them, " he said, "that would put down the men of the whole world ifthey were against me; that is, myself, and Conmail my son, and Ogarmach, the daughter of the King of Greece, that is the best hand in battle ofthe whole world after myself, and Finnachta of the Teeth, the chief ofmy household, and the King of Lochlann, Caisel Clumach of the Feathers, and his three sons, Tocha, and Forne of the Broad Shoulders, and Mongachof the Sea. "

"I swear by the oath of my people, " said the King of Lochlann then, "ifany man of the armies goes out against the Fianna before myself and mythree sons, we will not go at all, for we would not get the satisfactionwe are used to, unless our swords get their fill of blood. " "I will goout against them alone, " said Forne, the youngest son of the King ofLochlann. With that he put on his battle suit, and he went among theFianna of Ireland, and a red-edged sword in each of his hands. And hedestroyed those of their young men that were sent against him, and hemade the strand narrow with their bodies. 

And Finn saw that, and it was torment to his heart, and danger of deathand loss of wits to him, and he was encouraging the men of Irelandagainst Forne. And Fergus of the True Lips stood up, and it is what hesaid: "Fianna of Ireland, " he said, "it is a pity the way you are underhardship and you defending Ireland. And one man is taking her from youto-day, " he said, "and you are like no other thing but a flock of littlebirds looking for shelter in a bush from a hawk that is after them. Andit is going into the shelter of Finn and Oisin and Caoilte you are, " hesaid; "and not one of you is better than another, and none of you setshis face against the foreigner. " "By my oath, " said Oisin, "all that istrue, and no one of us tries to do better than another keeping him off. ""There is not one of you is better than another, " said Fergus. ThenOisin gave out a great shout against the King of Lochlann's son. "Stophere with me, king's son, " he said, "until I fight with you for theFianna. " "I give my word it is short the delay will be, " said Forne. 

Then he himself and Oisin made an attack on one another, and it seemedfor a while that the battle was going against Oisin. "By my word, Man ofPoetry, " said Finn then to Fergus of the True Lips, "it is a pity theway you sent my son against the foreigner. And rise up and praise himand hearten him now, " he said. So Fergus went down to where the fightwas, and he said: "There is great shame on the Fianna, Oisin, seeing youso low in this fight; and there is many a foot messenger and many ahorsemen from the daughters of the kings and princes of Ireland lookingat you now, " he said. And great courage rose in Oisin then, and he drovehis spear through the body of Forne, the King of Lochlann's son. And hehimself came back to the Fianna of Ireland. 

Then the armies of the World gave out a great cry, keening Forne; andthere was anger and not fear on his brothers, for they thought it noright thing he to have fallen by a man of the Fianna. And Tocha, thesecond son of the King of Lochlann, went on shore to avenge his brother. And he went straight into the middle of the Fianna, and gave his swordgood feeding on their bodies, till they broke away before him and madeno stand till Lugaidh's Son turned round against him. And those twofought a great fight, till their swords were bent and their spearscrumbled away, and they lost their golden shields. And at the lastLugaidh's Son made a stroke of his sword that cut through theforeigner's sword, and then he made another stroke that cut his heartin two halves. And he came back high and proud to the Fianna. 

Then the third son of the King of Lochlann, Mongach of the Sea, rose up, and all the armies rose up along with him. "Stop here, Men of theWorld, " he said, "for it is not you but myself that has to go and asksatisfaction for the bodies of my brothers. " So he went on shore; and itis the way he was, with a strong iron flail in his hand having sevenballs of pure iron on it, and fifty iron chains, and fifty apples onevery chain, and fifty deadly thorns on every apple. And he made a rushthrough the Fianna to break them up entirely and to tear them intostrings, and they gave way before him. And great shame came on Fidach, son of the King of the Bretons, and he said: "Come here and praise me, Fergus of the True Lips, till I go out and fight with the foreigner. ""It is easy to praise you, son, " said Fergus, and he was praising himfor a long time. 

Then the two looked at one another and used fierce, proud words. Andthen Mongach of the Sea raised his iron flail and made a great blow atthe King of the Bretons' son. But he made a quick leap to one side andgave him a blow of his sword that cut off his two hands at the joint;and he did not stop at that, but made a blow at his middle that cut himinto two halves. But as he fell, an apple of the flail with its deadlythorns went into Fidach's comely mouth and through his brain, and it wasfoot to foot those two fell, and lip to lip. 

And the next that came to fight on the strand was the King of Lochlannhimself, Caisel of the Feathers. And he came to the battle having hisshield on his arm; and it is the way the shield was, that was made forhim by the smith of the Fomor, there were red flames coming from it; andif it was put under the sea itself, not one of its flames would stopblazing. And when he had that shield on his arm no man could come nearhim. 

And there was never such destruction done on the men of Ireland as onthat day, for the flames of fire that he sent from his shield wentthrough the bodies of men till they blazed up like a splinter of oakthat was after hanging through the length of a year in the smoke of achimney; and any one that would touch the man that was burning wouldcatch fire himself. And every other harm that ever came into Irelandbefore was small beside this. 

Then Finn said: "Lift up your hands, Fianna of Ireland, and give threeshouts of blessing to whoever will hinder this foreigner. " And theFianna gave those three shouts; and the King of Lochlann gave a greatlaugh when he heard them. And Druimderg, grandson of the Head of theFianna of Ulster, was near him, and he had with him a deadly spear, theCroderg, the Red-Socketed, that came down from one to another of thesons of Rudraighe. And he looked at the King of Lochlann, and he couldsee no part of him without armour but his mouth that was opened wide, and he laughing at the Fianna. Then Druimderg made a cast with theCroderg that hit him in the open mouth, and he fell, and his shield fellalong with its master, and its flame went out. And Druimderg struck thehead from his body, and made great boasts of the things he had done. 

CHAPTER XI. LABRAN'S JOURNEY

It is then Fergus of the True Lips set out again and went through thelength of Ireland till he came to the house of Tadg, son of Nuada, thatwas grandfather to Finn. 

And there was great grief on Muirne, Finn's mother, and on Labran of theLong Hand her brother, and on all her people, when they knew the greatdanger he was in. And Tadg asked his wife who did she think would escapewith their lives from the great fighting at the White Strand. "It is apity the way they are there, " said she; "for if all the living men ofthe world were on one side, Daire Donn, the King of the World, would putthem all down; for there are no weapons in the world that will ever bereddened on him. And on the night he was born, the smith of the Fomormade a shield and a sword, and it is in the prophecy that he will fallby no other arms but those. And it is to the King of the Country of theFair Men he gave them to keep, and it is with him they are now. " "Ifthat is so, " said Tadg, "you might be able to get help for Finn, son ofCumhal, the only son of your daughter. And bid Labran Lamfada to go andask those weapons of him, " he said. "Do not be asking me, " said she, "togo against Daire Donn that was brought up in my father's house. " Butafter they had talked for a while, they went out on the lawn, and theysent Labran looking for the weapons in the shape of a great eagle. 

And he went on from sea to sea, till at noon on the morrow he came tothe dun of the King of the Country of the Fair Men; and he went in hisown shape to the dun and saluted the king, and the king bade himwelcome, and asked him to stop with him for a while. "There is a thing Iwant more than that, " said Labran, "for the wife of a champion of theFianna has given me her love, and I cannot get her without fighting forher; and it is the loan of that sword and that shield you have in yourkeeping I am come asking now, " he said. 

There were seven rooms, now, in the king's house that opened into oneanother, and on the first door was one lock, and on the second twolocks, and so on to the door of the last room that had seven locks; andit was in that the sword and the shield that were made by the smith ofthe Fomor were kept. And they were brought out and were given to Labran, and stalks of luck were put with them, and they were bound together withshield straps. 

Then Labran of the Long Hand went back across the seas again, and hereached his father's dun between the crowing of the cock and the fulllight of day; and the weakness of death came on him. "It is a goodmessage you are after doing, my son, " said Tadg, "and no one ever wentthat far in so short a time as yourself. " "It is little profit that isto me, " said Labran, "for I am not able to bring them to Finn in timefor the fight to-morrow. "

But just at that time one of Tadg's people saw Aedh, son of Aebinn, thatwas as quick as the wind over a plain till the middle of every day, andafter that, there was no man quicker than he was. "You are come at agood time, " said Tadg. And with that he gave him the sword and theshield to bring to Finn for the battle. 

So Aedh, son of Aebinn, went with the swiftness of a hare or of a fawnor a swallow, till at the rising of the day on the morrow he came to theWhite Strand. And just at that time Fergus of the True Lips was rousingup the Fianna for the great fight, and it is what he said: "Fianna ofIreland, " he said, "if there was the length of seven days in one day, you would have work to fill it now; for there never was and there neverwill be done in Ireland a day's work like the work of to-day. "

Then the Fianna of Ireland rose up, and they saw Aedh, son of Aebinn, coming towards them with his quick running, and Finn asked news fromhim. "It is from the dun of Tadg, son of Nuada, I am come, " he said, "and it is to yourself I am sent, to ask how it is you did not reddenyour weapons yet upon the King of the World. " "I swear by the oath of mypeople, " said Finn, "if I do not redden my weapons on him, I will crushhis body within his armour. " "I have here for you, King of the Fianna, "said Aedh then, "the deadly weapons that will bring him to his death;and it was Labran of the Long Hand got them for you through his Druidarts. " He put them in Finn's hand then, and Finn took the coverings offthem, and there rose from them flashes of fire and deadly bubbles; andnot one of the Fianna could stay looking at them, but it put greatcourage into them to know they were with Finn. "Rise up now, " said Finnto Fergus of the True Lips, "and go where the King of the World is, andbid him to come out to the place of the great fight. "

CHAPTER XII. THE GREAT FIGHT

Then the King of the World came to the strand, and all his armies withhim; and all that were left of the Fianna went out against them, andthey were like thick woods meeting one another, and they made greatstrokes, and there were swords crashing against bones, and bodies thatwere hacked, and eyes that were blinded, and many a mother was leftwithout her son, and many a comely wife without her comrade. 

Then the creatures of the high air answered to the battle, foretellingthe destruction that would be done that day; and the sea chattered ofthe losses, and the waves gave heavy shouts keening them, and thewater-beasts roared to one another, and the rough hills creaked with thedanger of the battle, and the woods trembled mourning the heroes, andthe grey stones cried out at their deeds, and the wind sobbed tellingthem, and the earth shook, foretelling the slaughter; and the cries ofthe grey armies put a blue cloak over the sun, and the clouds were dark;and the hounds and the whelps and the crows, and the witches of thevalley, and the powers of the air, and the wolves of the forests, howledfrom every quarter and on every side of the armies, urging them againstone another. 

It was then Conan, son of Morna, brought to mind that himself and hiskindred had done great harm to the sons of Baiscne, and he had a wish todo some good thing for them on account of that, and he raised up hissword and did great deeds. 

And Finn was over the battle, encouraging the Fianna; and the King ofthe World was on the other side encouraging the foreigners. "Rise upnow, Fergus, " said Finn, "and praise Conan for me that his courage maybe the greater, for it is good work he is doing on my enemies. " SoFergus went where Conan was, and at that time he was heated with thedust of the fight, and he was gone outside to let the wind go about him. 

"It is well you remember the old quarrel between the sons of Morna andthe sons of Baiscne, Conan, " said Fergus; "and you would be ready to goto your own death if it would bring harm on the sons of Baiscne, " hesaid. "For the love of your good name, Man of Poetry, " said Conan, "donot be speaking against me without cause, and I will do good work on theforeigners when I get to the battle again. " "By my word, " said Fergus, "that would be a good thing for you to do. " He sang a verse of praisefor him then, and Conan went back into the battle, and his deeds werenot worse this time than they were before. And Fergus went back to whereFinn was. 

"Who is best in the battle now?" said Finn. "Duban, son of Cas, achampion of your own people, " said Fergus, "for he never gives but theone stroke to any man, and no man escapes with his life from thatstroke, and three times nine and eighty men have fallen by him up tothis time. " And Duban Donn, great-grandson of the King of Tuathmumhain, was there listening to him, and it is what he said: "By my oath, Fergus, " he said, "all you are saying is true, for there is not a son ofa king or of a lord is better in the battle than Duban, son of Cas; andI will go to my own death if I do not go beyond him. " With that he wentrushing through the battle like flames over a high hill that is thickwith furze. Nine times he made a round of the battle, and he killed ninetimes nine in every round. 

"Who is best in the battle now?" said Finn, after a while. "It is DubanDonn that is after going from us, " said Fergus. "For there has been noone ahead of him since he was in his seventh year, and there is no oneahead of him now. " "Rise up and praise him that his courage may be thegreater, " said Finn. "It is right to praise him, " said Fergus, "and theforeigners running before him on every side as they would run from aheavy drenching of the sea. " So Fergus praised him for a while, and hewent back then to Finn. 

"Who is best in the battle now?" said Finn. "It is Osgar is best in itnow, " said Fergus, "and he is fighting alone against two hundred Franksand two hundred of the men of Gairian, and the King of the Men ofGairian himself. And all these are beating at his shield, " he said, "andnot one of them has given him a wound but he gave him a wound back forit. " "What way is Caoilte, son of Ronan?" said Finn. "He is in no greatstrait after the red slaughter he has made, " said Fergus. "Go to himthen, " said Finn, "and bid him to keep off a share of the foreignersfrom Osgar. " So Fergus went to him. "Caoilte, " he said, "it is greatdanger your friend Osgar is in under the blows of the foreigners, andlet you rise up and give him some help, " he said. 

Caoilte went then to the place where Osgar was, and he gave a straightblow of his sword at the man who was nearest him, that made two halvesof him. Osgar raised his head then and looked at him. "It is likely, Caoilte, " he said, "you did not dare redden your sword on any one tillyou struck down a man that was before my sword. And it is a shame foryou, " he said, "all the men of the great world and the Fianna of Irelandto be in the one battle, and you not able to make out a fight foryourself without coming to take a share of my share of the battle. And Igive my oath, " he said, "I would be glad to see you put down in your bedof blood on account of that thing. " Caoilte's mind changed when he heardthat, and he turned again to the army of the foreigners with the rednessof anger on his white face; and eighty fighting men fell in that rout. 

"What way is the battle now?" said Finn. "It is a pity, " said Fergus, "there never came and there never will come any one that can tell theway it is now. For by my word, " he said, "the tree-tops of the thickestforest in the whole of the western world are not closer together thanthe armies are now. For the bosses of their shields are in one another'shands. And there is fire coming from the edges of their swords, " hesaid, "and blood is raining down like a shower on a day of harvest; andthere were never so many leaves torn by the wind from a great forest asthere are locks of long golden hair, and of black curled hair, cut offby sharp weapons, blowing into the clouds at this time. And there is noperson could tell one man from another, now, " he said, "unless it mightbe by their voices. " With that he went into the very middle of the fightto praise and to hearten the men of the Fianna. 

"Who is first in the battle now, Fergus?" said Finn, when he came backto him. "By my oath, it is no friend of your own is first in it, " saidFergus, "for it is Daire Donn, the King of the World; and it is for youhe is searching through the battle, " he said, "and three times fifty ofhis own people were with him. But two of the men of your Fianna fell onthem, " he said, "Cairell the Battle Striker, and Aelchinn of Cruachan, and made an end of them. But they were not able to wound the King of theWorld, " he said, "but the two of them fell together by him. "

Then the King of the World came towards Finn, and there was no one nearhim but Arcallach of the Black Axe, the first that ever brought a wideaxe into Ireland. "I give my word, " said Arcallach, "I would never letFinn go before me into any battle. " He rose up then and made a terriblegreat blow of his axe at the king, that went through his royal crown tothe hair of his head, but that did not take a drop of blood out of him, for the edge of the axe turned and there went balls of fire over theplain from that blow. And the King of the World struck back atArcallach, and made two halves of him. 

Then Finn and the King of the World turned on one another. And when theking saw the sword and the shield in Finn's hand, he knew those were theweapons that were to bring him to his death, and great dread came onhim, and his comeliness left him, and his fingers were shaking, and hisfeet were unsteady, and the sight of his eyes was weakened. 

And then the two fought a great fight, striking at one another like twodays of judgment for the possession of the world. 

But the king, that had never met with a wound before, began to begreatly weakened in the fight. And Finn gave great strokes that brokehis shield and his sword, and that cut off his left foot, and at thelast he struck off his head. But if he did, he himself fell into a faintof weakness with the dint of the wounds he had got. 

Then Finnachta of the Teeth, the first man of the household of the Kingof the World, took hold of the royal crown of the king, and brought itwhere Conmail his son was, and put it on his head. 

"That this may bring you success in many battles, my son, " he said. Andhe gave him his father's weapons along with it; and the young man wentthrough the battle looking for Finn, and three fifties of the men of theFianna fell by him. Then Goll Garbh the Rough, son of the King of Alban, saw him and attacked him, and they fought a hard fight. But the King ofAlbain's son gave him a blow under the shelter of the shield, in hisleft side, that made an end of him. 

Finnachta of the Teeth saw that, and he made another rush at the royalcrown, and brought it to where Ogarmach was, the daughter of the King ofGreece. "Put on that crown, Ogarmach, " he said, "as it is in theprophecy the world will be owned by a woman; and it will never be ownedby any woman higher than yourself, " he said. 

She went then to look for Finn in the battle, and Fergus of the TrueLips saw her, and he went where Finn was. "O King of the Fianna, " hesaid then, "bring to mind the good fight you made against the King ofthe World and all your victories before that; for it is a great dangeris coming to you now, " he said, "and that is Ogarmach, daughter of theKing of Greece. "

With that the woman-fighter came towards him. "O Finn, " she said, "it islittle satisfaction you are to me for all the kings and lords that havefallen by you and by your people; but for all that, " she said, "there isnothing better for me to get than your own self and whatever is left ofyour people. " "You will not get that, " said Finn, "for I will lay yourhead in its bed of blood the same as I did to every other one. " Thenthose two attacked one another like as if there had risen to smotherone another the flooded wave of Cliodna, and the seeking wave of Tuaigh, and the big brave wave of Rudraighe. And though the woman-warrior foughtfor a long time, a blow from Finn reached to her at last and cut throughthe royal crown, and with a second blow he struck her head off. And thenhe fell himself in his bed of blood, and was the same as dead, but thathe rose again. 

And the armies of the World and the Fianna of Ireland were fallen sideby side there, and there were none left fit to stand but Cael, son ofCrimthan of the Harbours, and the chief man of the household of the Kingof the World, Finnachta of the Teeth. And Finnachta went among the deadbodies and lifted up the body of the King of the World and brought itwith him to his ship, and he said: "Fianna of Ireland, " he said, "although it is bad this battle was for the armies of the World, it wasworse for yourselves; and I am going back to tell that in the East ofthe World, " he said. Finn heard him saying that, and he lying on theground in his blood, and the best men of the sons of Baiscne about him, and he said: "It is a pity I not to have found death before I heard theforeigner saying those words. And nothing I myself have done, or theFianna of Ireland, is worth anything since there is left a man of theforeigners alive to go back into the great world again to tell thatstory. And is there any one left living near me?" he said. "I am, " saidFergus of the True Lips. "What way is the battle now?" said Finn. "It isa pity the way it is, " said Fergus, "for, by my word, " he said, "sincethe armies met together to-day, no man of the foreigners or of the menof Ireland took a step backward from one another till they all fell footto foot, and sole to sole. And there is not so much as a blade of grassor a grain of sand to be seen, " he said, "with the bodies of fightingmen that are stretched on them; and there is no man of the two armiesthat is not stretched in that bed of blood, but only the chief man ofthe household of the King of the World, and your own foster-son, Cael, son of Crimthan of the Harbours. " "Rise up and go to him, " said Finn. SoFergus went where Cael was, and asked what way was he. "It is a pity theway I am, " said Cael, "for I swear by my word that if my helmet and myarmour were taken from me, there is no part of my body but would fallfrom the other; and by my oath, " he said, "it is worse to me to see thatman beyond going away alive than I myself to be the way I am. And Ileave my blessing to you, Fergus, " he said; "and take me on your back tothe sea till I swim after the foreigner, and it is glad I would be theforeigner to fall by me before the life goes out from my body. " Ferguslifted him up then and brought him to the sea, and put him swimmingafter the foreigner. And Finnachta waited for him to reach the ship, forhe thought he was one of his own people. And Cael raised himself up whenhe came beside the ship, and Finnachta stretched out his hand to him. And Cael took hold of it at the wrist, and clasped his fingers round it, and gave a very strong pull at him, that brought him over the side. Thentheir hands shut across one another's bodies, and they went down to thesand and the gravel of the clear sea. 

CHAPTER XIII. CREDHE'S LAMENT

Then there came the women and the musicians and the singers and thephysicians of the Fianna of Ireland to search out the kings and theprinces of the Fianna, and to bury them; and every one that might behealed was brought to a place of healing. 

And Credhe, wife of Cael, came with the others, and went lookingthrough the bodies for her comely comrade, and crying as she went. Andas she was searching, she saw a crane of the meadows and her twonestlings, and the cunning beast the fox watching the nestlings; andwhen the crane covered one of the birds to save it, he would make a rushat the other bird, the way she had to stretch herself out over thebirds; and she would sooner have got her own death by the fox than hernestlings to be killed by him. And Credhe was looking at that, and shesaid: "It is no wonder I to have such love for my comely sweetheart, andthe bird in that distress about her nestlings. "

Then she heard a stag in Druim Ruighlenn above the harbour, that wasmaking great lamentations for his hind from place to place, for they hadbeen nine years together, and had lived in the wood at the foot of theharbour, Fidh Leis, and Finn had killed the hind, and the stag wasnineteen days without tasting grass or water, lamenting after the hind. "It is no shame for me, " said Credhe, "I to die for grief after Cael, since the stag is shortening his life sorrowing after the hind. "

Then she met with Fergus of the True Lips. "Have you news of Cael forme, Fergus?" she said. "I have news, " said Fergus, "for he and the lastman that was left of the foreigners, Finnachta Fiaclach, are afterdrowning one another in the sea. "

And at that time the waves had put Cael back on the strand, and thewomen and the men of the Fianna that were looking for him raised him up, and brought him to the south of the White Strand. 

And Credhe came to where he was, and she keened him and cried over him, and she made this complaint:--

"The harbour roars, O the harbour roars, over the rushing race of theHeadland of the Two Storms, the drowning of the hero of the Lake of theTwo Dogs, that is what the waves are keening on the strand. 

"Sweet-voiced is the crane, O sweet-voiced is the crane in the marshesof the Ridge of the Two Strong Men; it is she cannot save her nestlings, the wild dog of two colours is taking her little ones. 

"Pitiful the cry, pitiful the cry the thrush is making in the PleasantRidge, sorrowful is the cry of the blackbird in Leiter Laeig. 

"Sorrowful the call, O sorrowful the call of the deer in the Ridge ofTwo Lights; the doe is lying dead in Druim Silenn, the mighty stag criesafter her. 

"Sorrowful to me, O sorrowful to me the death of the hero that laybeside me; the son of the woman of the Wood of the Two Thickets, to bewith a bunch of grass under his head. 

"Sore to me, O sore to me Cael to be a dead man beside me, the waves tohave gone over his white body; it is his pleasantness that has put mywits astray. 

"A woeful shout, O a woeful shout the waves are making on the strand;they that took hold of comely Cael, a pity it is he went to meet them. 

"A woeful crash, O a woeful crash the waves are making on the strand tothe north, breaking against the smooth rock, crying after Cael now he isgone. 

"A sorrowful fight, O a sorrowful fight, the sea is making with thestrand to the north; my beauty is lessened; the end of my life ismeasured. 

"A song of grief, O a song of grief is made by the waves of Tulcha Leis;all I had is gone since this story came to me. Since the son ofCrimthann is drowned I will love no one after him for ever; many a kingfell by his hand; his shield never cried out in the battle. "

After she had made that complaint, Credhe laid herself down beside Caeland died for grief after him. And they were put in the one grave, andit was Caoilte raised the stone over them. 

And after that great battle of the White Strand, that lasted a year anda day, there was many a sword and shield left broken, and many a deadbody lying on the ground, and many a fighting man left with a foolishsmile on his face. 

And the great name that was on the armies of the World went from them tothe Fianna of Ireland; and they took the ships and the gold and thesilver and all the spoils of the armies of the World. And from that timethe Fianna had charge of the whole of Ireland, to keep it from the Fomorand from any that might come against it. 

And they never lost power from that time until the time of their lastbattle, the sorrowful battle of Gabhra. 

BOOK FOUR: HUNTINGS AND ENCHANTMENTS. 

CHAPTER I. THE KING OF BRITAIN'S SON

Arthur, son of the King of Britain, came one time to take service withFinn, and three times nine men along with him. And they went hunting oneday on Beinn Edair, and Finn took his place on the Cairn of the Fiannabetween the hill and the sea, and Arthur took his stand between the huntand the sea, the way the deer would not escape by swimming. 

And while Arthur was there he took notice of three of Finn's hounds, Bran, and Sceolan and Adhnuall, and he made a plan in his mind to goaway across the sea, himself and his three nines, bringing those threehounds along with him. So he did that, and he himself and his menbrought away the hounds and crossed the sea, and the place where theylanded was Inver Mara Gamiach on the coast of Britain. And after theylanded, they went to the mountain of Lodan, son of Lir, to hunt on it. 

And as to the Fianna, after their hunting was done they gatheredtogether on the hill; and as the custom was, all Finn's hounds werecounted. Three hundred full-grown hounds he had, and two hundred whelps;and it is what the poets used to say, that to be counting them was likecounting the branches on a tree. 

Now on this day when they were counted, Bran and Sceolan and Adhnuallwere missing; and that was told to Finn. He bade his people to searchagain through the three battalions of the Fianna, but search as theywould, the hounds were not to be found. 

Then Finn sent for a long-shaped basin of pale gold, and water in it, and he put his face in the water, and his hand over his face, and it wasshowed him what had happened, and he said: "The King of Britain's sonhas brought away the hound. And let nine men be chosen out to followafter them, " he said. So nine men were chosen out, Diarmuid, grandson ofDuibhne; Goll, son of Morna; Oisin, son of Finn; Faolan, the friend ofthe hounds, son of a woman that had come over the sea to give her loveto Finn; Ferdoman, son of Bodb Dearg; two sons of Finn, Raighne Wide Eyeand Cainche the Crimson-Red; Glas, son of Enchered Bera, with Caoilteand Lugaidh's Son. And their nine put their helmets on their heads, andtook their long spears in their hands, and they felt sure they were amatch for any four hundred men from the east to the west of the world. 

They set out then, till they came to the mountain of Lodan, son of Lir;and they were not long there till they heard talk of men that werehunting in that place. 

Arthur of Britain and his people were sitting on a hunting mound just atthat time, and the nine men of the Fianna made an attack on them andkilled all of them but Arthur, that Goll, son of Morna, put his two armsabout and saved from death. Then they turned to go back to Ireland, bringing Arthur with them, and the three hounds. And as they were going, Goll chanced to look around him and he saw a dark-grey horse, having abridle with fittings of worked gold. And then he looked to the left andsaw a bay mare that was not easy to get hold of, and it having a bridleof silver rings and a golden bit. And Goll took hold of the two, and hegave them into Oisin's hand, and he gave them on to Diarmuid. 

They went back to Finn then, bringing his three hounds with them, andthe King of Britain's son as a prisoner; and Arthur made bonds withFinn, and was his follower till he died. 

And as to the horse and the mare, they gave them to Finn; and the marebred eight times, at every birth eight foals, and it is of that seedcame all the horses of the fair Fianna of the Gael, for they had usedno horses up to that time. 

And that was not the only time Finn was robbed of some of his hounds. For there was a daughter of Roman was woman-Druid to the Tuatha deDanaan, and she set her love on Finn. But Finn said, so long as therewas another woman to be found in the world, he would not marry a witch. And one time, three times fifty of Finn's hounds passed by the hillwhere she was; and she breathed on the hounds and shut them up in thehill, and they never came out again. It was to spite Finn she did that, and the place got the name of Duma na Conn, the Mound of the Hounds. 

And as to Adhnuall, one of the hounds Finn thought most of, and that wasbrought back from the King of Britain's son, this is the way he came tohis death afterwards. 

There was a great fight one time between the Fianna and Macoon, son ofMacnia, at some place in the province of Leinster, and a great many ofthe Fianna were killed. And the hound Adhnuall went wandering northwardfrom the battle and went astray; and three times he went round the wholeof Ireland, and then he came back to the place of the battle, and to ahill where three young men of the Fianna that had fallen there wereburied after their death, and three daughters of a King of Alban thathad died for love of them. And when Adhnuall came to that hill, he gavethree loud howls and he stretched himself out and died. 

CHAPTER II. THE CAVE OF CEISCORAN

Finn called for a great hunt one time on the plains of Magh Chonaill andin the forest parts of Cairbre of the Nuts. And he himself went up tothe top of Ceiscoran, and his two dogs Bran and Sceolan with him. 

And the Fianna were shouting through the whole country where they werehunting, the way the deer were roused in their wild places and thebadgers in their holes, and foxes in their wanderings, and birds on thewing. 

And Conaran, son of Imidd, of the Tuatha de Danaan, had the sway inCeiscoran at that time, and when he heard the shouting and the cry ofthe hounds all around, he bade his three daughters that had a greatshare of enchantments, to do vengeance on Finn for his hunting. 

The three women went then to the opening of a cave that was in thehills, and there they sat down together, and they put three strongenchanted hanks of yarn on crooked holly-sticks, and began to reel themoff outside the cave. 

They were not long there till Finn and Conan came towards them, and sawthe three ugly old hags at their work, their coarse hair tossed, theireyes red and bleary, their teeth sharp and crooked, their arms verylong, their nails like the tips of cows' horns, and the three spindlesin their hands. 

Finn and Conan passed through the hanks of yarn to get a better look atthe hags. And no sooner had they done that, than a deadly trembling cameon them and a weakness, and the bold hags took hold of them and put themin tight bonds. 

Two other men of the Fianna came up then, and the sons of Menhann alongwith them, and they went through the spindles to where Finn and Conanwere, and their strength went from them in the same way, and the hagstied them fast and carried them into the cave. 

They were not long there till Caoilte and Lugaidh's Son came to theplace, and along with them the best men of the sons of Baiscne. The sonsof Morna came as well, and no sooner did they see the hanks than theirstrength and their bravery went out of them the same as it went from theothers. 

And in the end the whole number of them, gentle and simple, were put inbonds by the hags, and brought into the cave. And there began at themouth of the cave a great outcry of hounds calling for their mastersthat had left them there. And there was lying on the hillside a greatheap of deer, and wild pigs, and hares, and badgers, dead and torn, thatwere brought as far as that by the hunters that were tied up now in thecave. 

Then the three women came in, having swords in their hands, to the placewhere they were lying, to make an end of them. But first they looked outto see was there ever another man of the Fianna to bring in and to makean end of with the rest. 

And they saw coming towards them a very tall man that was Goll, son ofMorna, the Flame of Battle. And when the three hags saw him they went tomeet him, and they fought a hard battle with him. And great anger cameon Goll, and he made great strokes at the witches, and at the last heraised up his sword, and with one blow he cut the two that were nearesthim through and through. 

And then the oldest of the three women wound her arms about Goll, and hebeheading the two others, and he turned to face her and they wrestledtogether, till at last Goll gave her a great twist and threw her on theground. He tied her fast then with the straps of a shield, and took hissword to make an end of her. But the hag said: "O champion that wasnever worsted, strong man that never went back in battle, I put my bodyand my life under the protection of your bravery. And it is better foryou, " she said, "to get Finn and the Fianna safe and whole than to havemy blood; and I swear by the gods my people swear by, " she said, "I willgive them back to you again. "

With that Goll set her free, and they went together into the hill wherethe Fianna were lying. And Goll said: "Loose off the fastenings firstfrom Fergus of the True Lips and from the other learned men of theFianna; and after that from Finn, and Oisin, and the twenty-nine sons ofMorna, and from all the rest. "

She took off the fastenings then, and the Fianna made no delay, but roseup and went out and sat down on the side of the hill. And Fergus of theSweet Lips looked at Goll, son of Morna, and made great praises of him, and of all that he had done. 

CHAPTER III. DONN SON OF MIDHIR

One time the Fianna were at their hunting at the island of Toraig to thenorth of Ireland, and they roused a fawn that was very wild andbeautiful, and it made for the coast, and Finn and six of his menfollowed after it through the whole country, till they came toSlieve-nam-Ban. And there the fawn put down its head and vanished intothe earth, and none of them knew where was it gone to. 

A heavy snow began to fall then that bent down the tops of the treeslike a willow-gad, and the courage and the strength went from the Fiannawith the dint of the bad weather, and Finn said to Caoilte: "Is thereany place we can find shelter to-night?" Caoilte made himself supplethen, and went over the elbow of the hill southward. 

And when he looked around him he saw a house full of light, with cupsand horns and bowls of different sorts in it. He stood a good whilebefore the door of the house, that he knew to be a house of the Sidhe, thinking would it be best go in and get news of it, or to go back toFinn and the few men that were with him. And he made up his mind to gointo the house, and there he sat down on a shining chair in the middleof the floor; and he looked around him, and he saw, on the one side, eight-and-twenty armed men, each of them having a well-shaped womanbeside him. And on the other side he saw six nice young girls, yellow-haired, having shaggy gowns from their shoulders. And in themiddle there was another young girl sitting in a chair, and a harp inher hand, and she playing on it and singing. And every time she stopped, a man of them would give her a horn to drink from, and she would give itback to him again, and they were all making mirth around her. 

She spoke to Caoilte then. "Caoilte, my life, " she said, "give us leaveto attend on you now. " "Do not, " said Caoilte, "for there is a betterman than myself outside, Finn, son of Cumhal, and he has a mind to eatin this house to-night. " "Rise up, Caoilte, and go for Finn, " said a manof the house then; "for he never refused any man in his own house, andhe will get no refusal from us. "

Caoilte went back then to Finn, and when Finn saw him he said: "It islong you are away from us, Caoilte, for from the time I took arms in myhands I never had a night that put so much hardship on me as this one. "

The six of them went then into the lighted house and their shields andtheir arms with them. And they sat down on the edge of a seat, and agirl having yellow hair came and brought them to a shining seat in themiddle of the house, and the newest of every food, and the oldest ofevery drink was put before them. And when the sharpness of their hungerand their thirst was lessened, Finn said: "Which of you can I question?""Question whoever you have a mind to, " said the tallest of the men thatwas near him. "Who are you yourself then?" said Finn, "for I did notthink there were so many champions in Ireland, and I not knowing them. "

"Those eight-and-twenty armed men you see beyond, " said the tall man, "had the one father and mother with myself; and we are the sons ofMidhir of the Yellow Hair, and our mother is Fionnchaem, the fair, beautiful daughter of the King of the Sidhe of Monaid in the east. Andat one time the Tuatha de Danaan had a gathering, and gave the kingshipto Bodb Dearg, son of the Dagda, at his bright hospitable place, and hebegan to ask hostages of myself and of my brothers; but we said thattill all the rest of the Men of Dea had given them, we would not givethem. Bodb Dearg said then to our father: 'Unless you will put away yoursons, we will wall up your dwelling-place on you. ' So theeight-and-twenty brothers of us came out to look for a place forourselves; and we searched all Ireland till we found this secret hiddenplace, and we are here ever since. And my own name, " he said, "is Donn, son of Midhir. And we had every one of us ten hundred armed menbelonging to himself, but they are all worn away now, and only theeight-and-twenty of us left. " "What is it is wearing you away?" saidFinn. "The Men of Dea, " said Donn, "that come three times in every yearto give battle to us on the green outside. " "What is the long new gravewe saw on the green outside?" said Finn. "It is the grave of Diangalach, a man of enchantments of the Men of Dea; and that is the greatest losscame on them yet, " said Donn; "and it was I myself killed him, " hesaid. "What loss came next to that?" said Finn. "All the Tuatha deDanaan had of jewels and riches and treasures, horns and vessels andcups of pale gold, we took from them at the one time. " "What was thethird greatest loss they had?" said Finn. "It was Fethnaid, daughter ofFeclach, the woman-harper of the Tuatha de Danaan, their music and thedelight of their minds, " said Donn. 

"And to-morrow, " he said, "they will be coming to make an attack on us, and there is no one but myself and my brothers left; and we knew wewould be in danger, and that we could make no stand against them. And wesent that bare-headed girl beyond to Toraig in the North in the shape ofa foolish fawn, and you followed her here. It is that girl washingherself, and having a green cloak about her, went looking for you. 

"And the empty side of the house, " he said, "belonged to our people thatthe Men of Dea have killed. "

They spent that night in drinking and in pleasure. And when they rose upin the morning of the morrow, Donn, son of Midhir, said to Finn, "Comeout with me now on the lawn till you see the place where we fight thebattles every year. " They went out then and they looked at the gravesand the flag-stones, and Donn said: "It is as far as this the Men of Deacome to meet us. " "Which of them come here?" said Finn. 

"Bodb Dearg with his seven sons, " said Donn; "and Angus Og, son of theDagda, with his seven sons; and Finnbharr of Cnoc Medha with hisseventeen sons; Lir of Sidhe Fionnachaidh with his twenty-seven sons andtheir sons; Tadg, son of Nuada, out of the beautiful hill of Almhuin;Donn of the Island and Donn of the Vat; the two called Glas from thedistrict of Osraige; Dobhran Dubthaire from the hill of Liamhain of theSmooth Shirt; Aedh of the Island of Rachrainn in the north; Ferai andAillinn and Lir and Fainnle, sons of Eogobal, from Cnoc Aine in Munster;Cian and Coban and Conn, three sons of the King of Sidhe Monaid inAlban; Aedh Minbhreac of Ess Ruadh with his seven sons; the children ofthe Morrigu, the Great Queen, her six-and-twenty women warriors, the twoLuaths from Magh Life; Derg and Drecan out of the hill of Beinn Edair inthe east; Bodb Dearg himself with his great household, ten hundred tenscore and ten. Those are the chief leaders of the Tuatha de Danaan thatcome to destroy our hill every year. "

Finn went back into the hill then, and told all that to his people. 

"My people, " he said, "it is in great need and under great oppressionthe sons of Midhir are, and it is into great danger we are comeourselves. And unless we make a good fight now, " he said, "it is likelywe will never see the Fianna again. "

"Good Finn, " every one of them said then, "did you ever see anydrawing-back in any of us that you give us that warning?" "I give myword, " said Finn, "if I would go through the whole world having onlythis many of the Fianna of Ireland along with me, I would not know fearnor fright. And good Donn, " he said, "is it by day or by night the Menof Dea come against you?" "It is at the fall of night they come, " saidDonn, "the way they can do us the most harm. "

So they waited till night came on, and then Finn said: "Let one of yougo out now on the green to keep watch for us, the way the Men of Deawill not come on us without word or warning. "

And the man they set to watch was not gone far when he saw five strongbattalions of the Men of Dea coming towards him. He went back then tothe hill and he said: "It is what I think, that the troops that are comeagainst us this time and are standing now around the grave of the Manof Enchantments are a match for any other fighting men. "

Finn called to his people then, and he said: "These are good fightersare come against you, having strong red spears. And let you all do wellnow in the battle. And it is what you have to do, " he said, "to keep thelittle troop of brothers, the sons of Midhir, safe in the fight; for itwould be a treachery to friendship any harm to come on them, and weafter joining them; and myself and Caoilte are the oldest among you, andleave the rest of the battle to us. "

Then from the covering time of evening to the edge of the morning theyfought the battle. And the loss of the Tuatha de Danaan was no less anumber than ten hundred ten score and ten men. Then Bodb Dearg andMidhir and Fionnbhar said to one another: "What are we to do with allthese? And let Lir of Sidhe Fionnachaidh give us an advice, " they said, "since he is the oldest of us. " And Lir said: "It is what I advise, letevery one carry away his friends and his fosterlings, his sons and hisbrothers, to his own place. And as for us that stop here, " he said, "leta wall of fire be made about us on the one side, and a wall of water onthe other side. " Then the Men of Dea put up a great heap of stones, andbrought away their dead; and of all the great slaughter that Finn andhis men and the sons of Midhir had made, there was not left enough for acrow to perch upon. 

And as to Finn and his men, they went back into the hill, hurt andwounded and worn-out. 

And they stopped in the hill with the sons of Midhir through the wholelength of a year, and three times in the year the Men of Dea made anattack on the hill, and a battle was fought. 

And Conn, son of Midhir, was killed in one of the battles; and as to theFianna, there were so many wounds on them that the clothing was heldoff from their bodies with bent hazel sticks, and they lying in theirbeds, and two of them were like to die. And Finn and Caoilte andLugaidh's Son went out on the green, and Caoilte said: "It was a badjourney we made coming to this hill, to leave two of our comrades afterus. " "It is a pity for whoever will face the Fianna of Ireland, " saidLugaidh's Son, "and he after leaving his comrades after him. " "Whoeverwill go back and leave them, it will not be myself, " said Finn. ThenBonn, son of Midhir, came to them. "Good Donn, " said Finn, "have youknowledge of any physician that can cure our men?" "I only know onephysician could do that, " said Donn; "a physician the Tuatha de Danaanhave with them. And unless a wounded man has the marrow of his back cutthrough, he will get relief from that physician, the way he will besound at the end of nine days. " "How can we bring that man here, " saidFinn, "for those he is with are no good friends to us?" "He goes outevery morning at break of day, " said Donn, "to gather healing herbswhile the dew is on them. " "Find some one, Donn, " said Caoilte, "thatwill show me that physician, and, living or dead, I will bring him withme. "

Then Aedh and Flann, two of the sons of Midhir, rose up. "Come with us, Caoilte, " they said, and they went on before him to a green lawn withthe dew on it; and when they came to it they saw a strong young manarmed and having a cloak of the wool of the seven sheep of the Land ofPromise, and it full of herbs of healing he was after gathering for theMen of Dea that were wounded in the battle. "Who is that man?" saidCaoilte. "That is the man we came looking for, " said Aedh. "And mind himwell now, " he said, "that he will not make his escape from us back tohis own people. "

They ran at him together then, and Caoilte took him by the shouldersand they brought him away with them to the ford of the Slaine in thegreat plain of Leinster, where the most of the Fianna were at that time;and a Druid mist rose up about them that they could not be seen. 

And they went up on a little hill over the ford, and they saw beforethem four young men having crimson fringed cloaks and swords with goldhilts, and four good hunting hounds along with them. And the young mancould not see them because of the mist, but Caoilte saw they were hisown two sons, Colla and Faolan, and two other young men of the Fianna, and he could hear them talking together, and saying it was a year nowthat Finn, son of Cumhal, was gone from them. "And what will the Fiannaof Ireland do from this out, " said one of them, "without their lord andtheir leader?" "There is nothing for them to do, " said another, "but togo to Teamhair and to break up there, or to find another leader forthemselves. " And there was heavy sorrow on them for the loss of theirlord; and it was grief to Caoilte to be looking at them. 

And he and the two sons of Midhir went back then by the Lake of the TwoBirds to Slieve-nam Ban, and they went into the hill. 

And Finn and Donn gave a great welcome to Luibra, the physician, andthey showed him their two comrades that were lying in their wounds. "Those men are brothers to me, " said Donn, "and tell me how can they becured?" Luibra looked then at their wounds, and he said: "They can becured if I get a good reward. " "You will get that indeed, " said Caoilte;"and tell me now, " he said, "how long will it take to cure them?" "Itwill take nine days, " said Luibra. "It is a good reward you will get, "said Caoilte, "and this is what it is, your own life to be left to you. But if these young men are not healed, " he said, "it is my own hand willstrike off your head. "

And within nine days the physician had done a cure on them, and theywere as well and as sound as before. 

And it was after that time the High King sent a messenger to bring theFianna to the Feast of Teamhair. And they all gathered to it, men andwomen, boys and heroes and musicians. And Goll, son of Morna, wassitting at the feast beside the king. "It is a great loss you have had, Fianna of Ireland, " said the king, "losing your lord and your leader, Finn, son of Cumhal. " "It is a great loss indeed, " said Goll. 

"There has no greater loss fallen on Ireland since the loss of Lugh, sonof Ethne, " said the king. "What orders will you give to the Fianna now, king?" said Goll. "To yourself, Goll, " said the king, "I will give theright of hunting over all Ireland till we know if the loss of Finn islasting. " "I will not take Finn's place, " said Goll, "till he has beenwanting to us through the length of three years, and till no person inIreland has any hope of seeing him again. "

Then Ailbe of the Freckled Face said to the king: "What should theseseventeen queens belonging to Finn's household do?" "Let a safe, secretsunny house be given to every one of them, " said the king; "and let herstop there and her women with her, and let provision be given to her fora month and a quarter and a year till we have knowledge if Finn is aliveor dead. "

Then the king stood up, and a smooth drinking-horn in his hand, and hesaid: "It would be a good thing, men of Ireland, if any one among youcould get us news of Finn in hills or in secret places, or in rivers orinvers, or in any house of the Sidhe in Ireland or in Alban. "

With that Berngal, the cow-owner from the borders of Slieve Fuad, thatwas divider to the King of Ireland, said: "The day Finn came out fromthe north, following after a deer of the Sidhe, and his five comradeswith him, he put a sharp spear having a shining head in my hand, and ahound's collar along with it, and he bade me to keep them till he wouldmeet me again in the same place. " Berngal showed the spear and thecollar then to the king and to Goll, and they looked at them and theking said: "It is a great loss to the men of Ireland the man is thatowned this collar and this spear. And were his hounds along with him?"he said. "They were, " said Berngal; "Bran and Sceolan were with Finn, and Breac and Lainbhui with Caoilte, and Conuall and Comrith withLugaidh's Son. "

The High King called then for Fergus of the True Lips, and he said: "Doyou know how long is Finn away from us?" "I know that well, " saidFergus; "it is a month and a quarter and a year since we lost him. Andindeed it is a great loss he is to the Fianna of Ireland, " hesaid, "himself and the men that were with him. " "It is a great lossindeed, " said the king, "and I have no hope at all of finding those sixthat were the best men of Ireland or of Alban. "

And then he called to Cithruadh, the Druid, and he said: "It is muchriches and many treasures Finn gave you, and tell us now is he living oris he dead?" "He is living, " said Cithruadh then. "But as to where heis, I will give no news of that, " he said, "for he himself would notlike me to give news of it. " There was great joy among them when theyheard that, for everything Cithruadh had ever foretold had come true. "Tell us when will he come back?" said the king. "Before the Feast ofTeamhair is over, " said the Druid, "you will see the Leader of theFianna drinking at it. "

And as to Finn and his men, they stopped in the House of the Two Birdstill they had taken hostages for Donn, son of Midhir, from the Tuatha deDanaan. And on the last day of the Feast of Teamhair they came back totheir people again. 

And from that time out the Fianna of Ireland had not more dealings withthe people living in houses than they had with the People of the Gods ofDana. 

CHAPTER IV. THE HOSPITALITY OF CUANNA'S HOUSE

It happened one day Finn and Oisin and Caoilte and Diarmuid andLugaidh's Son went up on the top of Cairn Feargall, and their fivehounds with them, Bran and Sceolan, Sear Dubh, Luath Luachar andAdhnuall. And they were not long there till they saw a giant comingtowards them, very tall and rough and having an iron fork on his backand a squealing pig between the prongs of the fork. And there was abeautiful eager young girl behind the giant, shoving him on before her. "Let some one go speak with those people, " said Finn. So Diarmuid wenttowards them, but they turned away before he came to them. Then Finn andthe rest rose up and went after them, but before they came to the giantand the girl, a dark Druid mist rose up that hid the road. And when themist cleared away, Finn and the rest looked about them, and they saw agood light-roofed house at the edge of a ford near at hand. They went onto the house, and there was a green lawn before it, and in the lawn twowells, and on the edge of one well there was a rough iron vessel, and onthe edge of the other a copper vessel. They went into the house then, and they found there a very old white-haired man, standing to the righthand of the door, and the beautiful young girl they saw before, sittingnear him, and the great rough giant beside the fire, and he boiling apig. And on the other side of the fire there was an old countryman, having dark-grey hair and twelve eyes in his head, and his twelve eyeswere twelve sons of battle. And there was a ram in the house having awhite belly and a very black head, and dark-blue horns and green feet. And there was a hag in the end of the house and a worn grey gown on her, and there was no one in the house but those. 

And the man at the door gave them a welcome, and then the five of themsat down on the floor of the house, and their hounds along with them. 

"Let great respect be shown to Finn, son of Cumhal, and to his people, "said the man at the door. "It is the way I am, " said the giant, "to beasking always and getting nothing. " But for all that he rose up andshowed respect to Finn. 

Presently there came a great thirst on Finn, and no one took notice ofit but Caoilte, and he began complaining greatly. "Why are youcomplaining, Caoilte?" said the man at the door; "you have but to go outand get a drink for Finn at whichever of the wells you will choose. "Caoilte went out then, and he brought the full of the copper vessel toFinn, and Finn took a drink from it, and there was the taste of honey onit while he was drinking, and the taste of gall on it after, so thatfierce windy pains and signs of death came on him, and his appearancechanged, that he would hardly be known. And Caoilte made greatercomplaints than he did before on account of the way he was, till the manat the door bade him to go out and to bring him a drink from the otherwell. So Caoilte did that, and brought in the full of the iron vessel. And Finn never went through such great hardship in any battle as he diddrinking that draught, from the bitterness of it; but no sooner did hedrink it than his own colour and appearance came back to him and he wasas well as before, and his people were very glad when they saw that. 

Then the man of the house asked was the pig ready that was in thecauldron. "It is ready, " said the giant; "and leave the dividing of itto me, " he said. "What way will you divide it?" said the man of thehouse. "I will give one hind quarter to Finn and his dogs, " said thegiant, "and the other hind quarter to Finn's four comrades; and the forequarter to myself, and the chine and the rump to the old man there bythe fire and the hag in the corner; and the entrails to yourself and tothe young girl that is beside you. " "I give my word, " said the man ofthe house, "you have shared it well. " "I give my word, " said the ram, "it is a bad division to me, for you have forgotten my share in it. "With that he took hold of the quarter that was before the Fianna, andbrought it into a corner and began to eat it. On that the four of themattacked him with their swords, but with all the hard strokes they gavethey could not harm him at all, for the swords slipped from his back thesame as they would from a rock. "On my word it is a pity for any onethat has the like of you for comrades, " said the man with the twelveeyes, "and you letting a sheep bring away your food from you. " With thathe went up to the ram and took him by the feet and threw him out fromthe door that he fell on his back, and they saw him no more. 

It was not long after that, the hag rose up and threw her pale grey gownover Finn's four comrades, and they turned to four old men, weak andwithered, their heads hanging. When Finn saw that there came great dreadon him, and the man at the door saw it, and he bade him to come over tohim, and to put his head in his breast and to sleep. Finn did that, andthe hag took her covering off the four men, the way that when Finn awokethey were in their own shape again, and it is well pleased he was to seethat. 

"Is there wonder on you, Finn?" said the man at the door, "at the waysof this house?" "I never wondered more at anything I ever saw, " saidFinn. "I will tell you the meaning of them, so, " said the man. "As tothe giant you saw first, " he said, "having the squealing pig in theprongs of his fork, Sluggishness is his name; and the girl here besideme that was shoving him along is Liveliness, for liveliness pushes onsluggishness, and liveliness goes farther in the winking of an eye thanthe foot can travel in a year. The old man there beyond with the twelvebright eyes betokens the World, and he is stronger than any other, andhe showed that when he made nothing of the ram. The ram you saw betokensthe Desires of Men. The hag is Old Age, and her gown withered up yourfour comrades. And the two wells you drank the two draughts out of, " hesaid, "betoken Lying and Truth; for it is sweet to people to be tellinga lie, but it is bitter in the end. And as to myself, " he said, "Cuannafrom Innistuil is my name, and it is not here I am used to be, but Itook a very great love for you, Finn, because of your wisdom and yourgreat name, and so I put these things in your way that I might see you. And the hospitality of Cuanna's house to Finn will be the name of thisstory to the end of the world. And let you and your men come togethernow, " he said, "and sleep till morning. "

So they did that, and when they awoke in the morning, it is where theywere, on the top of Cairn Feargall, and their dogs and their arms besidethem. 

CHAPTER V. CAT-HEADS AND DOG-HEADS

Nine of the Fianna set out one time, looking for a pup they wanted, andthey searched through many places before they found it. All through MaghLeine they searched, and through the Valley of the Swords, and throughthe storm of Druim Cleibh, and it is pleasant the Plain of the Lifelooked after it; but not a pup could they find. Then they went searchingthrough Durlass of the generous men, and great Teamhair and Dun Dobhranand Ceanntsaile, men and dogs searching the whole of Ireland, but not apup could they find. 

And while they were going from place to place, and their people withthem, they saw the three armies of the sons of the King of Ruadhleathcoming towards them. Cat-headed one army was, and the one alongside ofit was Dog-headed, and the men of the third army were White-backed. 

And when the Fianna saw them coming, Finn held up his shining spear, andlight-hearted Caoilte gave out a great shout that was heard in Almhuin, and in Magh Leine, and in Teamhair, and in Dun Reithlein. And that shoutwas answered by Goll, son of Morna, and by Faolan, Finn's son that waswith him, and by the Stutterers from Burren, and by the two sons ofMaith Breac, and by Iolunn of the Sharp Edge, and by Cael of the SharpSword, that never gave his ear to tale-bearers. 

It is pleasant the sound was then of the spears and the armies and ofthe silken banners that were raised up in the gusty wind of the morning. And as to the banners, Finn's banner, the Dealb-Greine, the Sun-Shape, had the likeness of the sun on it; and Coil's banner was the FulangDuaraidh, that was the first and last to move in a battle; and Faolan'sbanner was the Coinneal Catha, the Candle of Battle; and Oisin's bannerwas the Donn Nimhe, the Dark Deadly One; and Caoilte's was the LamhDearg, the Red Hand; and Osgar's was the Sguab Gabhaidh that had a Broomof rowan branches on it, and the only thing asked when the fight was atthe hottest was where that Broom was; and merry Diarmuid's banner wasthe Liath Loinneach, the Shining Grey; and the Craobh Fuileach, theBloody Branch, was the banner of Lugaidh's Son. And as to Conan, it is abriar he had on his banner, because he was always for quarrels and fortrouble. And it used to be said of him he never saw a man frown withoutstriking him, or a door left open without going in through it. 

And when the Fianna had raised their banners they attacked the threearmies; and first of all they killed the whole of the Cat-Heads, andthen they took the Dog-Heads in hand and made an end of them, and of theWhite-Backs along with them. 

And after that they went to a little hill to the south, having a doubledun on it, and it is there they found a hound they were able to get apup from. 

And by that time they had searched through the whole of Ireland, andthey did not find in the whole of it a hundred men that could matchtheir nine. 

And as well as their banners, some of the Fianna had swords that hadnames to them, Mac an Luin, Son of the Waves, that belonged to Finn; andCeard-nan Gallan, the Smith of the Branches, that was Oisin's; andCaoilte's Cruadh-Chosgarach, the Hard Destroying One; and Diarmuid'sLiomhadoir, the Burnisher; and Osgar's Cosgarach Mhor, the GreatTriumphant One. 

And it is the way they got those swords: there came one time to whereFinn and Caoilte and some others of the Fianna were, a young man, verybig and ugly, having but one foot and one eye; a cloak of black skins hehad over his shoulders, and in his hand a blunt ploughshare that wasturning to red. And he told them he was Lon, son of Liobhan, one of thethree smiths of the King of Lochlann. And whether he thought to go awayfrom the Fianna, or to bring them to his smithy, he started running, andthey followed after him all through Ireland, to Slieve-na-Righ, and toLuimnech, and to Ath Luain, and by the right side of Cruachan ofConnacht, and to Ess Ruadh and to Beinn Edair, and so to the sea. 

And wherever it was they found the smithy, they went into it, and therethey found four smiths working, and every one of them having sevenhands. And Finn and Caoilte and the rest stopped there watching themtill the swords were made, and they brought them away with them then, and it is good use they made of them afterwards. 

And besides his sword, Mac an Luin, Finn had a shield was called SgiathGailbhinn, the Storm Shield; and when it called out it could be heardall through Ireland. 

And whether or not it was the Storm Shield, Finn had a wonderful shieldthat he did great deeds with, and the story of it is this:

At the time of the battle of the Great Battle of Magh Tuireadh, Lugh, after he had struck the head off Balor of the Evil Eye, hung it in thefork of a hazel-tree. And the tree split, and the leaves fell from itwith the dint of the poison that dropped from the head. And through thelength of fifty years that tree was a dwelling-place of crows and ofravens. And at the end of that time Manannan, son of Lir, was passingby, and he took notice of the tree that it was split and withered, andhe bade his men to dig it up. And when they began to dig, a mist ofpoison rose up from the roots, and nine of the men got their death fromit, and another nine after them, and the third nine were blinded. AndLuchtaine the Carpenter made a shield of the wood of that hazel forManannan. And after a while Manannan gave it, and a set of chessmenalong with it, to Tadg, son of Nuada; and from him it came to hisgrandson, Finn, son of Muirne and of Cumhal. 

CHAPTER VI. LOMNA'S HEAD

FINN took a wife one time of the Luigne of Midhe. And at the same timethere was in his household one Lomna, a fool. 

Finn now went into Tethra, hunting with the Fianna, but Lomna stopped atthe house. And after a while he saw Coirpre, a man of the Luigne, go insecretly to where Finn's wife was. 

And when the woman knew he had seen that, she begged and prayed of Lomnato hide it from Finn. And Lomna agreed to that, but it preyed on him tohave a hand in doing treachery on Finn. And after a while he took afour-square rod and wrote an Ogham on it, and these were the words hewrote:--"An alder stake in a paling of silver; deadly night-shade in abunch of cresses; a husband of a lewd woman; a fool among thewell-taught Fianna; heather on bare Ualann of Luigne. "

Finn saw the message, and there was anger on him against the woman; andshe knew well it was from Lomna he had heard the story, and she sent amessage to Coirpre bidding him to come and kill the fool. 

So Coirpre came and struck his head off, and brought it away with him. 

And when Finn came back in the evening he saw the body, and it without ahead. "Let us know whose body is this, " said the Fianna. And then Finndid the divination of rhymes, and it is what he said: "It is the body ofLomna; it is not by a wild boar he was killed; it is not by a fall hewas killed; it is not in his bed he died; it is by his enemies he died;it is not a secret to the Luigne the way he died. And let out the houndsnow on their track, " he said. 

So they let out the hounds, and put them on the track of Coirpre, andFinn followed them, and they came to a house, and Coirpre in it, andthree times nine of his men and he cooking fish on a spit; and Lomna'shead was on a spike beside the fire. 

And the first of the fish that was cooked Coirpre divided between hismen, but he put no bit into the mouth of the head. And then he made asecond division in the same way. Now that was against the law of theFianna, and the head spoke, and it said: "A speckled white-belliedsalmon that grows from a small fish under the sea; you have shared ashare that is not right; the Fianna will avenge it upon you, Coirpre. ""Put the head outside, " said Coirpre, "for that is an evil word for us. "Then the head said from outside: "It is in many pieces you will be; itis great fires will be lighted by Finn in Luigne. "

And as it said that, Finn came in, and he made an end of Coirpre, and ofhis men. 

CHAPTER VII. ILBREC OF ESS RUADH

One time Caoilte was hunting on Beinn Gulbain, and he went on to EssRuadh. And when he came near the hill of the Sidhe that is there, he sawa young man waiting for him, having a crimson fringed cloak about him, and on his breast a silver brooch, and a white shield, ornamented withlinked beasts of red gold, and his hair rolled in a ball at the back, and covered with a golden cup. And he had heavy green weapons, and hewas holding two hounds in a silver chain. 

And when Caoilte came up to him he gave him three loving kisses, and satdown beside him on the grass. "Who are you, young champion?" saidCaoilte. "I am Derg, son of Eoghan of the people of Usnach, " he said, "and foster-brother of your own. " Caoilte knew him then, and he said:"And what is your life with your mother's people, the Tuatha de Danaanin Sidhe Aedha?" "There is nothing wanting to us there of food or ofclothing, " said the young man. "But for all that, " he said, "I wouldsooner live the life of the worst treated of the serving-boys of theFianna than the life I am living in the hill of the Sidhe. " "Lonely asyou are at your hunting to-day, " said Caoilte, "it is often I saw youcoming to the Valley of the Three Waters in the south, where the Siuirand the Beoir and the Berba come together, with a great company aboutyou; fifteen hundred young men, fifteen hundred serving-boys, andfifteen hundred women. " "That was so, " said Derg; "and although myselfand my gentle hound are living in the hill of the Sidhe, my mind isalways on the Fianna. And I remember well the time, " he said, "when youyourself won the race against Finn's lasting black horse. And come nowinto the hill, " he said, "for the darkness of the night is coming on. "

So he brought Caoilte into the hill with him, and they were set down intheir right places. 

It was at that time, now, there was great war between Lir of SidheFionnachaidh and Ilbrec of Ess Ruadh. There used a bird with an ironbeak and a tail of fire to come every evening to a golden window ofIlbrec's house, and there he would shake himself till he would not leavesword on pillow, or shield on peg, or spear in rack, but they would comedown on the heads of the people of the house; and whatever they wouldthrow at the bird, it is on the heads of some of themselves it wouldfall. And the night Caoilte came in, the hall was made ready for afeast, and the bird came in again, and did the same destruction asbefore, and nothing they threw at him would touch him at all. "Is itlong the bird has been doing this?" said Caoilte. "Through the length ofa year now, " said Derg, "since we went to war with Sidhe Fionnachaidh. "

Then Caoilte put his hand within the rim of his shield, and he took outof it a copper rod he had, and he made a cast of it at the bird, thatbrought it down on the floor of the hall. "Did any one ever make abetter cast than that?" said Ilbrec. "By my word, " said Caoilte, "thereis no one of us in the Fianna has any right to boast against another. "Then Ilbrec took down a sharp spear, having thirty rivets of gold in it, from its place, and he said: "That is the Spear of Fiacha, son ofCongha, and it is with that Finn made an end of Aillen, son of Midhna, that used to burn Teamhair. And keep it beside you now, Caoilte, " hesaid, "till we see will Lir come to avenge his bird on us. "

Then they took up their horns and their cups, and they were at drinkingand pleasure, and Ilbrec said: "Well, Caoilte, " he said, "if Lir comesto avenge his bird on us, who will you put in command of the battle?" "Iwill give the command to Derg there beyond, " said he. "Will you take itin hand, Derg?" said the people of the hill. "I will take it, " saidDerg, "with its loss and its gain. "

So that is how they spent the night, and it was not long in the morningtill they heard blowing of horns, and rattling of chariots, and clashingof shields, and the uproar of a great army that came all about the hill. They sent some of their people out then to see were there many in it, and they saw three brave armies of the one size. "It would be a greatvexation to me, " said Aedh Nimbrec, the Speckled, then, "we to get ourdeath and Lir's people to take the hill. " "Did you never hear, Aedh, "said Caoilte, "that the wild boar escapes sometimes from both hounds andfrom wolves, and the stag in the same way goes away from the hounds witha sudden start; and what man is it you are most in dread of in thebattle?" he said. "The man that is the best fighter of all the Men ofDea, " said they all, "and that is Lir of Sidhe Fionnachaidh. " "Thething I have done in every battle I will not give up to-day, " saidCaoilte, "to meet the best man that is in it hand to hand. " "The twothat are next to him in fighting, " they said then, "are Donn and Dubh. ""I will put down those two, " said Derg. 

Then the host of the Sidhe went out to the battle, and the armiesattacked one another with wide green spears and with little castingspears, and with great stones; and the fight went on from the rising ofthe day till midday. And then Caoilte and Lir met with one another, andthey made a very fierce fight, and at the last Lir of Sidhe Fionnachaidhfell by the hand of Caoilte. 

Then the two good champions Dubh and Donn, sons of Eirrge, determined togo on with the battle, and it is how they fought, Dubh in the front ofthe whole army, and Donn behind all, guarding the rear. But Derg sawthat, and he put his finger into the thong of his spear and made a castat the one that was nearest him, and it broke his back and went on intothe body of the other, so that the one cast made an end of the two. Andthat ended the battle, and all that was left of the great army of Lirwent wearing away to the north. And there was great rejoicing in thehill at Ess Ruadh, and Ilbrec took the spoils of the beaten army for hispeople, and to Caoilte he gave the enchanted spear of Fiacha, togetherwith nine rich cloaks and nine long swords with hilts and guards ofgold, and nine hounds for hunting. And they said farewell to oneanother, and Caoilte left his blessing to the people of the hill, and hebrought their thanks with him. And as hard as the battle had been, itwas harder again for Derg to part from his comrade, and the day he wasparted from Finn and from all the Fianna was no sadder to him than thisday. 

It was a long time after that Caoilte went again to the hill of Ilbrecat Ess Ruadh, and this is the way it happened. 

It was in a battle at Beinn Edair in the east that Mane, son of the Kingof Lochlann, made a cast at him in the middle of the battle with adeadly spear. And he heard the whistling of the spear, and it rushing tohim; and he lifted his shield to protect his head and his body, but thatdid not save him, for it struck into his thigh, and left its poison init, so that he had to go in search of healing. And it is where he went, to the hill of the Sidhe at Ess Ruadh, to ask help of Bebind, daughterof Elcmar of Brugh na Boinne, that had the drink of healing of theTuatha de Danaan, and all that was left of the ale of Goibniu that sheused to be giving out to them. 

And Caoilte called to Cascorach the Musician, son of Caincenn, and badehim bring his harp and come along with him. And they stopped for a nightin the hill of the Sidhe of Druim Nemed in Luigne of Connacht, and fromthat they went forward by Ess Dara, the Fall of the Oaks, and DruimDearg na Feinne, the Red Ridge of the Fianna, and Ath Daim Glas, theFord of the Grey Stag, and to Beinn Gulbain, and northward into theplain of Ceitne, where the Men of Dea used to pay their tribute to theFomor; and up to the Footstep of Ess Ruadh, and the High Place of theBoys, where the boys of the Tuatha de Danaan used to be playing theirhurling. And Aedh of Ess Ruadh and Ilbrec of Ess Ruadh were at the doorof the hill, and they gave Caoilte a true welcome. "I am glad of thatwelcome, " said Caoilte. And then Bebind, daughter of Elcmar of Brugh naBoinne, came out, and three times fifty comely women about her, and shesat down on the green grass and gave three loving kisses to the three, to Caoilte and to Cascorach and to Fermaise, that had come with them outof the hill of the Sidhe in Luigne of Connacht. And all the people ofthe hill welcomed them, and they said: "It is little your friendshipwould be worth if you would not come to help us and we in need of help. ""It was not for bravery I was bade come, " said Cascorach; "but when theright time comes I will make music for you if you have a mind to hearit. " "It is not for deeds of bravery we are come, " said Fermaise, "butwe will give you our help if you are in need of it. " Then Caoilte toldthem the cause of his journey. "We will heal you well, " said they. Andthen they all went into the hill and stayed there three days and threenights at drinking and pleasure. 

And indeed it was good help Caoilte and Cascorach gave them after that. For there was a woman-warrior used to come every year with the ships ofthe men of Lochlann to make an attack on the Tuatha de Danaan. And shehad been reared by a woman that knew all enchantments, and there was noprecious thing in all the hills of the Sidhe but she had knowledge ofit, and would bring it away. And just at this time there came amessenger to the door of the hill with news that the harbour was full ofships, and that a great army had landed, and the woman-warrior alongwith it. 

And it was Cascorach the Musician went out against her, having a shieldhe got the loan of from Donn, son of Midhir; and she used high wordswhen she saw so young a man coming to fight with her, and he alone. Buthe made an end of her for all her high talk, and left her lying on thestrand with the sea foam washing up to her. 

And as to Caoilte, he went out in a chariot belonging to Midhir of theYellow Hair, son of the Dagda, and a spear was given him that was calledBen-badb, the War-Woman, and he made a cast of the spear that struck theKing of Lochlann, that he fell in the middle of his army, and the lifewent from him. And Fermaise went looking for the king's brother, Eolus, that was the comeliest of all the men of the world; and he knew him bythe band of gold around his head, and his green armour, and his redshield, and he killed him with a cast of a five-pronged spear. And whenthe men of Lochlann saw their three leaders were gone, they went intotheir ships and back to their own country. And there was great joythrough the whole country, both among the men of Ireland and the Tuathade Danaan, the men of Lochlann to have been driven away by the deeds ofCaoilte and Fermaise and Cascorach. 

And that was not all they did, for it was at that time there came threeflocks of beautiful red birds from Slieve Fuad in the north, and beganeating the green grass before the hill of the Sidhe. "What birds arethose?" said Caoilte. "Three flocks they are that come and destroy thegreen every year, eating it down to the bare flag-stones, till theyleave us no place for our races, " said Ilbrec. Then Caoilte and hiscomrades took up three stones and threw them at the flocks and drovethem away. "Power and blessings to you, " said the people of the Sidhethen, "that is a good work you have done. And there is another thing youcan do for us, " they said, "for there are three ravens come to us everyyear out of the north, and the time the young lads of the hill areplaying their hurling, each one of the ravens carries off a boy of them. And it is to-morrow the hurling will be, " they said. 

So when the full light of day was come on the morrow, the whole of theTuatha de Danaan went out to look at the hurling; and to every six menof them was given a chess-board, and a board for some other game toevery five, and to every ten men a little harp, and a harp to everyhundred men, and pipes that were sharp and powerful to every nine. 

Then they saw the three ravens from the north coming over the sea, andthey pitched on the great tree of power that was on the green, and theygave three gloomy screeches, that if such a thing could be, would havebrought the dead out of the earth or the hair off the head of thelisteners; and as it was, they took the courage out of the wholegathering. 

Then Cascorach, son of Caincenn, took a man of the chessmen and made acast at one of the ravens that struck his beak and his throat, and madean end of him; and Fermaise killed the second of them, and Caoilte thethird of them in the same way. 

"Let my cure be done now, " said Caoilte, "for I have paid my fee for it, and it is time. " "You have paid it indeed, " said Ilbrec. "And where isBebind, daughter of Elcmar?" he said. "I am here, " said she. 

"Bring Caoilte, son of Ronan, with you into some hidden place, " he said, "and do his cure, and let him be well served, for he has driven everydanger from the Men of Dea and from the Sons of the Gael. And letCascorach make music for him, and let Fermaise, son of Eogabil, bewatching him and guarding him and attending him. "

So Elcmar's daughter went to the House of Arms, and her two sons withher, and a bed of healing was made ready for Caoilte, and a bowl of palegold was brought to her, and it full of water. And she took a crystalvessel and put herbs into it, and she bruised them and put them in thewater, and gave the bowl to Caoilte, and he drank a great drink out ofit, that made him cast up the poison of the spear that was in him. Fivedrinks of it he took, and after that she gave him new milk to drink; butwith the dint of the reaching he was left without strength through thelength of three days and three nights. 

"Caoilte, my life, " she said then, "in my opinion you have got relief. ""I have got it indeed, " he said, "but that the weakness of my head istroubling me. " "The washing of Flann, daughter of Flidais, will be donefor you now, " she said, "and the head that washing is done for willnever be troubled with pain, or baldness, or weakness of sight. " So thatcure was done to him for a while; and the people of the hill dividedthemselves into three parts; the one part of their best men and greatnobles, and another of their young men, and another of their women andpoets, to be visiting him and making mirth with him as long as he wouldbe on his bed of healing. And everything that was best from theirhunting, it was to him they would bring it. 

And one day, when Elcmar's daughter and her two sons and Cascorach andFermaise were with Caoilte, there was heard a sound of music comingtowards them from the waters of Ess Ruadh, and any one would leave themusic of the whole world for that music. And they put their harps on thecorners of the pillars and went out, and there was wonder on Caoiltethat they left him. And he took notice that his strength and thestrength of his hands was not come to him yet, and he said: "It is manya rough battle and many a hard fight I went into, and now there is notenough strength in me so much as to go out along with the rest, " and hecried tears down. 

And the others came back to him then, and he asked news of them. "Whatwas that sound of music we heard?" he said. "It was Uaine out of thehill of the Sidhe, at the Wave of Cliodna in the south, " said they; "andwith her the birds of the Land of Promise; and she is musician to thewhole of that country. And every year she goes to visit one of the hillsof the Sidhe, and it is our turn this time. " Then the woman from theLand of Promise came into the house, and the birds came in along withher, and they pitched on the pillars and the beams, and thirty of themcame in where Caoilte was, began singing together. And Cascorach tookhis harp, and whatever he would play, the birds would sing to it. "It ismuch music I have heard, " said Caoilte, "but music so good as that Inever heard before. "

And after that Caoilte asked to have the healing of his thigh done, andthe daughter of Elcmar gave herself to that, and all that was bad wassucked from the wound by her serving people till it was healed. AndCaoilte stopped on where he was for three nights after that. 

And then the people of the hill rose up and went into the stream toswim. And Caoilte said: "What ails me now not to go swim, since myhealth has come back to me?" And with that he went into the water. Andafterwards they went back into the hill, and there was a great feastmade that night. 

And Caoilte bade them farewell after that, and Cascorach, but Fermaisestopped with them for a while. And the people of the hill gave goodgifts to Caoilte; a fringed crimson cloak of wool from the seven sheepof the Land of Promise; and a fish-hook that was called Aicil mac Mogha, and that could not be set in any river or inver but it would take fish;and along with that they gave him a drink of remembrance, and after thatdrink there would be no place he ever saw, or no battle or fight he everwas in, but it would stay in his memory. "That is a good help fromkinsmen and from friends, " said Caoilte. 

Then Caoilte and Cascorach went out from the hill, and the people of itmade a great lamentation after them. 

CHAPTER VIII. THE CAVE OF CRUACHAN

CAOLITE was one time at Cruachan of Connacht, and Cascorach was withhim, and there he saw sitting on a heap of stones a man with very roughgrey hair, having a dark brown cloak fastened with a pin of bronze, anda long stick of white hazel in his hand; and there was a herd of cattlebefore him in a fenced field. 

Caoilte asked news of him. "I am steward to the King of Ireland, " saidthe old man, "and it is from him I hold this land. And we have greattroubles on us in this district, " he said. "What troubles are those?"said Caoilte. "I have many herds of cattle, " he said, "and every year atSamhain time, a woman comes out of the hill of the Sidhe of Cruachan andbrings away nine of the best out of every herd. And as to my name, I amBairnech, son of Carbh of Collamair of Bregia. "

"Who was the best man that ever came out of Collamair?" said Caoilte. "Iknow, and the men of Ireland and of Alban know, " said he, "it wasCaoilte, son of Ronan. And do you know where is that man now?" he said. "I myself am that man and your own kinsman, " said Caoilte. 

When Bairnech heard that, he gave him a great welcome, and Caoilte gavehim three kisses. "It seems to me that to-night is Samhain night, " saidCaoilte. "If that is so, it is to-night the woman will come to rob us, "said Bernech. "Let me go to-night to the door of the hill of the Sidhe, "said Cascorach. "You may do that, and bring your arms with you, " saidCaoilte. 

So Cascorach went then, and it was not long till he saw the girl goingpast him out of the hill of Cruachan, having a beautiful cloak of onecolour about her; a gown of yellow silk tied up with a knot between herthighs, two spears in her hands, and she not in dread of anything beforeher or after her. 

Then Cascorach blew a blast against her, and put his finger into thethong of his spear, and made a cast at the girl that went through her, and that is the way she was made an end of by Cascorach of the Music. 

And then Bernech said to Caoilte: "Caoilte, " he said, "do you know theother oppression that is on me in this place?" "What oppression isthat?" said Caoilte. "Three she-wolves that come out of the Cave ofCruachan every year and destroy our sheep and our wethers, and we can donothing against them, and they go back into the cave again. And it willbe a good friend that will rid us of them, " he said. "Well, Cascorach, "said Caoilte, "do you know what are the three wolves that are robbingthis man?" "I know well, " said Cascorach, "they are the three daughtersof Airetach, of the last of the people of oppression of the Cave ofCruachan, and it is easier for them to do their robbery as wolves thanas women. " "And will they come near to any one?" said Caoilte. "Theywill only come near to one sort, " said Cascorach; "if they see theworld's men having harps for music, they will come near to them. " "Andhow would it be for me, " he said, "to go to-morrow to the cairn beyond, and to bring my harp with me?"

So in the morning he rose up and went to the cairn and stopped on it, playing his harp till the coming of the mists of the evening. And whilehe was there he saw the three wolves coming towards him, and they laydown before him, listening to the music. But Cascerach found no way tomake an attack on them, and they went back into the cave at the end ofthe day. 

Cascorach went back then to Caoilte and told him what had happened. "Goup to-morrow to the same place, " said Caoilte, "and say to them it wouldbe better for them to be in the shape of women for listening to musicthan in the shape of wolves. "

So on the morrow Cascorach went out to the same cairn, and set hispeople about it, and the wolves came there and stretched themselves tolisten to the music. And Cascorach was saying to them: "If you were everwomen, " he said, "it would be better for you to be listening to themusic as women than as wolves. " And they heard that, and they threw offthe dark trailing coverings that were about them, for they liked wellthe sweet music of the Sidhe. 

And when Caoilte saw them there side by side, and elbow by elbow, hemade a cast of his spear, and it went through the three women, that theywere like a skein of thread drawn together on the spear. And that is theway he made an end of the strange, unknown three. And that place got thename of the Valley of the Shapes of the Wolves. 

CHAPTER IX. THE WEDDING AT CEANN SLIEVE

Finn and the Fianna made a great hunting one time on the hill of Torcthat is over Loch Lein and Feara Mor. And they went on with theirhunting till they came to pleasant green Slieve Echtge, and from that itspread over other green-topped hills, and through thick tangled woods, and rough red-headed hills, and over the wide plains of the country. Andevery chief man among them chose the place that was to his liking, andthe gap of danger he was used to before. And the shouts they gave in theturns of the hunt were heard in the woods all around, so that theystarted the deer in the wood, and sent the foxes wandering, and thelittle red beasts climbing rocks, and badgers from their holes, andbirds flying, and fawns running their best. Then they let out theirangry small-headed hounds and set them hunting. And it is red the handsof the Fianna were that day, and it is proud they were of their houndsthat were torn and wounded before evening. 

It happened that day no one stopped with Finn but only Diorraing, son ofDomhar. "Well, Diorraing, " said Finn, "let you watch for me while I goasleep, for it is early I rose to-day, and it is an early rising a manmakes when he cannot see the shadow of his five fingers between himselfand the light of day, or know the leaves of the hazel from the leaves ofthe oak. " With that he fell into a quiet sleep that lasted till theyellow light of the evening. And the rest of the Fianna, not knowingwhere he was gone, gave over the hunt. 

And the time was long to Diorraing while Finn was asleep, and he rousedhim and told him the Fianna must have given up the hunt, for he couldnot hear a cry or a whistle from them. "The end of day is come, " saidFinn then, "and we will not follow them to-night. And go now to thewood, " he said, "and bring timber and dead branches for a shelter, and Iwill go looking for food for the night. " So Diorraing went to the wood, but he was not gone far till he saw a fine well-lighted house of theSidhe before him on the edge of the wood near at hand, and he went backto Finn with the news. "Let us go to it, " said Finn, "for we ought notto be working in this place, and people living so near at hand. " Theywent then to the door of the house and knocked at it, and thedoor-keeper came to it. "Whose house is this?" said Diorraing. "Itbelongs to Conan of Ceann Slieve, " said the door-keeper. "Tell him, "said Diorraing, "there are two of the Fianna of the Gael at the door. "

The door-keeper went in then and told Conan there were two men of theFianna at the door. "The one of them, " he said, "is young and strong, and quiet and fair-haired, and more beautiful than the rest of the menof the world, and he has in his hand a small-headed, white-breastedhound, having a collar of rubbed gold and a chain of old silver. And theother of them, " he said, "is brown and ruddy and white-toothed, and heis leading a yellow-spotted hound by a chain of bright bronze. " "It iswell you have made your report of them, " said Conan, "and I know them byit; for the man you spoke of first is Finn, son of Cumhal, Head of theFianna of Ireland, and Bran in his hand; and the other is Diorraing, andSceolan in his hand. And go now quickly and let them in, " he said. 

Finn and Diorraing were brought in then, and they got good attendance, and their arms were taken from them, and a grand feast was made readythat pleased them well. And the wife of Conan was at the one side ofFinn, and his daughter, Finndealbh, of the Fair Shape, was at his otherside. And they had a great deal of talk together, and at last, seeingher so beautiful, the colour of gold on her curled hair, and her eyes asblue as flowers, and a soft four-cornered cloak fastened at her breastwith a silver pin, he asked her of Conan for his wife. "Leave askingthat, Finn, " said Conan, "for your own courage is not greater than thecourage of the man she is promised to. " "Who is that?" said Finn. "He isFatha, son of the King of Ess Ruadh, " said Conan. "Your wounds and yourdanger on yourself, " said Diorraing; "and it would be right, " he said, "that stammering tongue that gave out those words to be tied and to beshortened for ever, and a drink of death to be given to you; for if thewhole of the Men of Dea, " he said, "could be put into the one body, Finnwould be better than them all. " "Leave off, Diorraing, " said Finn, "forit is not fighting I am here, but asking a wife, and I will get herwhether the Men of Dea think good or bad of it. " "I will not be making aquarrel with you, " said Conan, "but I put you under bonds as a truehero to answer me everything I am going to ask you. " "I will do that, "said Finn. 

With that Conan put questions to Finn as to his birth and his rearing, and the deeds he had done since he came to the Fianna, and Finn gavefull answers to them all. And at last he said: "Let us go on with thisno longer, but if you have musicians with you, let them be brought to usnow; for it is not my custom, " he said, "to be for a single nightwithout music. " "Tell me this first, " said Conan, "who was it made theDord Fiann, the Mutterer of the Fianna, and when was it made?" "I willtell you the truth of that, " said Finn; "it was made in Ireland by thethree sons of Cearmait Honey-Mouth; and nine men used to be sounding it, and since it came to me I have fifty men sounding it. " "And tell methis, " said Conan, "what is the music pleased you best of all you everheard?" "I will tell you that, " said Finn; "the time the sevenbattalions of the Fianna are gathered in the one place and raise theirspear-shafts over their heads, and the sharp whining of the clear, coldwind goes through them, that is very sweet to me. And when thedrinking-hall is set out in Almhuin, and the cup-bearers give out thebright cups to the chief men of the Fianna, that is very sweet to me;and it is sweet to me to be listening to the voice of the sea-gull andthe heron, and the noise of the waves of Traig Liath, the song of thethree sons of Meardha, the whistle of Lugaidh's Son, and the voice ofthe cuckoo in the beginning of summer, and the grunting of the pigs onthe Plain of Eithne, and the shouting of laughter in Doire. " And it iswhat he said: "The Dord in the green-topped woods, the lasting wash ofthe waves against the shore, the noise of the waves at Traig Liathmeeting with the river of the White Trout; the three men that came tothe Fianna, a man of them gentle and a man of them rough, another man ofthem ploughing the clouds, they were sweeter than any other thing. 

"The grey mane of the sea, the time a man cannot follow its track; theswell that brings the fish to the land, it is sleep-music, its sound issweet. 

"Feargall, son of Fionn, a man that was ready-handed, it is long hisleap was, it is well marked his track is; he never gave a story that didnot do away with secrets; it is his voice was music of sleep to me. "

And when Finn had answered all the questions so well, Conan said hewould give him his daughter, and that he would have a wedding-feastready at the end of a month. 

They spent the rest of the night then in sleep; but Finn saw a dreadfulvision through his sleep that made him start three times from his bed. "What makes you start from your bed, Finn?" said Diorraing. "It was theTuatha de Danaan I saw, " said he, "taking up a quarrel against me, andmaking a great slaughter of the Fianna. "

Now as to the Fianna, they rested at Fotharladh of Moghna that night, and they were downhearted, having no tidings of Finn. And early on themorrow two of them, Bran Beag and Bran Mor, rose up and went toMac-an-Reith, son of the Ram, that had the gift of true knowledge, andthey asked him where did Finn spend the night. And Mac-an-Reith wassomeway unwilling to tell them, but at the last he said it was at thehouse of Conan of Ceann Slieve. 

The two Brans went on then to Conan's house, and Finn made them welcome;but they blamed him when they heard he was taking a wife, and none ofhis people with him. "Bid all the Fianna to come to the feast at the endof a month, " said Conan then. So Finn and Diorraing and the two Branswent back to where the Fianna were and told them all that had happened, and they went on to Almhuin. 

And when they were in the drinking-hall at Almhuin that night, they sawthe son of the King of Ireland coming to where they were. "It is a pitythe king's son to have come, " said Finn; "for he will not be satisfiedwithout ordering everything in the hall in his own way. " "We will nottake his orders, " said Oisin, "but we will leave the half of the hall tohim, and keep the other half ourselves. "

So they did that; but it happened that in the half of the house that wasgiven up to the King of Ireland's son, there were sitting two of the Menof Dea, Failbhe Mor and Failbhe Beag; and it is what they said, that itis because they were in that side of the hall it was given up. "It is apity, " said Failbhe Beag, "this shame and this great insult to have beenput on us to-night; and it is likely Finn has a mind to do more thanthat again to us, " he said, "for he is going to bring away the womanthat is promised to the third best man of the Tuatha de Danaan, andagainst the will of her father and mother. " And these two went awayearly in the morning to Fionnbhar of Magh Feabhail, and told him of theinsults Finn and the Fianna of Ireland had a mind to put on the Tuathade Danaan. 

And when Fionnbhar that was king over the Tuatha de Danaan heard that, he sent out messengers through the length of Ireland to gather them allto him. And there came six good battalions to him on the edge of LochDerg Dheirc at the end of a month; and it was the same day Conan had thewedding-feast made ready for Finn and his people. 

And Finn was at Teamhair Luachra at that time, and when he heard thefeast was ready, he set out to go to it. And it chanced that the most ofthe men he had with him at that time were of the sons of Morna. And whenthey were on their way, Finn said to Goll, "O Goll, " he said, "I neverfelt any fear till now going to a feast. And there are but few of mypeople with me, " he said; "and I know there is no good thing before me, but the Men of Dea are going to raise a quarrel against me and to killmy people. " "I will defend you against anything they may do, " said Goll. 

They went on then to Conan's house, and there was a welcome before them, and they were brought into the drinking-hall, and Finn was put in theplace beside the door, and Goll on his right and Finndeilb, of the FairShape, on his left, and all the rest in the places they were used to. 

And as to Fionnbhar of Magh Feabhail and the Tuatha de Danaan, they puta Druid mist about themselves and went on, hidden and armed, in sixteenbattalions, to the lawn before Conan's house. "It is little profit wehave being here, " they said then, "and Goll being with Finn against us. ""Goll will not protect him this time, " said Ethne, the woman-Druid, "forI will entice Finn out of the house, however well he is watched. "

She went on to the house then, and took her stand before Finn outside. "Who is that before me?" she said then. "It is I myself, " said Finn. "Iput you under the bonds a true hero never broke, " she said, "to come outto me here. " When Finn heard that, he made no delay and went out to her;and for all there were so many in the house, not one of them took noticeof him going, only Caoilte, and he followed him out. And at the sametime the Tuatha de Danaan let out a flock of blackbirds having fierybeaks, that pitched on the breasts of all the people in the house, andburned them and destroyed them, till the young lads and the women andchildren of the place ran out on all sides, and the woman of the house, Conan's wife, was drowned in the river outside the dun. 

But as to Ethne, the woman-Druid, she asked Finn would he run againsther. "For it is to run a race against you I called you out, " she said. "What length of a race?" said Finn. "From Doire da Torc, the Wood of theTwo Boars, to Ath Mor, the Great Ford, " she said. So they set out, butFinn got first over the ford. And Caoilte was following after them, andFinn was urging him, and he said: "It is ashamed of your running youshould be, Caoilte, a woman to be going past you. " On that Caoilte madea leap forward, and when he was in front of the witch he turned aboutand gave a blow of his sword that made two equal halves of her. 

"Power and good luck to you, Caoilte!" said Finn; "for though it is manya good blow you have struck, you never struck a better one than this. "

They went back then to the lawn before Conan's dun, and there they foundthe whole company of the Tuatha de Danaan, that had put the Druid mistoff them. "It seems to me, Caoilte, " said Finn, "that we are come intothe middle of our enemies. "

With that they turned their backs to one another, and they were attackedon all sides till groans of weakness from the unequal fight were forcedfrom Finn. And when Goll, that was in the house, heard that, he said:"It is a pity the Tuatha de Danaan to have enticed Finn and Caoilte awayfrom us; and let us go to their help and make no delay, " he said. 

Then he rushed out, and all that were there of the Fianna with him, andConan of Ceann Slieve and his sons. And great anger came on Goll, thathe looked like a tall mountain under his grey shield in the battle. Andhe broke through the Tuatha de Danaan till he reached to Fionnbhar theirleader, and they attacked one another, cutting and wounding, till at thelast Fionnbhar of Magh Feabhail fell by the strokes of Goll. And a greatmany others fell in that battle, and there never was a harder battlefought in Ireland, for there was no man on one side or the other had amind to go back one step before whoever he was fighting against. Forthey were the two hardest fighting troops to be found in the four partsof the world, the strong, hardy Fianna of the Gael, and the beautifulMen of Dea; and they went near to being all destroyed in that battle. 

But after a while they saw the rest of the Fianna that were not in thebattle coming from all parts of Ireland. And when the Tuatha de Danaansaw them coming, they put the Druid mist about themselves again and madeaway. And clouds of weakness came on Finn himself, and on them that werewith him, with the dint of the fight. And there were many men of theFianna lost in that battle; and as to the rest, it is a long time theystopped in Almhuin of Leinster, till their wounds were entirely healed. 

CHAPTER X. THE SHADOWY ONE

And indeed Finn had no great luck in going to look for a wife that time;and he had no better luck another time he asked a wife from among theSidhe. And this is the way that happened. 

It was on the mountain of Bearnas Mor he was hunting, and a great wildpig turned on the hounds of the Fianna and killed the most of them, butBran made an attack on it then and got the best of it. And the pig beganto scream, and with that a very tall man came out of the hill and heasked Finn to let the pig go free. And when he agreed to that, the manbrought them into the hill of the Sidhe at Glandeirgdeis; and when theycame to the door of the house he struck the pig with his Druid rod, andon the moment it changed into a beautiful young woman, and the name hecalled her by was Scathach, the Shadowy One. 

And he made a great feast for the Fianna, and Finn asked the young girlin marriage, and the tall man, her father, said he would give her to himon that very night. 

But when night came on, Scathach asked the loan of a harp, and it wasbrought to her. One string it had of iron, and one of bronze, and one ofsilver. And when the iron string would be played, it would set all thehosts of the world crying and ever crying; and when the bright bronzestring would be played, it would set them all laughing from the one dayto the same hour on the morrow; and when the silver string would beplayed, all the men of the whole world would fall into a long sleep. 

And it is the sleepy silver string the Shadowy One played upon, tillFinn and Bran and all his people were in their heavy sleep. 

And when they awoke at the rising of the sun on the morrow, it isoutside on the mountain of Bearnas they were, where they first saw thewild pig. 

CHAPTER XI. FINN'S MADNESS

One time Finn and the Fianna were come to a ford of the Slaine, and theysat down for a while. And as they were sitting there they saw on theround rock up over the ford a young woman, having a dress of silk and agreen cloak about her, and a golden brooch in the cloak, and the goldencrown that is the sign of a queen on her head. "Fianna of Ireland, " shesaid, "let one of you come now and speak with me. "

Then Sciathbreac, of the Speckled Shield, went towards her. "Who is ityou are wanting?" he said, "Finn, son of Cumhal, " said she. Finn wentover then to talk with her. "Who are you?" he said, "and what is it youare wanting?" "I am Daireann, daughter of Bodb Dearg, son of the Dagda, "she said; "and I am come to be your wife if you will give me thebride-gift I ask. " "What bride-gift is that?" said Finn. "It is yourpromise, " said she, "I to be your only wife through the length of ayear, and to have the half of your time after that. " "I will not givethat promise, " said Finn, "to any woman of the world, and I will notgive it to you, " he said. 

On that the young woman took a cup of white silver from under acovering, and filled it with strong drink, and she gave it to Finn. "What is this?" said Finn. "It is very strong mead, " said she. Now therewere bonds on Finn not to refuse anything belonging to a feast, so hetook the cup and drank what was in it, and on the moment he was like onegone mad. And he turned his face towards the Fianna, and every harm andevery fault and every misfortune in battle that he knew against any oneof them, he sprang it on them, through the mad drunkenness the youngwoman had put on him. 

Then the chief men of the Fianna of Ireland rose up and left the placeto him, every one of them setting out for his own country, till therewas no one left upon the hill but Finn and Caoilte. And Caoilte rose upand followed after them, and he said: "Fianna of Ireland, " he said, "donot leave your lord and your leader through the arts and the tricks of awoman of the Sidhe. " Thirteen times he went after them, bringing themback to the hill in that way. And with the end of the day and the fallof night the bitterness went from Finn's tongue; and by the time Caoiltehad brought back the whole of the Fianna, his sense and his memory werecome back to him, and he would sooner have fallen on his sword and gothis death, than have stayed living. 

And that was the hardest day's work Caoilte ever did, unless the day hebrought the flock of beasts and birds to Teamhair, to ransom Finn fromthe High King of Ireland. 

Another time Maer, wife of Bersa of Berramain, fell in love with Finn, and she made nine nuts of Segair with love charms, and sent them toFinn, and bade him eat them. "I will not, " said Finn; "for they are notnuts of knowledge, but nuts of ignorance; and it is not known what theyare, unless they might be an enchantment for drinking love. " So heburied them a foot deep in the earth. 

CHAPTER XII. THE RED WOMAN

One time the Fianna were in Almhuin with no great work to do, and therecame a very misty morning, and Finn was in dread that sluggishness wouldcome on his men, and he rose up, and he said: "Make yourselves ready, and we will go hunting to Gleann-na-Smol. "

They all said the day was too misty to go hunting; but there was no usein talking: they had to do as Finn bade them. So they made themselvesready and went on towards Gleann-na-Smol; and they were not gone farwhen the mist lifted and the sun came shining out. 

And when they were on the edge of a little wood, they saw a strangebeast coming towards them with the quickness of the wind, and a RedWoman on its track. Narrow feet the beast had, and a head like the headof a boar, and long horns on it; but the rest of it was like a deer, andthere was a shining moon on each of its sides. 

Finn stopped, and he said: "Fianna of Ireland, " he said, "did you eversee a beast like that one until now?" "We never did indeed, " said they;"and it would be right for us to let out the hounds after it. " "Wait awhile, " said Finn, "till I speak with the Red Woman; but do not let thebeast go past you, " he said. They thought to keep back the beast then, going before it; but they were hardly able to hinder it at all, and itwent away through them. 

And when the Red Woman was come up to them, Finn asked her what was thename of the beast she was following. "I do not know that, " she said, "though I am on its track since I left the borders of Loch Dearg a monthago, and I never lost sight of it since then; and the two moons that areon its two sides shine through the country all around in the night time. And I must follow it till it falls, " she said, "or I will lose my ownlife and the lives of my three sons that are the best fighting men inthe whole world. " "We will take the beast for you if you have a mind, "said Finn. "Do not try to do that, " she said, "for I myself am swifterthan you are, and I cannot come up with it. " "We will not let it go tillwe know what sort of a beast is it, " said Finn. "If you yourself or yourshare of men go after it, I will bind you hand and foot, " said she. "Itis too stiff your talk is, " said Finn. "And do you not know, " he said, "I am Finn, son of Cumhal; and there are fourscore fighting men alongwith me that were never beaten yet. " "It is little heed I give toyourself or your share of men, " said the Red Woman; "and if my threesons were here, they would stand up against you. " "Indeed it will be abad day, " said Finn, "when the threat of a woman will put fear on myselfor on the Fianna of Ireland. " With that he sounded his horn, and hesaid: "Let us all follow now, men and dogs, after that beast that wesaw. "

He had no sooner said that word than the woman made a great water-wormof herself, and made an attack on Finn, and she would have killed himthen and there but for Bran being with him. Bran took a grip of the wormand shook it, and then it wound itself round Bran's body, and wouldhave crushed the life out of her, but Finn thrust his sharp sword intoits throat. "Keep back your hand, " said the worm then, "and you will nothave the curse of a lonely woman upon you. " "It is what I think, " saidFinn, "that you would not leave me my life if you could take it from me;but go out of my sight now, " he said, "and that I may never see youagain. "

Then she made herself into a Red Woman again, and went away into thewood. 

All the Fianna were gone on the track of the beast while Finn wastalking and fighting with the Red Woman; and he did not know in whatplace they were, but he went following after them, himself and Bran. Itwas late in the evening when he came up with a share of them, and theystill on the track of the beast. The darkness of the night was comingon, but the two moons in the sides of the beast gave a bright light, andthey never lost it from sight. They followed it on always; and aboutmidnight they were pressing on it, and it began to scatter blood afterit, and it was not long till Finn and his men were red from head tofoot. But that did not hinder them, and they followed him on till theysaw him going in at the foot of Cnoc-na-righ at the breaking of day. 

When they came to the foot of the hill the Red Woman was standing therebefore them. "You did not take the beast, " she said. "We did not takeit, but we know where it is, " said Finn. 

She took a Druid rod then, and she struck a blow on the side of thehill, and on the moment a great door opened, and they heard sweet musiccoming from within. "Come in now, " said the Red Woman, "till you see thewonderful beast. " "Our clothing is not clean, " said Finn, "and we wouldnot like to go in among a company the way we are, " he said. 

She put a horn to her mouth and blew it, and on the moment there cameten young men to her. "Bring water for washing, " she said, "and fourtimes twenty suits of clothes, and a beautiful suit and a crown ofshining stones for Finn, son of Cumhal. " The young men went away then, and they came back at the end of a minute with water and with clothing. 

When the Fianna were washed and dressed, the Red Woman brought them intoa great hall, where there was the brightness of the sun and of the moonon every side. From that she brought them into another great room; andalthough Finn and his men had seen many grand things up to that time, they had never seen any sight so grand as what they saw in this place. There was a king sitting in a golden chair, having clothes of gold andof green, and his chief people were sitting around him, and hismusicians were playing. And no one could know what colour were thedresses of the musicians, for every colour of the rainbow was in them. And there was a great table in the middle of the room, having every sortof thing on it, one better than another. 

The king rose up and gave a welcome to Finn and to his men, and he badethem to sit down at the table; and they ate and drank their fill, andthat was wanting to them after the hunt they had made. And then the RedWoman rose up, and she said: "King of the Hill, if it is your will, Finnand his men have a mind to see the wonderful beast, for they spent along time following after it, and that is what brought them here. "

The king struck a blow then on his golden chair, and a door openedbehind him, and the beast came through it and stood before the king. Andit stooped down before him, and it said: "I am going on towards my owncountry now; and there is not in the world a runner so good as myself, and the sea is the same to me as the land. And let whoever can come upwith me come now, " it said, "for I am going. "

With that the beast went out from the hill as quick as a blast of wind, and all the people that were in it went following after it. It was notlong till Finn and his men were before the rest, in the front of thehunt, gaining on the beast. 

And about midday Bran made the beast turn, and then she forced it toturn a second time, and it began to put out cries, and it was not longuntil its strength began to flag; and at last, just at the setting ofthe sun, it fell dead, and Bran was at its side when it fell. 

Then Finn and his men came up, but in place of a beast it was a tall manthey saw lying dead before them. And the Red Woman came up at the sametime, and she said: "High King of the Fianna, that is the King of theFirbolgs you have killed; and his people will put great troubles on thiscountry in the time to come, when you yourself, Finn, and your peoplewill be under the sod. And I myself am going now to the Country of theYoung, " she said, "and I will bring you with me if you have a mind tocome. " "We give you our thanks for that, " said Finn, "but we would notgive up our own country if we were to get the whole world as an estate, and the Country of the Young along with it. " "That is well, " said theRed Woman; "but you are going home empty after your hunt. " "It is likelywe will find a deer in Gleann-na-Smol, " said Finn. "There is a fine deerat the foot of that tree beyond, " said the Red Woman, "and I will rouseit for you. " With that she gave a cry, and the deer started out andaway, and Finn and his men after it, and it never stopped till it cameto Gleann-na-Smol, but they could not come up with it. Then the RedWoman came to them, and she said: "I think you are tired now withfollowing after the deer; and call your hounds off now, " she said, "andI will let out my own little dog after it. " So Finn sounded a littlehorn he had at his side, and on the moment the hounds came back to him. And then the Red Woman brought out a little hound as white as the snowof the mountains, and put it after the deer; and it was not long till ithad come up with the deer and killed it, and then it came back and madea leap in under the cloak of the Red Woman. There was great wonder onFinn; but before he could ask a question of the Red Woman, she was goneout of sight. And as to the deer, Finn knew there was enchantment on it, and so he left it there after him. And it is tired and empty the Fiannawere, going back to Almhuin that night. 

CHAPTER XIII. FINN AND THE PHANTOMS

Finn went to a gathering one time at Aonach Clochair, and a great manyof the men of Munster crowded to it. And the horses of the Fianna werebrought there, and the horses of the men of Munster, and they ran racesagainst one another. 

And Fiachu, son of Eoghan, was in it; and when the games were over hegave good presents to Finn, a lasting black horse that won the threeprizes of the gathering, and a chariot, and a horse for thechariot-driver, and a spear, having a deadly spell, and weapons ofsilver, and three comely hounds, Feirne and Derchaem and Dialath, havingcollars of yellow gold and chains of white bronze. 

And Finn rose up and gave his thanks to Fiachu, son of Eoghan, and heand his people set out to the house of Cacher at Cluain-da-loch. Andthey stopped three days feasting in Cacher's house, and then Finn gavehim the price of his feast and of his ale, fifty rings, and fifty horsesand fifty cows. 

And he himself and the Fianna went on from that over Luachair to thestrand at Berramain. And Finn went trying his black horse on the strand, and Caoilte and Oisin went racing against him; but it was only folly forthem to do that, for he gave a blow to his horse, and away with him toTraigh Liath and over the Plain of Health to the Old Yew of the OldValley, and to the inver of the Flesc and the inver of the Lemain toLoch Lein, till he came to the hill of Bairnech, and Caoilte and Oisinafter him. 

"Night is coming on us, " said Finn then; "and go look for some placewhere we can sleep, " he said. He looked round then at the rocks on hisleft hand and he saw a house, and a fire shining out from it in thevalley below. "I never knew of a house in this valley, " he said. 

"It is best for us to go see it, " said Caoilte, "for there are manythings we have no knowledge of. "

The three went on then to the house, and they heard screams and cryingfrom it; and when they came to the house, the people of it were veryfierce and rough; and a big grey man took hold of their horses andbrought them in and shut the door of the house with iron hooks. "Mywelcome to you, Finn of the great name, " he said then; "it is a longtime you were in coming here. "

They sat down then on the hard boards of a bed, and the grey man kindleda fire, and he threw logs of elder-wood on it, till they went near beingsmothered with the smoke. They saw a hag in the house then having threeheads on her lean neck; and there was on the other side a man without ahead, having one eye, and it in his breast. "Rise up, you that are inthe house, and make music for the King of the Fianna, " said the grey manthen. 

With that nine bodies rose up out of the corner nearest the Fianna, andnine heads rose up on the other side of the bed, and they raised nineharsh screeches together, that no one would like to be listening to. Andthen the hag answered to them, and the headless man answered; and if allof that music was harsh, there was none of it that you would not wish tohear sooner than the music of the one-eyed man. And the music that wassung went near to breaking the bones of their heads; and indeed it is nosweet music that was. 

Then the big grey man rose up and took the axe that was for cuttinglogs, and he began striking at the horses, flaying and destroying them. Then there were brought fifty pointed spits of the rowan-tree, and heput a piece of the horse's flesh on each one of the spits, and settledthem on the hearth. But when he took the spits from the fire and putthem before Finn, it is raw the flesh was on them yet. "Take your foodaway, " said Finn then, "for I have never eaten meat that was raw, and Inever will eat it because of being without food for one day. " "If youare come into our house to refuse our food, " said the grey man, "we willsurely go against yourselves, Finn and Caoilte and Oisin. "

With that all in the house made an attack on the three; and they weredriven back into the corner, and the fire was quenched, and the fightwent on through the whole night in the darkness, and but for Finn andthe way he fought, they would have been put down. 

And when the sun rose and lighted up the house on the morrow, a mistcame into the head of each of the three, so that they fell as if dead onthe floor. 

But after awhile they rose up again, and there was nothing to be seen ofthe house or of the people of the house, but they had all vanished. Andtheir horses were there, and they took them and went on, very weak andtired, for a long way, till they came to the strand of Berramain. 

And those three that fought against them were the three Shapes out ofthe Valley of the Yew Tree that came to avenge their sister, Cuillen ofthe Wide Mouth. 

Now as to Cuillen, she was a daughter of the King of Munster, and herhusband was the King of Ulster's son. And they had a son that was calledFear Og, the Young Man; and there was hardly in Ireland a man so good ashimself in shape and in courage and in casting a spear. And one time hejoined in a game with the Fianna, and he did better than them all, andFinn gave him a great reward. And after that he went out to a hunt theymade, and it was by him and by none of the Fianna the first blood wasgot of pig or of deer. And when they came back, a heavy sickness fell onthe young man through the eyes and the envy of the Fianna, and it lefthim without life at the end of nine days. And he was buried under agreen hill, and the shining stone he used to hold in his hand, and hedoing his feats, was put over his head. 

And his mother, Cuillen, came to his grave keening him every day throughthe length of a year. And one day she died there for grief after herson, and they put her into the same green hill. 

But as to Finn, he was afraid of no earthly thing, and he killed manygreat serpents in Loch Cuilinn and Loch Neathach, and at Beinn Edair;and Shadow-Shapes at Loch Lein and Drom Cleib and Loch Liath, and aserpent and a cat in Ath Cliath. 

CHAPTER XIV. THE PIGS OF ANGUS

Angus Og, son of the Dagda, made a feast one time at Brugh na Boinne forFinn and the Fianna of the Gael. Ten hundred of them were in it, andthey wearing green clothing and crimson cloaks; and as to the people ofAngus' house, it is clothing of red silk they had. 

And Finn was sitting beside Angus in the beautiful house, and it islong since the like of those two were seen in Ireland. And any strangerwould wonder to see the way the golden cups were going from hand tohand. 

And Angus said out in a loud voice that every one could hear: "It is abetter life this is than to be hunting. " There was anger on Finn then, and he said: "It is a worse life than hunting to be here, withouthounds, without horses, without battalions, without the shouting ofarmies. " "Why are you talking like that, Finn?" said Angus, "for as tothe hounds you have, " he said, "they would not kill so much as one pig. ""You have not yourself, " said Finn, "and the whole host of the Tuatha deDanaan have not a pig that ever went on dry land that Bran and Sceolanwould not kill. " "I will send you a pig, " said Angus, "that will go fromyou and your hounds, and that will kill them in the end. "

The steward of the house called out then in a loud voice: "Let every onego now to his bed, before the lightness of drunkenness comes on you. "But Finn said to his people: "Let us make ready and leave this; for weare but a few, " he said, "among the Men of Dea. " So they set out andwent westward till they came to Slieve Fuad where the Fianna were atthat time. 

And through the whole length of a year after that, the Tuatha de Danaanwere boasting how they would get the better of the Fianna, and theFianna were thinking how they could do best in the hunt. And at the endof that time Angus sent messengers to Finn, asking him with greatrespect if he was ready to keep his word. And Finn said he was, and thehounds were brought out, and he himself was holding Bran and Sceolan, one in each hand, and Caoilte had Adhnuall, and Oisin had Ablach, andmerry Bran Beag had Lonn, and Diarmuid was holding Eachtach, and Osgarwas holding Mac an Truim, and Garraidh was held by Faolan, and RithFada, of the Long Run, by hungry Conan. 

And they were not long there with their hounds till they saw on theplain to the east a terrible herd of great pigs, every one of them theheight of a deer. And there was one pig out in front of the rest wasblacker than a smith's coal, and the bristles on its head were like athicket of thorn-trees. 

Then Caoilte let out Adhnuall, and she was the first to kill a pig ofthe herd. And then Bran made away from the leash that Finn was holding, and the pigs ran their best, but she came up with them, and took hold ofa pig of them. And at that Angus said: "O Bran, fosterling offair-haired Fergus, it is not a right thing you are doing, to kill myown son. " But when Bran heard that, her ways changed and it was like anenemy she took hold of the pig, and did not let it go, and held herbreath back and kept it for the Fianna. 

And it was over Slieve Cua the hunt went, and Slieve Crot, and from MaghCobha to Cruachan, and to Fionnabraic and to Finnias. And at eveningwhen the hunt was over, there was not one pig of the whole herd withouta hurt, and there were but a hundred and ten pigs left living. But ifthe hunt brought destruction on Angus, it brought losses on the Fiannaas well, for there were ten hundred of their men missing besidesserving-lads and dogs. 

"Let us go to Brugh na Boinne and get satisfaction for our people, " saidOisin then. "That is the advice of a man without sense, " said Finn; "forif we leave these pigs the way they are, they will come to life again. And let us burn them, " he said, "and throw their ashes in the sea. "

Then the seven battalions of the Fianna made seven fires to everybattalion; but for all they could do, they could not set fire to onepig. Then Bran, that had great sense and knowledge, went away, and shecame back bringing three logs along with her, but no one knows what woodit was they came from. And when the logs were put on the fire they litup like a candle, and it is with them the pigs were burned; and afterthat their ashes were thrown into the sea. 

Then Oisin said again: "Let us go now to Brugh na Boinne and avenge thedeath of our people. " So the whole of the Fianna set out for Brugh naBoinne, and every step they made could surely be heard through the wholeof the skies. 

And Angus sent out messengers to where Finn was, offering any one thingto him if he would spare his people. "I will take no gift at all fromyou, Angus of the slender body, " said Finn, "so long as there is a roomleft in your house, north or east, without being burned. " But Angussaid: "Although you think bad of the loss of your fine people that youhave the sway over, yet, O Finn, father of Oisin, it is sorrowful to methe loss of my own good son is. For as to the black pig that came beforeyou on the plain, " he said, "it was no common pig was in it, but my ownson. And there fell along with him, " he said, "the son of the King ofthe Narrow Sea, and the son of the King of the Sea of Gulls, and the sonof Ilbhrec, son of Manannan, and seven score of the comely sons of kingsand queens. And it is what destroyed my strength and my respectentirely, they to have been burned away from me in a far place. And itis a pity for you, sweet daring Bran, " he said, "fosterling of Fergus ofthe thirty woods and plains, that you did not do something worth praisebefore killing your own foster-brother. And I will put a curse on you, Bran, " he said, "beyond every hound in Ireland, that you will never seewith your eyes any deer you may ever kill. "

There was anger on Finn when he heard that, and he said: "If you put acurse on Bran, Angus, there will not be a room left, east or west, inthe whole of your great house without being burned. " "If you do that, "said Angus, "I will put trees and stones in front of you in everybattle; and I will know what number of men you have in your armies, " hesaid, "looking at them through my ring. "

Then Oisin, that was wise, said: "It is best for you to agree betweenyourselves now; and let us be helpful to one another, " he said, "and paywhatever fines are due. "

So they agreed to that, and they made peace, and gave children to befostered by one another: a son of Finn's to Angus, and son of Angus Ogto the Fianna. 

But for all that, it is not very friendly to Finn Angus was afterwards, at the time he was following after Diarmuid and Grania through the wholelength of Ireland. 

CHAPTER XV. THE HUNT OF SLIEVE CUILINN

Finn was one time out on the green of Almhuin, and he saw what had theappearance of a grey fawn running across the plain. He called andwhistled to his hounds then, but neither hound nor man heard him or cameto him, but only Bran and Sceolan. He set them after the fawn, and nearas they kept to her, he himself kept nearer to them, till at last theyreached to Slieve Cuilinn in the province of Ulster. 

But they were no sooner at the hill than the fawn vanished from them, and they did not know where was she gone, and Finn went looking for hereastward, and the two hounds went towards the west. 

It was not long till Finn came to a lake, and there was sitting on thebrink of it a young girl, the most beautiful he had ever seen, havinghair of the colour of gold, and a skin as white as lime, and eyes likethe stars in time of frost; but she seemed to be some way sorrowful anddownhearted. Finn asked her did she see his hounds pass that way. "I didnot see them, " she said; "and it is little I am thinking of your houndsor your hunting, but of the cause of my own trouble. " "What is it ailsyou, woman of the white hands?" said Finn; "and is there any help I cangive you?" he said. "It is what I am fretting after, " said she, "a ringof red gold I lost off my finger in the lake. And I put you under bonds, Finn of the Fianna, " she said, "to bring it back to me out of the lake. "

With that Finn stripped off his clothes and went into the lake at thebidding of the woman, and he went three times round the whole lake anddid not leave any part of it without searching, till he brought back thering. He handed it up to her then out of the water, and no sooner had hedone that than she gave a leap into the water and vanished. 

And when Finn came up on the bank of the lake, he could not so much asreach to where his clothes were; for on the moment he, the head and theleader of the Fianna of Ireland, was but a grey old man, weak andwithered. 

Bran and Sceolan came up to him then, but they did not know him, andthey went on round the lake, searching after their master. 

In Almhuin, now, when he was missed, Caoilte began asking after him. "Where is Finn, " he said, "of the gentle rule and of the spears?" But noone knew where was he gone, and there was grief on the Fianna when theycould not find him. But it is what Conan said: "I never heard musicpleased me better than to hear the son of Cumhal is missing. And that hemay be so through the whole year, " he said, "and I myself will be kingover you all. " And downhearted as they were, it is hardly they couldkeep from laughing when they heard Conan saying that. 

Caoilte and the rest of the chief men of the Fianna set out then lookingfor Finn, and they got word of him; and at last they came to SlieveCuilinn, and there they saw a withered old man sitting beside the lake, and they thought him to be a fisherman. "Tell us, old man, " saidCaoilte, "did you see a fawn go by, and two hounds after her, and a tallfair-faced man along with them?" "I did see them, " he said, "and it isnot long since they left me. " "Tell us where are they now?" saidCaoilte. But Finn made no answer, for he had not the courage to say tothem that he himself was Finn their leader, being as he was an ailing, downhearted old man, without leaping, without running, without walk, grey and sorrowful. 

Caoilte took out his sword from the sheath then, and he said: "It isshort till you will have knowledge of death unless you will tell us whathappened those three. "

Then Finn told them the whole story; and when the seven battalions ofthe Fianna heard him, and knew it was Finn that was in it, they gavethree loud sorrowful cries. And to the lake they gave the name of LochDoghra, the Lake of Sorrow. 

But Conan of the sharp tongue began abusing Finn and all the Fianna byturns. "You never gave me right praise for my deeds, Finn, son ofCumhal, " he said, "and you were always the enemy of the sons of Morna;but we are living in spite of you, " he said, "and I have but the onefault to find with your shape, and that is, that it was not put on thewhole of the Fianna the same as on yourself. " Caoilte made at him then;"Bald, senseless Conan, " he said, "I will break your mouth to the bone. "But Conan ran in then among the rest of the Fianna and asked protectionfrom them, and peace was made again. 

And as to Finn, they asked him was there any cure to be found for him. "There is, " he said; "for I know well the enchantment was put on me by awoman of the Sidhe, Miluchradh, daughter of Cuilinn, through jealousy ofher sister Aine. And bring me to the hill that belongs to Cuilinn ofCuailgne, " he said, "for he is the only one can give me my shape again. "

They came around him then, and raised him up gently on their shields, and brought him on their shoulders to the hill of the Sidhe in Cuailgne, but no one came out to meet them. Then the seven battalions begandigging and rooting up the whole hill, and they went on digging throughthe length of three nights and three days. And at the end of that timeCuilinn of Cuailgne, that some say was Manannan, son of Lir, came out ofthe hill, holding in his hand a vessel of red gold, and he gave thevessel into Finn's hand. And no sooner did Finn drink what was in thevessel than his own shape and his appearance came back to him. But onlyhis hair, that used to be so fair and so beautiful, like the hair of awoman, never got its own colour again, for the lake that Cuilinn'sdaughter had made for Finn would have turned all the men of the wholeworld grey if they had gone into it. 

And when Finn had drunk all that was in the vessel it slipped from hishand into the earth, that was loosened with the digging, and he saw itno more. But in the place where it went into the earth, a tree grew up, and any one that would look at the branches of that tree in the morning, fasting, would have knowledge of all that was to happen on that day. 

That, now, is the way Finn came by his grey hair, through the jealousyof Miluchradh of the Sidhe, because he had not given his love to her, but to her sister Aine. 

BOOK FIVE: OISIN'S CHILDREN

Now as to Oisin, that was so brave and so comely, and that couldovertake a deer at its greatest speed, and see a thistle thorn on thedarkest night, the wife he took was Eibhir of the plaited yellow hair, that was the foreign sweetheart of the High King of Ireland. 

It is beyond the sea she lived, in a very sunny place; and her father'sname was lunsa, and her sunny house was thatched with the feathers ofbirds, and the doorposts were of gold, and the doors of ribbed grass. And Oisin went there looking for her, and he fought for her against theHigh King and against an army of the Firbolgs he had helping him; and hegot the better of them all, and brought away Eibhir of the yellow hairto Ireland. 

And he had a daughter that married the son of Oiliol, son of Eoghan, andof Beara, daughter of the King of Spain. It was that Eoghan was drivenout of Ireland one time, and it is to Spain he went for safety. AndBeara, that was daughter of the King of Spain, was very shining andbeautiful, and her father had a mind to know who would be her husband, and he sent for his Druid and asked the question of him. "I can tell youthat, " said the Druid, "for the man that is to be her husband will cometo land in Spain this very night. And let your daughter go eastward tothe river Eibhear, " he said, "and she will find a crimson-spotted salmonin that river, having shining clothing on him from head to tail. And lether strip that clothing off him, " he said, "and make with it a shiningshirt for her husband. "

So Beara went to the river Eibhear, and found the golden salmon as theDruid had said, and she stripped him of his crimson clothing and made ashining shirt of it. 

And as to Eoghan, the waves of the shore put a welcome before him, andhe came the same night to the king's house. And the king gave him afriendly welcome; and it is what all the people said, that there wasnever seen a comelier man than Eoghan, or a woman more beautiful thanBeara, and that it was fitting for them to come together. And Eoghan'sown people said they would not be sorry for being sent away out ofIreland, if only Eoghan could get her for his wife. 

And after a while the king sent his Druid to ask Eoghan why he did notask for Beara. "I will tell you that, " said Eoghan; "it would not befitting for me to be refused a wife, and I am but an exile in thiscountry, and I have brought no treasures or goods with me out of Irelandfor giving to learned men and to poets. But for all that, " he said, "theking's daughter is dear to me, and I think I have the friendship of theking. "

The Druid went back with that message. "That is the answer of a king, "said the King of Spain; "and bid my daughter to sit at Eoghan's righthand, " he said, "and I will give her to him this very night. " And whenBeara, the king's daughter, heard that, she sent out her serving-maid tobring the shirt she had made for Eoghan, and he put it on him over hisarmour, and its shining was seen in every place; and it was from wearingthat shirt he got the name of Eoghan the Bright. 

And Oiliol was the first son they had; it was he that had his ear bittenoff by Aine of the Sidhe in revenge for her brother, and it was his sonmarried Oisin's daughter afterwards. 

And as to Osgar, that was Oisin's son, of all the young men of theFianna he was the best in battle. And when he was but a young child hewas made much of by the whole of the Fianna, and it is for him they usedto keep the marrow bones, and they did not like to put any hardship onhim. And he grew up tall and idle, and no one thought he would turn outso strong as he did. And one day there was an attack made on a troop ofthe Fianna, and all that were in it went out to fight, but they leftOsgar after them. And when he knew the fight was going on, he took a logof wood that was the first thing he could find, and attacked the enemyand made a great slaughter, and they gave way and ran before him. Andfrom that out there was no battle he did not go into; and he was said tobe the strongest of all the Fianna, though the people of Connacht saidthat Goll was the strongest. And he and Diarmuid, grandson of Duibhne, were comrades and dear friends; and it was Diarmuid taught him feats ofarms and of skill, and chess-playing. And Oisin his father took greatpride in him, and his grandfather Finn. And one time Finn was holding afeast at Almhuin, and he asked the chief men of the Fianna that werethere what was the music they thought the best. "To be playing atgames, " said Conan, "that is the best music I ever heard;" for thoughConan was a good hand against an enemy, there never was a man had lesssense. "The music I like the best is to be talking with a woman, " saidDiarmuid. "My music is the outcry of my hounds, and they putting a deerto its last stand, " said Lugaidh's Son. "The music of the woods is bestto me, " said Oisin; "the sound of the wind and of the cuckoo and theblackbird, and the sweet silence of the crane. "

And then Osgar was asked, and he said: "The best music is the strikingof swords in a battle. " And it is likely he took after Finn in that, forin spite of all the sweet sounds he gave an account of the time he wasat Conan's house, at Ceann Slieve, it used to be said by the Fianna thatthe music that was best with Finn was what happened. 

This now is the way Osgar met with his wife. 

One time Finn and his men came to Slieve Crot, and they saw a womanwaiting there before them, having a crimson fringed cloak, and a goldbrooch in it, and a band of yellow gold on her forehead. Finn asked hername, and where she came from. "Etain of the Fair Hair is my name, " shesaid, "daughter of Aedh of the White Breast, of the hill of the Sidhe atBeinn Edair, son of Angus Og. " "What is it brought you here, girl?" saidFinn. "To ask a man of the Fianna of Ireland to run a race with me. ""What sort of a runner are you?" said Diarmuid. "I am a good runner, "said the girl; "for it is the same to me if the ground is long or shortunder my feet. "

All of the Fianna that were there then set out to run with her, and theyran to the height over Badhamair and on to Ath Cliath, and from that onto the hill of the Sidhe at Beinn Edair. 

And there was a good welcome before them, and they were brought meat andwine for drinking, and water for washing their feet. And after a whilethey saw a nice fair-haired girl in front of the vats, and a cup ofwhite silver in her hand, and she giving out drink to every one. "Itseems to me that is the girl came asking the Fianna to race against herat Slieve Crot, " said Finn. "It is not, " said Aedh of the White Breast, "for that is the slowest woman there is among us. " "Who was it so?" saidFinn. "It was Be-mannair, daughter of Ainceol, woman-messenger of theTuatha de Danaan. And it is she that changes herself into all shapes;and she will take the shape of a fly, and of a true lover, and every oneleaves their secret with her. And it was she outran you coming from theeast, " he said, "and not this other girl that was drinking and makingmerry here in the hall. " "What is her name?" said Finn. "Etain of theFair Hair, " he said; "a daughter of my own, and a darling of the Tuathade Danaan. And it is the way with her, she has a lover of the men of theFianna. " "That is well, " said Finn; "and who is that lover?" "It isOsgar, son of Oisin, " said Aedh; "and it is she herself sent hermessenger for you, " he said, "in her own shape, to Slieve Crot in thesouth. And the son of the High King of Ireland has offered a greatbride-price to the Men of Dea for her, " he said, "three hundreds of theland nearest to Bregia and to Midhe, and to put himself and his weightof gold into a balance, and to give it all to her. But we did not takeit, " he said, "since she had no mind or wish for it herself, and so wemade no dealing or agreement about her. " "Well, " said Finn, "and whatconditions will you ask of Osgar?" "Never to leave me for anything atall but my own fault, " said the girl. "I will make that agreement withyou indeed, " said Osgar. "Give me sureties for it, " said she; "give methe sureties of Goll for the sons of Morna, and of Finn, son of Cumhal, for the Fianna of Ireland. "

So they gave those sureties, and the wedding-feast was made, and theystopped there for twenty nights. And at the end of that time Osgar askedFinn where would he bring his wife. "Bring her to wide Almhuin for thefirst seven years, " said Finn. 

But a while after that, in a great battle at Beinn Edair, Osgar got soheavy a wound that Finn and the Fianna were as if they had lost theirwits. And when Etain of the Fair Hair came to the bed where Osgar waslying, and saw the way he was, and that the great kinglike shape he hadwas gone from him, greyness and darkness came on her, and she raisedpitiful cries, and she went to her bed and her heart broke in her like anut; and she died of grief for her husband and her first love. 

But it was not at that time Osgar got his death, but afterwards in thebattle of Gabhra. 

BOOK SIX: DIARMUID. 

CHAPTER I. BIRTH OF DIARMUID

Diarmuid, now, was son of Bonn, son of Duibhne of the Fianna, and hismother was Crochnuit, that was near in blood to Finn. And at the time hewas born, Bonn was banished from the Fianna because of some quarrel theyhad with him, and Angus Og took the child from him to rear him up atBrugh na Boinne. 

And after a while Crochnuit bore another son to Roc Diocain, that wasHead Steward to Angus. Roc Diocain went then to Donn, and asked would herear up his son for him, the way Angus was rearing Donn's son. But Donnsaid he would not take the son of a common man into his house, and itwould be best for Angus to take him. So Angus took the child into Brughna Boinne, and he and Diarmuid were reared up together. 

And one day Finn was on the great Hill at Almhuin of Leinster, and noone with him but Donn and a few of the poets and learned men of theFianna, and their hounds and dogs, and Bran Beag came in and asked didhe remember there were bonds on him, not to stop in Almhuin for tennights together. Finn asked the people about him then where would he goand be entertained for that night, and Donn said: "I will bring you tothe house of Angus, son of the Dagda, where my young son is beingreared. "

So they went together to the house of Angus at Brugh na Boinne, and thechild Diarmuid was there, and it is great love Angus had for him. Andthe Steward's son was with him that night, and the people of thehousehold made as much of him as Angus made of Diarmuid; and there wasgreat vexation on Donn when he saw that. It chanced after a while agreat fight rose between two of Finn's hounds about some broken meatthat was thrown to them; and the women and the common people of theplace ran from them, and the others rose up to part them from oneanother. And in running away, the Steward's child ran between the kneesof Donn, and Donn gave the child a strong squeeze between his two kneesthat killed him on the moment, and he threw him under the feet of thehounds. And when the Steward came after that and found his son dead, hegave a long very pitiful cry, and he said to Finn: "There is not a manin the house to-night has suffered more than myself from this uproar, for I had but one son only, and he has been killed; and whatsatisfaction will I get from you for that, Finn?" he said. "Try can youfind the mark of a tooth or of a nail of one of the hounds on him, " saidFinn, "and if you can, I will give you satisfaction for him. "

So they looked at the child, and there was no scratch or mark of a toothon him at all. Then the Steward put Finn under the destroying bonds ofthe Druid cave of Cruachan, to give him knowledge of who it was killedhis son. And Finn asked for a chess-board, and for water to be broughtto him, in a basin of pale gold, and he searched, and it was shown tohim truly that it was Donn had killed the Steward's son between his twoknees. When Finn knew that, he said he would take the fine on himself;but the Steward would not consent to that, but forced him to tell whowas it had done him the wrong. And when he knew it was Donn had killedthe child, he said: "There is no man in the house it is easier to getsatisfaction from than from him, for his own son is here, and I have butto put him between my two knees, and if I let him go from me safe, Iwill forgive the death of my son. " Angus was vexed at what the Stewardsaid, and as to Donn, he thought to strike his head off till Finn puthim back from him. Then the Steward came again, having a Druid rod withhim, and he struck his own son with the rod, and he made of him a wildboar, without bristle or ear or tail, and he said: "I put you underbonds to bring Diarmuid, grandson of Duibhne, to his death; and yourown life will be no longer than his life, " he said. With that the wildboar rose up and ran out of the open door; and he was called afterwardsthe Boar of Slieve Guillion, and it was by him Diarmuid came to hisdeath at the last. 

And when Diarmuid came to his full strength he was given a place amongthe Fianna of Ireland; and all women loved him, and he did many greatdeeds, fighting with the enemies of the Fianna and of Ireland; and onetime he fought a wild ox through the length of seven days and sevennights on the top of the Mountain of Happiness. 

CHAPTER II. HOW DIARMUID GOT HIS LOVE-SPOT

Diarmuid and Conan and Goll and Osgar went one day hunting, and theywent so far they could not get home in the evening, and they spent thefirst part of the night walking through the woods and pulling berriesand eating them. And when it was about midnight they saw a light, andthey went towards it, and they found a little house before them, and thelight shining from it. They went in then, and they saw an old man there, and he bade them welcome, and he called them all by their names. Andthey saw no one in the house but the old man and a young girl and a cat. And the old man bade the girl to make food ready for the Fianna ofIreland, for there was great hunger on them. 

And when the food was ready and put on the table, there came a greatwether that was fastened up in the back of the house, and he rose up onthe table where they were eating, and when they saw that, they looked atone another. "Rise up, Conan, " said Goll, "and fasten that wether inthe place it was before. " Conan rose up and took hold of it, but thewether gave itself a shake that threw Conan under one of its feet. Therest were looking at that, and Goll said: "Let you rise up, Diarmuid, and fasten up the wether. " So Diarmuid rose up and took hold of it, butit gave itself a shake the same way as before; and when Diarmuid wasdown it put one of its feet on him. Goll and Osgar looked at one anotherthen, and shame came on them, a wether to have done so much as that. AndOsgar got up, but the wether put him down under one of his feet, so thatit had now the three men under him. Then Goll rose up and took hold ofit and threw it down; but if he did, it rose up again in spite of him, and put Goll under his fourth foot. 

"It is a great shame, " said the old man then, "the like of that to bedone to the Fianna of Ireland. And rise up now, cat, " he said, "and tiethe wether in the place where he was. " The cat rose up then and tookhold of the wether, and brought it over and tied it in its place at theend of the house. 

The men rose up then, but they had no mind to go on eating, for therewas shame on them at what the wether had done to them. "You may go oneating, " said the old man; "and when you are done I will show you thatnow you are the bravest men of the world. " So they ate their fill then, and the old man spoke to them, and it is what he said: "Goll, " he said, "you are the bravest of all the men of the world, for you have wrestledwith the world and you threw it down. The strength of the world is inthe wether, but death will come to the world itself; and that is death, "he said, showing them the cat. 

They were talking together then, and they had their food eaten, and theold man said their beds were ready for them that they could go to sleep. The four of them went then into the one room, and when they were intheir beds the young girl came to sleep in the same room with them, andthe light of her beauty was shining on the walls like as if it was thelight of a candle. 

And when Conan saw her he went over to the side of the bed where shewas. 

Now, it was Youth the young girl was, and when she saw Conan coming toher: "Go back to your bed, Conan, " she said; "I belonged to you once, and I will never belong to you again. " Conan went back to his bed then, and Osgar had a mind to go over where she was. Then she said to him:"Where are you going?" "I am going over to yourself for a while, " saidhe. 

"Go back again, Osgar, " she said; "I belonged to you once, and I willnever belong to you again. "

Then Diarmuid rose up to go to her: "Where are you going, Diarmuid?" shesaid. "I am going over to yourself for a while, " said he. "O Diarmuid, "she said, "that cannot be; I belonged to you once, and I can neverbelong to you again; but come over here to me, Diarmuid, " she said, "andI will put a love-spot on you, that no woman will ever see withoutgiving you her love. " So Diarmuid went over to her, and she put her handon his forehead, and she left the love-spot there, and no woman thatever saw him after that was able to refuse him her love. 

CHAPTER III. THE DAUGHTER OF KING UNDER-WAVE

One snowy night of winter the Fianna were come into the house aftertheir hunting. And about midnight they heard a knocking at the door, andthere came in a woman very wild and ugly, and her hair hanging to herheels. She went to the place Finn was lying, and she asked him to lether in under the border of his covering. But when he saw her so strangeand so ugly and so wild-looking he would not let her in. She gave agreat cry then, and she went to where Oisin was, and asked him to lether shelter under the border of his covering. But Oisin refused her thesame way. Then she gave another great scream, and she went over whereDiarmuid was. "Let me in, " she said, "under the border of yourcovering. " Diarmuid looked at her, and he said: "You are strange-lookingand wild and ugly, and your hair is down to your heels. But come in forall that, " he said. 

So she came in under the border of his covering. 

"O Diarmuid, " she said then, "I have been travelling over sea and oceanthrough the length of seven years, and in all that time I never gotshelter any night till this night. And let me to the warmth of the firenow, " she said. So Diarmuid brought her over to the fire, and all theFianna that were sitting there went away from it seeing her so ugly andso dreadful to look at. And she was not long at the fire when she said:"Let me go under the warmth of the covering with you now. " "It is askingtoo much you are, " said Diarmuid; "first it was to come under the borderyou asked, and then to come to the fire, and now it is under thebed-covering with me you want to be. But for all that you may come, " hesaid. 

So she came in under the covering, and he turned a fold of it betweenthem. But it was not long till he looked at her, and what he saw was abeautiful young woman beside him, and she asleep. He called to theothers then to come over, and he said: "Is not this the most beautifulwoman that ever was seen?" "She is that, " they said, and they coveredher up and did not awaken her. 

But after a while she stirred, and she said: "Are you awake, Diarmuid?""I am awake, " he said. "Where would you like to see the best housebuilt that ever was built?" she said. "Up there on the hillside, if Ihad my choice, " said he, and with that he fell asleep. 

And in the morning two men of the Fianna came in, and they said theywere after seeing a great house up on the hill, where there was not ahouse before. "Rise up, Diarmuid, " said the strange woman then; "do notbe lying there any longer, but go up to your house, and look out now andsee it, " she said. So he looked out and he saw the great house that wasready, and he said: "I will go to it, if you will come along with me. ""I will do that, " she said, "if you will make me a promise not to say tome three times what way I was when I came to you. " "I will never say itto you for ever, " said Diarmuid. 

They went up then to the house, and it was ready for them, with food andservants; and everything they could wish for they had it. They stoppedthere for three days, and when the three days were ended, she said: "Youare getting to be sorrowful because you are away from your comrades ofthe Fianna. " "I am not sorrowful indeed, " said Diarmuid. "It will bebest for you to go to them; and your food and your drink will be noworse when you come back than they are now, " said she. "Who will takecare of my greyhound bitch and her three pups if I go?" said Diarmuid. "There is no fear for them, " said she. 

So when he heard that, he took leave of her and went back to the Fianna, and there was a great welcome before him. But for all that they were notwell pleased but were someway envious, Diarmuid to have got that grandhouse and her love from the woman they themselves had turned away. 

Now as to the woman, she was outside the house for a while afterDiarmuid going away, and she saw Finn, son of Cumhal, coming towardsher, and she bade him welcome. "You are vexed with me, Queen?" he said. "I am not indeed, " she said; "and come in now and take a drink of winefrom me. " "I will go in if I get my request, " said Finn. "What requestis there that you would not get?" said she. "It is what I am asking, oneof the pups of Diarmuid's greyhound bitch. " "That is no great thing toask, " she said; "and whichever one you choose of them you may bring itaway. "

So he got the pup, and he brought it away with him. 

At the fall of night Diarmuid came back to the house, and the greyhoundmet him at the door and gave a yell when she saw him, and he looked forthe pups, and one of them was gone. There was anger on him then, and hesaid to the woman: "If you had brought to mind the way you were when Ilet you in, and your hair hanging, you would not have let the pup bebrought away from me. " "You ought not to say that, Diarmuid, " said she. "I ask your pardon for saying it, " said Diarmuid. And they forgave oneanother, and he spent the night in the house. 

On the morrow Diarmuid went back again to his comrades, and the womanstopped at the house, and after a while she saw Oisin coming towardsher. She gave him a welcome, and asked him into the house, and he saidhe would come if he would get his request. And what he asked was anotherof the pups of the greyhound. 

So she gave him that, and he went away bringing the pup with him. Andwhen Diarmuid came back that night the greyhound met him, and she criedout twice. And he knew that another of the pups was gone, and he said tothe greyhound, and the woman standing there: "If she had remembered theway she was when she came to me, she would not have let the pup bebrought away. "

The next day he went back again to the Fianna, and when he was gone, thewoman saw Caoilte coming towards her, and he would not come in to take adrink from her till he had got the promise of one of the pups the sameas the others. 

And when Diarmuid came back that night the greyhound met him and gavethree yells, the most terrible that ever were heard. There was greatanger on him then, when he saw all the pups gone, and he said the thirdtime: "If this woman remembered the way she was when I found her, andher hair down to her heels, she would not have let the pup go. " "ODiarmuid, what is it you are after saying?" she said. He askedforgiveness of her then, and he thought to go into the house, but it wasgone and the woman was gone on the moment, and it was on the bare groundhe awoke on the morrow. There was great sorrow on him then, and he saidhe would search in every place till he would find her again. 

So he set out through the lonely valleys, and the first thing he saw wasthe greyhound lying dead, and he put her on his shoulder and would notleave her because of the love he had for her. And after a while he metwith a cowherd, and he asked him did he see a woman going the way. "Isaw a woman early in the morning of yesterday, and she walking hard, "said the cowherd. "What way was she going?" said Diarmuid. "Down thatpath below to the strand, and I saw her no more after that, " he said. 

So he followed the path she took down to the strand till he could go nofarther, and then he saw a ship, and he leaned on the handle of hisspear and made a light leap on to the ship, and it went on till it cameto land, and then he got out and lay down on the side of a hill and fellasleep, and when he awoke there was no ship to be seen. "It is a pityfor me to be here, " he said, "for I see no way of getting from itagain. "

But after a while he saw a boat coming, and a man in the boat rowing it, and he went down and got into the boat, and brought the greyhound withhim. And the boat went out over the sea, and then down below it; andDiarmuid, when he went down, found himself on a plain. And he wentwalking along it, and it was not long before he met with a drop ofblood. He took it up and put it in a napkin. "It is the greyhound lostthis, " he said. And after a while he met with another drop of blood, andthen with a third, and he put them in the napkin. And after that againhe saw a woman, and she gathering rushes as if she had lost her wits. 

He went towards her and asked her what news had she. "I cannot tell ittill I gather the rushes, " she said. "Be telling it while you aregathering them, " said Diarmuid. "There is great haste on me, " she said. "What is this place where we are?" said Diarmuid. "It isLand-under-Wave, " said she. "And what use have you for the rushes whenthey are gathered?" "The daughter of King Under-Wave is come home, " shesaid, "and she was for seven years under enchantment, and there issickness on her now, and all the physicians are gathered together andnone of them can do her any good, and a bed of rushes is what she findsthe wholesomest. " "Will you show me where the king's daughter is?" saidDiarmuid. "I will do that, " said the woman; "I will put you in the sheafof rushes, and I will put the rushes under you and over you, and I willcarry you to her on my back. " "That is a thing you cannot do, " saidDiarmuid. But she put the rushes about him, and lifted him on her back, and when she got to the room she let down the bundle. "O come here tome, " said the daughter of King Under-Wave, and Diarmuid went over toher, and they took one another's hands, and were very joyful at thatmeeting. "Three parts of my sickness is gone from me now, " she saidthen; "but I am not well yet, and I never will be, for every time Ithought of you, Diarmuid, on my journey, I lost a drop of the blood ofmy heart. " "I have got those three drops here in this napkin, " saidDiarmuid, "and take them now in a drink and you will be healed of yoursickness. " "They would do nothing for me, " she said, "since I have notthe one thing in the world that I want, and that is the thing I willnever get, " she said. "What thing is that?" said Diarmuid. "It is thething you will never get, nor any man in the world, " she said, "for itis a long time they have failed to get it. " "If it is in any place onthe whole ridge of the world I will get it, " said Diarmuid. "It is threedraughts from the cup of the King of Magh an Ionganaidh, the Plain ofWonder, " she said, "and no man ever got it or ever will get it. " "Tellme where that cup is to be found, " said Diarmuid, "for there are not asmany men as will keep it from me on the whole ridge of the world. " "Thatcountry is not far from the boundary of my father's country, " she said;"but there is a little river between, and you would be sailing on thatriver in a ship, having the wind behind it, for a year and a day beforeyou would reach to the Plain of Wonder. "

Diarmuid set out then, and he came to the little river, and he was agood while walking beside it, and he saw no way to cross it. But at lasthe saw a low-sized, reddish man that was standing in the middle of theriver. "You are in straits, Diarmuid, grandson of Duibhne, " he said;"and come here and put your foot in the palm of my hand and I will bringyou through. " Diarmuid did as he bade him, and put his foot in the redman's palm, and he brought him across the river. "It is going to theKing of the Plain of Wonder you are, " he said, "to bring away his cupfrom him; and I myself will go with you. "

They went on then till they came to the king's dun, and Diarmuid calledout that the cup should be sent out to him, or else champions to fightwith him should be sent out. It was not the cup was sent out, but twiceeight hundred fighting men; and in three hours there was not one of themleft to stand against him. Then twice nine hundred better fightersagain were sent out against him, and within four hours there was not oneof them left to stand against him. Then the king himself came out, andhe stood in the great door, and he said: "Where did the man come fromthat has brought destruction on the whole of my kingdom?" "I will tellyou that, " said he; "I am Diarmuid, a man of the Fianna of Ireland. " "Itis a pity you not to have sent a messenger telling me that, " said theking, "and I would not have spent my men upon you; for seven yearsbefore you were born it was put in the prophecy that you would come todestroy them. And what is it you are asking now?" he said. "It is thecup of healing from your own hand I am asking, " said Diarmuid. "No manever got that cup from me but yourself, " said the king, "but it is easyfor me to give it to you, whether or not there is healing in it. "

Then the King of the Plain of Wonder gave Diarmuid the cup, and theyparted from one another; and Diarmuid went on till he came to the river, and it was then he thought of the red man, that he had given no thoughtto while he was at the king's house. But he was there before him, andtook his foot in the palm of his hand and brought him over the river. "Iknow where it is you are going, Diarmuid, " he said then; "it is to healthe daughter of King Under-Wave that you have given your love to. And itis to a well I will give you the signs of you should go, " he said, "andbring a share of the water of that well with you. And when you comewhere the woman is, it is what you have to do, to put that water in thecup, and one of the drops of blood in it, and she will drink it, and thesame with the second drop and the third, and her sickness will be gonefrom her from that time. But there is another thing will be gone alongwith it, " he said, "and that is the love you have for her. "

"That will not go from me, " said Diarmuid. "It will go from you, " saidthe man; "and it will be best for you make no secret of it, for she willknow, and the king will know, that you think no more of her then than ofany other woman. And King Under-Wave will come to you, " he said, "andwill offer you great riches for healing his daughter. But take nothingfrom him, " he said, "but ask only a ship to bring you home again toIreland. And do you know who am I myself?" he said. "I do not know, "said Diarmuid. "I am the messenger from beyond the world, " he said; "andI came to your help because your own heart is hot to come to the help ofanother. "

So Diarmuid did as he bade him, and he brought the water and the cup andthe drops of blood to the woman, and she drank them, and at the thirddraught she was healed. And no sooner was she healed than the love hehad for her was gone, and he turned away from her. "O Diarmuid, " shesaid, "your love is gone from me. " "O, it is gone indeed, " said he. 

Then there was music made in the whole place, and the lamenting wasstopped, because of the healing of the king's daughter. And as toDiarmuid, he would take no reward and he would not stop there, but heasked for a ship to bring him home to Ireland, to Finn and the Fianna. And when he came where they were, there was a joyful welcome before him. 

CHAPTER IV. THE HARD SERVANT

The Fianna went hunting one time in the two proud provinces of Munster. They went out from Almhuin by the nearest paths till they came to theBrosna river in Slieve Bladhma, and from there to the twelve mountainsof Eiblinne, and on to Aine Cliach, the harp of Aine. 

They scattered themselves then and hunted through the borders of theforest that is called Magh Breogain, through blind trackless places andthrough broken lands, over beautiful level plains and the high hills ofDesmumum, under pleasant Slieve Crot and smooth Slieve na Muc, along thelevel banks of the blue Siuir and over the green plain of Feman and therough plain of Eithne, and the dark woods of Belach Gabrain. 

And Finn was at the side of a hill, and the chief men of the Fiannaalong with him, to watch the hunting; for they liked to be listening tothe outcry of the hounds and the hurried cries of the boys, and thenoise and the whistling and the shouts of the strong men. 

Finn asked then which of the men that were with him would go and keepwatch on the side of the hill where they were. And Finnbane, son ofBresel, said he would go. And he went on to the top of the hill, wherehe could see about him on all sides. And he was not long there till hesaw coming from the east a very big man, ugly and gloomy and deformed;and it is how he was, a dark-coloured shield on his back, a wide swordon his crooked left thigh, two spears on his shoulder, a torn loosecloak over his limbs, that were as black as a quenched coal. A sulkyhorse he had with him that had no good appearance, bony and thin as tobody, and weak in the legs, and he leading it with a rough iron halter;and it was a great wonder the head was not pulled from the horse's body, or the arms pulled out of his owner, with the sudden stands and stopsand the jerks it made. And the big man was striking blows on the horsewith an iron cudgel to try and knock some going out of him, and thesound of the blows was like the breaking of strong waves. 

And when Finnbane saw all that, he thought to himself it would not beright to let the like of that stranger go up unknown to Finn and theFianna, and he ran back in haste to where they were and told them all hehad seen. 

And when he had told his story, they saw the big man coming towardsthem; but as short as he was from them he was long in coming, from thebadness of his walk and his going. 

And when he came into Finn's presence he saluted him, and bowed his headand bent his knee, making signs of humility. 

Finn raised his hand over his head then, and asked news of him, and ifhe was of the noble or of the mean blood of the great world. He answeredthat he had no knowledge who he came from, but only that he was a man ofthe Fomor, travelling in search of wages to the kings of the earth, "andI heard, " he said, "that Finn never refused wages to any man. " "I neverdid indeed, " said Finn, "and I will not refuse you. But why is it, " hesaid, "you are without a boy to mind your horse?" "I have a good reasonfor that, " said the big man; "there is nothing in the world is worse tome than a boy to be with me; for it is a hundred men's share of food, "he said, "that serves me for one day, and it is little enough I thinkit, and I would begrudge a boy to be sharing it with me. " "What is thename you have?" said Finn. "The name I have is the Gilla Decair, theHard Servant, " said he. "Why did you get that name?" said Finn. "Thereis a good reason for that, " said the big man, "for there is nothing inthe world is harder to me than to do anything at all for my master, orwhatever person I am with. And tell me this, Conan, son of Morna, " hesaid, "who gets the best wages, a horseman or a man afoot?" "A horsemangets twice as much, " said Conan. "Then I call you to witness, Conan, " hesaid, "that I am a horseman, and that it was as a horseman I came to theFianna. And give me your guarantee now, Finn, son of Cumhal, and theguarantee of the Fianna, and I will turn out my horse with your horses. ""Let him out then, " said Finn. 

The big man pulled off the iron halter then from his horse, and it madeoff as hard as it could go, till it came where the horses of the Fiannawere; and it began to tear and to kick and to bite at them, killing andmaiming. "Take your horse out of that, big man, " said Conan; "and by theearth and the sky, " he said, "only it was on the guarantee of Finn andthe Fianna you took the halter off him, I would let out his brainsthrough the windows of his head; and many as is the bad prize Finn hasfound in Ireland, " he said, "he never got one as bad as yourself. " "AndI swear by earth and sky as well as yourself, " said the big man, "I willnever bring him out of that; for I have no serving-boy to do it for me, and it is not work for me to be leading my horse by the hand. "

Conan, son of Morna, rose up then and took the halter and put it on thehorse, and led it back to where Finn was, and held it with his hand. "You would never have done a horse-boy's service, Conan, " said Finn, "toany one of the Fianna, however far he might be beyond this Fomor. And ifyou will do what I advise, " he said, "you will get up on the horse now, and search out with him all the hills and hollows and flowery plains ofIreland, till his heart is broken in his body in payment for the way hedestroyed the horses of the Fianna. "

Conan made a leap then on to the horse, and struck his heels hard intohim, but with all that the horse would not stir. "I know what ails him, "said Finn, "he will not stir till he has the same weight of horsemen onhim as the weight of the big man. "

On that thirteen men of the Fianna went up behind Conan, and the horselay down with them and rose up again. "I think that you are mocking atmy horse and at myself, " said the big man; "and it is a pity for me tobe spending the rest of the year with you, after all the humbugging Isaw in you to-day, Finn. And I know well, " he said, "that all I heardabout you was nothing but lies, and there was no cause for the greatname you have through the world. And I will quit you now, Finn, " hesaid. 

With that he went from them, slow and weak, dragging himself along tillhe had put a little hill between himself and the Fianna. And as soon ashe was on the other side of it, he tucked up his cloak to his waist, andaway with him, as if with the quickness of a swallow or a deer, and therush of his going was like a blast of loud wind going over plains andmountains in spring-time. 

When the horse saw his master going from him, he could not bear with it, but great as his load was he set out at full gallop following after him. And when Finn and the Fianna saw the thirteen men behind Conan, son ofMorna, on the horse, and he starting off, they shouted with mockinglaughter. 

And when Conan found that he was not able to come down off the horse, hescreeched and shouted to them not to let him be brought away with thebig man they knew nothing of, and he began abusing and reproaching them. "A cloud of death over water on you, Finn, " he said, "and that some sonof a slave or a robber of the bad blood, one that is a worse son of afather and mother even than yourself, may take all that might protectyour life, and your head along with that, unless you follow us towhatever place or island the big man will carry us to, and unless youbring us back to Ireland again. "

Finn and the Fianna rose up then, and they followed the Gilla Decairover every bald hill, and through every valley and every river, on topleasant Slieve Luachra, into the borders of Corca Duibhne; and the bigman, that was up on the horse then along with Conan and the rest, facedtowards the deep sea. And Liagan Luath of Luachar took hold of thehorse's tail with his two hands, thinking to drag him back by the hairof it; but the horse gave a great tug, and away with him over the sea, and Liagan along with him, holding on to his tail. 

It was a heavy care to Finn, those fourteen men of his people to bebrought away from him, and he himself under bonds to bring them back. "What can we do now?" Oisin asked him. "What should we do, but to followour people to whatever place or island the big man has brought them, and, whatever way we do it, to bring them back to Ireland again. " "Whatcan we do, having neither a ship or any kind of boat?" said Oisin. "Wehave this, " said Finn, "the Tuatha de Danaan left as a gift to thechildren of the Gael, that whoever might have to leave Ireland for awhile, had but to go to Beinn Edair, and however many would go alongwith him, they would find a ship that would hold them all. " Finn lookedtowards the sea then, and he saw two strong armed men coming towardshim. The first one had on his back a shield ribbed and of many colours, having shapes of strange, wonderful beasts engraved on it, and a heavysword at his side, and two thick spears on his shoulders; a cloak oflasting crimson about him, with a gold brooch on the breast; a band ofwhite bronze on his head, gold under each of his feet; and the other wasdressed in the same way. They made no delay till they came to where Finnwas, and they bowed their heads and bent their knees before him, andFinn raised his hand over their heads, and bade them to give an accountof themselves. "We are sons of the King of the Eastern World, " theysaid, "and we are come to Ireland asking to be taken into the service ofFinn; for we heard there was not a man in all Ireland, " they said, "would be better than yourself to judge of the skill we have. " "What isyour name, and what skill is that?" said Finn. "My name is Feradach, the Very Brave, " he said; "and I have a carpenter's axe and a sling, andif there were so many as thirty hundred of the men of Ireland along withme in one spot, with three blows of the axe on the sling-stick I couldget a ship that would hold them all. And I would ask no more help ofthem, " he said, "than to bow down their heads while I was striking thosethree blows. " "That is a good art, " said Finn. "And tell me now, " hesaid, "what can the other man do?" "I can do this, " he said, "I canfollow the track of the teal over nine ridges and nine furrows until Icome on her in her bed; and it is the same to me to do it on sea as onland, " he said. "That is a good art, " said Finn; "and it would be a goodhelp to us if you would come following a track with us now. " "What isgone from you?" said one of the men. Finn told them then the whole storyof the Hard Servant. 

Then Feradach, the Very Brave, struck three blows on his sling-stickwith the axe that he had, and the whole of the Fianna bowed their heads, and on the moment the whole of the bay and of the harbour was filledwith ships and with fast boats. "What will we do with that many ships?"said Finn. "We will do away with all you make no use of, " he said. 

Caoilte rose up then and let out three great shouts, and all the Fiannaof Ireland, in whatever places they were, heard them, and they thoughtFinn and his people to be in some kind of danger from men from beyondthe sea. 

They came then in small companies as they chanced to be, till they cameto the stepping-stones of the Cat's Head in the western part of CorcaDuibhne. And they asked news of Finn, what had happened that he calledthem away from their hunting, and Finn told them all that had happened. Then Finn and Oisin went into council together, and it is what theyagreed; that as but fifteen of his people were brought away from Finn, he himself with fifteen others would go on their track; Oisin to be leftat the head of the Fianna to guard Ireland. 

And they said farewell to one another, and a grand ship was made readyfor Finn and his people, and there was food put in it for using and goldfor giving away. The young men and the heroes took to their seats then, and took hold of the oars, and they set out over the restless hills andthe dark valleys of the great sea. 

And the sea rose up and bellowed, and there was madness on the brokengreen waters; but to Finn and his people it was a call in the morningand a sleepy time at night to be listening to the roaring and thecrooning that was ever and always about the sides of the ship. 

They went on like that for three days and three nights, and saw nocountry or island. But at the end of that time a man of them went upinto the head of the ship, and he saw out before them a great, roughgrey cliff. They went on towards it then, and they saw on the edge ofthe cliff a high rock, round-shaped, having sides more slippery than aneel's back. And they found the track of the Hard Servant as far as tothe foot of the rock. 

Fergus of the True Lips said then to Diarmuid: "It is no brave thing youare doing, Diarmuid, grandson of Duibhne, to hold back like this, for itwas with Manannan the Powerful, son of Lir, you were reared and got yourlearning, in the Land of Promise and in the coasts of the harbours, andwith Angus Og, the Dagda's son. And are you without any share of theirskill and their daring now, " he said, "that would bring Finn and hispeople up this rock?"

Diarmuid's face reddened when he heard those words, and he took hold ofManannan's staves of power that were with him, and he reddened again, and he rose on the staves and gave a leap, and got a standing-place forhis two feet on the overhanging rock. He looked down from that on Finnand his people, but whatever wish he had to bring them up to where hewas, he was not able to do it. 

He left the rock behind him then, and he was not gone far when he saw awild tangled place before him, with thick woods that were of all he hadever walked the most leafy and the fullest of the sounds of wind andstreams and birds, and of the humming of bees. 

He went on walking the plain, and as he was looking about him, he saw agreat tree with many twigs and branches, and a rock beside it, and asmooth-pointed drinking-horn on it, and a beautiful fresh well at itsfoot. And there was a great drouth on Diarmuid after the sea-journey, and he had a mind to drink a hornful of the water. But when he stoopedto it he heard a great noise coming towards him, and he knew then therewas enchantment in the water. 

"I will drink my fill of it for all that, " he said. And it was not longafter that till he saw a Man of Enchantments coming towards him armed, having no friendly look. And it was in no friendly way he spoke toDiarmuid when he came up to him, but he gave him great abuse. "It is noright thing, " he said, "to be walking through my thickets and to bedrinking up my share of water. " With that they faced one anotherangrily, and they fought till the end of the day. 

The Enchanter thought it well to leave off fighting then, and he made aleap into the bottom of the well away from him, but there was vexationon Diarmuid to be left like that. 

He looked around him then, and he saw a herd of deer coming through thescrub, and he went towards them, and threw a spear that went through thenearest stag and drove the bowels out of him. He kindled a fire then, and he cut thin bits of the flesh and put them on spits of white hazel, and that night he had his fill of meat and of the water of the well. 

He rose up early on the morrow, and he found the Enchanter at the wellbefore him. "It seems to me, Grandson of Duibhne, " he said, "that it isnot enough for you to be walking my scrub and my woods without killingmy deer as well. " With that they started again, giving one another blowfor blow, thrust for thrust, and wound for wound till the end of the daycame on them. And Diarmuid killed another great deer that night, and inthe morning the fight began again. But in the evening, when theEnchanter was making his leap into the well, Diarmuid threw his armsabout his neck, thinking to stop him, but it is what happened, he fellin himself. And when he was at the bottom of the well the Enchanter lefthim. 

Diarmuid went then following after the Enchanter, and he found beforehim a beautiful wide flowery plain, and a comely royal city in theplain, and on the green before the dun he saw a great army; and whenthey saw Diarmuid following after the Enchanter, they left a way and aroyal road for the Enchanter to pass through till he got inside the dun. And then they shut the gates, and the whole army turned on Diarmuid. 

But that put no fear or cowardice on him, but he went through them andover them like a hawk would go through little birds, or a wild dogthrough a flock of sheep, killing all before him, till some of them madeaway to the woods and wastes, and another share of them through thegates of the dun, and they shut them, and the gates of the city afterthem. And Diarmuid, all full of hurts and wounds after the hard fight, lay down on the plain. A very strong daring champion came then andkicked at him from behind, and at that Diarmuid roused himself up, andput out his brave ready hand for his weapons. 

"Wait a while, Grandson of Duibhne, " the champion said then; "it is notto do you any hurt or harm I am come, but to say to you it is a badsleeping-place for you to have, and it on your ill-wisher's lawn. Andcome now with me, " he said, "and I will give you a betterresting-place. "

Diarmuid followed him then, and they went a long, long way from that, till they came to a high-topped city, and three times fifty bravechampions in it, three times fifty modest women, and another young womanon a bench, with blushes in her cheeks, and delicate hands, and having asilken cloak about her, and a dress sewed with gold threads, and on herhead the flowing veil of a queen. 

There was a good welcome before Diarmuid for his own sake and the sakeof his people, and he was put in a house of healing that was in thecity, and good herbs were put to his hurts till he was smooth and soundagain. 

And a feast was made then, and the tables and the benches were set, andno high person was put in the place of the mean, or mean in the place ofthe high, but every one in his own place, according to his nobility, orhis descent, or his art. Plenty of good food was brought to them then, and well-tasting strong drinks, and they spent the first part of thenight in drinking, and the second part with music and delight andrejoicing of the mind, and the third part in sound sleep that lastedtill the sun rose over the heavy sodded earth on the morrow. 

Three days and three nights Diarmuid stopped in that city, and the bestfeast he ever found was given to him all through. And at the end of thattime he asked what was the place he was in, and who was head of it. Andthe champion that brought him there told him it was Land-Under-Wave, andthat the man that had fought with him was its king. "And he is an enemyof the Red Hand to me, " he said. "And as to myself, " he said, "I wasone time getting wages from Finn, son of Cumhal, in Ireland, and I neverput a year over me that pleased me better. And tell me now, " he said, "what is the journey or the work that is before you?"

And Diarmuid told him the story of the Hard Servant then from beginningto end. 

Now, as to Finn and his people, when they thought Diarmuid was too longaway from them, they made ladders of the cords of the ship and put themagainst the rock, looking for him. 

And after a while they found the leavings of the meat he had eaten, forDiarmuid never ate meat without leaving some after him. 

Finn looked then on every side, and he saw a rider coming towards himover the plain on a dark-coloured beautiful horse, having a bridle ofred gold. Finn saluted him when he came up, and the rider stooped hishead and gave Finn three kisses, and asked him to go with him. They wenton a long way till they came to a wide, large dwelling-place full ofarms, and a great troop of armed men on the green before the fort. Threenights and three days Finn and his people stopped in the dun, and thebest feast they ever got was served out to them. 

At the end of that time Finn asked what country was he in, and the manthat brought him there told him it was the land of Sorcha, and that hehimself was its king. "And I was with yourself one time, Finn, son ofCumhal, " he said, "taking your wages through the length of a year inIreland. "

Then Finn and the King of Sorcha called a great gathering of the peopleand a great meeting. And when it was going on they saw a woman-messengercoming to them through the crowd, and the king asked news of her. "Ihave news indeed, " she said; "the whole of the bay and the harbour isfull of ships and of boats, and there are armies all through the countryrobbing all before them. " "I know well, " said the king, "it is the HighKing of Greece is in it, for he has a mind to put the entire world underhim, and to get hold of this country like every other. " The King ofSorcha looked at Finn then, and Finn understood it was help from him hewas asking, and it is what he said: "I take the protection of thiscountry on myself so long as I am in it. " He and his people rose upthen, and the King of Sorcha along with them, and they went looking forthe strange army. And when they came up with it they made greatslaughter of its champions, and those they did not kill ran before them, and made no better stand than a flock of frightened birds, till therewere hardly enough of them left to tell the story. 

The High King spoke then, and it is what he said: "Who is it has donethis great slaughter of my people? And I never heard before, " he said, "any talk of the courage or of the doings of the men of Ireland eitherat this time or in the old times. But from this out, " he said, "I willbanish the Sons of the Gael for ever to the very ends of the earth. "

But Finn and the King of Sorcha raised a green tent in view of the shipsof the Greeks. 

The King of the Greeks called then for help against Finn and the King ofSorcha, to get satisfaction for the shame that was put on his people. And the sons of kings of the eastern and southern world came to hishelp, but they could make no stand against Finn and Osgar and Oisin andGoll, son of Morna. And at the last the King of Greece brought all hispeople back home, the way no more of them would be put an end to. 

And then Finn and the King of Sorcha called another great gathering. Andwhile it was going on, they saw coming towards them a great troop ofchampions, bearing flags of many-coloured silk, and grey swords attheir sides and high spears reared up over their heads. And in the frontof them was Diarmuid, grandson of Duibhne. 

When Finn saw him, he sent Fergus of the True Lips to ask news of him, and they told one another all that had happened. 

And it would take too long to tell, and it would tire the hearers, howFinn made the Hard Servant bring home his fifteen men that he hadbrought away. And when he had brought them back to Ireland, the whole ofthe Fianna were watching to see him ride away again, himself and hislong-legged horse. But while they were watching him, he vanished fromthem, and all they could see was a mist, and it stretching out towardsthe sea. 

And that is the story of the Hard Servant, and of Diarmuid's adventureson the island Under-Wave. 

CHAPTER V. THE HOUSE OF THE QUICKEN TREES

And it is often the Fianna would have been badly off without the help ofDiarmuid. It was he came to their help the time Miodac, the son of theKing of Lochlann, brought them into the enchanted House of the QuickenTrees. 

It was by treachery he brought them in, giving himself out to be a poet, and making poems for Finn to make out the meaning of. A verse he madeabout a great army that he saw riding over the plains to victory, androbbing all before it, and the riders of it having no horses but plantsand branches. "I understand that, " said Finn, "it was an army of beesyou saw, that was gathering riches from the flowers as it went. " Andanother verse Miodac made was about a woman in Ireland that was swifterthan the swiftest horse. "I know that, " said Finn, "that woman is theRiver Boinn; and if she goes slow itself, she is swifter in the end thanthe swiftest horse, for her going never stops. " And other verses he madeabout Angus' house at Brugh na Boinn, but Finn made them all out. 

And after that he said he had a feast ready for them, and he bade themgo into his House of the Quicken Trees till he would bring it. And theydid that, and went in, and it was a beautiful house, having walls ofevery colour, and foreign coverings of every colour on the floor, and afire that gave out a very pleasant smoke. And they sat down there, andafter a while Finn said: "It is a wonder such a beautiful house to behere. " "There is a greater wonder than that, " said Goll; "that fire thatwas so pleasant when we came in is giving out now the worst stench inthe world. " "There is a greater wonder than that, " said Glas; "the wallsthat were of all colours are now but rough boards joined together. ""There is a greater wonder than that, " said Fiacha; "where there wereseven high doors to the house there is now but one little door, and itshut. " "Indeed, there is a more wonderful thing than that, " said Conan;"for we sat down on beautiful coverings, and now there is nothingbetween us and the bare ground, and it as cold as the snow of onenight. " And he tried to rise up, but he could not stir, or any of therest of them, for there was enchantment that kept them where they were. 

And it was the treachery of Miodac, and the spells of the Three Kings ofthe Island of the Floods that had brought them into that danger. AndFinn knew by his divination that their enemies were gathering to make anend of them, and he said to his people there was no use in makingcomplaints, but to sound the music of the Dord Fiann. 

And some of the Fianna that were waiting for him not far off heard thatsorrowful music, and came fighting against Miodac and his armies, andthey fought well, but they could not stand against them. And at the lastit was Diarmuid, grandson of Duibhne, that made an end of Miodac thatwas so treacherous, and of the Three Kings of the Island of the Floods, and took the enchantment off the floor of the House of the Rowan Treeswith their blood. 

And when he was freeing the Fianna, Conan called out, asking him tobring him a share of the feast Miodac had made ready for his ownfriends, for there was hunger on him. And when Diarmuid took no heed ofhim, he said: "If it was a comely woman was speaking to you, Diarmuid, you would not refuse to listen. "

For if many women loved Diarmuid, there were many he himself gave hislove to; and if he was often called Diarmuid the brave, or the hardy, orthe comely, or the Hawk of Ess Ruadh, it is often he was called as wellthe friend and the coaxer of women, Diarmuid-na-man. 

BOOK SEVEN: DIARMUID AND GRANIA. 

CHAPTER I. THE FLIGHT FROM TEAMHAIR

Finn rose up one morning early in Almhuin of Leinster, and he sat outalone on the green lawn without a boy or a servant being with him. AndOisin followed him there, and Diorraing the Druid. "What is the cause ofyour early rising, Finn?" said Oisin. "It is not without cause, indeed, I rise early, " said Finn, "for I am without a wife or a companion sinceMaighneis, daughter of Black Garraidh, died from me; for quiet sleep isnot used to come to a man that is without a fitting wife. " "Why wouldyou be like that?" said Oisin, "for there is not a woman in all greenIreland you would throw a look on but we would bring her to you, willingor unwilling. " "I myself could find a wife would be fitting for you, "said Diorraing. "Who is that?" said Finn. "It is Grania, daughter of theHigh King of Ireland, " said Diorraing; "and she is the woman of the bestmake and shape and the best speech of the women of the whole world. " "Bymy word, Diorraing, " said Finn, "there is strife and disagreementbetween the High King and myself this long time, and it would not bepleasing to me to get a refusal from him. And it is best for you two togo together, " he said, "and to ask his daughter for me in marriage; theway that if he gives a refusal, it will be to you and not to myself hewill give it. " "We will go, " said Oisin, "even if it is little profit wewill get by it. And let no one at all know of our going, " he said, "until such time as we are come back again. "

After that the two bade farewell to Finn, and set out, and it is nottold what they did till they came to Teamhair. The King of Ireland washolding a gathering at that time on the green of Teamhair, and the chiefnobles of his people were with him. And there was a friendly welcomegiven to Oisin and to Diorraing, and the king put off the gatheringtill the next day, for he was sure it was some pressing thing hadbrought these two men of the Fianna to Teamhair. And Oisin went asidewith him, and told him it was to ask his daughter Grania in marriagethey were come from Finn, Head of the Fianna of Ireland. 

The king spoke, and it is what he said: "There is not a son of a king orof a great prince, there is not a champion in Ireland my daughter hasnot given a refusal to, and it is on me they all lay the blame of that. And I will give you no answer at all, " he said, "till you go to herself;for it is better for you to get her own answer, than to be displeasedwith me. "

So they went together to the sunny house of the women, and the king satdown at the head of the high seat beside Grania, and he said: "Here, Grania, are two of the people of Finn, son of Cumhal, come to ask you asa wife for him, and what answer have you a mind to give them?" And it iswhat Grania said: "If he is a fitting son-in-law for you, why would henot be a fitting husband for me?"

They were satisfied then, and there was a feast made for them that nightin Grania's sunny house, and the king settled for a meeting a fortnightfrom that time between himself and Finn at Teamhair. 

So Oisin and Diorraing went back again to Almhuin, and told Finn theirstory from beginning to end. And as everything wears away, so did thattime of delay. 

And then Finn gathered together the seven battalions of the Fianna fromevery part where they were to Almhuin. And they set out in great bandsand troops till they came to Teamhair. 

The king was out on the green before them, and the great people of themen of Ireland, and there was a great welcome before Finn and theFianna. 

But when Grania saw grey-haired Finn, she said: "It is a great wonderit was not for Oisin Finn asked me, for he would be more fitting for methan a man that is older than my father. "

But they talked together for a while, and Finn was putting questions toGrania, for she had the name of being very quick with answers. "What iswhiter than snow?" he said. "The truth, " said Grania. "What is the bestcolour?" said Finn. "The colour of childhood, " said she. "What is hotterthan fire?" "The face of a hospitable man when he sees a stranger comingin, and the house empty. " "What has a taste more bitter than poison?""The reproach of an enemy. " "What is best for a champion?" "His doingsto be high, and his pride to be low. " "What is the best of jewels?" "Aknife. " "What is sharper than a sword?" "The wit of a woman between twomen. " "What is quicker than the wind?" said Finn then. "A woman's mind, "said Grania. And indeed she was telling no lie when she said that. Andfor all their talk together she had no liking for Finn, and she felt theblood in her heart to be rising against him. 

And the wedding-feast was made ready then, and they all went into theking's feasting-house in the Middle Court. And the king sat down to takehis share of drinking and pleasure, and his wife at his left side, andGrania beside her again; and Finn, son of Cumhal, at the right hand ofthe king, and Oisin at the other side, and every other one according tohis nobility and his birth. 

Then Daire of the poems stood up before Grania, and sang the songs andgood poems of her fathers to her. And there was sitting near to Grania aknowledgeable man, a Druid of Finn's people, and it was not long untilthey began to talk together. "Tell me now, " said Grania, "who is thatman on the right hand of Oisin?" "That is Goll, son of Morna, " said theDruid, "the ready fighter. " "Who is that beside Goll?" said Grania. "Osgar, son of Oisin, " said the Druid. "And who is that thin-legged manbeside Osgar?" "That is Caoilte, son of Ronan. " "Who is that proud, hasty man beside Caoilte?" "Lugaidh's Son of the Strong Hand. " "Who isthat sweet-worded man, " she said then, "with the dark hair, and cheekslike the rowan berry, on the left side of Oisin, son of Finn?" "That isDiarmuid, grandson of Duibhne, " said the Druid, "that is the best loverof women in the whole world. " "That is a good company, " said Grania. 

And after the feast had gone on a while, their own feast was made forthe dogs outside. And the dogs began to fight with one another, and thenoise was heard in the hall, and the chief men of the Fianna went todrive them away from one another. 

Now Diarmuid was used to keep his cap always over the love-spot thewoman had left on his forehead, for no woman could see that spot but shewould give him her love. And it chanced, while he was driving the dogsapart, the cap fell from him, and Grania was looking cut at him as itfell, and great love for him came on her there and then. And she calledher serving-maid to her, and bade her bring the great golden cup thatheld drink for nine times nine men from the sunny house. And when theserving-maid brought the cup, she filled it with wine that hadenchantment in it, and she said: "Give the cup first to Finn, and bidhim take a drink from it, and tell him it is I myself sent it to him. "So the serving-maid did that, and Finn took the cup and drank out of it, and no sooner did he drink than he fell into a deep sleep. And then thecup was given to the king, and the queen, and the sons of kings, and thewhole company, but only Oisin and Osgar and Caoilte and Diarmuid, andDiorraing the Druid. And all that drank of it fell into the same heavysleep. 

And when they were all in their sleep, Grania rose up softly from theseat where she was, and she turned her face to Diarmuid, and she said:"Will you take my love, Diarmuid, son of Duibhne, and will you bring meaway out of this house to-night?"

"I will not, " said Diarmuid; "I will not meddle with the woman that ispromised to Finn. " "If that is so, " said Grania, "I put you under Druidbonds, to bring me out of this house to-night before the awaking of Finnand of the King of Ireland from their sleep. "

"It is under bad bonds you are putting me, Grania, " said Diarmuid. "Andwhy is it, " he said, "that you put them on me more than on the great menand sons of kings that are in the Middle Court to-night? for there isnot one of them all but is as well worthy of a woman's love as myself. ""By my hand, Diarmuid, it is not without cause I laid those bonds onyou, " said Grania; "for I was at the door a while ago when you wereparting the dogs, " she said, "and my eyes fell on you, and I gave youthe love there and then that I never gave to any other, and never willgive for ever. "

"It is a wonder you to give that love to me, and not to Finn, " saidDiarmuid, "for there is not in Ireland a man is a better lover of awoman than himself. And do you know this, Grania, " he said, "the nightFinn is in Teamhair it is he himself is the keeper of its gates. And asthat is so, we cannot leave the town. " "There is a side door of escapeat my sunny house, " said Grania, "and we will go out by it. " "It is athing I will never do, " said Diarmuid, "to go out by any side door ofescape at all. " "That may be so, " said Grania, "but I heard it said thatevery fighting man has leave to pass over the walls of any dun and ofany strong place at all by the shafts of his spears. And I will go outthrough the door, " she said, "and let you follow me like that. "

With that she went out, and Diarmuid spoke to his people, and it is whathe said, "O Oisin, son of Finn, what must I do with these bonds thatare laid on me?" "You are not guilty if the bonds were laid on you, "said Oisin; "and I tell you to follow Grania, and to keep yourself wellout of the hands of Finn. " "Osgar, son of Oisin, " he said then, "whatmust I do with these bonds that are put on me?" "I tell you to followGrania, " said Osgar, "for it is a pitiful man that would break hisbonds. " "What advice do you give me, Caoilte?" said Diarmuid. "It iswhat I say, " said Caoilte, "that I myself have a fitting wife; and thatit would be better to me than all the riches of the world Grania to havegiven me that love. " "What advice do you give me, Diorraing?" "I tellyou to follow Grania, " said Diorraing, "although you will get your deathby it, and that is bad to me. " "Is that the advice you all give me?"said Diarmuid. "It is, " said Oisin, and all the rest with him. With thatDiarmuid stood up and stretched out his hand for his weapons, and hesaid farewell to Oisin and the others, and every tear he shed was of thesize of a mountain berry. He went out then to the wall of the dun, andhe put the shafts of his two spears under him, and he rose with a lightleap and he came down on the grassy earth outside, and Grania met himthere. Then Diarmuid said: "It is a bad journey you are come on, Grania. For it would be better for you to have Finn, son of Cumhal, as a loverthan myself, for I do not know any part or any western corner of Irelandthat will hide you. And if I do bring you with me, " he said, "it is notas a wife I will bring you, but I will keep my faith to Finn. And turnback now to the town, " he said, "and Finn will never get news of whatyou are after doing. " "It is certain I will not turn back, " said Grania, "and I will never part with you till death parts us. " "If that is so, let us go on, Grania, " said Diarmuid. 

They went on then, and they were not gone far out from the town whenGrania said: "I am getting tired, indeed. " "It is a good time to betired, " said Diarmuid, "and go now back again to your own house. For Iswear by the word of a true champion, " he said, "I will never carryyourself or any other woman to the end of life and time. " "That is notwhat you have to do, " said Grania, "for my father's horses are in agrass field by themselves, and chariots with them; and turn back now, and bring two horses of them, and I will wait in this place till youcome to me again. "

Diarmuid went back then for the horses, and we have no knowledge oftheir journey till they reached to the ford on the Sionnan, that iscalled now Ath-luain. 

And Diarmuid said then to Grania: "It is easier to Finn to follow ourtrack, the horses being with us. " "If that is so, " said Grania: "leavethe horses here, and I will go on foot from this out. "

Diarmuid went down to the river then, and he brought a horse with himover the ford, and left the other horse the far side of the river. Andhe himself and Grania went a good way with the stream westward, and theywent to land at the side of the province of Connacht. And wherever theywent, Diarmuid left unbroken bread after him, as a sign to Finn he hadkept his faith with him. 

And from that they went on to Doire-da-Bhoth, the Wood of the Two Huts. And Diarmuid cut down the wood round about them, and he made a fencehaving seven doors of woven twigs, and he set out a bed of soft rushesand of the tops of the birch-tree for Grania in the very middle of thewood. 

CHAPTER II. THE PURSUIT

And as to Finn, son of Cumhal, I will tell out his story now. 

All that were in Teamhair rose up early in the morning of the morrow, and they found Diarmuid and Grania were wanting from them, and therecame a scorching jealousy and a weakness on Finn. He sent out histrackers then on the plain, and bade them to follow Diarmuid and Grania. And they followed the track as far as the ford on the Sionnan, and Finnand the Fianna followed after them, but they were not able to carry thetrack across the ford. And Finn gave them his word that unless theywould find the track again without delay, he would hang them on eachside of the ford. 

Then the sons of Neamhuin went up against the stream, and they found ahorse on each side of it, and then they went on with the streamwestward, and they found the track going along the side of the Provinceof Connacht, and Finn and the Fianna of Ireland followed it on. And Finnsaid: "I know well where we will find Diarmuid and Grania now; it is inDoire-da-Bhoth they are. " Oisin and Osgar and Caoilte and Diorraing werelistening when Finn said those words. And Osgar spoke to the others, andit is what he said: "There is danger they might be there, and it wouldbe right for us to give them some warning; and look now, Osgar, where isBran the hound, for Finn himself is no dearer to him than Diarmuid, andbid him go now with a warning to him. "

So Osgar told Bran, and Bran understood him well, and she went to therear of the whole troop the way Finn would not see her, and she followedon the track of Diarmuid and Grania till she came to Doire-da-Bhoth, andshe put her head into Diarmuid's bosom, and he in his sleep. 

Diarmuid started up out of his sleep then, and he awoke Grania, and saidto her: "Here is Bran, Finn's hound, and she is come with a warning totell us Finn himself is coming. " "Let us take that warning, then, " saidGrania, "and make your escape. " "I will not take it, " said Diarmuid, "for if I cannot escape Finn, I would as soon he took me now as at anyother time. " When Grania heard that, great fear came on her. 

Bran went away from them then, and when Oisin saw her coming back, hesaid: "I am in dread Bran found no chance to get to Diarmuid, and weshould send him some other warning. And look where is Fearghoin, " hesaid, "Caoilte's serving-man. " Now it was the way with Fearghoin, everyshout he would give would be heard in the three nearest hundreds to him. So they made him give out three shouts the way Diarmuid would hear him. And Diarmuid heard him, and he said to Grania: "I hear Caoilte'sserving-man, and it is with Caoilte he is, and it is along with FinnCaoilte is, and those shouts were sent as a warning to me. " "Take thatwarning, " said Grania. "I will not take it, " said Diarmuid, "for Finnand the Fianna will come up with us before we leave the wood. " And fearand great dread came on Grania when she heard him say that. 

As for Finn, he did not leave off following the track till he came toDoire-da-Bhoth, and he sent the sons of Neamhuin to search through thewood, and they saw Diarmuid, and the woman along with him. They cameback then where Finn was, and he asked them were Diarmuid and Grania inthe wood? "Diarmuid is in it, " they said, "and there is some woman withhim, but we knew Diarmuid, and we do not know Grania. " "May no good cometo the friends of Diarmuid for his sake, " said Finn, "and he will notquit that wood till he has given me satisfaction for everything he hasdone to me. "

"It is jealousy has put you astray, Finn, " said Oisin; "you to thinkDiarmuid would stop here on the plain of Maen Mhagh, and no close placein it but Doire-da-Bhoth, and you following after him. " "Saying thatwill do you no good, " said Finn, "for I knew well when I heard the threeshouts Caoilte's serving-man gave out, it was you sent them to Diarmuidas a warning. And another thing, " he said, "it was you sent my ownhound Bran to him. But none of those things you have done will serveyou, for he will not leave Doire-da-Bhoth till he gives me satisfactionfor everything he has done to me, and every disgrace he has put on me. ""It is great foolishness for you, Finn, " said Osgar then, "to bethinking Diarmuid would stop in the middle of this plain and you waitinghere to strike the head off him. " "Who but himself cut the wood thisway, " said Finn, "and made this close sheltered place with seven wovennarrow doors to it. And O Diarmuid, " he said out then, "which of us isthe truth with, myself or Oisin?" "You never failed from your goodjudgment, Finn, " said Diarmuid, "and indeed I myself and Grania arehere. " Then Finn called to his men to go around Diarmuid and Grania, andto take them. 

Now it was shown at this time to Angus Og, at Brugh na Boinne, the greatdanger Diarmuid was in, that was his pupil at one time, and his dearfoster-son. He set out then with the clear cold wind, and did not stopin any place till he came to Doire-da-Bhoth. And he went unknown to Finnor the Fianna into the place where Diarmuid and Grania were, and hespoke kind words to Diarmuid, and he said: "What is the thing you havedone, grandson of Duibhne?" "It is, " said Diarmuid, "the daughter of theKing of Ireland that has made her escape with me from her father andfrom Finn, and it is not by my will she came. " "Let each of you comeunder a border of my cloak, so, " said Angus, "and I will bring you outof the place where you are without knowledge of Finn or his people. ""Bring Grania with you, " said Diarmuid, "but I will never go with you;but if I am alive I will follow you before long. And if I do not, " hesaid, "give Grania to her father, and he will do well or ill to her. "

With that Angus put Grania under the border of his cloak, and broughther out unknown to Finn or the Fianna, and there is no news told of themtill they came to Ros-da-Shoileach, the Headland of the Two Sallows. 

And as to Diarmuid, after Angus and Grania going from him, he stood upas straight as a pillar and put on his armour and his arms, and afterthat he went to a door of the seven doors he had made, and he asked whowas at it. "There is no enemy to you here, " they said, "for there arehere Oisin and Osgar and the best men of the sons of Baiscne along withus. And come out to us now, and no one will have the daring to do anyharm or hurt on you. " "I will not go out to you, " said Diarmuid, "till Isee at what door Finn himself is. " He went then to another door of theseven and asked who was at it. "Caoilte, son of Ronan, and the rest ofthe sons of Ronan along with him; and come out to us now, and we willgive ourselves for your sake. " "I will not go out to you, " saidDiarmuid, "for I will not put you under Finn's anger for any well-doingto myself. " He went on to another door then and asked who was at it. "There is Conan, son of Morna, and the rest of the sons of Morna alongwith him; and it is enemies to Finn we are, and you are a great dealmore to us than he is, and you may come out and no one will dare lay ahand on you. " "I will not indeed, " said Diarmuid, "for Finn would bebetter pleased to see the death of every one of you than to let meescape. " He went then to another door and asked who was at it. "A friendand a comrade of your own, Fionn, son of Cuadan, head of the Fianna ofMunster, and his men along with him; and we are of the one country andthe one soil, and we will give our bodies and our lives for your sake. ""I will not go out to you, " said Diarmuid, "for I would not like Finn tohave a grudge against you for any good you did to me. " He went then toanother door and asked who was at it. "It is Fionn, son of Glor, headof the Fianna of Ulster, and his men along him; and come out now to usand there is no one will dare hurt or harm you. " "I will not go out toyou, " said Diarmuid, "for you are a friend to me, and your father alongwith you, and I would not like the unfriendliness of Finn to be put onyou for my sake. " He went then to another door, and he asked who was atit. "There is no friend of yours here, " they said, "for there is hereAodh Beag the Little from Eamhuin, and Aodh Fada the Long from Eamhuin, and Caol Crodha the Fierce, and Goineach the Wounder, and Gothan theWhite-fingered, and Aoife his daughter, and Cuadan the Tracker fromEamhuin; and we are unfriendly people to you, and if you come out to uswe will not spare you at all, but will make an end of you. " "It is a badtroop is in it, " said Diarmuid; "you of the lies and of the tracking andof the one shoe, and it is not fear of your hands is upon me, butbecause I am your enemy I will not go out. "

He went then to the last of the seven doors and asked who was at it. "Nofriend of yours, " they said, "but it is Finn, son of Cumhal, and fourhundred paid fighting men along with him; and if you will come out to uswe will make opened marrow of you. " "I give you my word, Finn, " saidDiarmuid, "that the door you are at yourself is the first door I willpass out of. "

When Finn heard that, he warned his battalions on pain of lasting deathnot to let Diarmuid past them unknown. But when Diarmuid heard what hesaid, he rose on the staves of his spears and he went with a very high, light leap on far beyond Finn and his people, without their knowledge. He looked back at them then, and called out that he had gone past them, and he put his shield on his back and went straight on towards the west, and it was not long before he was out of sight of Finn and the Fianna. Then when he did not see any one coming after him, he turned back towhere he saw Angus and Grania going out of the wood, and he followed ontheir track till he came to Ros-da-Shoileach. 

He found Angus and Grania there in a sheltered, well-lighted cabin, anda great blazing fire kindled in it, and the half of a wild boar onspits. Diarmuid greeted them, and the life of Grania all to went out ofher with joy before him. 

Diarmuid told them his news from beginning to end, and they ate theirshare that night, and they went to sleep till the coming of the day andof the full light on the morrow. And Angus rose up early, and he said toDiarmuid: "I am going from you now, grandson of Duibhne; and I leavethis advice with you, " he said, "not to go into a tree with one trunk, and you flying before Finn, and not to be going into a cave of the earththat has but one door, and not to be going to an island of the sea thathas but one harbour. And in whatever place you cook your share of food, "he said, "do not eat it there; and in whatever place you eat it, do notlie down there; and in whatever place you lie down, do not rise up thereon the morrow. " He said farewell to them after that, and went his way. 

CHAPTER III. THE GREEN CHAMPIONS

Then Diarmuid and Grania went along the right bank of the Sionnanwestward till they came to Garbh-abha-na-Fiann, the rough river of theFianna. And Diarmuid killed a salmon on the brink of the river, and putit to the fire on a spit. Then he himself and Grania went across thestream to eat it, as Angus bade them; and then they went westward tosleep. 

They rose up early on the morrow, and they travelled straight westwardtill they came to the marsh of Finnliath. 

And on the marsh they met with a young man, having a good shape andappearance, but without fitting dress or arms. Diarmuid greeted theyoung man, and asked news of him. "A fighting lad I am, looking for amaster, " he said, "and Muadhan is my name. " "What would you do for me, young man?" said Diarmuid. "I would be a servant to you in the day, andwatch for you in the night, " he said. "I tell you to keep that youngman, " said Grania, "for you cannot be always without people. "

Then they made an agreement with him, and bound one another, and theywent on together westward till they reached the Carrthach river. Andthen Muadhan bade Diarmuid and Grania to go up on his back till he wouldcarry them over the stream. 

"That would be a big load for you, " said Grania. But he put them uponhis back and carried them over. Then they went on till they came to theBeith, and Muadhan brought them over on his back the same way. And theywent into a cave at the side of Currach Cinn Adhmuid, the Woody Headlandof the Bog, over Tonn Toime, and Muadhan made ready beds of soft rushesand tops of the birch for them in the far end of the cave. And he wenthimself into the scrub that was near, and took a straight long rod of aquicken-tree, and he put a hair and a hook on the rod, and a holly berryon the hook, and he went up the stream, and he took a salmon with thefirst cast. Then he put on a second berry and killed another fish, andhe put on a third berry and killed the third fish. Then he put the hookand the hair under his belt, and struck the rod into the earth, and hebrought the three salmon where Diarmuid and Grania were, and put them onspits. When they were done, Muadhan said: "I give the dividing of thefish to you, Diarmuid. " "I would sooner you to divide it than myself, "said Diarmuid. "I will give the dividing of the fish to you, so, Grania, " said he. "I am better satisfied you to divide it, " said Grania. "If it was you that divided the fish, Diarmuid, " said Muadhan, "youwould have given the best share to Grania; and if it was Grania dividedit, she would have given you the best share; and as it is myself isdividing it, let you have the biggest fish, Diarmuid, and let Graniahave the second biggest, and I myself will have the one is smallest. "

They spent the night there, and Diarmuid and Grania slept in the farpart of the cave, and Muadhan kept watch for them until the rising ofthe day and the full light of the morrow. 

Diarmuid rose up early, and he bade Grania keep watch for Muadhan, andthat he himself would go and take a walk around the country. He went outthen, and he went up on a hill that was near, and he was looking abouthim, east and west, north and south. He was not long there till he saw agreat fleet of ships coming from the west, straight to the bottom of thehill where he was. And when they were come to land, nine times nine ofthe chief men of the ships came on shore, and Diarmuid went down andgreeted them, and asked news of them, and to what country they belonged. 

"Three kings we are of the Green Champions of Muir-na-locht, " said they;"and Finn, son of Cumhal, sent looking for us by cause of a thief of thewoods, and an enemy of his own that has gone hiding from him; and it isto hinder him we are come. And we are twenty hundred good fighting men, and every one of us is a match for a hundred, and besides that, " hesaid, "we have three deadly hounds with us; fire will not burn them, andwater will not drown them, and arms will not redden on them, and we willlay them on his track, and it will be short till we get news of him. And tell us who you are yourself?" they said, "and have you any word ofthe grandson of Duibhne?" "I saw him yesterday, " said Diarmuid; "and Imyself, " he said, "am but a fighting man, walking the world by thestrength of my hand and by the hardness of my sword. And by my word, " hesaid, "you will know Diarmuid's hand when you will meet it. " "Well, wefound no one up to this, " said they. "What are your own names?" saidDiarmuid. "Dubh-chosach, the Black-footed, Fionn-chosach, theFair-footed, and Treun-chosach, the Strong-footed, " they said. 

"Is there wine in your ships?" said Diarmuid. "There is, " said they. "Ifyou have a mind to bring out a tun of wine, " said Diarmuid, "I will do atrick for you. " They sent men to get the tun, and when it came Diarmuidtook it between his two hands and drank a drink out of it, and theothers drank what was left of it. Diarmuid took up the tun after that, and brought it to the top of the hill, and he went up himself on thetun, and let it go down the steep of the hill till it was at the bottom. And then he brought the tun up the hill again, and he himself on itcoming and going, and he did that trick three times before thestrangers. But they said he was a man had never seen a good trick whenhe called that a trick; and with that a man of them went up on the tun, but Diarmuid gave a stroke of his foot at it and the young man fell fromit before it began to move, and it rolled over him and crushed him, thathe died. And another man went on it, and another after him again, tillfifty of them were killed trying to do Diarmuid's trick, and as many ofthem as were not killed went back to their ships that night. 

Diarmuid went back then to where he left Grania; and Muadhan put thehair and the hook on the rod till he killed three salmon; and they atetheir meal that night, and he kept watch for them the same way he didbefore. 

Diarmuid went out early the next day again to the hill, and it was notlong till he saw the three strangers coming towards him, and he askedthem would they like to see any more tricks. They said they would soonerget news of the grandson of Duibhne. "I saw a man that saw himyesterday, " said Diarmuid. And with that he put off his arms and hisclothes, all but the shirt that was next his skin, and he struck theCrann Buidhe, the spear of Manannan, into the earth with the pointupwards. And then he rose with a leap and lit on the point of the spearas light as a bird, and came down off it again without a wound on him. Then a young man of the Green Champions said: "It is a man has neverseen feats that would call that a feat"; and he put off his clothing andmade a leap, and if he did he came down heavily on the point of thespear, and it went through his heart, and he fell to the ground. Thenext day Diarmuid came again, and he brought two forked poles out of thewood and put them standing upright on the hill, and he put the sword ofAngus Og, the Mor-alltach, the Big-fierce one, between the two forks onits edge. Then he raised himself lightly over it, and walked on thesword three times from the hilt to the point, and he came down and askedwas there a man of them could do that feat. 

"That is a foolish question, " said a man of them then, "for there wasnever any feat done in Ireland but a man of our own would do it. " Andwith that he rose up to walk on the sword; but it is what happened, hecame down heavily on it the way he was cut in two halves. 

The rest of the champions bade him take away his sword then, before anymore of their people would fall by it; and they asked him had he anyword of the grandson of Duibhne. "I saw a man that saw him to-day, " saidDiarmuid, "and I will go ask news of him to-night. "

He went back then to where Grania was, and Muadhan killed three salmonfor their supper, and kept a watch for them through the night. AndDiarmuid rose up at the early break of day, and he put his battleclothes on him, that no weapon could go through, and he took the swordof Angus, that left no leavings after it, at his left side, and his twothick-handled spears, the Gae Buidhe and the Gae Dearg, the Yellow andthe Red, that gave wounds there was no healing for. And then he wakenedGrania, and he bade her to keep watch for Muadhan, and he himself wouldgo out and take a look around. 

When Grania saw him looking so brave, and dressed in his clothes ofanger and of battle, great fear took hold of her, and she asked what washe going to do. "It is for fear of meeting my enemies I am like this, "said he. That quieted Grania, and then Diarmuid went out to meet theGreen Champions. 

They came to land then, and they asked had he news of the grandson ofDuibhne. "I saw him not long ago, " said Diarmuid. "If that is so, let usknow where is he, " said they, "till we bring his head to Finn, son ofCumhal. " "I would be keeping bad watch for him if I did that, " saidDiarmuid, "for his life and his body are under the protection of myvalour, and by reason of that I will do no treachery on him. " "Is thattrue?" said they. "It is true indeed, " said Diarmuid. "Let you yourselfquit this place, so, " they said, "or we will bring your head to Finnsince you are an enemy to him. " "It is in bonds I would be, " saidDiarmuid, "the time I would leave my head with you. " And with that hedrew his sword the Mor-alltach out of its sheath, and he made a fierceblow at the head nearest him that put it in two halves. Then he made anattack on the whole host of the Green Champions, and began to destroythem, cutting through the beautiful shining armour of the men ofMuir-na-locht till there was hardly a man but got shortening of life andthe sorrow of death, or that could go back to give news of the fight, but only the three kings and a few of their people that made theirescape back to their ships. Diarmuid turned back then without wound orhurt on him, and he went to where Crania and Muadhan were. They bade himwelcome, and Grania asked him did he hear any news of Finn and theFianna of Ireland, and he said he did not, and they ate their food andspent the night there. 

He rose up again with the early light of the morrow and went back to thehill, and when he got there he struck a great blow on his shield thatset the strand shaking with the sound. And Dubh-chosach heard it, and hesaid he himself would go fight with Diarmuid, and he went on shore thereand then. 

And he and Diarmuid threw the arms out of their hands and rushed on oneanother like wrestlers, straining their arms and their sinews, knottingtheir hands on one another's backs, fighting like bulls in madness, orlike two daring hawks on the edge of a cliff. But at the last Diarmuidraised up Dubh-chosach on his shoulder and threw his body to the ground, and bound him fast and firm on the spot. And Fionn-chosach andTreun-chosach came one after the other to fight with him then, and heput the same binding on them; and he said he would strike the heads offthem, only he thought it a worse punishment to leave them in thosebonds. "For there is no one can free you, " he said. And he left themthere, worn out and sorrowful. 

The next morning after that, Diarmuid told Grania the whole story of thestrangers from beginning to end, and of all he had done to them, and howon the fifth day he had put their kings in bonds. "And they have threefierce hounds in a chain ready to hunt me, " he said. "Did you take theheads off those three kings?" said Grania, "I did not, " said Diarmuid, "for there is no man of the heroes of Ireland can loosen those bonds butfour only, Oisin, son of Finn, and Osgar, son of Oisin, and Lugaidh'sSon of the Strong Hand, and Conan, son of Morna; and I know well, " hesaid, "none of those four will do it. But all the same, it is short tillFinn will get news of them, and it is best for us to be going from thiscave, or Finn and the three hounds might come on us. "

After that they left the cave, and they went on till they came to thebog of Finnliath. Grania began to fall behind them, and Muadhan put heron his back and carried her till they came to the great Slieve Luachra. Then Diarmuid sat down on the brink of the stream that was flowingthrough the heart of the mountain, and Grania was washing her hands, andshe asked his knife from him to cut her nails with. 

As to the strangers, as many of them as were alive yet, they came to thehill where their three leaders were bound, and they thought to loosethem; but it is the way those bonds were, all they did by meddling withthem was to draw them tighter. 

And they were not long there till they saw a woman coming towards themwith the quickness of a swallow or a weasel or a blast of wind over baremountain-tops. And she asked them who was it had done that greatslaughter on them. "Who are you that is asking that?" said they. "I amthe Woman of the Black Mountain, the woman-messenger of Finn, son ofCumhal, " she said; "and it is looking for you Finn sent me. " "Indeed wedo not know who it was did this slaughter, " they said, "but we will tellyou his appearance. A young man he was, having dark curling hair andruddy cheeks. And it is worse again to us, " they said, "our threeleaders to be bound this way, and we not able to loose them. " "What waydid that young man go from you?" said the woman. "It was late lastnight he left us, " they said, "and we do not know where is he gone. " "Igive you my word, " she said, "it was Diarmuid himself that was in it;and take your hounds now and lay them on his track, and I will send Finnand the Fianna of Ireland to you. "

They left a woman-Druid then attending on the three champions that werebound, and they brought their three hounds out of the ship and laid themon Diarmuid's track, and followed them till they came to the opening ofthe cave, and they went into the far part of it and found the beds whereDiarmuid and Crania had slept. Then they went on westward till they cameto the Carrthach river, and to the bog of Finnliath, and so on to thegreat Slieve Luachra. 

But Diarmuid did not know they were after him till he got sight of themwith their banners of soft silk and their three wicked hounds in thefront of the troop and three strong champions holding them in chains. And when he saw them coming like that he was filled with great hatred ofthem. 

There was one of them had a well-coloured green cloak on him, and hecame out far beyond the others, and Grania gave the knife back toDiarmuid. "I think you have not much love for that young man of thegreen cloak, Grania, " said Diarmuid. "I have not indeed, " said Grania;"and it would be better if I had never given love to any man at all tothis day. " Diarmuid put the knife in the sheath then, and went on; andMuadhan put Grania on his back and carried her on into the mountain. 

It was not long till a hound of the three hounds was loosed afterDiarmuid, and Muadhan said to him to follow Grania, and he himself wouldcheck the hound. Then Muadhan turned back, and he took a whelp out ofhis belt, and put it on the flat of his hand. And when the whelp saw thehound rushing towards him, and its jaws open, he rose up and made a leapfrom Muadhan's hand into the throat of the hound, and came out of itsside, bringing the heart with it, and he leaped back again to Muadhan'shand, and left the hound dead after him. 

Muadhan went on then after Diarmuid and Grania, and he took up Graniaagain and carried her a bit of the way into the mountain. Then anotherhound was loosened after them, and Diarmuid said to Muadhan: "I oftenheard there is nothing can stand against weapons of Druid wounding, andthe throat of no beast can be made safe from them. And will you standnow, " he said, "till I put the Gae Dearg, the Red Spear, through thathound. "

Then Muadhan and Grania stopped to see the cast. And Diarmuid made acast at the hound, and the spear went through its body and brought outits bowels; and he took up the spear again, and they went forward. 

It was not long after that the third hound was loosed. And Grania saidthen: "This is the one is fiercest of them, and there is great fear onme, and mind yourself now, Diarmuid. "

It was not long till the hound overtook them, and the place he overtookthem was Lic Dhubhain, the flag-stone of Dubhan, on Slieve Luachra. Herose with a light leap over Diarmuid, as if he had a mind to seize onGrania, but Diarmuid took him by the two hind legs, and struck a blow ofhis carcase against the side of the rock was nearest, till he had letout his brains through the openings of his head and of his ears. Andthen Diarmuid took up his arms and his battle clothes, and put hisnarrow-topped finger into the silken string of the Gae Dearg, and hemade a good cast at the young man of the green cloak that was at thehead of the troop that killed him. Then he made another cast at thesecond man and killed him, and the third man in the same way. And as itis not the custom to stand after leaders are fallen, the strangers whenthey saw what had happened took to flight. 

And Diarmuid followed after them, killing and scattering, so that unlessany man of them got away over the forests, or into the green earth, orunder the waters, there was not a man or messenger of them left to tellthe news, but only the Woman-messenger of the Black Mountain, that keptmoving around about when Diarmuid was putting down the strangers. 

And it was not long till Finn saw her coming towards him where he was, her legs failing, and her tongue muttering, and her eyes drooping, andhe asked news of her. "It is very bad news I have to tell you, " shesaid; "and it is what I think, that it is a person without a lord I am. "Then she told Finn the whole story from beginning to end, of thedestruction Diarmuid had done, and how the three deadly hounds hadfallen by him. "And it is hardly I myself got away, " she said. "Whatplace did the grandson of Duibhne go to?" said Finn. "I do not knowthat, " she said. 

And when Finn heard of the Kings of the Green Champions that were boundby Diarmuid, he called his men to him, and they went by every short wayand every straight path till they reached the hill, and it was tormentto the heart of Finn to see the way they were. Then he said: "Oisin, " hesaid, "loosen those three kings for me. " "I will not loosen them, " saidOisin, "for Diarmuid put bonds on me not to loosen any man he wouldbind. " "Loosen them, Osgar, " said Finn then. "I give my word, " saidOsgar, "it is more bonds I would wish to put on them sooner than toloosen them. " Neither would Conan help them, or Lugaidh's Son. And anyway, they were not long talking about it till the three kings died underthe hardness of the bonds that were on them. 

Then Finn made three wide-sodded graves for them, and a flag-stone wasput over them, and another stone raised over that again, and their nameswere written in branching Ogham, and it is tired and heavy-hearted Finnwas after that; and he and his people went back to Almhuin of Leinster. 

CHAPTER IV. THE WOOD OF DUBHROS

And as to Diarmuid and Grania and Muadhan, they went on through UiChonaill Gabhra, and left-hand ways to Ros-da-Shoileach, and Diarmuidkilled a wild deer that night, and they had their fill of meat and ofpure water, and they slept till the morning of the morrow. And Muadhanrose up early, and spoke to Diarmuid, and it is what he said, that hehimself was going away. "It is not right for you to do that, " saidDiarmuid, "for everything I promised you I fulfilled it, without anydispute. "

But he could not hinder him, and Muadhan said farewell to them and leftthem there and then, and it is sorrowful and downhearted Diarmuid andGrania were after him. 

After that they travelled on straight to the north, to Slieve Echtge, and from that to the hundred of Ui Fiachrach; and when they got thereGrania was tired out, but she took courage and went on walking besideDiarmuid till they came to the wood of Dubhros. 

Now, there was a wonderful quicken-tree in that wood, and the way itcame to be there is this:

There rose a dispute one time between two women of the Tuatha de Danaan, Aine and Aoife, daughters of Manannan, son of Lir, for Aoife had givenher love to Lugaidh's Son, and Aine had given her love to a man of herown race, and each of them said her own man was a better hurler than theother. And it came from that dispute that there was a great hurlingmatch settled between the Men of Dea and the Fianna of Ireland, and theplace it was to be played was on a beautiful plain near Loch Lein. 

They all came together there, and the highest men and the most daring ofthe Tuatha de Danaan were there, the three Garbhs of Slieve Mis, and thethree Mases of Slieve Luachra, and the three yellow-haired Murchadhs, and the three Eochaidhs of Aine, and the three Fionns of the WhiteHouse, and the three Sgals of Brugh na Boinne, and the three Ronans ofAth na Riogh, and the Suirgheach Suairc, the Pleasant Wooer from Lionan, and the Man of Sweet Speech from the Boinn, and Ilbrec, theMany-Coloured, son of Manannan, and Neamhanach, son of Angus Og, andBodb Dearg, son of the Dagda, and Manannan, son of Lir. 

They themselves and the Fianna were playing the match through the lengthof three days and three nights, from Leamhain to the valley of theFleisg, that is called the Crooked Valley of the Fianna, and neither ofthem winning a goal. And when the Tuatha de Danaan that were watchingthe game on each side of Leamhain saw it was so hard for their hurlersto win a goal against the Fianna, they thought it as well to go awayagain without playing out the game. 

Now the provision the Men of Dea had brought with them from the Land ofPromise was crimson nuts, and apples, and sweet-smelling rowan berries. And as they were passing through the district of Ui Fiachrach by theMuaidh, a berry of the rowan berries fell from them, and a tree grew upfrom it. And there was virtue in its berries, and no sickness or diseasewould ever come on any person that would eat them, and those that wouldeat them would feel the liveliness of wine and the satisfaction of meadin them, and any old person of a hundred years that would eat them wouldgo back to be young again, and any young girl that would eat them wouldgrow to be a flower of beauty. 

And it happened one time after the tree was grown, there were messengersof the Tuatha de Danaan going through the wood of Dubhros. And theyheard a great noise of birds and of bees, and they went where the noisewas, and they saw the beautiful Druid tree. They went back then and toldwhat they had seen, and all the chief men of the Tuatha de Danaan whenthey heard it knew the tree must have grown from a berry of the Land ofthe Ever-Living Living Ones. And they enquired among all their people, till they knew it was a young man of them, that was a musician, haddropped the berry. 

And it is what they agreed, to send him in search of a man of Lochlannthat would guard the tree by day and sleep in it by night. And the womenof the Sidhe were very downhearted to see him going from them, for therewas no harper could play half so sweetly on his harp as he could play onan ivy leaf. 

He went on then till he came to Lochlann, and he sat down on a bank andsleep came on him. And he slept till the rising of the sun on themorrow; and when he awoke he saw a very big man coming towards him, thatasked him who was he. "I am a messenger from the Men of Dea, " he said;"and I am come looking for some very strong man that would be willing toguard a Druid tree that is in the wood of Dubhros. And here are some ofthe berries he will be eating from morning to night, " he said. 

And when the big man had tasted the berries, he said: "I will go andguard all the trees of the wood to get those berries. "

And his name was the Searbhan Lochlannach, the Surly One of Lochlann. Very black and ugly he was, having crooked teeth, and one eye only inthe middle of his forehead. And he had a thick collar of iron around hisbody, and it was in the prophecy that he would never die till therewould be three strokes of the iron club he had, struck upon himself. Andhe slept in the tree by night and stopped near it in the daytime, and hemade a wilderness of the whole district about him, and none of theFianna dared go hunt there because of the dread of him that was on them. 

But when Diarmuid came to the wood of Dubhros, he went into it to wherethe Surly One was, and he made bonds of agreement with him, and gotleave from him to go hunting in the wood, so long as he would not touchthe berries of the tree. And he made a cabin then for himself and forGrania in the wood. 

As for Finn and his people, they were not long at Almhuin till they sawfifty armed men coming towards them, and two that were taller andhandsomer than the rest in the front of them. Finn asked did any of hispeople know them. "We do not know them, " they said, "but maybe youyourself know them, Finn. " "I do not, " he said; "but it seems to be theyare enemies to myself. " The troop of armed men came up to them then andthey greeted him, and Finn asked news of them, and from what countrythey came. "I am Aonghus, son of Art Og of the children of Morna, " oneof them said, "and this is Aodh, son of Andela; and we are enemies ofyour own, and our fathers were at the killing of your father, and theythemselves died for that deed. And it is to ask peace we are come now toyou, " they said. "Where were you the time my father was killed?" "In ourmothers' wombs, " said they; "and our mothers were two women of theTuatha de Danaan, and it is time for us now to get our father's placeamong the Fianna. " "I will give you that, " said Finn, "but I must put afine on you first in satisfaction for my father's death. " "We haveneither gold or silver or goods or cattle to give you, Finn, " said they. "Do not put a fine on them, Finn, " said Oisin, "beyond the death oftheir fathers for your father. " "It is what I think, " said Finn, "if anyone killed myself, Oisin, it would be easy to pay the fine you wouldask. And there will no one come among the Fianna, " he said, "withoutgiving what I ask in satisfaction for my father's death. " "What is ityou are asking of us?" said Aonghus, son of Art Og. "I am asking but thehead of a champion, or the full of a fist of the berries of thequicken-tree at Dubhros. " "I will give you a good advice, children ofMorna, " said Oisin, "to go back to the place you were reared, and not toask peace of Finn through the length of your lives. For it is not aneasy thing Finn is asking of you; and do you know whose head he isasking you to bring him?" "We do not, " said they. "The head of Diarmuid, grandson of Duibhne, is the head he is asking of you. And if you weretwenty hundred men in their full strength, Diarmuid would not let youtake that head. " "And what are the berries Finn is asking of us?" theysaid then. "There is nothing is harder for you to get than thoseberries, " said Oisin. 

He told them then the whole story of the tree, and of the Searbhan, theSurly One of Lochlann, that was put to mind it by the Tuatha de Danaan. But Aodh, son of Andela, spoke then, and it is what he said, that hewould sooner get his death looking for those berries than to go homeagain to his mother's country. And he said to Oisin to care his peopletill he would come back again, and if anything should happen himself andhis brother in their journey, to send them back again to the Land ofPromise. And the two said farewell then to Oisin and to the chief men ofthe Fianna, and they went forward till they reached Dubhros. And theywent along the wood till they found a track, and they followed it tothe door of the hunting-cabin where Diarmuid and Grania were. 

Diarmuid heard them coming, and he put his hand on his weapons and askedwho was at the door. "We are of the children of Morna, " they said, "Aodh, son of Andela, and Aonghus, son of Art Og. " "What brings you tothis wood?" said Diarmuid. "Finn, son of Cumhal, that put us looking foryour head, if you are Diarmuid, grandson of Duibhne, " said they. "I amindeed, " said Diarmuid. "If that is so, " they said, "Finn will takenothing from us but your head, or a fistful of the berries of thequicken-tree of Dubhros as satisfaction for the death of his father. ""It is not easy for you to get either of those things, " said Diarmuid, "and it is a pity for any one to be under the power of that man. Andbesides that, " he said, "I know it was he himself made an end of yourfathers, and that was enough satisfaction for him to get; and if you dobring him what he asks, it is likely he will not make peace with you inthe end. " "Is it not enough for you, " said Aodh, "to have brought hiswife away from Finn without speaking ill of him?" "It is not for thesake of speaking ill of him I said that, " said Diarmuid, "but to saveyourselves from the danger he has sent you into. "

"What are those berries Finn is asking?" said Grania, "that they cannotbe got for him?"

Diarmuid told her then the whole story of the berry the Tuatha de Danaanhad lost, and of the tree that had sprung up from it, and of the man ofLochlann that was keeping the tree. "And at the time Finn sent me hidinghere and became my enemy, " he said, "I got leave from the Surly One tohunt, but he bade me never to meddle with the berries. And now, sons ofMorna, " he said, "there is your choice, to fight with me for my head, orto go asking the berries of the Surly One. " "I swear by the blood of mypeople, " said each of them, "I will fight with yourself first. "

With that the two young men made ready for the fight. And it is whatthey chose, to fight with the strength of their hands alone. AndDiarmuid put them down and bound the two of them there and then. "Thatis a good fight you made, " said Grania. "But, by my word, " she said, "although the children of Morna do not go looking for those berries, Iwill not lie in a bed for ever till I get a share of them; and I willnot live if I do not get them, " she said. "Do not make me break my peacewith the Surly One, " said Diarmuid, "for he will not let me take them. ""Loose these tyings from us, " said the two young men, "and we will gowith you, and we will give ourselves for your sake. " "You must not comewith me, " said Diarmuid; "for if you got the full of your eyes of thatterrible one, you would be more likely to die than to live. " "Well, dous this kindness, " they said then; "loosen these bonds on us, and giveus time to go by ourselves and see the fight before you strike off ourheads. " So Diarmuid did that for them. 

Then Diarmuid went to the Surly One, and he chanced to be asleep beforehim, and he gave him a stroke of his foot the way he lifted his head andlooked up at him, and he said: "Have you a mind to break our peace, Grandson of Duibhne?" "That is not what I want, " said Diarmuid; "but itis Grania, daughter of the High King, " he said, "has a desire to tastethose berries, and it is to ask a handful of them I am come. " "I give myword, " said he, "if she is to die for it, she will never taste a berryof those berries. " "I would not do treachery on you, " said Diarmuid;"and so I tell you, willing or unwilling, I will take those berries fromyou. "

When the Surly One heard that, he rose up on his feet and lifted hisclub and struck three great blows on Diarmuid, that gave him somelittle hurt in spite of his shield. But when Diarmuid saw him notminding himself, he threw down his weapons, and made a great leap andtook hold of the club with his two hands. And when he had a hold of theclub he struck three great blows on him that put his brains out throughhis head. And the two young men of the sons of Morna were looking at thewhole fight; and when they saw the Surly One was killed they came out. And Diarmuid sat down, for he was spent with the dint of the fight, andhe bid the young men to bury the body under the thickets of the wood, the way Grania would not see it. "And after that, " he said, "let you goback to her and bring her here. " So they dragged away the body andburied it, and they went then for Grania and brought her to Diarmuid. 

"There are the berries you were asking, Grania, " he said, "and you maytake what you like of them now. " "I give my word, " said Grania, "I willnot taste a berry of those berries but the one your own hand will pluck, Diarmuid. " Diarmuid rose up then and plucked the berries for Grania, andfor the children of Morna, and they ate their fill of them. And he saidthen to the young men: "Take all you can of these berries, and bringthem with you to Finn, and tell him it was yourselves made an end of theSurly One of Lochlann. " "We give you our word, " said they, "we begrudgegiving any of them to Finn. "

But Diarmuid plucked a load of the berries for them, and they gave himgreat thanks for all he had done; and they went back to where Finn waswith the Fianna. And Diarmuid and Grania went up into the top of thetree where the bed of the Surly One was. And the berries below were butbitter berries beside the ones above in the tree. And when the two youngmen came to Finn, he asked news of them. "We have killed the Surly Oneof Lochlann, " they said; "and we have brought you berries from thequicken-tree of Dubhros, in satisfaction for your father, that we mayget peace from you. " They gave the berries then into Finn's hand, and heknew them, and he said to the young men: "I give you my word, " he said, "it was Diarmuid himself plucked those berries, for I know the smell ofhis hand on them; and I know well it was he killed the Surly One, and Iwill go now and see is he himself alive at the quicken-tree. "

After that he called for the seven battalions of the Fianna, and he setout and went forward to Dubhros. And they followed the track of Diarmuidto the foot of the quicken-tree, and they found the berries withoutprotection, so they ate their fill of them. And the great heat of theday came on them, and Finn said they would stop where they were till theheat would be past; "for I know well, " he said, "Diarmuid is up in thequicken-tree. " "It is a great sign of jealousy in you, Finn, " saidOisin, "to think that Diarmuid would stop there up in the quicken-treeand he knowing you are wanting to kill him. "

Finn asked for a chess-board after that, and he said to Oisin: "I willplay a game with you now on this. " They sat down then, Oisin and Osgarand Lugaidh's Son and Diorraing on the one side of the board, and Finnon the other side. 

And they were playing that game with great skill and knowledge, and Finnpressed Oisin so hard that he had no move to make but the one, and Finnsaid: "There is one move would win the game for you, Oisin, and I defyall that are with you to show you that move. " Then Diarmuid said up inthe tree where he was, and no one heard him but Grania: "It is a pityyou be in straits, and without myself to show you that move. " "It isworse off you are yourself, " said Grania, "to be in the bed of theSurly One of Lochlann in the top of the quicken-tree, and the sevenbattalions of the Fianna round about it to take your life. "

But Diarmuid took a berry of the tree, and aimed at the one of thechessmen that ought to be moved, and Oisin moved it and turned the gameagainst Finn by that move. It was not long before the game was goingagainst Oisin the second time, and when Diarmuid saw that he threwanother berry at the chessman it was right to move, and Oisin moved itand turned the game against Finn in the same way. And the third timeFinn was getting the game from Oisin, and Diarmuid threw the third berryon the man that would give the game to Oisin, and the Fianna gave agreat shout when the game was won. Finn spoke then, and it is what hesaid: "It is no wonder you to win the game, Oisin, and you having thehelp of Osgar, and the watchfulness of Diorraing, and the skill ofLugaidh's Son, and the teaching of the grandson of Duibhne with you. ""That is a great sign of jealousy in you, Finn, " said Osgar, "to thinkDiarmuid would stop in this tree, and you so near him. " "Which of us hasthe truth, Diarmuid, grandson of Duibhne, " Finn said out then, "myselfor Osgar?" "You never lost your good judgment, Finn, " said Diarmuidthen; "and I myself and Grania are here, in the bed of the Surly One ofLochlann. " Then Diarmuid rose up and gave three kisses to Grania in thesight of Finn and the Fianna. And a scorching jealousy and a weaknesscame on Finn when he saw that, and he said: "It was worse to me, Diarmuid, the seven battalions of the Fianna to see what you did atTeamhair, taking away Grania the night you were yourself my guard. Butfor all that, " he said, "you will give your head for the sake of thosethree kisses. "

With that Finn called to the four hundred paid fighting men that werewith him that they might make an end of Diarmuid; and he put theirhands into one another's hands around that quicken-tree, and bade them, if they would not lose their lives, not to let Diarmuid pass out throughthem. And he said that to whatever man would take Diarmuid, he wouldgive his arms and his armour, and a place among the Fianna of Ireland. 

Then one of the Fianna, Garbh of Slieve Cua, said it was Diarmuid hadkilled his own father, and he would avenge him now, and he went up thequicken-tree to make an end of him. 

Now, about that time it was made known to Angus Og, in Brugh na Boinne, the danger Diarmuid was in, and he came to his help, unknown to theFianna. And when Garbh of Slieve Cua was coming up the tree, Diarmuidgave him a kick of his foot, and he fell down among the hired men, andthey struck off his head, for Angus Og had put the appearance ofDiarmuid on him. But after he was killed, his own shape came on himagain, and the Fianna knew that it was Garbh was killed. 

Then Garbh of Slieve Crot said it was Diarmuid had killed his father, and he went up to avenge him, and the same thing happened. And in theend all the nine Garbhs, of Slieve Guaire, and Slieve Muice, and SlieveMor, and Slieve Lugha, and Ath Fraoch, and Slieve Mis and Drom-mor, wenttrying to take Diarmuid's life and lost their own lives, every one ofthem having the shape and appearance of Diarmuid when he died. And Finnwas very sorry and discouraged when he saw that these nine men had cometo their death. 

Then Angus said he would bring away Grania with him. "Do so, " saidDiarmuid; "and if I am living at evening I will follow you. " Then Angussaid farewell to Diarmuid, and he put his Druid cloak about Grania andabout himself, and they went away in the safety of the cloak, unknown toFinn and the Fianna, till they came to Brugh na Boinne. 

Then Diarmuid, grandson of Duibhne, spoke, and it is what he said: "Iwill come down to you, Finn, and to the Fianna. And I will do death anddestruction on you and on your people, for I am certain your mind ismade up to give me no rest, but to bring me to my death in some place. And I have nowhere to go from this danger, " he said, "for I have nofriend or comrade under whose protection I could go in any far part ofthe great world, for it is often I fought against the men of the greatworld for love of you. For there never came battle or fight, danger ortrouble on you, but I would go into it for your sake and the sake of theFianna; and not only that, but I would fight before you and after you. And I give my word, Finn, " he said, "you will pay hard for me, and youwill not get me as a free gift. " "It is the truth Diarmuid is speaking, "said Osgar, "and give him forgiveness now, and peace. " "I will not dothat, " said Finn, "to the end of life and time; and he will not getpeace or rest for ever till I get satisfaction from him for everyreproach he has put on me. " "It is a great shame and a great sign ofjealousy you to say that, " said Osgar. "And I give the word of a truechampion, " he said, "that unless the skies come down upon me, or theearth opens under my feet, I will not let you or any one of the Fiannaof Ireland give him cut or wound; and I take his body and his life underthe protection of my valour, and I will keep him safe against all themen of Ireland. " "Those are big words you have, Osgar, " said Goll then, "to say you would bring a man away in spite of all the men of Ireland. ""It is not you will raise them up against me, Goll, " said Osgar, "fornone of them would mind what you would say. " "If that is what you aresaying, you champion of great fights, " said Goll, "let us see now whatyou can do. " "You will have to go through with the fight you have takenon yourself, " said Corrioll, son of Goll, in a loud voice. And Osgaranswered him fiercely: "If I do I will shorten your bones, and yourfather's bones along with them. And come down now, Diarmuid, " he said, "since Finn has no mind to leave you in peace, and I promise on my bodyand my life there will no harm be done to you to-day. "

Then Diarmuid stood up on a high bough of the boughs of the tree, and herose with a light leap by the shaft of his spear, and lit on the grassfar beyond Finn and the Fianna. And he himself and Osgar went towardsone another, in spite of the Fianna that went between them, and Diarmuidstruck down those that were in his way; and as to Osgar, the throwing ofhis spears as he scattered the Fianna was like the sound of the windgoing through a valley, or water falling over flag-stones. And Conan, that was always bitter, said: "Let the sons of Baiscne go on killing oneanother. " But Finn, when he saw Diarmuid was gone from him, bade themput their weapons up, and turn back again to Almhuin. 

And he sent those of his men that could be healed to places of healing, and the nine Garbhs, and the others of his men that were killed, he putinto wide-sodded graves. And it is tired and downhearted and sorrowfulhe was after that, and he made an oath he would take no great rest tillhe would have avenged on Diarmuid all that he had done. 

CHAPTER V. THE QUARREL

And as to Osgar and Diarmuid, they went on, and no cut or wound on them, to where Angus and Grania were at Brugh na Boinne; and there was a goodwelcome before them, and Diarmuid told them the whole story frombeginning to end, and it is much that Grania did not die then and there, hearing all he had gone through. 

And then she and Diarmuid set out again, and they went and stopped fora while in a cave that was near the sea. 

And one night while they were there a great storm came on, so that theywent into the far part of the cave. But bad as the night was, a man ofthe Fomor, Ciach, the Fierce One, his name was, came over the westernocean in a currach, with two oars, and he drew it into the cave forshelter. And Diarmuid bade him welcome, and they sat down to play chesstogether. And he got the best of the game, and what he asked as hiswinnings was Grania to be his wife, and he put his arms about her as ifto bring her away. And Grania said: "I am this long time going with thethird best man of the Fianna, and he never came as near as that to me. "

And Diarmuid took his sword to kill Ciach, and there was anger on Graniawhen she saw that, and she had a knife in her hand and she struck itinto Diarmuid's thigh. And Diarmuid made an end of the Fomor, and hesaid no word to Grania, but ran out and away through the storm. 

And Grania went following after him, and calling to him, but there wasgreat anger on him and he would not answer her. And at last at the breakof day she overtook him, and after a while they heard the cry of aheron, and she asked him what was it made the heron cry out. 

"Tell me that, " she said, "Grandson of Duibhne, to whom I gave my love. "And Diarmuid said: "O Grania, daughter of the High King, woman who nevertook a step aright, it is because she was frozen to the rocks she gavethat cry. " And Grania was asking forgiveness of him, and he wasreproaching her, and it is what he said: "O Grania of the beautifulhair, though you are more beautiful than the green tree under blossom, your love passes away as quickly as the cold cloud at break of day. Andyou are asking a hard thing of me now, " he said, "and it is a pity whatyou said to me, Grania, for it was you brought me away from the house ofmy lord, that I am banished from it to this day; and now I am troubledthrough the night, fretting after its delight in every place. 

"I am like a wild deer, or a beast that is astray, going ever and alwaysthrough the long valleys; there is great longing on me to see one of mykindred from the host. 

"I left my own people that were brighter than lime or snow; their heartwas full of generosity to me, like the sun that is high above us; butnow they follow me angrily, to every harbour and every strand. 

"I lost my people by you, and my lord, and my large bright ships onevery sea; I lost my treasure and my gold; it is hunger you gave methrough your love. 

"I lost my country and my kindred; my men that were used to serve me; Ilost quietness and affection; I lost the men of Ireland and the Fiannaentirely. 

"I lost delight and music; I lost my own right doing and my honour; Ilost the Fianna of Ireland, my great kinsmen, for the sake of the loveyou gave me. 

"O Grania, white as snow, it would have been a better choice for you tohave given hatred to me, or gentleness to the Head of the Fianna. "

And Grania said: "O Diarmuid of the face like snow, or like the down ofthe mountains, the sound of your voice was dearer to me than all theriches of the leader of the Fianna. 

"Your blue eye is dearer to me than his strength, and his gold and hisgreat hall; the love-spot on your forehead is better to me than honey instreams; the time I first looked on it, it was more to me than the wholehost of the King of Ireland. 

"My heart fell down there and then before your high beauty; when youcame beside me, it was like the whole of life in one day. 

"O Diarmuid of the beautiful hands, take me now the same as before; itwas with me the fault was entirely; give me your promise not to leaveme. "

But Diarmuid said: "How can I take you again, you are a woman too fondof words; one day you give up the Head of the Fianna, and the next daymyself, and no lie in it. 

"It is you parted me from Finn, the way I fell under sorrow and grief;and then you left me yourself, the time I was full of affection. "

And Grania said: "Do not leave me now this way, and my love for you evergrowing like the fresh branches of the tree with the kind long heat ofthe day. "

But Diarmuid would not give in to her, and he said: "You are a womanfull of words, and it is you have put me under sorrow. I took you withmyself, and you struck at me for the sake of the man of the Fomor. "

They came then to a place where there was a cave, and water running byit, and they stopped to rest; and Grania said: "Have you a mind to eatbread and meat now, Diarmuid?"

"I would eat it indeed if I had it, " said Diarmuid. 

"Give me a knife, so, " she said, "till I cut it. " "Look for the knife inthe sheath where you put it yourself, " said Diarmuid. 

She saw then that the knife was in his thigh where she had struck it, for he would not draw it out himself. So she drew it out then; and thatwas the greatest shame that ever came upon her. 

They stopped then in the cave. And the next day when they went on again, Diarmuid did not leave unbroken bread like he had left every other dayas a sign to Finn that he had kept his faith with him, but it was brokenbread he left after him. 

CHAPTER VI. THE WANDERERS

And they went on wandering after that, all through Ireland, hiding fromFinn in every place, sleeping under the cromlechs, or with no shelter atall, and there was no place they would dare to stop long in. Andwherever they went Finn would follow them, for he knew by his divinationwhere they went. But one time he made out they were on a mountain, forhe saw them with heather under them; and it was beside the sea theywere, asleep on heather that Diarmuid had brought down from the hillsfor their bed; and so he went searching the hills and did not find them. 

And Grania would be watching over Diarmuid while he slept, and she wouldmake a sleepy song for him, and it is what she would be saying:

"Sleep a little, a little little, for there is nothing at all to fear, Diarmuid, grandson of Duibhne; sleep here soundly, soundly, Diarmuid, towhom I have given my love. 

"It is I will keep watch for you, grandchild of shapely Duibhne; sleep alittle, a blessing on you, beside the well of the strong field; my lambfrom above the lake, from the banks of the strong streams. 

"Let your sleep be like the sleep in the South, of Dedidach of the highpoets, the time he took away old Morann's daughter, for all Conall coulddo against him. 

"Let your sleep be like the sleep in the North, of fair comelyFionnchadh of Ess Ruadh, the time he took Slaine with bravery as wethink, in spite of Failbhe of the Hard Head. 

"Let your sleep be like the sleep in the West, of Aine, daughter ofGailian, the time she went on a journey in the night with Dubhthach fromDoirinis, by the light of torches. 

"Let your sleep be like the sleep in the East, of Deaghadh the proud, the brave fighter, the time he took Coincheann, daughter of Binn, inspite of fierce Decheall of Duibhreann. 

"O heart of the valour of the lands to the west of Greece, my heartwill go near to breaking if I do not see you every day. The parting ofus two will be the parting of two children of the one house; it will bethe parting of life from the body, Diarmuid, hero of the bright lake ofCarman. "

And then to rouse him she would make another song, and it is what shewould say: "Caoinche will be loosed on your track; it is not slow therunning of Caoilte will be; do not let death reach to you, do not giveyourself to sleep for ever. 

"The stag to the east is not asleep, he does not cease from bellowing;though he is in the woods of the blackbirds, sleep is not in his mind;the hornless doe is not asleep, crying after her speckled fawn; she isgoing over the bushes, she does not sleep in her home. 

"The cuckoo is not asleep, the thrush is not asleep, the tops of thetrees are a noisy place; the duck is not asleep, she is made ready forgood swimming; the bog lark is not asleep to-night on the high stormybogs; the sound of her clear voice is sweet; she is not sleeping betweenthe streams. "

One time they were in a cave of Beinn Edair, and there was an old womanbefriending them and helping them to keep a watch. And one day shechanced to go up to the top of Beinn Edair, and she saw an armed mancoming towards her, and she did now know him to be Finn; and when he wascome near she asked what was he looking for. "It is looking for a womanI am come, " he said, "and for a woman's love. And will you do all I willask you?" he said. 

"I will do that, " she said; for she thought it was her own love he wasasking. 

"Tell me then, " he said, "where is Diarmuid, grandson of Duibhne?"

So she told him where he was hiding, and he bade her to keep him in thecave till such time as he would come back with his men. 

The old woman went back then, and it is what she did, she dipped hercloak in the sea-water before she went into the cave; and Diarmuid askedher why was her cloak so wet. "It is, " she said, "that I never saw ornever heard of the like of this day for cold and for storms. There isfrost on every hillside, " she said, "and there is not a smooth plain inall Elga where there is not a long rushing river between every tworidges. And there is not a deer or a crow in the whole of Ireland canfind a shelter in any place. " And she was shaking the wet off her cloak, and she was making a complaint against the cold, and it is what shesaid:

"Cold, cold, cold to-night is the wide plain of Lurg; the snow is higherthan the mountains, the deer cannot get at their share of food. 

"Cold for ever; the storm is spread over all; every furrow on thehillside is a river, every ford is a full pool, every full loch is agreat sea; every pool is a full loch; horses cannot go through the fordof Ross any more than a man on his two feet. 

"The fishes of Inisfail are going astray; there is no strand or no penagainst the waves; there are no dwellings in the country, there is nobell heard, no crane is calling. 

"The hounds of the wood of Cuan find no rest or no sleep in theirdwelling-place; the little wren cannot find shelter in her nest on theslope of Lon. 

"A sharp wind and cold ice have come on the little company of birds; theblackbird cannot get a ridge to her liking or shelter for her side inthe woods of Cuan. 

"It is steady our great pot hangs from its hook; it is broken the cabinis on the slope of Lon; the snow has made the woods smooth, it is hardto climb to the ridge of Bennait Bo. 

"The ancient bird of Glen Ride gets grief from the bitter wind; it isgreat is her misery and her pain, the ice will be in her mouth. 

"Mind well not to rise up from coverings and from down, mind this well;there would be no good sense in it. Ice is heaped up in every ford; itis for that I am saying and ever saying 'Cold. '"

The old woman went out after that, and when she was gone, Grania tookhold of the cloak she had left there and she put her tongue to it, andfound the taste of salt water on it. "My grief, Diarmuid, " she saidthen, "the old woman has betrayed us. And rise up now, " she said, "andput your fighting suit upon you. "

So Diarmuid did that, and he went out, and Grania along with him. And nosooner were they outside than they saw Finn and the Fianna of Irelandcoming towards them. Then Diarmuid looked around him and he saw a littleboat at hand in the shelter of the harbour, and he himself and Graniawent into it. And there was a man before them in the boat havingbeautiful clothes on him, and a wide embroidered golden-yellow cloakover his shoulders behind. And they knew it was Angus was in it, thathad come again to help them to escape from Finn, and they went back withhim for a while to Brugh na Boinne, and Osgar came to them there. 

CHAPTER VII. FIGHTING AND PEACE

And after a while Finn bade his people to make his ship ready, and toput a store of food and of drink in it. They did that, and he himselfand a thousand of his men went into the ship; and they were nine daysbetween sailing and rowing till they came to harbour in the north ofAlban. 

They bound the ship to the posts of the harbour then, and Finn with fiveof his people went to the dun of the King of Alban, and Finn struck ablow with the hand-wood on the door, and the door-keeper asked who wasin it, and they told him it was Finn, son of Cumhal. "Let him in, " saidthe king. 

Then Finn and his people went in, and the king made them welcome, and hebade Finn to sit down in his own place, and they were given strongpleasant drinks, and the king sent for the rest of Finn's people andbade them welcome to the dun. 

Then Finn told what it was brought him there, and that it was to askhelp and advice against the grandson of Duibhne he was come. 

"And you have a right to give me your help, " he said, "for it was hethat killed your father and your two brothers, and many of your best menalong with them. "

"That is true, " said the king; "and I will give you my own two sons anda thousand men with each of them. " Finn was glad when he heard that, andhe and his men took leave of the king and of his household, and leftwishes for life and health with them, and the king did the same by them. 

And it was near Brugh na Boinne Finn and his people came to land, andFinn sent messengers to the house of Angus to give out a challenge ofbattle against Diarmuid, grandson of Duibhne. 

"What should I do about this, Osgar?" said Diarmuid. 

"We will both go out and make a stand against them, and we will not leta serving-man of them escape, but we will make an end of them all, " saidOsgar. 

So they rose up on the morning of the morrow and they put their suits ofbattle on their comely bodies; and it would be a pity for those, be theymany or few, that would meet those two men, and their anger on them. Andthey bound the rims of their shields together the way they would not beparted from one another in the right. And the sons of the King of Albansaid that they themselves and their people would go first to meet them. So they came to shore, and made a rush to meet Diarmuid and Osgar. Butthe two fought so well that they beat them back and scattered them, andmade a great slaughter, and put great terror on them, so that at thelast there was not a man left to stand against them. 

And after that, Finn went out again on the sea, and his people with him, and there is no word of them till they came to the Land of Promise whereFinn's nurse was. And when she saw Finn coming she was very joyfulbefore him. And Finn told her the whole story from beginning to end, andthe cause of his quarrel with Diarmuid; and he said it was to ask anadvice from her he was come, and that it was not possible to put himdown by any strength of an army, unless enchantment would put him down. "I will go with you, " said the old woman, "and I will do enchantment onhim. " Finn was very glad when he heard that, and he stopped there thatnight, and they set out for Ireland on the morrow. 

And when they came to Brugh na Boinne, the nurse put a Druid mist aroundFinn and the Fianna, the way no one could know they were there. Now theday before that, Osgar had parted from Diarmuid, and Diarmuid was outhunting by himself. That was shown to the hag, and she took a drownedleaf having a hole in it, like the quern of a mill, and she rose withthat by her enchantments on a blast of Druid wind over Diarmuid, andbegan to aim at him through the hole with deadly spears, till she haddone him great harm, for all his arms and his clothing, and he could notmake away he was so hard pressed. And every danger he was ever in waslittle beside that danger. And it is what he thought, that unless hecould strike the old woman through the hole that was in the leaf, shewould give him his death there and then. And he lay down on his back, and the Gae Dearg, the Red Spear, in his hand, and he made a great castof the spear, that it went through the hole, and the hag fell dead onthe spot. And he struck off her head and brought it back with him toAngus Og. 

And the next morning early, Angus rose up, and he went where Finn was, and he asked would he make peace with Diarmuid, and Finn said he would. And then he went to the King of Ireland to ask peace for Diarmuid, andhe said he would agree to it. 

And then he went back to where Diarmuid and Grania were, and asked himwould he make peace with the High King and with Finn. "I am willing, "said Diarmuid, "if they will give the conditions I will ask. " "Whatconditions are those?" said Angus. 

"The district my father had, " said Diarmuid, "that is, the district ofUi Duibhne, without right of hunting to Finn, and without rent ortribute to the King of Ireland, and with that the district of Dumhais inLeinster, for they are the best in Ireland, and the district of CeisCorainn from the King of Ireland as a marriage portion with hisdaughter; and those are the conditions on which I will make peace withthem. " "Would you be peaceable if you got those conditions?" said Angus. "It would go easier with me to make peace if I got them, " said Diarmuid. 

Then Angus went with that news to where the King of Ireland was withFinn. And they gave him all those conditions, and they forgave him allhe had done through the whole of the time he had been in his hiding, that was sixteen years. 

And the place Diarmuid and Grania settled in was Rath Grania, in thedistrict of Ceis Corainn, far away from Finn and from Teamhair. AndGrania bore him children there, four sons and one daughter. And theylived there in peace, and the people used to be saying there was not aman living at the same time was richer as to gold and to silver, as tocattle and to sheep, than Diarmuid. 

CHAPTER VIII. THE BOAR OF BEINN GULBAIN

But at last one day Grania spoke to Diarmuid, and it is what she said, that it was a shame on them, with all the people and the household theyhad, and all their riches, the two best men in Ireland never to havecome to the house, the High King, her father, and Finn, son of Cumhal. "Why do you say that, Grania, " said Diarmuid, "and they being enemies tome?"

"It is what I would wish, " said Grania, "to give them a feast, the wayyou would get their affection. " "I give leave for that, " said Diarmuid. 

So Grania was making ready a great feast through the length of a year, and messengers were sent for the High King of Ireland, and for Finn andthe seven battalions of the Fianna; and they came, and they were usingthe feast from day to day through the length of a year. 

And on the last night of the year, Diarmuid was in his sleep at RathGrania; and in the night he heard the voice of hounds through his sleep, and he started up, and Grania caught him and put her two arms about him, and asked what had startled him. "The voice of a hound I heard, " saidhe; "and it is a wonder to me to hear that in the night. " "Safe keepingon you, " said Grania, "for it is the Tuatha de Danaan are doing that onyou, on account of Angus of Brugh na Boinn, and lie down on the bedagain. " But for all that no sleep came to him, and he heard the voice ofthe hound again, and he started up a second time to follow after it. ButGrania caught hold of him the second time and bade him to lie down, andshe said it was no fitting thing to go after the voice of a hound in thenight. So he lay down again, and he fell asleep, but the voice of thehound awakened him the third time. And the day was come with its fulllight that time, and he said: "I will go after the voice of the houndnow, since the day is here. " "If that is so, " said Grania, "bring theMor-alltach, the Great Fierce One, the sword of Manannan, with you, andthe Gae Dearg. " "I will not, " he said; "but I will take theBeag-alltach, the Little Fierce One, and the Gae Buidhe in the one hand, and the hound Mac an Chuill, the Son of the Hazel, in the other hand. "

Then Diarmuid went out of Rath Grania, and made no delay till he came tothe top of Beinn Gulbain, and he found Finn before him there, withoutany one at all in his company. Diarmuid gave him no greeting, but askedhim was it he was making that hunt. Finn said it was not a hunt he wasmaking, but that he and some of the Fianna had gone out after midnight;"and one of our hounds that was loose beside us, came on the track of awild boar, " he said, "and they were not able to bring him back yet. Andthere is no use following that boar he is after, " he said, "for it ismany a time the Fianna hunted him, and he went away from them every timetill now, and he has killed thirty of them this morning. And he iscoming up the mountain towards us, " he said, "and let us leave this hillto him now. "

"I will not leave the hill through fear of him, " said Diarmuid. "Itwould be best for you, Diarmuid, " said Finn, "for it is the earlessGreen Boar of Beinn Gulbain is in it, and it is by him you will come toyour death, and Angus knew that well when he put bonds on you not to gohunting pigs. " "I never knew of those bonds, " said Diarmuid; "buthowever it is, I will not quit this through fear of him. And let youleave Bran with me now, " he said, "along with Mac an Chuill. " "I willnot, " said Finn, "for it is often he met this boar before and could donothing against him. " He went away then and left Diarmuid alone on thetop of the hill. "I give my word, " said Diarmuid, "you made this huntfor my death, Finn; and if it is here I am to find my death, " he said, "I have no use in going aside from it now. "

The boar came up the face of the mountain then, and the Fianna afterhim. Diarmuid loosed Mac an Chuill from his leash then, but that did notserve him, for he did not wait for the boar, but ran from him. "It is apity not to follow the advice of a good woman, " said Diarmuid, "forGrania bade me this morning to bring the Mor-alltach and the Gae Deargwith me. " Then he put his finger into the silken string of the GaeBuidhe, and took a straight aim at the boar and hit him full in theface; but if he did, the spear did not so much as give him a scratch. Diarmuid was discouraged by that, but he drew the Beag-alltach, and madea full stroke at the back of the boar, but neither did that make a woundon him, but it made two halves of the sword. Then the boar made a bravecharge at Diarmuid, that cut the sod from under his feet and brought himdown; but Diarmuid caught hold of the boar on rising, and held on tohim, having one of his legs on each side of him, and his face to hishinder parts. And the boar made away headlong down the hill, but hecould not rid himself of Diarmuid; and he went on after that to EssRuadh, and when he came to the red stream he gave three high leaps overit, backwards and forwards, but he could not put him from his back, andhe went back by the same path till he went up the height of themountain again. And at last on the top of the mountain he freed himself, and Diarmuid fell on the ground. And then the boar made a rush at him, and ripped him open, that his bowels came out about his feet. But if hedid, Diarmuid made a cast at him with the hilt of his sword that was inhis hand yet, and dashed out his brains, so that he fell dead there andthen. And Rath na h-Amhrann, the Rath of the Sword Hilt, is the name ofthat place to this day. 

It was not long till Finn and the Fianna of Ireland came to the place, and the pains of death were coming on Diarmuid at that time. "It is wellpleased I am to see you that way, Diarmuid, " said Finn; "and it is apity all the women of Ireland not to be looking at you now, for yourgreat beauty is turned to ugliness, and your comely shape touncomeliness. " "For all that, you have power to heal me, Finn, " saidDiarmuid, "if you had a mind to do it. " "What way could I heal you?"said Finn. "Easy enough, " said Diarmuid, "for the time you were giventhe great gift of knowledge at the Boinn, you got this gift with it, that any one you would give a drink to out of the palms of your handswould be young and well again from any sickness after it. " "You are notdeserving of that drink from me, " said Finn. "That is not true, " saidDiarmuid; "it is well I deserve it from you; for the time you went tothe house of Dearc, son of Donnarthadh, and your chief men with you fora feast, your enemies came round the house, and gave out three greatshouts against you, and threw fire and firebrands into it. And you roseup and would have gone out, but I bade you to stop there at drinking andpleasure, for that I myself would go out and put them down. And I wentout, and put out the flames, and made three red rushes round the house, and I killed fifty in every rush, and I came in again without a wound. And it is glad and merry and in good courage you were that night, Finn, " he said, "and if it was that night I had asked a drink of you, you would have given it; and it would be right for you to give it to menow. " "That is not so, " said Finn; "it is badly you have earned a drinkor any good thing from me; for the night you went to Teamhair with me, you took Grania away from me in the presence of all the men of Ireland, and you being my own guard over her that night. "

"Do not blame me for that, Finn, " said Diarmuid, "for what did I ever doagainst you, east or west, but that one thing; and you know well Graniaput bonds on me, and I would not fail in my bonds for the gold of thewhole world. And you will know it is well I have earned a drink fromyou, if you bring to mind the night the feast was made in the House ofthe Quicken Tree, and how you and all your men were bound there till Iheard of it, and came fighting and joyful, and loosed you with my ownblood, and with the blood of the Three Kings of the Island of theFloods; and if I had asked a drink of you that night, Finn, you wouldnot have refused it. And I was with you in the smiting of Lon, son ofLiobhan, and you are the man that should not forsake me beyond any otherman. And many is the strait has overtaken yourself and the Fianna ofIreland since I came among you, and I was ready every time to put mybody and my life in danger for your sake, and you ought not to do thisunkindness on me now. And besides that, " he said, "there has many a goodchampion fallen through the things you yourself have done, and there isnot an end of them yet; and there will soon come great misfortunes onthe Fianna, and it is few of their seed will be left after them. And itis not for yourself I am fretting, Finn, " he said, "but for Oisin andOsgar, and the rest of my dear comrades, and as for you, Oisin, you willbe left lamenting after the Fianna. And it is greatly you will feel thewant of me yet, Finn, " he said; "and if the women of the Fianna knew Iwas lying in my wounds on this ridge, it is sorrowful their faces wouldbe at this time. "

And Osgar said then: "Although I am nearer in blood to you, Finn, thanto Diarmuid, grandson of Duibhne, I will not let you refuse him thisdrink; and by my word, " he said, "if any prince in the world would dothe same unkindness to Diarmuid that you have done, it is only the oneof us that has the strongest hand would escape alive. And give him adrink now without delay, " he said. 

"I do not know of any well at all on this mountain, " said Finn. "That isnot so, " said Diarmuid, "for there is not nine footsteps from you thewell that has the best fresh water that can be found in the world. "

Then Finn went to the well, and he took the full of his two hands of thewater. But when he was no more than half-way back, the thought of Graniacame on him, and he let the water slip through his hands, and he said hewas not able to bring it. "I give my word, " said Diarmuid, "it was ofyour own will you let it from you. " Then Finn went back the second timeto get the water, but coming back he let it through his hands again atthe thought of Grania. And Diarmuid gave a pitiful sigh of anguish whenhe saw that. "I swear by my sword and by my spear, " said Osgar, "that ifyou do not bring the water without any more delay, Finn, there will notleave this hill but yourself or myself. " Finn went back the third timeto the well after what Osgar said, and he brought the water to Diarmuid, but as he reached him the life went out of his body. Then the wholecompany of the Fianna that were there gave three great heavy shouts, keening for Diarmuid. 

And Osgar looked very fiercely at Finn, and it is what he said, that itwas a greater pity Diarmuid to be dead than if he himself had died. Andthe Fianna of Ireland had lost their yoke of battle by him, he said. "Let us leave this hill, " said Finn then, "before Angus and the Tuathade Danaan come upon us, for although we have no share in the death ofDiarmuid, he would not believe the truth from us. " "I give my word, "said Osgar, "if I had thought it was against Diarmuid you made the huntof Beinn Gulbain, you would never have made it"

Then Finn and the Fianna went away from the hill, and Finn leadingDiarmuid's hound Mac an Chuill. But Oisin and Osgar and Caoilte andLugaidh's Son turned back again and put their four cloaks over Diarmuid, and then they went after the rest of the Fianna. 

And when they came to the Rath, Grania was out on the wall looking fornews of Diarmuid; and she saw Finn and the Fianna of Ireland comingtowards her. Then she said: "If Diarmuid was living, it is not led byFinn that Mac an Chuill would be coming home. " And she was at that timeheavy with child, and her strength went from her and she fell down fromthe wall. And when Oisin saw the way she was he bade Finn and the othersto go on from her, but she lifted up her head and she asked Finn toleave Mac an Chuill with her. And he said he would not, and that he didnot think it too much for him to inherit from Diarmuid, grandson ofDuibhne. 

When Oisin heard that, he snatched the hound out of Finn's hand and gaveit to Grania, and then he followed after his people. 

Then when Grania was certain of Diarmuid's death she gave out a longvery pitiful cry that was heard through the whole place, and her womenand her people came to her, and asked what ailed her to give a cry likethat. And she told them how Diarmuid had come to his death by the Boarof Beinn Gulbain in the hunt Finn had made. "And there is grief in myvery heart, " she said, "I not to be able to fight myself with Finn, andI would not have let him go safe out of this place. "

When her people heard of the death of Diarmuid they gave three greatheavy cries in the same way, that were heard in the clouds and the wasteplaces of the sky. And then Grania bade the five hundred that she hadfor household to go to Beinn Gulbain for the body of Diarmuid. 

And when they were bringing it back, she went out to meet them, and theyput down the body of Diarmuid, and it is what she said:

"I am your wife, beautiful Diarmuid, the man I would do no hurt to; itis sorrowful I am after you to-night. 

"I am looking at the hawk and the hound my secret love used to behunting with; she that loved the three, let her be put in the grave withDiarmuid. 

"Let us be glad to-night, let us make all welcome to-night, let us beopen-handed to-night, since we are sitting by the body of a king. 

"And O Diarmuid, " she said, "it is a hard bed Finn has given you, to belying on the stones and to be wet with the rain. Ochone!" she said, "your blue eyes to be without sight, you that were friendly and generousand pursuing. O love! O Diarmuid! it is a pity it is he sent you to yourdeath. 

"You were a champion of the men of Ireland, their prop in the middle ofthe fight; you were the head of every battle; your ways were glad andpleasant. 

"It is sorrowful I am, without mirth, without light, but only sadnessand grief and long dying; your harp used to be sweet to me, it wakenedmy heart to gladness. Now my courage is fallen down, I not to hear youbut to be always remembering your ways. Och! my grief is going throughme. 

"A thousand curses on the day when Grania gave you her love, that putFinn of the princes from his wits; it is a sorrowful story your death isto-day. 

"Many heroes were great and strong about me in the beautiful plain;their hands were good at wrestling and at battle; Ochone! that I did notfollow them. 

"You were the man was best of the Fianna, beautiful Diarmuid, thatwomen loved. It is dark your dwelling-place is under the sod, it ismournful and cold your bed is; it is pleasant your laugh was to-day; youwere my happiness, Diarmuid. "

And she went back then into the Rath, and bade her people to bring thebody to her there. 

Now just at this time, it was showed to Angus at Brugh na Boinne thatDiarmuid was dead on Beinn Gulbain, for he had kept no watch over himthe night before. 

And he went on the cold wind towards Beinn Gulbain, and his people withhim, and on the way they met with Grania's people that were bringing thebody to the Rath. 

And when they saw him they held out the wrong sides of their shields asa sign of peace, and Angus knew them; and he and his people gave threegreat terrible cries over the body of Diarmuid. 

And Angus spoke then, and it is what he said: "I was never one nightsince the time I brought you to Brugh na Boinne, being nine months old, without keeping watch and protection over you till last night, Diarmuid, grandson of Duibhne; and now your blood has been shed and you have beencut off sharply, and the Boar of Beinn Gulbain has put you down, Diarmuid of the bright face and the bright sword. And it is a pity Finnto have done this treachery, " he said, "and you at peace with him. 

"And lift up his body now, " he said, "and bring it to the Brugh in thelasting rocks. And if I cannot bring him back to life, " he said, "I willput life into him the way he can be talking with me every day. "

Then they put his body on a golden bier, and his spears over it pointedupwards, and they went on till they came to Brugh na Boinne. 

And Grania's people went to her and told her how Angus would not letthem bring the body into the Rath, but brought it away himself to Brughna Boinne. And Grania said she had no power over him. 

And she sent out then for her four sons that were being reared in thedistrict of Corca Ui Duibhne. And when they came she gave them a lovingwelcome, and they came into the Rath and sat down there according totheir age. And Grania spoke to them with a very loud, clear voice, andit is what she said: "My dear children, your father has been killed byFinn, son of Cumhal, against his own bond and agreement of peace, andlet you avenge it well upon him. And here is your share of theinheritance of your father, " she said, "his arms and his armour, and hisfeats of valour and power; and I will share these arms among youmyself, " she said, "and that they may bring you victory in every battle. Here is the sword for Donnchadh, " she said, "the best son Diarmuid had;and the Gae Dearg for Eochaidh; and here is the armour for Ollann, forit will keep the body it is put on in safety; and the shield for Connla. And make no delay now, " she said, "but go and learn every sort of skillin fighting, till such time as you will come to your full strength toavenge your father. "

So they took leave of her then, and of their household. 

And some of their people said: "What must we do now, since our lordswill be going into danger against Finn and the Fianna of Ireland?" AndDonnchadh, son of Diarmuid, bade them stop in their own places; "for ifwe make peace with Finn, " he said, "there need be no fear on you, and ifnot, you can make your choice between ourselves and him. " And with thatthey set out on their journey. 

But after a while Finn went secretly and unknown to the Fianna to theplace where Grania was, and he got to see her in spite of all her hightalk, and he spoke gently to her. And she would not listen to him, butbade him to get out of her sight, and whatever hard thing her tonguecould say, she said it. But all the same, he went on giving her gentletalk and loving words, till in the end he brought her to his own will. 

And there is no news told of them, until such time as they came to wherethe seven battalions of the Fianna were waiting for Finn. And when theysaw him coming, and Grania with him, like any new wife with her husband, they gave a great shout of laughter and of mockery, and Grania boweddown her head with shame, "By my word, Finn, " said Oisin, "you will keepa good watch on Grania from this out. "

And some said the change had come on her because the mind of a womanchanges like the water of a running stream; but some said it was Finnthat had put enchantment on her. 

And as to the sons of Diarmuid, they came back at the end of sevenyears, after learning all that was to be learned of valour in the farcountries of the world. And when they came back to Rath Grania they weretold their mother was gone away with Finn, son of Cumhal, withoutleaving any word for themselves or for the King of Ireland. And theysaid if that was so, there was nothing for them to do. But after thatthey said they would make an attack on Finn, and they went forward toAlmhuin, and they would take no offers, but made a great slaughter ofevery troop that came out against them. 

But at last Grania made an agreement of peace between themselves andFinn, and they got their father's place among the Fianna; and that waslittle good to them, for they lost their lives with the rest in thebattle of Gabhra. And as to Finn and Grania, they stopped with oneanother to the end. 

BOOK EIGHT: CNOC-AN-AIR. 

CHAPTER I. TAILC, SON OF TREON

One time the Fianna were all gathered together doing feats and castingstones. And after a while the Druid of Teamhair that was with them said:"I am in dread, Finn of the Fianna, that there is some trouble near athand; and look now at those dark clouds of blood, " he said, "that arethreatening us side by side overhead. And there is fear on me, " he said, "that there is some destruction coming on the Fianna. "

Finn looked up then, and he saw the great cloud of blood, and he calledOsgar to look at it. "That need not knock a start from you, " said Osgar, "with all the strength there is in your arms, and in the men that arewith you. " Then all the Fianna looked up at the cloud, and some of themwere glad and cheerful and some were downhearted. 

Then the Druid bade Finn to call all his battalions together and todivide them into two halves, that they could be watching for the comingof the enemy. 

So Finn sounded the Dord Fiann, and they answered with a shout, everyone hurrying to be the first. And Finn bade Osgar and Goll and Faolan tokeep watch through the night, and he bade Conan the Bald to stop in thedarkness of the cave of Liath Ard. "For it is you can shout loudest, " hesaid, "to warn us if you see the enemy coming. " "That I may be piercedthrough the middle of my body, " said Conan, "if I will go watching fortroubles or for armies alone, without some more of the Fianna being withme. " "It is not fitting for you to refuse Finn, " said Lugaidh's Son;"and it is you can shout the loudest, " he said, "if the enemies comenear the height. " "Do not be speaking to me any more, " said Conan, "forI will not go there alone, through the length of my days, for Finn andthe whole of the Fianna. " "Go then, Conan, " said Osgar, "and Aodh Beagwill go with you, and you can bring dogs with you, Bran and Sceolan andFuaim and Fearagan; and let you go now without begrudging it, " he said. 

So Conan went then to Liath Ard, and Aodh Beag and Finn's hounds alongwith him. And as to Finn, he lay down to sleep, and it was not long tillhe saw through his sleep Aodh Beag his son, and he without his head. Andafter that he saw Goll fighting with a very strong man. And he awokefrom his sleep, and called the Druid of the Fianna to him, and asked himthe meaning of what he saw. "I am in dread there is some destructioncoming on the Fianna, " said the Druid; "but Aodh Beag will not bewounded in the fight, or Goll, " he said. 

And it was not long till Finn heard a great shout, and he sounded theDord Fiann, and then he saw Conan running, and the hounds after him. AndFinn sounded the Dord Fiann again before Conan came up, and when hecame, Osgar asked him where was Aodh Beag. "He was at the door of thecave when I left it, " said Conan, "but I did not look behind me sincethen, " he said; "and it was not Aodh Beag was troubling me. " "What wastroubling you then?" said Osgar. "Nothing troubles me but myself, " saidConan; "although I am well pleased at any good that comes to you, " hesaid. 

Osgar went then running hard, till he came to the cave, and there hefound Aodh Beag with no fear or trouble on him at all, stopping theretill he would hear the noise of the shields. And Osgar brought him backto where the Fianna were, and they saw a great army coming as if insearch of them. 

And a beautiful woman, having a crimson cloak, came to them over theplain, and she spoke to Finn, and her voice was as sweet as music. AndFinn asked her who was she, and who did she come looking for. "I am thedaughter of Garraidh, son of Dolar Dian, the Fierce, " she said; "and mycurse upon the King of Greece that bound me to the man that isfollowing after me, and that I am going from, Tailc, son of Treon. ""Tell me why are you shunning him, and I will protect you in spite ofhim, " said Finn. "It is not without reason I hate him, " said she, "forhe has no good appearance, and his skin is of the colour of coal, and hehas the head and the tail of a cat. And I have walked the world threetimes, " she said, "and I did not leave a king or a great man withoutasking help from him, and I never got it yet. " "I will give youprotection, " said Finn, "or the seven battalions of the Fianna will fallfor your sake. "

With that they saw the big strange man, Tailc, son of Treon, comingtowards them, and he said no word at all of greeting to Finn, but hecalled for a battle on account of his wife. 

So a thousand of the Fianna went out to meet him and his men; and ifthey did they all fell, and not one of them came back again. And thenanother thousand of the best men of the Fianna, having blue and greenshields, went out under Caoilte, son of Ronan, and they were worsted byTailc and his people. And then Osgar asked leave of Finn to go out andfight the big man. "I will give you leave, " said Finn, "although I amsure you will fall by him. " So Osgar went out, and he himself and Tailc, son of Treon, were fighting through the length of five days and fivenights without food or drink or sleep. And at the end of that time, Osgar made an end of Tailc, and struck his head off. And when the Fiannasaw that, they gave a shout of lamentation for those they had lost ofthe Fianna, and two shouts of joy for the death of Tailc. 

And as to the young woman, when she saw all the slaughter that had beendone on account of her, shame reddened her face, and she fell dead thereand then. And to see her die like that, after all she had gone through, preyed more on the Fianna than any other thing. 

CHAPTER II. MEARGACH'S WIFE

And while the Fianna were gathered yet on the hill where Tailc, son ofTreon, had been put down, they saw a very great champion coming towardsthem, having an army behind him. He took no notice of any one more thananother, but he asked in a very rough voice where was Finn, the Head ofthe Fianna. And Aodh Beag, that had a quiet heart, asked him who was he, and what was he come for. "I will tell you nothing at all, child, " saidthe big man, "for it is short your years are, and I will tell nothing atall to any one but Finn. " So Aodh Beag brought him to where Finn was, and Finn asked him his name. "Meargach of the Green Spears is my name, "he said; "and arms were never reddened yet on my body, and no one everboasted of driving me backwards. And was it you, Finn, " he said, "putdown Tailc, son of Treon?" "It was not by me he fell, " said Finn, "butby Osgar of the strong hand. " "Was it not a great shame for you, Finn, "said Meargach then, "to let the queen-woman that had such a great namecome to her death by the Fianna?" "It was not by myself or by any of theFianna she got her death, " said Finn; "it was seeing the army lost thatbrought her to her death. But if it is satisfaction for her death or thedeath of Tailc you want, " he said, "You can get it from a man of theFianna, or you can go quietly from this place. " Then Meargach said hewould fight with any man they would bring against him, to avenge Tailc, son of Treon. 

And it was Osgar stood up against him, and they fought a very hard fightthrough the length of three days, and at one time the Fianna thought itwas Osgar was worsted, and they gave a great sorrowful shout. But in theend Osgar put down Meargach and struck his head off, and at that theseven battalions of the Fianna gave a shout of victory, and the army ofMeargach keened him very sorrowfully. And after that, the two sons ofMeargach, Ciardan the Swift and Liagan the Nimble, came up and askedwho would come against them, hand to hand, that they might getsatisfaction for their father. 

And it was Goll stood up against Ciardan, and it was not long till heput him down; and Conan came out against Liagan, and Liagan mocked athim and said: "It is foolishness your coming is, bald man!" But Conanmade a quick blow and struck his head off before the fight was begun atall. 

And Faolan said that was a shameful thing to do, not to stand his groundand make a fair fight. But Conan said: "If I could make an end of thewhole army by one blow, I would do it, and I would not be ashamed, andthe whole of the Fianna could not shelter them from me. "

Then the two armies came towards each other, and they were making readyfor the attack. And they saw a beautiful golden-haired woman comingtowards them, and she crying and ever crying, and the battle was givenup on both sides, waiting for her to come; and the army of Meargach knewit was their queen, Ailne of the Bright Face, and they raised a greatcry of grief; and the Fianna were looking at her, and said no word. 

And she asked where was her husband, and where were her two sons. "HighQueen, " said Finn then, "for all they were so complete and quick andstrong, the three you are asking for fell in fight. "

And when the queen-woman heard that, she cried out aloud, and she wentto the place where her husband and her two sons were lying, and shestood over their bodies, and her golden hair hanging, and she keenedthem there. And her own people raised a sharp lamentation listening toher, and the Fianna themselves were under grief. 

And it is what she said: "O Meargach, " she said, "of the sharp greenspears, it is many a fight and many a heavy battle your hard hand foughtin the gathering of the armies or alone. 

"I never knew any wound to be on your body after them; and it is fullsure I am, it was not strength but treachery got the upper hand of younow. 

"It is long your journey was from far off, from your own kind country toInisfail, to come to Finn and the Fianna, that put my three to deaththrough treachery. 

"My grief! to have lost my husband, my head, by the treachery of theFianna; my two sons, my two men that were rough in the fight. 

"My grief! my food and my drink; my grief! my teaching everywhere; mygrief! my journey from far off, and I to have lost my high heroes. 

"My grief! my house thrown down; my grief! my shelter and my shield; mygrief! Meargach and Ciardan; my grief! Liagan of the wide chest. 

"My grief! my protection and my shelter; my grief! my strength and mypower; my grief! there is darkness come from this thing; my griefto-night you to be in your weakness. 

"My grief! my gladness and my pleasure; my grief! my desire in everyplace; my grief! my courage is gone and my strength; my grief from thisnight out for ever. 

"My grief! my guide and my going; my grief! my desire to the day of mydeath; my grief! my store and my sway; my grief! my heroes that wereopen-handed. 

"My grief! my bed and my sleep; my grief! my journey and my coming; mygrief! my teacher and my share; my sorrowful grief! my three men. 

"My grief! my beauty and my ornaments; my grief! my jewels and myriches; my grief! my treasures and my goods; my grief! my three Candlesof Valour. 

"My grief! my friends and my kindred; my grief! my people and myfriends. My grief! my father and my mother; my grief and my trouble! youto be dead. 

"My grief my portion and my welcome; my grief! my health at every time;my grief! my increase and my light; my sore trouble, you to be withoutstrength. 

"My grief! your spear and your sword; my grief! your gentleness and yourlove; my grief! your country and your home; my grief! you to be partedfrom my reach. 

"My grief! my coasts and my harbours; my grief! my wealth and myprosperity; my grief! my greatness and my kingdom; my grief and mycrying are until death. 

"My grief! my luck altogether; my grief for you in time of battle; mygrief! my gathering of armies; my grief! my three proud lions. 

"My grief! my games and my drinking; my grief! my music and my delight;my grief! my sunny house and my women; my crying grief, you to be underdefeat. 

"My grief! my lands and my hunting; my grief! my three sure fighters;Och! my grief! they are my sorrow, to fall far off by the Fianna. 

"I knew by the great host of the Sidhe that were fighting over the dun, giving battle to one another in the valleys of the air, that destructionwould put down my three. 

"I knew by the noise of the voices of the Sidhe coming into my ears, that a story of new sorrow was not far from me; it is your death it wasforetelling. 

"I knew at the beginning of the day when my three good men went from me, when I saw tears of blood on their cheeks, that they would not come backto me as winners. 

"I knew by the voice of the battle-crow over your dun every evening, since you went from me comely and terrible, that misfortune and griefwere at hand. 

"It is well I remember, my three strong ones, how often I used to betelling you that if you would go to Ireland, I would not see the joy ofvictory on your faces. 

"I knew by the voice of the raven every morning since you went from me, that your fall was sure and certain; that you would never come back toyour own country. 

"I knew, my three great ones, by your forgetting the thongs of yourhounds, that you would not gain the day or escape from the treachery ofthe Fianna. 

"I knew, Candles of Valour, by the stream near the dun turning to bloodwhen you set out, that there would be treachery in Finn. 

"I knew by the eagle coming every evening over the dun, that it wouldnot be long till I would hear a story of bad news of my three. 

"I knew by the withering of the tree before the dun, that you wouldnever come back as conquerors from the treachery of Finn, son ofCumhal. "

When Grania, now, heard what the woman was saying, there was anger onher, and she said: "Do not be speaking against Finn or the Fianna, Queen, for it was not by any treachery or any deceit your three men werebrought to their end. "

But Ailne made her no answer and gave no heed to her, but she went onwith her complaint, and she crying and ever crying. 

"I knew, looking after you the day you went out from the dun, by theflight of the raven before you, there was no good sign of your comingback again. 

"I knew by Ciardan's hounds that were howling mournfully every evening, that it would not be long till I would have bad news of you. 

"I knew by my sleep that went from me, by my tears through every lastingnight, that there was no luck before you. 

"I knew by the sorrowful vision that showed myself in danger, my headand my hands cut off, that it was yourselves were without sway. 

"I knew by the voice of Uaithnin, the hound that is dearest to Liagan, howling early every morning, that death was certain for my three. 

"I knew when I saw in a vision a lake of blood in the place of the dun, that my three were put down by the deceit that was always with Finn. "

"Do not be faulting Finn, " said Grania then, "however vexed your heartmay be. And leave off now, " she said, "speaking against the Fianna andagainst himself; for if your men had stopped in their own country, " shesaid, "without coming to avenge the son of Treon, there would no harmhave happened them. " "I would not put any reproach on the Fianna, Grania, " said Ailne, "if my three men had been put down in fair battle, but they are not living to bear witness to me, " she said; "and it islikely they were put under Druid spells at the first, or they wouldnever have given in. " "If they were living, Queen, " said Grania, "theywould not be running down the Fianna, but they would tell you it was bybravery and the strong hand they fell. " "I do not believe you or theFianna when you say that, " said Ailne; "for no one that came to meetthem ever got the sway over them by the right of the sword. " "If you donot believe what I am saying, beautiful Ailne, " said Grania, "I tellyou more of your great army will fall by the Fianna, and that not bytreachery. " "That is not so, " said Ailne, "but I have good hopes that myown army will do destruction on the Fianna, for the sake of the men thatare dead. " "Well, Ailne, " said Grania, "I know it is a far journey youhave come. And come now and eat and drink, " she said, "with myself andwith the Fianna. "

But Ailne would not do that, but she said it would not be fitting forher to take food from people that did such deeds, and what she wantedwas satisfaction for the death of her husband and her two sons. 

And first it was settled for two men of each side to go out against oneanother; and then Ailne said that there should be thirty men on eachside, and then she said she would not be satisfied to go back to her owncountry till she brought the head of Finn with her, or till the last ofhis men had fallen. And there was a great battle fought in the end, andit is seldom the Fianna fought so hard a battle as that. 

And it would be too long to tell, and it would tire the hearers, howmany good men were killed on each side. But in the end Ailne of theBright Face was worsted, and she went back with what were left of hermen to their own country, and no one knew where they went. 

And the hill in the west those battles were fought on got the name ofCnoc-an-Air, the Hill of Slaughter. 

CHAPTER III. AILNE'S REVENGE

One day Finn and his people were hunting on Slieve Fuad, and a stagstood against them for a while and fought with his great rough horns, and then he turned and ran, and the Fianna followed after him till theycame to the green hill of Liadhas, and from that to rocky Cairgin. Andthere they lost him again for a while, till Sceolan started him again, and he went back towards Slieve Fuad, and the Fianna after him. 

But Finn and Daire of the Songs, that were together, went astray andlost the rest of their people, and they did not know was it east or westthey were going. 

Finn sounded the Dord Fiann then, and Daire played some sorrowful musicto let their people know where they were. But when the Fianna heard themusic, it seemed to be a long way off; and sometimes they thought it wasin the north it was, and sometimes in the east, and then it changed tothe west, the way they did not know in the wide world where was itcoming from. 

And as to Finn and Daire, a Druid mist came about them, and they did notknow what way they were going. 

And after a while they met with a young woman, comely and pleasant, andthey asked who was she, and what brought her there. "Glanluadh is myname, " she said, "and my husband is Lobharan; and we were travellingover the plain together a while ago, and we heard the cry of hounds, andhe left me and went after the hunt, and I do not know where is he, orwhat way did he go. " "Come on then with us, " said Finn, "and we willtake care of you, for we ourselves do not know what way the hunt isgone, east or west. " So they went on, and before long they came to ahill, and they heard sleepy music of the Sidhe beside them. And afterthat there came shouts and noises, and then the music began again, andheavy sleep came on Finn and Daire. And when they awoke from their sleepthey saw a very large lighted house before them, and a stormy blue seaaround it. Then they saw a very big grey man coming through the waves, and he took hold of Finn and of Daire, and all their strength went fromthem, and he brought them across the waves and into the house, and heshut the door of the house with iron hooks. "My welcome to you, Finn ofthe great name, " he said then in a very harsh voice; "it is long we arewaiting here for you. "

They sat down then on the hard side of a bed, and the woman of the housecame to them, and they knew her to be Ailne, wife of Meargach. "It islong I am looking for you, Finn, " she said, "to get satisfaction for thetreachery you did on Meargach and on my two comely young sons, and onTailc, son of Treon, and all his people. And do you remember that, Finn?" she said. "I remember well, " said Finn, "that they fell by theswords of the Fianna, not by treachery but in fighting. " "It was bytreachery they fell, " said the Grey Man then; "and it is our witness toit, pleasant Ailne to be the way she is, and many a strong army undergrief on account of her. " "What is Ailne to you, man of the roughvoice?" said Finn. "I am her own brother, " said the man. 

With that he put bonds on the three, Finn and Daire and Glanluadh, andhe put them down into some deep shut place. 

They were very sorrowful then, and they stopped there to the end of fivedays and five nights, without food, without drink, without music. 

And Ailne went to see them then, and Finn said to her: "O Ailne, " hesaid, "bring to mind the time you come to Cnoc-an-Air, and the way theFianna treated you with generosity; and it is not fitting for you, " hesaid, "to keep us now under shame and weakness and in danger of death. ""I know well I got kind treatment from Grania, " said Ailne in asorrowful voice; "but for all that, Finn, " she said, "if all the Fiannawere in that prison along with you under hard bonds, it would please mewell, and I would not pity their case. And what is it set you followingafter Finn, " she said then to Glanluadh, "for that is not a fittingthing for you to do, and his own kind wife living yet. "

Then Glanluadh told her the whole story, and how she was walking theplain with Lobharan her husband, and he followed the hunt, and the mistcame about her that she did not know east from west, and how she metthen with Finn that she never saw before that time. "If that is so, "said Ailne, "it is not right for you to be under punishment withoutcause. "

She called then to her brother the Grey Man, and bade him take thespells off Glanluadh. And when she was set free it is sorry she was toleave Daire in bonds, and Finn. And when she had bidden them farewellshe went out with Ailne, and there was food brought to her, but a cloudof weakness came on her of a sudden, that it was a pity to see the wayshe was. 

And when Ailne saw that, she brought out an enchanted cup of the Sidheand gave her a drink from it. And no sooner did Glanluadh drink from thecup than her strength and her own appearance came back to her again; butfor all that, she was fretting after Finn and Daire in their bonds. "Itseems to me, Glanluadh, you are fretting after those two men, " saidAilne. "I am sorry indeed, " said Glanluadh, "the like of those men to beshut up without food or drink. " "If it is pleasing to you to give themfood you may give it, " said Ailne, "for I will not make an end of themtill I see can I get the rest of the Fianna into bonds along with them. "The two women brought food and drink then to Finn, and to Daire; andGlanluadh gave her blessing to Finn, and she cried when she saw the wayhe was; but as to Ailne, she had no pity at all for the King of theFianna. 

Now as to the Grey Man, he heard them talking of the Fianna, and theywere saying that Daire had a great name for the sweetness of his music. "I have a mind to hear that sweet music, " said he. So he went to theplace where they were, and he bade Daire to let him hear what sort ofmusic he could make. "My music pleased the Fianna well, " said Daire;"but I think it likely it would not please you. " "Play it for me now, till I know if the report I heard of you is true, " said the Grey Man. "Indeed, I have no mind for music, " said Daire, "being weak anddownhearted the way I am, through your spells that put down my courage. ""I will take my spells off you for so long as you play for me, " said theGrey Man. "I could never make music seeing Finn in bonds the way he is, "said Daire; "for it is worse to me, he to be under trouble than myself. ""I will take the power of my spells off Finn till you play for me, " saidthe Grey Man. 

He weakened the spells then, and gave them food and drink, and itpleased him greatly the way Daire played the music, and he called toGlanluadh and to Ailne to come and to listen to the sweetness of it. Andthey were well pleased with it, and it is glad Glanluadh was, seeingthem not so discouraged as they were. 

Now as to the Fianna, they were searching for Finn and for Daire inevery place they had ever stopped in. And when they came to this placethey could hear Daire's sweet music; and at first they were glad whenthey heard it, and then when they knew the way he himself and Finn were, they made an attack on Ailne's dun to release them. 

But the Grey Man heard their shouts, and he put the full power of hisspells again on Finn and on Daire. And the Fianna heard the music as ifstammering, and then they heard a great noise like the loud roaring ofwaves, and when they heard that, there was not one of them but fell intoa sleep and clouds of death, under those sorrowful spells. 

And then the Grey Man and Ailne came out quietly from where they were, and they brought the whole of the men of the Fianna that were there intothe dun. And they put hard bonds on them, and put them where Finn andDaire were. And there was great grief on Finn and Daire when they sawthem, and they were all left there together for a while. 

Then Glanluadh said to the Grey Man: "If Daire's music is pleasing toyou, let him play it to us now. " "If you have a mind for music, " saidthe Grey Man, "Daire must play it for us, and for Finn and his army aswell. "

They went then to where they were, and bade Daire to play. "I couldnever play sweet music, " said Daire, "the time the Fianna are in anytrouble; for when they are in trouble, I myself am in trouble, and Icould not sound any sweet string, " he said, "while there is trouble onany man of them. " The Grey Man weakened the spells then on them all, andDaire played first the strings of sweetness, and of the noise ofshouting, and then he sang his own grief and the grief of all theFianna. And at that the Grey Man said it would not be long before hewould put the whole of the Fianna to death; and then Daire played a tuneof heavy shouts of lamentation. And then at Finn's bidding he played themusic of sweet strings for the Fianna. 

They were kept, now, a long time in that prison, and they got very hardtreatment; and sometimes Ailne's brother would come in and strike theheads off some of them, for none of them could rise up from the seatsthey were sitting on through his enchantments. But one time he was goingto strike the bald head off Conan, and Conan made a great leap from theseat; but if he did, he left strips of his skin hanging to it, that hisback was left bare. And then he came round the Grey Man with his pitifulwords: "Stop your hand now, " he said, "for that is enough for this time;and do not send me to my death yet awhile, and heal me of my woundsfirst, " he said, "before you make an end of me. " And the reason he saidthat was because he knew Ailne to have an enchanted cup in the dun, thathad cured Glanluadh. 

And the Grey Man took pity on his case, and he brought him out and badeAilne to bring the cup to him and to cure his wounds. "I will not bringit, " said Ailne, "for it would be best give no time at all to him or tothe Fianna, but to make an end of them. " "It is not to be saved fromdeath I am asking, bright-faced Ailne, " said Conan, "but only not to goto my death stripped bare the way I am. " When Ailne heard that, shebrought a sheepskin and she put it on Conan's back, and it fitted andgrew to him, and covered his wounds. "I will not put you to death, Conan, " said the Grey Man then, "but you can stop with myself to the endof your life. " "You will never be without grief and danger and the fearof treachery if you keep him with you, " said Ailne; "for there istreachery in his heart the same as there is in the rest of them. " "Thereis no fear of that, " said her brother, "or I will make no delay until Iput the whole of the Fianna to death. " And with that he brought Conan towhere the enchanted cup was, and he put it in his hand. And just at thatmoment they heard Daire playing very sweet sorrowful music, and the GreyMan went to listen to it, very quick and proud. And Conan followed himthere, and after a while the Grey Man asked him what did he do with theenchanted cup. "I left it where I found it, full of power, " said Conan. 

The Grey Man hurried back then to the place where the treasures of thedun were. But no sooner was he gone than Conan took out the cup that hehad hidden, and he gave a drink from it to Finn and to Osgar and to therest of the Fianna. And they that were withered and shaking, withoutstrength, without courage, got back their own appearance and theirstrength again on the moment. 

And when the Grey Man came back from looking for the cup, and saw whathad happened, he took his sword and made a stroke at Conan. But Conancalled to Osgar to defend him, and Osgar attacked the Grey Man, and itwas not long till he made him acquainted with death. 

And when Ailne saw that, with the grief and the dread that came on her, she fell dead then and there. 

Then all the Fianna made a feast with what they found of food and ofdrink, and they were very joyful and merry. But when they rose up in themorning, there was no trace or tidings of the dun, but it was on thebare grass they were lying. 

But as to Conan, the sheepskin never left him; and the wool used to growon it every year, the same as it would on any other skin. 

BOOK NINE: THE WEARING AWAY OF THE FIANNA. 

CHAPTER I. THE QUARREL WITH THE SONS OF MORNA

One time when the Fianna were gone here and there hunting, BlackGarraidh and Caoilte were sitting beside Finn, and they were talking ofthe battle where Finn's father was killed. And Finn said then toGarraidh: "Tell me now, since you were there yourself, what way was ityou brought my father Cumhal to his death?" "I will tell you that sinceyou ask me, " said Garraidh; "it was my own hand and the hands of therest of the sons of Morna that made an end of him. " "That is coldfriendship from my followers the sons of Morna, " said Finn. "If it iscold friendship, " said Garraidh, "put away the liking you are letting onto have for us, and show us the hatred you have for us all the while. ""If I were to lift my hand against you now, sons of Morna, " said Finn, "I would be well able for you all without the help of any man. " "It wasby his arts Cumhal got the upper hand of us, " said Garraidh; "and whenhe got power over us, " he said, "he banished us to every far country; ashare of us he sent to Alban, and a share of us to dark Lochlann, and ashare of us to bright Greece, parting us from one another; and forsixteen years we were away from Ireland, and it was no small thing to usto be without seeing one another through that time. And the first day wecame back to Ireland, " he said, "we killed sixteen hundred men, and nolie in it, and not a man of them but would be keened by a hundred. Andwe took their duns after that, " he said, "and we went on till we wereall around one house in Munster of the red walls. But so great was thebravery of the man in that house, that was your father, that it waseasier to find him than to kill him. And we killed all that were of hisrace out on the hill, and then we made a quick rush at the house whereCumhal was, and every man of us made a wound on his body with his spear. And I myself was in it, and it was I gave him the first wound. Andavenge it on me now, Finn, if you have a mind to, " he said. 

 * * * * *

It was not long after that, Finn gave a feast at Almhuin for all hischief men, and there came to it two sons of the King of Alban, and sonsof the kings of the great world. And when they were all sitting at thefeast, the serving-men rose up and took drinking-horns worked by skilledmen, and having shining stones in them, and they poured out strong drinkfor the champions; and it is then mirth rose up in their young men, andcourage in their fighting men, and kindness and gentleness in theirwomen, and knowledge and foreknowledge in their poets. 

And then a crier rose up and shook a rough iron chain to silence theclowns and the common lads and idlers, and then he shook a chain of oldsilver to silence the high lords and chief men of the Fianna, and thelearned men, and they all listened and were silent. 

And Fergus of the True Lips rose up and sang before Finn the songs andthe good poems of his forefathers; and Finn and Oisin and Lugaidh's Sonrewarded him with every good thing. And then he went on to Goll, son ofMorna, and told the fights and the destructions and the cattle-drivingsand the courtings of his fathers; and it is well-pleased and high-mindedthe sons of Morna were, listening to that. 

And Goll said then: "Where is my woman-messenger?" "I am here, King ofthe Fianna, " said she. "Have you brought me my hand-tribute from the menof Lochlann?" "I have brought it surely, " said she. And with that sherose up and laid on the floor of the hall before Goll a load of puregold, the size of a good pig, and that would be a heavy load for astrong man. And Goll loosened the covering that was about it, and hegave Fergus a good reward from it as he was used to do; for there neverwas a wise, sharp-worded poet, or a sweet harp-player, or any learnedman of Ireland or of Alban, but Goll would give him gold or silver orsome good thing. 

And when Finn saw that, he said: "How long is it, Goll, you have thisrent on the men of Lochlann, and my own rent being on them always withit, and one of my own men, Ciaran son of Latharne, and ten hundred menof his household, guarding it and guarding my right of hunting?" AndGoll saw there was anger on Finn, and he said: "It is a long time, Finn, I have that rent on the men of Lochlann, from the time your father putwar and quarrels on me, and the King of Ireland joined with him, and Iwas made to quit Ireland by them. And I went into Britain, " he said, "and I took the country and killed the king himself and did destructionon his people, but Cumhal put me out of it; and from that I went toFionnlochlann, and the king fell by me, and his household, and Cumhalput me out of it; and I went from that to the country of the Saxons, andthe king and his household fell by me, and Cumhal put me out of it. ButI came back then to Ireland, and I fought a battle against your father, and he fell by me there. And it was at that time I put this rent uponthe men of Lochlann. And, Finn, " he said, "it is not a rent of thestrong hand you have put on them, but it is a tribute for having theprotection of the Fianna of Ireland, and I do not lessen that. And youneed not begrudge that tribute to me, " he said, "for if I had more thanthat again, it is to you and to the men of Ireland I would give it. "

There was great anger on Finn then, and he said: "You tell me, Goll, " hesaid, "by your own story, that you came from the city of Beirbhe tofight against my father, and that you killed him in the battle; and itis a bold thing you to tell that to me. " "By your own hand, " said Goll, "if you were to give me the same treatment your father gave me, I wouldpay you the same way as I paid him. " "It would be hard for you to dothat, " said Finn, "for there are a hundred men in my household againstevery man there is in your household. " "That was the same with yourfather, " said Goll, "and I avenged my disgrace on him; and I would dothe same on yourself if you earned it, " he said. 

Then Cairell of the White Skin, son of Finn, said: "It is many a man ofFinn's household you have put down, Goll!" And Bald Conan when he heardthat said: "I swear by my arms, Goll was never without having a hundredmen in his household, every one of them able to get the better ofyourself. " "And is it to them you belong, crooked-speaking, bare-headedConan?" said Cairell. "It is to them I belong, you black, feeble, nail-scratching, rough-skinned Cairell; and I will make you know it wasFinn was in the wrong, " said Conan. 

With that Cairell rose up and gave a furious blow of his fist to Conan, and Conan took it with no great patience, but gave him back a blow inhis teeth, and from that they went on to worse blows again. And the twosons of Goll rose up to help Conan, and Osgar went to the help ofCairell, and it was not long till many of the chief men of the Fiannawere fighting on the one side or the other, on the side of Finn or onthe side of the sons of Morna. 

But then Fergus of the True Lips rose up, and the rest of the poets ofthe Fianna along with him, and they sang their songs and their poems tocheck and to quiet them. And they left off their fighting at the soundof the poets' songs, and they let their weapons fall on the floor, andthe poets took them up, and made peace between the fighters; and theyput bonds on Finn and on Goll to keep the peace for a while, till theycould ask for a judgment from the High King of Ireland. And that was theend for that time of the little quarrel at Almhuin. 

But it broke out again, one time there was a falling out between Finnand Goll as to the dividing of a pig of the pigs of Manannan. And atDaire Tardha, the Oak Wood of Bulls, in the province of Connacht, therewas a great fight between Finn's men and the sons of Morna. And the sonsof Morna were worsted, and fifteen of their men were killed; and theymade their mind up that from that time they would set themselves againstany friends of Finn or of his people. And it was Conan the Bald gavethem that advice, for he was always bitter, and a maker of quarrels andof mischief in every place. 

And they kept to their word, and spared no one. There was ayellow-haired queen that Finn loved, Berach Brec her name was, and shewas wise and comely and worthy of any good man, and she had her housefull of treasures, and never refused the asking of any. And any one thatcame to her house at Samhain time might stay till Beltaine, and have hischoice then to go or to stay. And the sons of Morna had fostered her, and they went where she was and bade her to give up Finn and she need bein no dread of them. But she said she would not give up her kind loverto please them; and she was going away from them to her ship, and Art, son of Morna, made a cast of his spear that went through her body, thatshe died, and her people brought her up from the strand and buried her. 

And as to Goll, he took a little hound that Finn thought a great dealof, Conbeg its name was, and he drowned it in the sea; and its body wasbrought up to shore by a wave afterwards, and it was buried under alittle green hill by the Fianna. And Caoilte made a complaint over it, and he said how swift the little hound was after deer, or wild pigs, andhow good at killing them, and that it was a pity it to have died, out onthe cold green waves. And about that time, nine women of the Tuatha deDanaan came to meet with nine men of the Fianna, and the sons of Mornasaw them coming and made an end of them. 

And when Caoilte met with Goll, he made a cast of his spear at him thatstruck the golden helmet off his head and a piece of his flesh alongwith it. But Goll took it very proudly, and put on the helmet again andtook up his weapons, and called out to his brothers that he was no wayashamed. 

And Finn went looking for the sons of Morna in every place to dovengeance on them. They were doing robbery and destruction one time inSlieve Echtge, that got its name from Echtge, daughter of Nuada of theSilver Hand, and Finn and the Fianna were to the west, at Slieve Cairnin the district of Corcomruadh. And Finn was in doubt if the sons ofMorna were gone southward into Munster or north into Connacht. So hesent Aedan and Cahal, two sons of the King of Ulster, and two hundredrighting men with them, into the beautiful pleasant province ofConnacht, and every day they used to go looking for the sons of Mornafrom place to place. But after a while the three battalions of theFianna that were in Corcomruadh saw the track of a troop of men, andthey thought it to be the track of the sons of Morna; and they closedround them at night, and made an end of them all. But when the fulllight came on the morrow, they knew them to be their own people, thatwere with the King of Ulster's sons, and they gave three great heavycries, keening the friends they had killed in mistake. 

And Caoilte and Oisin went to Rath Medba and brought a great stone andput it over the king's sons, and it was called Lia an Imracail, theStone of the Mistake. And the place where Goll brought his men the timehe parted from Finn in anger got the name of Druimscarha, the PartingHill of Heroes. 

CHAPTER II. DEATH OF GOLL

And at last it chanced that Goll and Cairell, son of Finn, met with oneanother, and said sharp words, and they fought in the sea near thestrand, and Cairell got his death by Goll. And there was great anger andgreat grief on Finn, seeing his son, that was so strong and comely, lying dead and grey, like a blighted branch. 

And as to Goll, he went away to a cave that was in a point stretchingout into the sea; and he thought to stop there till Finn's anger wouldhave passed. 

And Osgar knew where he was, and he went to see him, that had been hiscomrade in so many battles. But Goll thought it was as an enemy he came, and he made a cast of his spear at him, and though Osgar got no wound byit, it struck his shield and crushed it. And Finn took notice of the waythe shield was, and when he knew that Goll had made a cast at Osgarthere was greater anger again on him. And he sent out his men and badethem to watch every path and every gap that led to the cave where Gollwas, the way they would make an end of him. 

And when Goll knew Finn to be watching for his life that way, he made noattempt to escape, but stopped where he was, without food, withoutdrink, and he blinded with the sand that was blowing into his eyes. 

And his wife came to a rock where she could speak with him, and shecalled to him to come to her. "Come over to me, " she said; "and it is apity you to be blinded where you are, on the rocks of the waste sea, with no drink but the salt water, a man that was first in every fight. And come now to be sleeping beside me, " she said; "and in place of thehard sea-water I will nourish you from my own breast, and it is I willdo your healing. And the gold of your hair is my desire for ever, " shesaid, "and do not stop withering there like an herb in the winter-time, and my heart black with grief within me. "

But Goll would not leave the spot where he was for all she could say. "It is best as it is, " he said, "and I never took the advice of a womaneast or west, and I never will take it. And O sweet-voiced queen, " hesaid, "what ails you to be fretting after me; and remember now yoursilver and your gold, and your silks and stuffs, and remember the sevenhounds I gave you at Cruadh Ceirrge, and every one of them withoutslackness till he has killed the deer. And do not be crying tears afterme, queen with the white hands, " he said; "but remember your constantlover, Aodh, the son of the best woman of the world, that came out fromSpain asking for you, and that I fought at Corcar-an-Deirg; and go tohim now, " he said, "for it is bad when a woman is in want of a goodman. "

And he lay down on the rocks, and at the end of twelve days he died. Andhis wife keened him there, and made a great lamentation for her husbandthat had such a great name, and that was the second best of the Fiannaof Ireland. 

And when Conan heard of the death of Goll his brother, there was greatanger on him, and he went to Garraidh, and asked him to go with him toFinn to ask satisfaction for Goll. "I am not willing to go, " saidGarraidh, "since we could get no satisfaction for the great son ofMorna. " "Whether you have a mind to go or not, I will go, " said Conan;"and I will make an end of every man I meet with, for the sake ofyellow-haired Goll; I will have the life of Oisin, Finn's great son, andof Osgar and of Caoilte and of Daire of the Songs; I will have noforgiveness for them; we must show no respect for Finn, although we maydie in the fight, having no help from Goll. And let us take that work inhand, and make no delay, " he said; "for if Finn is there, his strengthwill be there, until we put him under his flag-stone. "

But it is not likely Garraidh went with him, and he after speaking suchfoolish words. 

And what happened Conan in the end is not known. But there is a cairn ofstones on a hill of Burren, near to Corcomruadh, and the people ofConnacht say it is there he is buried, and that there was a stone foundthere one time, having on it in the old writing: "Conan theswift-footed, the bare-footed. " But the Munster people say it is ontheir own side of Burren he is buried. 

CHAPTER III. THE BATTLE OF GABHRA

Now, with one thing and another, the High King of Ireland had got to besomeway bitter against Finn and the Fianna; and one time that he had agathering of his people he spoke out to them, and he bade them toremember all the harm that had been done them through the Fianna, andall their pride, and the tribute they asked. "And as to myself, " hesaid, "I would sooner die fighting the Fianna, if I could bring themdown along with me, than live with Ireland under them the way it isnow. "

All his people were of the same mind, and they said they would make nodelay, but would attack the Fianna and make an end of them. "And we willhave good days of joy and of feasting, " they said, "when once Almhuin isclear of them. "

And the High King began to make plans against Finn; and he sent to allthe men of Ireland to come and help him. And when all was ready, he sentand bade Osgar to come to a feast he was making at Teamhair. 

And Osgar, that never was afraid before any enemy, set out for Teamhair, and three hundred of his men with him. And on the way they saw a womanof the Sidhe washing clothes at a river, and there was the colour ofblood on the water where she was washing them. And Osgar said to her:"There is red on the clothes you are washing; and it is for the dead youare washing them. " And the woman answered him, and it is what she said:"It is not long till the ravens will be croaking over your own headafter the battle. " "Is there any weakness in our eyes, " said Osgar, "that a little story like that would set us crying? And do anotherforetelling for us now, " he said, "and tell us will any man of ourenemies fall by us before we ourselves are made an end of?"

"There will nine hundred fall by yourself, " she said; "and the HighKing himself will get his death-wound from you. "

Osgar and his men went on then to the king's house at Teamhair, and theygot good treatment, and the feast was made ready, and they were threedays at pleasure and at drinking. 

And on the last day of the drinking, the High King called out with aloud voice, and he asked Osgar would he make an exchange of spears withhim. "Why do you ask that exchange, " said Osgar, "when I myself and myspear were often with yourself in time of battle? And you would not askit of me, " he said, "if Finn and the Fianna were with me now. " "I wouldask it from any fighting man among you, " said the king, "and for rentand tribute along with it. " "Any gold or any treasure you might ask ofus, we would give it to you, " said Osgar, "but it is not right for youto ask my spear. " There were very high words between them then, and theythreatened one another, and at the last the High King said: "I will putmy spear of the seven spells out through your body. " "And I give my wordagainst that, " said Osgar, "I will put my spear of the nine spellsbetween the meeting of your hair and your beard. "

With that he and his men rose up and went out of Teamhair, and theystopped to rest beside a river, and there they heard the sound of a verysorrowful tune, that was like keening, played on a harp. And there wasgreat anger on Osgar when he heard that, and he rose up and took hisarms and roused his people, and they went on again to where Finn was. And there came after them a messenger from the High King, and themessage he brought was this, that he never would pay tribute to theFianna or bear with them at all from that time. 

And when Finn heard that, he sent a challenge of battle, and he gatheredtogether all the Fianna that were left to him. But as to the sons ofMorna, it was to the High King of Ireland they gathered. 

And it was at the hill of Gabhra the two armies met, and there weretwenty men with the King of Ireland for every man that was with Finn. 

And it is a very hard battle was fought that day, and there were greatdeeds done on both sides; and there never was a greater battle fought inIreland than that one. 

And as to Osgar, it would be hard to tell all he killed on that day;five score of the Sons of the Gael, and five score fighting men from theCountry of Snow, and seven score of the Men of Green Swords that neverwent a step backward, and four hundred from the Country of the Lion, andfive score of the sons of kings; and the shame was for the King ofIreland. 

But as to Osgar himself, that began the day so swift and so strong, atthe last he was like leaves on a strong wind, or like an aspen-tree thatis falling. But when he saw the High King near him, he made for him likea wave breaking on the strand; and the king saw him coming, and shookhis greedy spear, and made a cast of it, and it went through his bodyand brought him down on his right knee, and that was the first grief ofthe Fianna. But Osgar himself was no way daunted, but he made a cast ofhis spear of the nine spells that went into the High King at the meetingof the hair and the beard, and gave him his death. And when the mennearest to the High King saw that, they put the king's helmet up on apillar, the way his people would think he was living yet. But Osgar sawit, and he lifted a thin bit of a slab-stone that was on the groundbeside him, and he made a cast of it that broke the helmet where it was;and then he himself fell like a king. 

And there fell in that battle the seven sons of Caoilte, and the son ofthe King of Lochlann that had come to give them his help, and it wouldbe hard to count the number of the Fianna that fell in that battle. 

And when it was ended, those that were left of them went looking fortheir dead. And Caoilte stooped down over his seven brave sons, andevery living man of the Fianna stooped over his own dear friends. And itwas a lasting grief to see all that were stretched in that place, butthe Fianna would not have taken it to heart the way they did, but forbeing as they were, a beaten race. 

And as to Oisin, he went looking for Osgar, and it is the way he foundhim, lying stretched, and resting on his left arm and his broken shieldbeside him, and his sword in his hand yet, and his blood about him onevery side. And he put out his hand to Oisin, and Oisin took it and gaveout a very hard cry. And Osgar said: "It is glad I am to see you safe, my father. " And Oisin had no answer to give him. And just then Caoiltecame where they were, and he looked at Osgar. "What way are you now, mydarling?" he said. "The way you would like me to be, " said Osgar. 

Then Caoilte searched the wound, and when he saw how the spear had tornits way through to the back, he cried out, and a cloud came over him andhis strength failed him. "O Osgar, " he said, "you are parted from theFianna, and they themselves must be parted from battle from this out, "he said, "and they must pay their tribute to the King of Ireland. "

Then Caoilte and Oisin raised up Osgar on their shields and brought himto a smooth green hill till they would take his dress off. And there wasnot a hands-breadth of his white body that was without a wound. 

And when the rest of the Fianna saw what way Osgar was, there was not aman of them that keened his own son or his brother, but every one ofthem came keening Osgar. 

And after a while, at noonday, they saw Finn coming towards them, andwhat was left of the Sun-banner raised on a spear-shaft. All of themsaluted Finn then, but he made no answer, and he came up to the hillwhere Osgar was. And when Osgar saw him coming he saluted him, and hesaid: "I have got my desire in death, Finn of the sharp arms. " And Finnsaid: "It is worse the way you were, my son, on the day of the battle atBeinn Edair when the wild geese could swim on your breast, and it was myhand that gave you healing. " "There can no healing be done for me nowfor ever, " said Osgar, "since the King of Ireland put the spear of sevenspells through my body. " And Finn said: "It is a pity it was not Imyself fell in sunny scarce Gabhra, and you going east and west at thehead of the Fianna. " "And if it was yourself fell in the battle, " saidOsgar, "you would not hear me keening after you; for no man ever knewany heart in me, " he said, "but a heart of twisted horn, and it coveredwith iron. But the howling of the dogs beside me, " he said, "and thekeening of the old righting men, and the crying of the women one afteranother, those are the things that are vexing me. " And Finn said: "Childof my child, calf of my calf, white and slender, it is a pity the wayyou are. And my heart is starting like a deer, " he said, "and I am weakafter you and after the Fianna of Ireland. And misfortune has followedus, " he said; "and farewell now to battles and to a great name, andfarewell to taking tributes; for every good thing I ever had is gonefrom me now, " he said. 

And when Osgar heard those words he stretched out his hands, and hiseyelids closed. And Finn turned away from the rest, and he cried tearsdown; and he never shed a tear through the whole length of his lifetimebut only for Osgar and for Bran. 

And all that were left of the Fianna gave three gorrowful cries afterOsgar, for there was not one of the Fianna beyond him, unless it mightbe Finn or Oisin. 

And it is many of the Fianna were left dead in Gabhra, and graves weremade for them. And as to Lugaidh's Son, that was so tall a man and sogood a fighter, they made a very wide grave for him, as was fitting fora king. And the whole length of the rath at Gabhra, from end to end, itis that was the grave of Osgar, son of Oisin, son of Finn. 

And as to Finn himself, he never had peace or pleasure again from thatday. 

BOOK TEN: THE END OF THE FIANNA. 

CHAPTER I. DEATH OF BRAN

One day Finn was hunting, and Bran went following after a fawn. And theywere coming towards Finn, and the fawn called out, and it said: "If I gointo the sea below I will never come back again; and if I go up into theair above me, it will not save me from Bran. " For Bran would overtakethe wild geese, she was that swift. 

"Go out through my legs, " said Finn then. So the fawn did that, and Branfollowed her; and as Bran went under him, Finn squeezed his two knees onher, that she died on the moment. 

And there was great grief on him after that, and he cried tears down thesame as he did when Osgar died. 

And some said it was Finn's mother the fawn was, and that it was to savehis mother he killed Bran. But that is not likely, for his mother wasbeautiful Muirne, daughter of Tadg, son of Nuada of the Tuatha deDanaan, and it was never heard that she was changed into a fawn. It ismore likely it was Oisin's mother was in it. 

But some say Bran and Sceolan are still seen to start at night out ofthe thicket on the hill of Almhuin. 

CHAPTER II. THE CALL OF OISIN

One misty morning, what were left of the Fianna were gathered togetherto Finn, and it is sorrowful and downhearted they were after the loss ofso many of their comrades. 

And they went hunting near the borders of Loch Lein, where the busheswere in blossom and the birds were singing; and they were waking up thedeer that were as joyful as the leaves of a tree in summer-time. 

And it was not long till they saw coming towards them from the west abeautiful young woman, riding on a very fast slender white horse. Aqueen's crown she had on her head, and a dark cloak of silk down to theground, having stars of red gold on it; and her eyes were blue and asclear as the dew on the grass, and a gold ring hanging down from everygolden lock of her hair; and her cheeks redder than the rose, and herskin whiter than the swan upon the wave, and her lips as sweet as honeythat is mixed through red wine. 

And in her hand she was holding a bridle having a golden bit, and therewas a saddle worked with red gold under her. And as to the horse, he hada wide smooth cloak over him, and a silver crown on the back of hishead, and he was shod with shining gold. 

She came to where Finn was, and she spoke with a very kind, gentlevoice, and she said: "It is long my journey was, King of the Fianna. "And Finn asked who was she, and what was her country and the cause ofher coming. "Niamh of the Golden Head is my name, " she said; "and I havea name beyond all the women of the world, for I am the daughter of theKing of the Country of the Young. " "What was it brought you to us fromover the sea, Queen?" said Finn then. "Is it that your husband is gonefrom you, or what is the trouble that is on you?" "My husband is not gonefrom me, " she said, "for I never went yet to any man. But O King of theFianna, " she said, "I have given my love and my affection to your ownson, Oisin of the strong hands. " "Why did you give your love to himbeyond all the troops of high princes that are under the sun?" saidFinn. "It was by reason of his great name, and of the report I heard ofhis bravery and of his comeliness, " she said. "And though there is manya king's son and high prince gave me his love, I never consented to anytill I set my love on Oisin. "

When Oisin heard what she was saying, there was not a limb of his bodythat was not in love with beautiful Niamh; and he took her hand in hishand, and he said: "A true welcome before you to this country, youngqueen. It is you are the shining one, " he said; "it is you are thenicest and the comeliest; it is you are better to me than any otherwoman; it is you are my star and my choice beyond the women of theentire world. " "I put on you the bonds of a true hero, " said Niamh then, "you to come away with me now to the Country of the Young. " And it iswhat she said:

"It is the country is most delightful of all that are under the sun; thetrees are stooping down with fruit and with leaves and with blossom. 

"Honey and wine are plentiful there, and everything the eye has everseen; no wasting will come on you with the wasting away of time; youwill never see death or lessening. 

"You will get feasts, playing and drinking; you will get sweet music onthe strings; you will get silver and gold and many jewels. 

"You will get, and no lie in it, a hundred swords; a hundred cloaks ofthe dearest silk; a hundred horses, the quickest in battle; a hundredwilling hounds. 

"You will get the royal crown of the King of the Young that he nevergave to any one under the sun. It will be a shelter to you night andday in every rough fight and in every battle. 

"You will get a right suit of armour; a sword, gold-hilted, apt forstriking; no one that ever saw it got away alive from it. 

"A hundred coats of armour and shirts of satin; a hundred cows and ahundred calves; a hundred sheep having golden fleeces; a hundred jewelsthat are not of this world. 

"A hundred glad young girls shining like the sun, their voices sweeterthan the music of birds; a hundred armed men strong in battle, apt atfeats, waiting on you, if you will come with me to the Country of theYoung. 

"You will get everything I have said to you, and delights beyond them, that I have no leave to tell; you will get beauty, strength and power, and I myself will be with you as a wife. "

And after she had made that song, Oisin said: "O pleasant golden-hairedqueen, you are my choice beyond the women of the world; and I will gowith you willingly, " he said. 

And with that he kissed Finn his father and bade him farewell, and hebade farewell to the rest of the Fianna, and he went up then on thehorse with Niamh. 

And the horse set out gladly, and when he came to the strand he shookhimself and he neighed three times, and then he made for the sea. Andwhen Finn and the Fianna saw Oisin facing the wide sea, they gave threegreat sorrowful shouts. And as to Finn, he said: "It is my grief to seeyou going from me; and I am without a hope, " he said, "ever to see youcoming back to me again. "

CHAPTER III. THE LAST OF THE GREAT MEN

And indeed that was the last time Finn and Oisin and the rest of theFianna of Ireland were gathered together, for hunting, for battle, forchess-playing, for drinking or for music; for they all wore away afterthat, one after another. 

As to Caoilte, that was old and had lost his sons, he used to befretting and lonesome after the old times. And one day that there wasvery heavy snow on the ground, he made this complaint:--

"It is cold the winter is; the wind is risen; the fierce high-couragedstag rises up; it is cold the whole mountain is to-night, yet the fiercestag is calling. The deer of Slievecarn of the gatherings does not layhis side to the ground; he no less than the stag of the top of coldEchtge hears the music of the wolves. 

"I, Caoilte, and brown-haired Diarmuid and pleasant light-footed Osgar, we used to be listening to the music of the wolves through the end ofthe cold night. It is well the brown deer sleeps with its hide to thehollow, hidden as if in the earth, through the end of the cold night. 

"To-day I am in my age, and I know but a few men; I used to shake myspear bravely in the ice-cold morning. It is often I put silence on agreat army that is very cold to-night. "

And after a while he went into a hill of the Sidhe to be healed of hisold wounds. And whether he came back from there or not is not known; andthere are some that say he used to be talking with Patrick of the Bellsthe same time Oisin was with him. But that is not likely, or Oisin wouldnot have made complaints about his loneliness the way he did. 

But a long time after that again, there was a king of Ireland making ajourney. And he and his people missed their way, and when night-timecame on, they were in a dark wood, and no path before them. 

And there came to them a very tall man, that was shining like a burningflame, and he took hold of the bridle of the king's horse, and led himthrough the wood till they came to the right road. And the King ofIreland asked him who was he, and first he said: "I am yourcandlestick"; and then he said: "I was with Finn one time. " And the kingknew it was Caoilte, son of Ronan, was in it. 

And three times nine of the rest of the Fianna came out of the west onetime to Teamhair. And they took notice that now they were wanting theirfull strength and their great name, no one took notice of them or cameto speak with them at all. And when they saw that, they lay down on theside of the hill at Teamhair, and put their lips to the earth and died. 

And for three days and a month and a year from the time of thedestruction of the Fianna of Ireland, Loch Dearg was under mists. 

 * * * * *

And as to Finn, there are some say he died by the hand of a fisherman;but it is likely that is not true, for that would be no death for sogreat a man as Finn, son of Cumhal. And there are some say he neverdied, but is alive in some place yet. 

And one time a smith made his way into a cave he saw, that had a door toit, and he made a key that opened it. And when he went in he saw a verywide place, and very big men lying on the floor. And one that was biggerthan the rest was lying in the middle, and the Dord Fiann beside him;and he knew it was Finn and the Fianna were in it. 

And the smith took hold of the Dord Fiann, and it is hardly he couldlift it to his mouth, and he blew a very strong blast on it, and thesound it made was so great, it is much the rocks did not come down onhim. And at the sound, the big men lying on the ground shook from headto foot. He gave another blast then, and they all turned on theirelbows. 

And great dread came on him when he saw that, and he threw down the DordFiann and ran from the caye and locked the door after him, and threw thekey into the lake. And he heard them crying after him, "You left usworse than you found us. " And the cave was not found again since thattime. 

But some say the day will come when the Dord Fiann will be sounded threetimes, and that at the sound of it the Fianna will rise up as strong andas well as ever they were. And there are some say Finn, son of Cumhal, has been on the earth now and again since the old times, in the shape ofone of the heroes of Ireland. 

And as to the great things he and his men did when they were together, it is well they have been kept in mind through the poets of Ireland andof Alban. And one night there were two men minding sheep in a valley, and they were saying the poems of the Fianna while they were there. Andthey saw two very tall shapes on the two hills on each side of thevalley, and one of the tall shapes said to the other: "Do you hear thatman down below? I was the second doorpost of battle at Gabhra, and thatman knows all about it better than myself. "

BOOK ELEVEN: OISIN AND PATRICK. 

CHAPTER I. OISIN'S STORY

As to Oisin, it was a long time after he was brought away by Niamh thathe came back again to Ireland. Some say it was hundreds of years he wasin the Country of the Young, and some say it was thousands of years hewas in it; but whatever time it was, it seemed short to him. 

And whatever happened him through the time he was away, it is a witheredold man he was found after coming back to Ireland, and his white horsegoing away from him, and he lying on the ground. 

And it was S. Patrick had power at that time, and it was to him Oisinwas brought; and he kept him in his house, and used to be teaching himand questioning him. And Oisin was no way pleased with the way Irelandwas then, but he used to be talking of the old times, and fretting afterthe Fianna. 

And Patrick bade him to tell what happened him the time he left Finn andthe Fianna and went away with Niamh. And it is the story Oisintold:--"The time I went away with golden-haired Niamh, we turned ourbacks to the land, and our faces westward, and the sea was going awaybefore us, and filling up in waves after us. And we saw wonderful thingson our journey, " he said, "cities and courts and duns and lime-whitehouses, and shining sunny-houses and palaces. And one time we saw besideus a hornless deer running hard, and an eager white red-eared houndfollowing after it. And another time we saw a young girl on a horse andhaving a golden apple in her right hand, and she going over the tops ofthe waves; and there was following after her a young man riding a whitehorse, and having a crimson cloak and a gold-hilted sword in his righthand. "

"Follow on with your story, pleasant Oisin, " said Patrick, "for you didnot tell us yet what was the country you went to. "

"The Country of the Young, the Country of Victory, it was, " said Oisin. "And O Patrick, " he said, "there is no lie in that name; and if thereare grandeurs in your Heaven the same as there are there, I would givemy friendship to God. 

"We turned our backs then to the dun, " he said, "and the horse under uswas quicker than the spring wind on the backs of the mountains. And itwas not long till the sky darkened, and the wind rose in every part, andthe sea was as if on fire, and there was nothing to be seen of the sun. 

"But after we were looking at the clouds and the stars for a while thewind went down, and the storm, and the sun brightened. And we saw beforeus a very delightful country under full blossom, and smooth plains init, and a king's dun that was very grand, and that had every colour init, and sunny-houses beside it, and palaces of shining stones, made byskilled men. And we saw coming out to meet us three fifties of armedmen, very lively and handsome. And I asked Niamh was this the Country ofthe Young, and she said it was. 'And indeed, Oisin, ' she said, 'I toldyou no lie about it, and you will see all I promised you before you forever. '

"And there came out after that a hundred beautiful young girls, havingcloaks of silk worked with gold, and they gave me a welcome to their owncountry. And after that there came a great shining army, and with it astrong beautiful king, having a shirt of yellow silk and a golden cloakover it, and a very bright crown on his head. And there was followingafter him a young queen, and fifty young girls along with her. 

"And when all were come to the one spot, the king took me by the hand, and he said out before them all: 'A hundred thousand welcomes beforeyou, Oisin, son of Finn. And as to this country you are come to, ' hesaid, 'I will tell you news of it without a lie. It is long and lastingyour life will be in it, and you yourself will be young for ever. Andthere is no delight the heart ever thought of, ' he said, 'but it ishere against your coming. And you can believe my words, Oisin, ' he said, 'for I myself am the King of the Country of the Young, and this is itscomely queen, and it was golden-headed Niamh our daughter that went overthe sea looking for you to be her husband for ever. ' I gave thanks tohim then, and I stooped myself down before the queen, and we wentforward to the royal house, and all the high nobles came out to meet us, both men and women, and there was a great feast made there through thelength of ten days and ten nights. 

"And that is the way I married Niamh of the Golden Hair, and that is theway I went to the Country of the Young, although it is sorrowful to meto be telling it now, O Patrick from Rome, " said Oisin. 

"Follow on with your story, Oisin of the destroying arms, " said Patrick, "and tell me what way did you leave the Country of the Young, for it islong to me till I hear that; and tell us now had you any children byNiamh, and was it long you were in that place. "

"Two beautiful children I had by Niamh, " said Oisin, "two young sons anda comely daughter. And Niamh gave the two sons the name of Finn and ofOsgar, and the name I gave to the daughter was The Flower. 

"And I did not feel the time passing, and it was a long time I stoppedthere, " he said, "till the desire came on me to see Finn and my comradesagain. And I asked leave of the king and of Niamh to go back to Ireland. 'You will get leave from me, ' said Niamh; 'but for all that, ' she said, 'it is bad news you are giving me, for I am in dread you will never comeback here again through the length of your days. ' But I bade her have nofear, since the white horse would bring me safe back again from Ireland. 'Bear this in mind, Oisin, ' she said then, 'if you once get off thehorse while you are away, or if you once put your foot to ground, youwill never come back here again. And O Oisin, ' she said, 'I tell it toyou now for the third time, if you once get down from the horse, youwill be an old man, blind and withered, without liveliness, withoutmirth, without running, without leaping. And it is a grief to me, Oisin, ' she said, 'you ever to go back to green Ireland; and it is notnow as it used to be, and you will not see Finn and his people, forthere is not now in the whole of Ireland but a Father of Orders andarmies of saints; and here is my kiss for you, pleasant Oisin, ' shesaid, 'for you will never come back any more to the Country of theYoung. '

"And that is my story, Patrick, and I have told you no lie in it, " saidOisin. "And O Patrick, " he said, "if I was the same the day I came hereas I was that day, I would have made an end of all your clerks, andthere would not be a head left on a neck after me. "

"Go on with your story, " said Patrick, "and you will get the same goodtreatment from me you got from Finn, for the sound of your voice ispleasing to me. "

So Oisin went on with his story, and it is what he said: "I have nothingto tell of my journey till I came back into green Ireland, and I lookedabout me then on all sides, but there were no tidings to be got of Finn. And it was not long till I saw a great troop of riders, men and women, coming towards me from the west. And when they came near they wished megood health; and there was wonder on them all when they looked at me, seeing me so unlike themselves, and so big and so tall. 

"I asked them then did they hear if Finn was still living, or any otherone of the Fianna, or what had happened them. 'We often heard of Finnthat lived long ago, ' said they, 'and that there never was his equal forstrength or bravery or a great name; and there is many a book writtendown, ' they said, 'by the sweet poets of the Gael, about his doings andthe doings of the Fianna, and it would be hard for us to tell you allof them. And we heard Finn had a son, ' they said, 'that was beautifuland shining, and that there came a young girl looking for him, and hewent away with her to the Country of the Young. '

"And when I knew by their talk that Finn was not living or any of theFianna, it is downhearted I was, and tired, and very sorrowful afterthem. And I made no delay, but I turned my face and went on to Almhuinof Leinster. And there was great wonder on me when I came there to seeno sign at all of Finn's great dun, and his great hall, and nothing inthe place where it was but weeds and nettles. "

And there was grief on Oisin then, and he said: "Och, Patrick! Och, ochone, my grief! It is a bad journey that was to me; and to be withouttidings of Finn or the Fianna has left me under pain through mylifetime. "

"Leave off fretting, Oisin, " said Patrick, "and shed your tears to theGod of grace. Finn and the Fianna are slack enough now, and they willget no help for ever. " "It is a great pity that would be, " said Oisin, "Finn to be in pain for ever; and who was it gained the victory overhim, when his own hand had made an end of so many a hard fighter?"

"It is God gained the victory over Finn, " said Patrick, "and not thestrong hand of an enemy; and as to the Fianna, they are condemned tohell along with him, and tormented for ever. "

"O Patrick, " said Oisin, "show me the place where Finn and his peopleare, and there is not a hell or a heaven there but I will put it down. And if Osgar, my own son, is there, " he said, "the hero that was bravestin heavy battles, there is not in hell or in the Heaven of God a troopso great that he could not destroy it. "

"Let us leave off quarrelling on each side now, " said Patrick; "and goon, Oisin, with your story. What happened you after you knew the Fiannato be at an end?"

"I will tell you that, Patrick, " said Oisin. "I was turning to go away, and I saw the stone trough that the Fianna used to be putting theirhands in, and it full of water. And when I saw it I had such a wish andsuch a feeling for it that I forgot what I was told, and I got off thehorse. And in the minute all the years came on me, and I was lying onthe ground, and the horse took fright and went away and left me there, an old man, weak and spent, without sight, without shape, withoutcomeliness, without strength or understanding, without respect. 

"There, Patrick, is my story for you now, " said Oisin, "and no lie init, of all that happened me going away and coming back again from theCountry of the Young. "

CHAPTER II. OISIN IN PATRICK'S HOUSE

And Oisin stopped on with S. Patrick, but he was not very well contentwith the way he was treated. And one time he said: "They say I amgetting food, but God knows I am not, or drink; and I Oisin, son ofFinn, under a yoke, drawing stones. " "It is my opinion you are gettingenough, " said S. Patrick then, "and you getting a quarter of beef and achurn of butter and a griddle of bread every day. " "I often saw aquarter of a blackbird bigger than your quarter of beef, " said Oisin, "and a rowan berry as big as your churn of butter, and an ivy leaf asbig as your griddle of bread. " S, Patrick was vexed when he heard that, and he said to Oisin that he had told a lie. 

There was great anger on Oisin then, and he went where there was alitter of pups, and he bade a serving-boy to nail up the hide of afreshly killed bullock to the wall, and to throw the pups against it oneby one. And every one that he threw fell down from the hide till it cameto the last, and he held on to it with his teeth and his nails. "Rearthat one, " said Oisin, "and drown all the rest. "

Then he bade the boy to keep the pup in a dark place, and to care itwell, and never to let it taste blood or see the daylight. And at theend of a year, Oisin was so well pleased with the pup, that he gave itthe name of Bran Og, young Bran. 

And one day he called to the serving-boy to come on a journey with him, and to bring the pup in a chain. And they set out and passed bySlieve-nam-ban, where the witches of the Sidhe do be spinning with theirspinning-wheels; and then they turned eastward into Gleann-na-Smol. AndOisin raised a rock that was there, and he bade the lad take from underit three things, a great sounding horn of the Fianna, and a ball of ironthey had for throwing, and a very sharp sword. And when Oisin saw thosethings, he took them in his hands, and he said: "My thousand farewellsto the day when you were put here!" He bade the lad to clean them wellthen; and when he had done that, he bade him to sound a blast on thehorn. So the boy did that, and Oisin asked him did he see anythingstrange. "I did not, " said the boy. "Sound it again as loud as you can, "said Oisin. "That is as hard as I can sound it, and I can see nothingyet, " said the boy when he had done that. Then Oisin took the hornhimself, and he put it to his mouth, and blew three great blasts on it. "What do you see now?" he said. "I see three great clouds coming, " hesaid, "and they are settling down in the valley; and the first cloud isa flight of very big birds, and the second cloud is a flight of birdsthat are bigger again, and the third flight is of the biggest and theblackest birds the world ever saw. "

"What is the dog doing?" said Oisin. "The eyes are starting from hishead, and there is not a rib of hair on him but is standing up. " "Lethim loose now, " said Oisin. 

The dog rushed down to the valley then, and he made an attack on one ofthe birds, that was the biggest of all, and that had a shadow like acloud. And they fought a very fierce fight, but at last Bran Og made anend of the big bird, and lapped its blood. But if he did, madness cameon him, and he came rushing back towards Oisin, his jaws open and hiseyes like fire. "There is dread on me, Oisin, " said the boy, "for thedog is making for us, mad and raging. " "Take this iron ball and make acast at him when he comes near, " said Oisin. "I am in dread to do that, "said the boy. "Put it in my hand, and turn it towards him, " said Oisin. The boy did that, and Oisin made a cast of the ball that went into themouth and the throat of the dog, and choked him, and he fell down theslope, twisting and foaming. 

Then they went where the great bird was left dead, and Oisin bade thelad to cut a quarter off it with the sword, and he did so. And then hebade him cut open the body, and in it he found a rowan berry, thebiggest he had ever seen, and an ivy leaf that was bigger than thebiggest griddle. 

So Oisin turned back then, and went to where S. Patrick was, and heshowed him the quarter of the bird that was bigger than any quarter of abullock, and the rowan berry that was bigger than a churning of butter, and the leaf. "And you know now, Patrick of the Bells, " he said, "that Itold no lie; and it is what kept us all through our lifetime, " he said, "truth that was in our hearts, and strength in our arms, and fulfilmentin our tongues. "

"You told no lie indeed, " said Patrick. 

And when Oisin had no sight left at all, he used every night to put upone of the serving-men on his shoulders, and to bring him out to see howwere the cattle doing. And one night the servants had no mind to go, andthey agreed together to tell him it was a very bad night. 

And it is what the first of them said; "It is outside there is a heavysound with the heavy water dropping from the tops of trees; the sound ofthe waves is not to be heard for the loud splashing of the rain. " Andthen the next one said: "The trees of the wood are shivering, and thebirch is turning black; the snow is killing the birds; that is the storyoutside. " And the third said: "It is to the east they have turned theirface, the white snow and the dark rain; it is what is making the plainso cold is the snow that is dripping and getting hard. "

But there was a serving-girl in the house, and she said: "Rise up, Oisin, and go out to the white-headed cows, since the cold wind isplucking the trees from the hills. "

Oisin went out then, and the serving-man on his shoulders; but it iswhat the serving-man did, he brought a vessel of water and a birch broomwith him, and he was dashing water in Oisin's face, the way he wouldthink it was rain. But when they came to the pen where the cattle were, Oisin found the night was quiet, and after that he asked no more news ofthe weather from the servants. 

CHAPTER III. THE ARGUMENTS

And S. Patrick took in hand to convert Oisin, and to bring him tobaptism; but it was no easy work he had to do, and everything he wouldsay, Oisin would have an answer for it. And it is the way they used tobe talking and arguing with one another, as it was put down afterwardsby the poets of Ireland:--

PATRICK. "Oisin, it is long your sleep is. Rise up and listen to thePsalm. Your strength and your readiness are gone from you, though youused to be going into rough fights and battles. "

OLSIN. "My readiness and my strength are gone from me since Finn has noarmies living; I have no liking for clerks, their music is not sweet tome after his. "

PATRICK. "You never heard music so good from the beginning of the worldto this day; it is well you would serve an army on a hill, you that areold and silly and grey. "

OLSIN. "I used to serve an army on a hill, Patrick of the closed-upmind; it is a pity you to be faulting me; there was never shame put onme till now. 

"I have heard music was sweeter than your music, however much you arepraising your clerks: the song of the blackbird in Leiter Laoi, and thesound of the Dord Fiann; the very sweet thrush of the Valley of theShadow, or the sound of the boats striking the strand. The cry of thehounds was better to me than the noise of your schools, Patrick. 

"Little Nut, little Nut of my heart, the little dwarf that was withFinn, when he would make tunes and songs he would put us all into deepsleep. 

"The twelve hounds that belonged to Finn, the time they would be letloose facing out from the Siuir, their cry was sweeter than harps andthan pipes. 

"I have a little story about Finn; we were but fifteen men; we took theKing of the Saxons of the feats, and we won a battle against the King ofGreece. 

"We fought nine battles in Spain, and nine times twenty battles inIreland; from Lochlann and from the eastern world there was a share ofgold coming to Finn. 

"My grief! I to be stopping after him, and without delight in games orin music; to be withering away after my comrades; my grief it is to beliving. I and the clerks of the Mass books are two that can never agree. 

"If Finn and the Fianna were living, I would leave the clerks and thebells; I would follow the deer through the valleys, I would like to beclose on his track. 

"Ask Heaven of God, Patrick, for Finn of the Fianna and his race; makeprayers for the great man; you never heard of his like. "

PATRICK. "I will not ask Heaven for Finn, man of good wit that my angeris rising against, since his delight was to be living in valleys withthe noise of hunts. "

OISIN. "If you had been in company with the Fianna, Patrick of thejoyless clerks and of the bells, you would not be attending on schoolsor giving heed to God. "

PATRICK. "I would not part from the Son of God for all that have livedeast or west; O Oisin, O shaking poet, there will harm come on you insatisfaction for the priests. "

OISIN. "It was a delight to Finn the cry of his hounds on the mountains, the wild dogs leaving their harbours, the pride of his armies, thosewere his delights. "

PATRICK. "There was many a thing Finn took delight in, and there is notmuch heed given to it after him; Finn and his hounds are not living now, and you yourself will not always be living, Oisin. "

OISIN. "There is a greater story of Finn than of us, or of any that havelived in our time; all that are gone and all that are living, Finn wasbetter to give out gold than themselves. "

PATRICK. "All the gold you and Finn used to be giving out, it is littleit does for you now; he is in Hell in bonds because he did treachery andoppression. "

OISIN. "It is little I believe of your truth, man from Rome with thewhite books, Finn the open-handed head of the Fianna to be in the handsof devils or demons. "

PATRICK. "Finn is in bonds in Hell, the pleasant man that gave outgold; in satisfaction for his disrespect to God, he is under grief inthe house of pain. "

OISIN. "If the sons of Morna were within it, or the strong men of thesons of Baiscne, they would take Finn out of it, or they would have thehouse for themselves. "

PATRICK. "If the five provinces of Ireland were within it, or the strongseven battalions of the Fianna, they would not be able to bring Finn outof it, however great their strength might be. "

OISIN. "If Faolan and Goll were living, and brown-haired Diarmuid andbrave Osgar, Finn of the Fianna could not be held in any house that wasmade by God or devils. "

PATRICK. "If Faolan and Goll were living, and all the Fianna that everwere, they could not bring out Finn from the house where he is in pain. "

OISIN. "What did Finn do against God but to be attending on schools andon armies? Giving gold through a great part of his time, and for anotherwhile trying his hounds. "

PATRICK. "In payment for thinking of his hounds and for serving theschools of the poets, and because he gave no heed to God, Finn of theFianna is held down. "

OISIN. "You say, Patrick of the Psalms, that the Fianna could not takeout Finn, or the five provinces of Ireland along with them. 

"I have a little story about Finn. We were but fifteen men when we tookthe King of Britain of the feasts by the strength of our spears and ourown strength. 

"We took Magnus the great, the son of the King of Lochlann of thespeckled ships; we came back no way sorry or tired, we put our rent onfar places. 

"O Patrick, the story is pitiful, the King of the Fianna to be underlocks; a heart without envy, without hatred, a heart hard in earningvictory. 

"It is an injustice, God to be unwilling to give food and riches; Finnnever refused strong or poor, although cold Hell is now hisdwelling-place. 

"It is what Finn had a mind for, to be listening to the sound of DruimDearg; to sleep at the stream of Ess Ruadh, to be hunting the deer ofGallimh of the bays. 

"The cries of the blackbird of Leiter Laoi, the wave of Rudraighebeating the strand, the bellowing of the ox of Magh Maoin, the lowing ofthe calf of Gleann da Mhail. 

"The noise of the hunt on Slieve Crot, the sound of the fawns roundSlieve Cua, the scream of the sea-gulls there beyond on Iorrus, thescreech of the crows over the battle. 

"The waves vexing the breasts of the boats, the howling of the hounds atDruim Lis; the voice of Bran on Cnoc-an-Air, the outcry of the streamsabout Slieve Mis. 

"The call of Osgar going to the hunt; the voice of the hounds on theroad of the Fianna, to be listening to them and to the poets, that wasalways his desire. 

"A desire of the desires of Osgar was to listen to the striking ofshields; to be hacking at bones in a battle, it is what he had a mindfor always. 

"We went westward one time to hunt at Formaid of the Fianna, to see thefirst running of our hounds. 

"It was Finn was holding Bran, and it is with myself Sceolan was;Diarmuid of the Women had Fearan, and Osgar had lucky Adhnuall. 

"Conan the Bald had Searc; Caoilte, son of Ronan, had Daol; Lugaidh'sSon and Goll were holding Fuaim and Fothran. 

"That was the first day we loosed out a share of our hounds to ahunting; and Och! Patrick, of all that were in it, there is not one leftliving but myself. 

"O Patrick, it is a pity the way I am now, a spent old man withoutsway, without quickness, without strength, going to Mass at the altar. 

"Without the great deer of Slieve Luchra; without the hares of SlieveCuilinn; without going into fights with Finn; without listening to thepoets. 

"Without battles, without taking of spoils; without playing at nimblefeats; without going courting or hunting, two trades that were mydelight. "

PATRICK. "Leave off, old man, leave your foolishness; let what you havedone be enough for you from this out. Think on the pains that are beforeyou; the Fianna are gone, and you yourself will be going. "

OISIN. "If I go, may yourself not be left after me, Patrick of thehindering heart; if Conan, the least of the Fianna, were living, yourbuzzing would not be left long to you. "

"Or if this was the day I gave ten hundred cows to the headless womanthat came to the Valley of the Two Oxen; the birds of the air broughtaway the ring I gave her, I never knew where she went herself from me. "

PATRICK. "That is little to trouble you, Oisin; it was but for a whileshe was with you; it is better for you to be as you are than to be amongthem again. "

OISIN. "O Son of Calphurn of the friendly talk, it is a pity for himthat gives respect to clerks and bells; I and Caoilte my friend, we werenot poor when we were together. 

"The music that put Finn to his sleep was the cackling of the ducks fromthe lake of the Three Narrows; the scolding talk of the blackbird ofDoire an Cairn, the bellowing of the ox from the Valley of the Berries. 

"The whistle of the eagle from the Valley of Victories, or from therough branches of the ridge by the stream; the grouse of the heather ofCruachan; the call of the otter of Druim-re-Coir. 

"The song of the blackbird of Doire an Cairn indeed I never heardsweeter music, if I could be under its nest. 

"My grief that I ever took baptism; it is little credit I got by it, being without food, without drink, doing fasting and praying. "

PATRICK. "In my opinion it did not harm you, old man; you will get ninescore cakes of bread, wine and meat to put a taste on it; it is bad talkyou are giving. "

OISIN. "This mouth that is talking with you, may it never confess to apriest, if I would not sooner have the leavings of Finn's house than ashare of your own meals. "

PATRICK. "He got but what he gathered from the banks, or whatever hecould kill on the rough hills; he got hell at the last because of hisunbelief. "

OISIN. "That was not the way with us at all, but our fill of wine and ofmeat; justice and a right beginning at the feasts, sweet drinks andevery one drinking them. 

"It is fretting after Diarmuid and Goll I am, and after Fergus of theTrue Lips, the time you will not let me be speaking of them, O newPatrick from Rome. "

PATRICK. "We would give you leave to be speaking of them, but first youshould give heed to God. Since you are now at the end of your days, leave your foolishness, weak old man. "

OISIN. "O Patrick, tell me as a secret, since it is you have the bestknowledge, will my dog or my hound be let in with me to the court of theKing of Grace?"

PATRICK. "Old man in your foolishness that I cannot put any bounds to, your dog or your hound will not be let in with you to the court of theKing of Power. "

OISIN. "If I had acquaintance with God, and my hound to be at hand, Iwould make whoever gave food to myself give a share to my hound as well. 

"One strong champion that was with the Fianna of Ireland would be betterthan the Lord of Piety, and than you yourself, Patrick. "

PATRICK. "O Oisin of the sharp blades, it is mad words you are saying. God is better for one day than the whole of the Fianna of Ireland. "

OISIN. "Though I am now without sway and my life is spent to the end, donot put abuse, Patrick, on the great men of the sons of Baiscne. 

"If I had Conan with me, the man that used to be running down theFianna, it is he would break your head within among your clerks and yourpriests. "

PATRICK. "It is a silly thing, old man, to be talking always of theFianna; remember your end is come, and take the Son of God to help you. "

OISIN. "I used to sleep out on the mountain under the grey dew; I wasnever used to go to bed without food, while there was a deer on the hillbeyond. "

PATRICK. "You are astray at the end of your life between the straightway and the crooked. Keep out from the crooked path of pains, and theangels of God will come beneath your head. "

OISIN. "If myself and open-handed Fergus and Diarmuid were together nowon this spot, we would go in every path we ever went in, and ask noleave of the priests. "

PATRICK. "Leave off, Oisin; do not be speaking against the priests thatare telling the word of God in every place. Unless you leave off yourdaring talk, it is great pain you will have in the end. "

OISIN. "When myself and the leader of the Fianna were looking for a boarin a valley, it was worse to me not to see it than all your clerks to bewithout their heads. "

PATRICK. "It is pitiful seeing you without sense; that is worse to youthan your blindness; if you were to get sight within you, it is greatyour desire would be for Heaven. "

OISIN. "It is little good it would be to me to be sitting in that city, without Caoilte, without Osgar, without my father being with me. 

"The leap of the buck would be better to me, or the sight of badgersbetween two valleys, than all your mouth is promising me, and all thedelights I could get in Heaven. "

PATRICK. "Your thoughts are foolish, they will come to nothing; yourpleasure and your mirth are gone. Unless you will take my adviceto-night, you will not get leave on this side or that. "

OISIN. "If myself and the Fianna were on the top of a hill to-daydrawing our spear-heads, we would have our choice of being here or therein spite of books and priests and bells. "

PATRICK. "You were like the smoke of a wisp, or like a stream in avalley, or like a whirling wind on the top of a hill, every tribe of youthat ever lived. "

OISIN. "If I was in company with the people of strong arms, the way Iwas at Bearna da Coill, I would sooner be looking at them than at thistroop of the crooked croziers. 

"If I had Scolb Sceine with me, or Osgar, that was smart in battles, Iwould not be without meat to-night at the sound of the bell of the seventolls. "

PATRICK. "Oisin, since your wits are gone from you be glad at what Isay; it is certain to me you will leave the Fianna and that you willreceive the God of the stars. "

OISIN. "There is wonder on me at your hasty talk, priest that hastravelled in every part, to say that I would part from the Fianna, agenerous people, never niggardly. "

PATRICK. "If you saw the people of God, the way they are settled atfeasts, every good thing is more plentiful with them than with Finn'speople, however great their name was. 

"Finn and the Fianna are lying now very sorrowful on the flag-stone ofpain; take the Son of God in their place; make your repentance and donot lose Heaven. "

OISIN. "I do not believe your talk now. O Patrick of the crooked staves, Finn and the Fianna to be there within, unless they find pleasure beingin it. "

PATRICK. "Make right repentance now, before you know when your end iscoming; God is better for one hour than the whole of the Fianna ofIreland. "

OISIN. "That is a daring answer to make to me, Patrick of the crookedcrozier; your crozier would be in little bits if I had Osgar with menow. 

"If my son Osgar and God were hand to hand on the Hill of the Fianna, ifI saw my son put down, I would say that God was a strong man. 

"How could it be that God or his priests could be better men than Finn, the King of the Fianna, a generous man without crookedness. 

"If there was a place above or below better than the Heaven of God, itis there Finn would go, and all that are with him of his people. 

"You say that a generous man never goes to the hell of pain; there wasnot one among the Fianna that was not generous to all. 

"Ask of God, Patrick, does He remember when the Fianna were alive, orhas He seen east or west any man better than themselves in theirfighting. 

"The Fianna used not to be saying treachery; we never had the name oftelling lies. By truth and the strength of our hands we came safe out ofevery battle. 

"There never sat a priest in a church, though you think it sweet to besinging psalms, was better to his word than the Fianna, or more generousthan Finn himself. 

"If my comrades were living to-night, I would take no pleasure in yourcrooning in the church; as they are not living now, the rough voice ofthe bells has deafened me. 

"Och! in the place of battles and heavy fights, where I used to have myplace and to take my pleasure, the crozier of Patrick being carried, andhis clerks at their quarrelling. 

"Och! slothful, cheerless Conan, it is great abuse I used to be givingyou; why do you not come to see me now? you would get leave for makingfun and reviling through the whole of the niggardly clerks. 

"Och! where are the strong men gone that they do not come together tohelp me! O Osgar of the sharp sword of victory, come and free yourfather from his bonds!

"Where is the strong son of Lugaidh? Och! Diarmuid of all the women!Och! Caoilte, son of Ronan, think of our love, and travel to me!"

PATRICK. "Stop your talk, you withered, witless old man; it is my Kingthat made the Heavens, it is He that gives blossom to the trees, it isHe made the moon and the sun, the fields and the grass. "

OISIN. "It was not in shaping fields and grass that my king took hisdelight, but in overthrowing fighting men, and defending countries, andbringing his name into every part. 

"In courting, in playing, in hunting, in baring his banner at the firstof a fight; in playing at chess, at swimming, in looking around him atthe drinking-hall. 

"O Patrick, where was your God when the two came over the sea thatbrought away the queen of Lochlann of the Ships? Where was He when Deargcame, the son of the King of Lochlann of the golden shields? Why did notthe King of Heaven protect them from the blows of the big man?

"Or when Tailc, son of Treon, came, the man that did great slaughter onthe Fianna; it was not by God that champion fell, but by Osgar, in thesight of all. 

"Many a battle and many a victory was gained by the Fianna of Ireland; Inever heard any great deed was done by the King of Saints, or that Heever reddened His hand. 

"It would be a great shame for God not to take the locks of pain offFinn; if God Himself were in bonds, my king would fight for His sake. 

"Finn left no one in pain or in danger without freeing him by silver orgold, or by fighting till he got the victory. 

"For the strength of your love, Patrick, do not forsake the great men;bring in the Fianna unknown to the King of Heaven. 

"It is a good claim I have on your God, to be among his clerks the way Iam; without food, without clothing, without music, without givingrewards to poets. 

"Without the cry of the hounds or the horns, without guarding coasts, without courting generous women; for all that I have suffered by thewant of food, I forgive the King of Heaven in my will. "

Oisin said: "My story is sorrowful. The sound of your voice is notpleasant to me. I will cry my fill, but not for God, but because Finnand the Fianna are not living. "

CHAPTER IV. OISIN'S LAMENTS

And Oisin used to be making laments, and sometimes he would be makingpraises of the old times and of Finn; and these are some of them thatare remembered yet:--

 I saw the household of Finn; it was not the household of a soft race; I had a vision of that man yesterday. 

 I saw the household of the High King, he with the brown, sweet-voiced son; I never saw a better man. 

 I saw the household of Finn; no one saw it as I saw it; I saw Finn with the sword, Mac an Luin. Och! it was sorrowful to see it. 

 I cannot tell out every harm that is on my head; free us from our trouble for ever; I have seen the household of Finn. 

It is a week from yesterday I last saw Finn; I never saw a braver man. Aking of heavy blows; my law, my adviser, my sense and my wisdom, princeand poet, braver than kings, King of the Fianna, brave in all countries;golden salmon of the sea, clean hawk of the air, rightly taught, avoiding lies; strong in his doings, a right judge, ready in courage, ahigh messenger in bravery and in music. 

His skin lime-white, his hair golden; ready to work, gentle to women. His great green vessels full of rough sharp wine, it is rich the kingwas, the head of his people. 

Seven sides Finn's house had, and seven score shields on every side. Fifty fighting men he had about him having woollen cloaks; ten brightdrinking-cups in his hall; ten blue vessels, ten golden horns. 

It is a good household Finn had, without grudging, without lust, withoutvain boasting, without chattering, without any slur on any one of theFianna. 

Finn never refused any man; he never put away any one that came to hishouse. If the brown leaves falling in the woods were gold, if the whitewaves were silver, Finn would have given away the whole of it. 

Blackbird of Doire an Chairn, your voice is sweet; I never heard on anyheight of the world music was sweeter than your voice, and you at thefoot of your nest. 

The music is sweetest in the world, it is a pity not to be listening toit for a while, O son of Calphurn of the sweet bells, and you wouldovertake your nones again. 

If you knew the story of the bird the way I know it, you would be cryinglasting tears, and you would give no heed to your God for a while. 

In the country of Lochlann of the blue streams, Finn, son of Cumhal, ofthe red-gold cups, found that bird you hear now; I will tell you itsstory truly. 

Doire an Chairn, that wood there to the west, where the Fianna used tobe delaying, it is there they put the blackbird, in the beauty of thepleasant trees. 

The stag of the heather of quiet Cruachan, the sorrowful croak from theridge of the Two Lakes; the voice of the eagle of the Valley of theShapes, the voice of the cuckoo on the Hill of Brambles. 

The voice of the hounds in the pleasant valley; the scream of the eagleon the edge of the wood; the early outcry of the hounds going over theStrand of the Red Stones. 

The time Finn lived and the Fianna, it was sweet to them to be listeningto the whistle of the blackbird; the voice of the bells would not havebeen sweet to them. 

There was no one of the Fianna without his fine silken shirt and hissoft coat, without bright armour, without shining stones on his head, two spears in his hand, and a shield that brought victory. 

If you were to search the world you would not find a harder man, best ofblood, best in battle; no one got the upper hand of him. When he wentout trying his white hound, which of us could be put beside Finn?

One time we went hunting on Slieve-nam-ban; the sun was beautifuloverhead, the voice of the hounds went east and west, from hill to hill. Finn and Bran sat for a while on the hill, every man was jealous for thehunt. We let out three thousand hounds from their golden chains; everyhound of them brought down two deer. 

Patrick of the true crozier, did you ever see, east or west, a greaterhunt than that hunt of Finn and the Fianna? O son of Calphurn of thebells, that day was better to me than to be listening to yourlamentations in the church. 

 * * * * *

There is no strength in my hands to-night, there is no power within me;it is no wonder I to be sorowful, being thrown down in the sorrow of oldage. 

Everything is a grief to me beyond any other man on the face of theearth, to be dragging stones along to the church and the hill of thepriests. 

I have a little story of our people. One time Finn had a mind to make adun on the bald hill of Cuailgne, and he put it on the Fianna of Irelandto bring stones for building it; a third on the sons of Morna, a thirdon myself, and a third on the sons of Baiscne. 

I gave an answer to Finn, son of Cumhal; I said I would be under hissway no longer, and that I would obey him no more. 

When Finn heard that, he was silent a long time, the man without a He, without fear. And he said to me then: "You yourself will be draggingstones before your death comes to you. "

I rose up then with anger on me, and there followed me the fourth of thebrave battalions of the Fianna. I gave my own judgments, there were manyof the Fianna with me. 

Now my strength is gone from me, I that was adviser to the Fianna; mywhole body is tired to-night, my hands, my feet, and my head, tired, tired, tired. 

It is bad the way I am after Finn of the Fianna; since he is gone away, every good is behind me. 

Without great people, without mannerly ways; it is sorrowful I am afterour king that is gone. 

I am a shaking tree, my leaves gone from me; an empty nut, a horsewithout a bridle; a people without a dwelling-place, I Oisin, son ofFinn. 

 * * * * *

It is long the clouds are over me to-night! it is long last night was;although this day is long, yesterday was longer again to me; every daythat comes is long to me!

That is not the way I used to be, without fighting, without battles, without learning feats, without young girls, without music, withoutharps, without bruising bones, without great deeds; without increase oflearning, without generosity, without drinking at feasts, withoutcourting, without hunting, the two trades I was used to; without goingout to battle, Ochone! the want of them is sorrowful to me. 

No hunting of deer or stag, it is not like that I would wish to be; noleashes for our hounds, no hounds; it is long the clouds are over meto-night!

Without rising up to do bravery as we were used, without playing as wehad a mind; without swimming of our fighting men in the lake; it is longthe clouds are over me to-night!

There is no one at all in the world the way I am; it is a pity the way Iam; an old man dragging stones; it is long the clouds are over meto-night!

I am the last of the Fianna, great Oisin, son of Finn, listening to thevoice of bells; it is long the clouds are over me to-night!

NOTES

I. THE APOLOGY

The Irish text of the greater number of the stories in this book hasbeen published, and from this text I have worked, making my owntranslation as far as my scholarship goes, and when it fails, taking themeaning given by better scholars. In some cases the Irish text has notbeen printed, and I have had to work by comparing and piecing togethervarious translations. I have had to put a connecting sentence of my ownhere and there, and I have fused different versions together, andcondensed many passages, and I have left out many, using the choice thatis a perpetual refusing, in trying to get some clear outline of thedoings of the heroes. 

I have found it more natural to tell the stories in the manner of thethatched houses, where I have heard so many legends of Finn and hisfriends, and Oisin and Patrick, and the Ever-Living Ones, and theCountry of the Young, rather than in the manner of the slated houses, where I have not heard them. 

Four years ago, Dr Atkinson, a Professor of Trinity College, Dublin, inhis evidence before the Commission of Intermediate Education, said ofthe old literature of Ireland:--"It has scarcely been touched by themovements of the great literatures; it is the untrained popular feeling. Therefore it is almost intolerably low in tone--I do not mean naughty, but low; and every now and then, when the circumstance occasions it, itgoes down lower than low . .. If I read the books in the Greek, the Latinor the French course, in almost every one of them there is somethingwith an ideal ring about it--something that I can read with positivepleasure--something that has what the child might take with him as a[Greek: ktêma eis dei]--a perpetual treasure; but if I read the Irishbooks, I see nothing ideal in them, and my astonishment is that throughthe whole range of Irish literature that I have read (and I have readan enormous range of it), the smallness of the element of idealism ismost noticeable . .. And as there is very little idealism there is verylittle imagination . .. The Irish tales as a rule are devoid of itfundamentally. "

Dr Atkinson is an Englishman, but unfortunately not onlyfellow-professors in Trinity but undergraduates there have beeninfluenced by his opinion, that Irish literature is a thing to bedespised. I do not quote his words to draw attention to a battle that isstill being fought, but to explain my own object in working, as I haveworked ever since that evidence was given, to make a part of Irishliterature accessible to many, especially among my young countrymen, whohave not opportunity to read the translations of the chief scholars, scattered here and there in learned periodicals, or patience and time todisentangle overlapping and contradictory versions, that they may judgefor themselves as to its "lowness" and "want of imagination, " and theother well-known charges brought against it before the same Commission. 

I believe that those who have once learned to care for the story ofCuchulain of Muirthemne, and of Finn and Lugh and Etain, and torecognise the enduring belief in an invisible world and an immortal lifebehind the visible and the mortal, will not be content with myredaction, but will go, first to the fuller versions of the bestscholars, and then to the manuscripts themselves. I believe the fortystudents of old Irish lately called together by Professor Kuno Meyerwill not rest satisfied until they have explored the scores and scoresof uncatalogued and untranslated manuscripts in Trinity College Library, and that the enthusiasm which the Gaelic League has given birth to willlead to much fine scholarship. 

A day or two ago I had a letter from one of the best Greek scholars andtranslators in England, who says of my "Cuchulain": "It opened up agreat world of beautiful legend which, though accounting myself as anIrishman, I had never known at all. I am sending out copies to Irishfriends in Australia who, I am sure, will receive the same sort ofimpression, almost an impression of pride in the beauty of the Irishmind, as I received myself. " And President Roosevelt wrote to me alittle time ago that after he had read "Cuchulain of Muirthemne, " he hadsent for all the other translations from the Irish he could get, to takeon his journey to the Western States. 

I give these appreciative words not, I think, from vanity, for they arenot for me but for my material, to show the effect our old literaturehas on those who come fresh to it, and that they do not complain of its"want of imagination. " I am, of course, very proud and glad in havinghad the opportunity of helping to make it known, and the task has beenpleasant, although toil-some. Just now, indeed, on the 6th October, I amtired enough, and I think with sympathy of the old Highland piper, whocomplained that he was "withered with yelping the seven Fenianbattalions. "

II. THE AGE AND ORIGIN OF THE STORIES OF THE FIANNA

Mr Alfred Nutt says in _Ossian and the Ossianic Literature, _ No. 3 ofhis excellent series of sixpenny pamphlets, _Popular Studies inMythology, Romance, and Folklore_:--

"The body of Gaelic literature connected with the name of Ossian is ofvery considerable extent and of respectable antiquity. The oldest texts, prose for the most part, but also in verse, are preserved in Irish MSS. Of the eleventh and twelfth centuries, and go back to a period from onehundred and fifty to two hundred and fifty years older at least. Thebulk of Ossianic literature is, however, of later date as far as theform under which it has come down to us is concerned. A number ofimportant texts, prose for the most part, are preserved in MSS. Of thefourteenth century, but were probably redacted in the thirteenth andtwelfth centuries. But by far the largest mass consists of narrativepoems, as a rule dramatic in structure. These have come down to us inMSS. Written in Scotland from the end of the fifteenth to the middle ofthe seventeenth century, in Ireland from the sixteenth down to themiddle of the nineteenth century. The Gaelic-speaking peasantry, alikein Ireland and Scotland, have preserved orally a large number of theseballads, as also a great mass of prose narratives, the heroes of whichare Ossian and his comrades. 

"Were all Ossianic texts preserved in MSS. Older than the presentcentury to be printed, they would fill some eight to ten thousand octavopages. The mere bulk of the literature, even if we allow forconsiderable repetition of incident, arrests attention. If we furtherrecall that for the last five hundred years this body of romance hasformed the chief imaginative recreation of Gaeldom, alike in Ireland andScotland, and that a peasantry unable to read or write has yet preservedit almost entire, its claims to consideration and study will appearmanifest. "

He then goes on to discuss how far the incidents in the stories can beaccepted as they were accepted by Irish historical writers of theeleventh century as authentic history:--

"Fortunately there is little need for me to discuss the credibility orotherwise of the historic records concerning Finn, his family, and hisband of warriors. They may be accepted or rejected according toindividual bent of mind without really modifying our view of theliterature. For when we turn to the romances, whether in prose or verse, we find that, although the history is professedly the same as that ofthe Annals, firstly, we are transported to a world entirely romantic, inwhich divine and semi-divine beings, ungainly monsters and giants, play aprominent part, in which men and women change shapes with animals, inwhich the lives of the heroes are miraculously prolonged--in short, wefind ourselves in a land of Faery; secondly, we find that the historicconditions in which the heroes are represented as living do not, for themost part, answer to anything we know or can surmise of the thirdcentury. For Finn and his warriors are perpetually on the watch to guardIreland against the attacks of over-sea raiders, styled Lochlannac bythe narrators, and by them undoubtedly thought of as Norsemen. But thelatter, as is well known, only came to Ireland at the close of theeighth century, and the heroic period of their invasions extended forabout a century, from 825 to 925; to be followed by a period ofcomparative settlement during the tenth century, until at the opening ofthe eleventh century the battle of Clontarf, fought by Brian, the greatSouth Irish chieftain, marked the break-up of the separate Teutonicorganisations and the absorption of the Teutons into the fabric of Irishlife. In these pages then we may disregard the otherwise interestingquestion of historic credibility in the Ossianic romances: firstly, because they have their being in a land unaffected by fact; secondly, because if they ever did reflect the history of the third century thereflection was distorted in after-times, and a pseudo-history based uponevents of the ninth and tenth centuries was substituted for it. What thehistorian seeks for in legend is far more a picture of the society inwhich it took rise than a record of the events which it commemorates. "

In a later part of the pamphlet Mr Nutt discusses such questions aswhether we may look for examples of third-century customs in thestories, what part of the stories first found their way into writing, whether the Oisin and Patrick dialogues were written under the influenceof actual Pagan feeling persisting from Pagan times, or whether "achange came over the feeling of Gaeldom during the fourteenth andfifteenth centuries, " when the Oisin and Patrick dialogues in theirpresent form began to be written. His final summing-up is that"well-nigh the same stories that were told of Finn and his warriorbraves by the Gael of the eleventh century are told in well-nigh thesame way by his descendant to-day. " Mr Nutt does not enquire how longthe stories may have been told before the first story was written down. Larminie, however, whose early death was the first great loss of ourintellectual movement, pushes them backward for untold ages in theintroduction to his _West Irish Folk Tales and Romances_. He builds up adetailed and careful argument, for which I must refer readers to hisbook, to prove that the Scottish Highlands and Ireland have receivedtheir folk-lore both from "Aryan and Non-Aryan sources, " and that in theHighlands there is more non-Aryan influence and more non-Aryan bloodthan in Ireland. He argues that nothing is more improbable than that allfolk-tales are Aryan, as has sometimes been supposed, and sums up asfollows:--

"They bear the stamp of the genius of more than one race. The pure andplacid but often cold imagination of the Aryan has been at work on some. In others we trace the more picturesque fancy, the fierceness andsensuality, the greater sense of artistic elegance belonging to raceswhom the Aryan, in spite of his occasional faults of hardness andcoarseness, has, on the whole, left behind him. But as the greatestresults in the realm of the highest art have always been achieved in thecase of certain blends of Aryan with other blood, I should hardly deemit extravagant if it were asserted that in the humbler regions of thefolk-tale we might trace the working of the same law. The process whichhas gone on may in part have been as follows:--Every race which hasacquired very definite characteristics must have been for a long timeisolated. The Aryans during their period of isolation probably developedmany of their folk-germs into their larger myths, owing to the greaterconstructiveness of their imagination, and thus, in a way, they used uppart of their material. Afterwards, when they became blended with otherraces less advanced, they acquired fresh material to work on. We have inIreland an instance to hand, of which a brief discussion may help toillustrate the whole race theory. 

"The larger Irish legendary literature divides itself into threecycles--the divine, the heroic, the Fenian. Of these three the last isso well-known orally in Scotland that it has been a matter of dispute towhich country it really belongs. It belongs, in fact, to both. Here, however, comes in a strange contrast with the other cycles. The firstis, so far as I am aware, wholly unknown in Scotland, the secondcomparatively unknown. What is the explanation? Professor Zimmer nothaving established his late-historical view as regards Finn, and thegeneral opinion among scholars having tended of recent years towards themythical view, we want to know why there is so much more community inone case than in the other. Mr O'Grady long since seeing thisdifficulty, and then believing Finn to be historical, was induced toplace the latter in point of time before Cuchulain and his compeers. Butthis view is of course inadmissible when Finn is seen not to behistorical at all. There remains but one explanation. The various bodiesof legend in question are, so far as Ireland is concerned, only earlieror later, as they came into the island with the various races to whichthey belonged. The wider prevalence, then, of the Finn Saga wouldindicate that it belonged to an early race occupying both Ireland andScotland. Then entered the Aryan Gael, and for him henceforth, as theruler of the island, his own gods and heroes were sung by his own bards. His legends became the subject of what I may call the court poetry, thearistocratic literature. When he conquered Scotland, he took with himhis own gods and heroes; but in the latter country the bardic systemnever became established, and hence we find but feeble echoes of theheroic cycle among the mountains of the North. That this is theexplanation is shown by what took place in Ireland. Here the heroiccycle has been handed down in remembrance almost solely by the bardicliterature. The popular memory retains but few traces of it. Itsessentially aristocratic character is shown by the fact that the peoplehave all but forgotten it, if they ever knew it. But the Fenian cyclehas not been forgotten. Prevailing everywhere, still cherished by theconquered peoples, it held its ground in Scotland and Ireland alike, forcing its way in the latter country even into the written literature, and so securing a twofold lease of existence . .. The Fenian cycle, in aword, is non-Aryan folk-literature partially subjected to Aryantreatment. "

The whole problem is extremely complex, and several other writers havewritten upon it. Mr Borlase, for instance, has argued in his big book onthe Dolmens that the cromlechs, and presumably the Diarmuid and Cranialegend, is connected with old religious rites of an erotic nature comingdown from a very primitive state of society. 

I have come to my own conclusion not so much because of any weight ofargument, as because I found it impossible to arrange the stories in acoherent form so long as I considered them a part of history. I tried towork on the foundation of the Annalists, and fit the Fianna into adefinite historical epoch, but the whole story seemed trivial andincoherent until I began to think of them as almost contemporaneous withthe battle of Magh Tuireadh, which even the Annalists put back intomythical ages. In this I have only followed some of the story-tellers, who have made the mother of Lugh of the Long Hand the grandmother ofFinn, and given him a shield soaked with the blood of Balor. I cannotthink of any of the stories as having had a modern origin, or that thecentury in which each was written down gives any evidence as to its age. "How Diarmuid got his Love-Spot, " for instance, which was taken downonly a few years ago from some old man's recitation by Dr Hyde, may wellbe as old as "Finn and the Phantoms, " which is in one of the earliestmanuscripts. It seems to me that one cannot choose any definite periodeither from the vast living mass of folk-lore in the country or from thewritten text, and that there is as good evidence of Finn being of theblood of the gods as of his being, as some of the people tell me, "theson of an O'Shaughnessy who lived at Kiltartan Cross. "

Dr Douglas Hyde, although he placed the Fenian after the Cuchulain cyclein his _History of Irish Literature_, has allowed me to print thisnote:--

"While believing in the real objective existence of the Fenians as abody of Janissaries who actually lived, ruled, and hunted in KingCormac's time, I think it equally certain that hundreds of stories, traits, and legends far older and more primitive than any to which theythemselves could have given rise, have clustered about them. There isprobably as large a bulk of primitive mythology to be found in the Finnlegend as in that of the Red Branch itself. The story of the Fenians wasa kind of nucleus to which a vast amount of the flotsam and jetsam of afar older period attached itself, and has thus been preserved. "

As I found it impossible to give that historical date to the stories, I, while not adding in anything to support my theory, left out such namesas those of Cormac and Art, and such more or less historical personages, substituting "the High King. " And in the "Battle of the White Strand, " Ileft out the name of Caelur, Tadg's wife, because I had already followedanother chronicler in giving him Ethlinn for a wife. In the earlier partI have given back to Angus Og the name of "The Disturber, " which had, asI believe, strayed from him to the Saint of the same name. 

III. THE AUTHORITIES

The following is a list of the authorities I have been chiefly helped byin putting these stories together and in translation of the text. But Icannot make it quite accurate, for I have sometimes transferred a merephrase, sometimes a whole passage from one story to another, where itseemed to fit better. I have sometimes, in the second part of the book, used stories preserved in the Scottish Gaelic, as will be seen by myreferences. I am obliged to write these notes away from libraries, andcannot verify them, but I think they are fairly correct. 

PART ONE. BOOKS ONE, TWO, AND THREE

THE COMING OF THE TUATHA DE DANAAN, AND LUGH OFTHE LONG HAND, AND THE COMING OF THE GAEL. -- O'Curry, _Manners and Customs of the Ancient Irish_; _MSS. Materials_; _Atlantis_; De Jubainville, _Cycle Mythologique_; Hennessy, _Chronicum Scotorum_; Atkinson, _Book of Leinster_; _Annals of the Four Masters_; Nennius, _Hist, Brit. _ (Irish Version); Zimmer, _Glossae Hibernacae_; Whitley Stokes, _Three Irish Glossaries_; _Revue Celtique_ and _Irische Texte_; _Gaedelica_; Nutt, _Voyage of Bran_; _Proceedings Ossianic Societ_; O'Beirne Crowe, _Amra Columcille_; Dean of Lismore's Book; Windisch, _Irische Texte_; Hennessy and others in _Revue Celtique_; _Kilkenny Archaeological Journal_; Keatinge's _History_; _Ogyia_; Curtin's _Folk Tales_; _Proceedings Royal Irish Academy_, MSS. Series; Dr Sigerson, _Bards of Gael and Gall_; Miscellanies, _Celtic Society_. 

BOOK FOUR

THE EVER-LIVING LIVING ONES

I have used many of the above, and for separate stories, I maygive these authorities:--

MIDHIR AND ETAIN. -- O'Curry, _Manners and Customs_; Whitley Stokes, _Dinnsenchus_; Müller, _Revue Celtique_; Nutt, _Voyage of Bran_; De Jubainville, _Epopée Celtique_; Standish Hayes O'Grady, MS. Lent me by him. 

MANANNAN AT PLAY. -- S. Hayes O'Grady, _Silva Gaedelica_. 

HIS CALL TO BRAN. -- Professor Kuno Meyer in Nutt's _Voyage of Bran_; S. Hayes O'Grady, _Silva Gaedelica_; De Jubainville, _Cycle Mythologique_. 

HIS THREE CALLS TO CORMAC. -- Whitley Stokes, _Irische Texte_. 

CLIODNA'S WAVE. -- S. Hayes O'Grady, _Silva Gaedelica_; Whitley Stokes, _Dinnsenchus_. 

HIS CALL TO CONNLA. -- O'Beirne Crowe, _Kilkenny Arch. Journal_; Windisch, _Irische Texte_. 

TADG IN THE ISLANDS. -- S. Hayes O'Grady, _Silva Gaedelica_. 

LAEGAIRE IN THE HAPPY PLAIN. -- S. H. O'Grady, _Silva Gaedelica_; Kuno Meyer in Nutt's _Voyage of Bran_. 

FATE OF THE CHILDREN OF LIR. -- O'Curry, _Atlantis_. 

PART TWO. THE FIANNA

THE COMING OF FINN, AND FINN'S HOUSEHOLD. -- _Proceedings Ossianic Society_; Kuno Meyer, _Four Songs of Summer and Winter_; _Revue Celtique_; S. Hayes O'Grady, _Silva Gaedelica_; Curtin's _Folk Tales_. 

BIRTH OF BRAN. -- _Proc. Ossianic Society_. 

OISIN'S MOTHER. -- Kennedy, _Legendary Fictions Irish Celts_; Mac Innis; _Leabhar na Feinne_. 

BEST MEN OF THE FIANNA. -- Dean of Lismore's Book; _Silva Gaedelica; Leabhar na Feinne_. 

LAD OF THE SKINS. -- _Waifs and Strays of Celtic Tradition_; Larminie's _Folk Tales_; Curtin's _Tales_. 

THE HOUND. -- _Silva Gaedelica_; Whitley Stokes, _Dinnsenchus_. 

RED RIDGE. -- _Silva Gaedelica_. 

BATTLE OF THE WHITE STRAND. -- Kuno Meyer, _Anec. Oxonienses_; Hanmer's _Chronicle_; Dean of Lismore; Curtin's _Tales_; _Silva Gaedelica_. 

KING OF BRITAIN'S SON. -- _Silva Gaedelica_. 

THE CAVE OF CEISCORAN. -- _Silva Gaedelica_. 

DONN, SON OF MIDHIR. -- _Silva Gaedelica_. 

HOSPITALITY OF CUANNA'S HOUSE. -- _Proc. Ossianic Society_. 

CAT-HEADS AND DOG-HEADS. -- Dean of Lismore; _Leabhar na Feinne_; Campbell's _Popular Tales of the Western Highlands_. 

LOMNA'S HEAD. -- O'Curry, _Orc. Treith_, O'Donovan, ed. Stokes. 

ILBREC OF ESS RUADH. -- _Silva Gaedelica_. 

CAVE OF CRUACHAN. -- Stokes, _Irische Texts. _

WEDDING AT CEANN SLIEVE. -- _Proc. Ossianic Society_. 

THE SHADOWY ONE. -- O'Curry. 

FINN'S MADNESS. -- _Silva Gaedelica_. 

THE RED WOMAN. -- Hyde, _Sgealuidhe Gaedhealach_. 

FINN AND THE PHANTOMS. -- Kuno Meyer, _Revue Celtique_. 

THE PIGS OF ANGUS. -- _Proc. Ossianic Society_. 

HUNT OF SLIEVE CUILINN. -- _Proc. Ossianic Society_. 

OISIN'S CHILDREN. -- O'Curry; _Leabhar na Feinne_; Campbell's _Popular Tales of the Western Highlands_; Stokes, _Irische Texte_; Dean of Lismore; _Celtic Magazine_; _Waifs and Strays of Celtic Tradition_. 

BIRTH OF DIARMUID. -- _Pursuit of Diarmuid and Grania_ (Society for Preservation of the Irish Language); Campbell's _Popular Tales_. 

HOW DIARMUID GOT HIS LOVE-SPOT. -- Hyde, _Sgealuidhe Gaedhealach_. 

DAUGHTER OF KING UNDER-WAVE. -- Campbell's _Popular Tales_. 

THE HARD SERVANT. -- _Silva Gaedelica_. 

HOUSE OF THE QUICKEN TREES. -- MSS. In Royal Irish Academy, and in Dr Hyde's possession. 

DIARMUID AND GRANIA. -- Text Published by S. Hayes O'Grady, _Proc. Ossianic Society_, and re-edited by N. O'Duffey for Society for Preservation of the Irish Language; Kuno Meyer, _Revue Celtique_, and _Four Songs_; _Leabhar na Feinne_; Campbell's _Popular Tales_; _Kilkenny Arch. Journal_; _Folk Lore_, vol. Vii. , 1896; Dean of Lismore; Nutt, _Waifs and Strays of Celtic Tradition_. 

CNOC-AN-AIR, ETC. -- _Proc. Ossianic Society_. 

WEARING AWAY OF THE FIANNA. -- _Silva Gaedelica_; Dean of Lismore; _Leabhar na Feinne_; Campbell's _Popular Tales_; _Proc. Ossianic Society_; O'Curry; _Waifs and Strays of Celtic Tradition_; Stokes, _Irische Texte_. 

THE END OF THE FIANNA. -- Hyde, _Sgealuidhe Gaedhealach_; _Proc. Ossianic Society_; _Silva Gaedelica_; Miss Brooke's _Reliques_; _Annals of the Four Masters_; _Celtic Magazine_. 

OISIN AND PATRICK, AND OISIN'S LAMENTS. -- _Proc. Ossianic Society_; Dean of Lismore; _Kilkenny Arch, fournal_; Curtin's _Tales_. 

I have taken Grania's sleepy song, and the description of Finn's shieldand of Cumhal's treasure-bag, and the fact of Finn's descent fromEthlinn, from _Duanaire Finn_, now being edited for the Irish TextsSociety by Mr John MacNeill, the proofs of which I have been kindlyallowed to see. And I have used sometimes parts of stories, or commentson them gathered directly from the people, who have kept these heroes somuch in mind. The story of Caoilte coming to the help of the King ofIreland in a dark wood is the only one I have given without either aliterary or a folk ancestry. It was heard or read by Mr Yeats, he cannotremember where, but he had, with it in his mind, written of "Caoilte'sburning hair" in one of his poems. 

I and my readers owe special thanks to those good workers in thediscovery of Irish literature, Professor Kuno Meyer and Mr WhitleyStokes, translators of so many manuscripts; and to my friend and kinsmanStandish Hayes O'Grady, for what I have taken from that wonderfultreasure-house, his _Silva Gaedelica_. 

IV. THE PRONUNCIATION

This is the approximate pronunciation of some of the more difficultnames:

Adhnuall Ai-noo-al. Ailbhe. Alva. Almhuin All-oon, _or_ Alvin. Aobh Aev, _or_ Eev. Aodh Ae (rhyming to "day"). Aoibhill Evill. Aoife Eefa. 

Badb Bibe. Beltaine, or Bealtaine Bal-tinna. Bladhma Bly-ma. Bodb Dearg Bove Darrig. 

Caoilte Cweeltia. Cam Ruidhe Corn Rwee. Ciabhan Kee-a-van. Cliodna Cleevna. Coincheann Kun-Kann. Crann Buidhe Cran bwee. Credhe Crae-a. Cumhal Coo-al. 

Deaghadh D'ya-a. Dubhthach Duffach. Duibhreann Dhiv-ran. Duibhrium Dhiv-rinn. Dun Doon. 

Eimher Aevir. Emhain Avvin. Eochaid Eohee. Eoghan Owen. 

Fionnchad Finn-ach-a. Fodhla Fóla. Fodla Fola. 

Gallimh Gol-yiv. Glas Gaibhnenn Glos Gov-nan. 

Leith Laeig Leh Laeg. Loch Dairbhreach Loch Darvragh. Lugaidh Loo-ee, _or_ Lewy. Lugh Loo. 

Magh an Ionganaidh Moy-in-eean-ee. Magh Cuillean Moy Cullin. Magh Feabhail Moy Fowl. Magh Macraimhe Moy Mucrivva. Magh Mell Moy Mal. Magh Rein Moy Raen. Magh Tuireadh Moytirra. Manannan Mananaun. Midhe Mee. Midhna Mec-na. Mochaomhog Mo-cwecv-og. Muadhan Moo-aun. Murchadh Murachu. 

Nemhnain Now-nin. Niamh Nee-av. 

Og Og. 

Rath Medba, or Meadhbha Ra Maev-a. Rudraighe Rury. 

Samhain Sow-in. Scathniamh Scau-nee-av. Sceolan Skolaun. Searbhan Sharavaun. Sidhe Shee. Slieve Echtge Sleev Acht-ga. 

Tadg Teig. Teamhair T'yower, _or_ Tavvir. Tuatha de Danaan Too-a-ha dae Donnan. Tuathmumhain Too-moon. 

I have not followed a fixed rule as to the spelling of Irish names; Ihave taken the spelling I give from various good authorities, but theyvary so much that, complete accuracy not being easy, I sometimes look tocustom and convenience. I use, for instance, "Slieve" for "Sliabh, "because it comes so often, and a mispronunciation would spoil so manynames. I have treated "Inbhir" (a river mouth) in the same way, spellingit "Inver, " and even adopting it as an English word, because it is souseful. The forty scholars of the New School of Old Irish will do usgood service if they work at the question both of spelling and ofpronunciation of the old names and settle them as far as is possible. 

V. THE PLACE NAMES

Accuill Achill, Co. Mayo. Aine Cliach Cnoc Aine, Co. Limerick. Almhuin Near Kildare. Ath Cliath Dublin. Athluain Athlone. Ath na Riogh Athenry. Badhamain Cahir, Co. Tipperary. Baile Cronin Barony of Imokilty, Co. Cork. Banna The Bann. Beare Berehaven. Bearna na Eadargana Roscommon. Bearnas Mor Co. Donegal. Beinn Gulbain Benbulban, Co. Sligo. Beire do Bhunadas Berehaven. Bel-atha Senaig Ballyshannon. Belgata In Connemara. Benna Boirde Source of the Bann and Mourne Mountains. Berramain Near Tralee. Bhas River Bush. Boinn River Boyne. Bri Leith Co. Longford. 

Cairbre Carbury. Cairgin Three miles south of Londonderry. Carrthach River River Carra, near Dunkerrin Mountains. Ceanntaile Kinsale. Ceiscorainn Co. Sligo. Cill Dolun Killaloe, Co. Clare. Cliodna's Wave At Glandore, Co. Cork. Cluantarbh Clontarf. Cnoc Aine Co. Limerick. Cnoc-an-Air Co. Kerry. Cnoc na righ Co. Sligo. Corca Duibhne Corcaguiny, Co. Kerry. Corrslieve Carlow Mountains. Crotta Cliach Galtee Mountains. Cruachan Co. Roscommon. Cruachan Aigle Croagh Patrick. 

Doire a Cairn Derrycarn, Co. Meath. Doire-da-Bhoth In Slieve Echtge. Druim Cleibh Co. Sligo. Druim Lis Near Loch Gill. Druimscarha Near River Arighis, Co. Cork. Dun Sobairce Dunsevenh, Co. Antrim. Durlas Thurles. 

Ess Dara Near Sligo. Ess Ruadh Assaroe, Co. Donegal. Fidh Gaible Fergill, Co. Sligo. Finntraighe Ventry. Fionn The Finn. Fionnabraic Kilfenna, Co. Clare. Fionntutach Co. Limerick. Fleisge Co. Kerry. 

Gabhra Near Tara. Gaibh atha na Fiann River Leamhar, flows from Killarney. Gairech and Ilgairech Hills near Mullingar. Gallimh Galway. Gleann na Caor Co. Cork. Gullach Dollairb Barony of Rathconrath. 

Hill of Bairnech Near Killarney. Hill of Uisnech Co. Westmeath. 

Inver Cechmaine East coast of Ulster. Inver Colpa Drogheda. Inver Slane N. E. Of Leinster. Irrus Domnann Erris, Co. Mayo. Island of Toraig Tory Island, Co. Donegal. 

Laoi River Lee. Leith Laoi Leitrim. Linn Feic Near Slaney. Loch Bel Sead Co. Tipperary. Loch Cé Co. Roscommon. Loch Dairbhreach Loch Derryvaragh, Co. Westmeath. Loch Deirg Dheirc Loch Derg on the Shannon. Loch Eirne Loch Erne. Loch Feabhail Loch Foyle. Loch Lein Killarney. Loch Orbson Loch Corrib. Loch na-n Ean In Co. Roscommon. Lough Neatach Loch Neagh. Luimneach Limerick. 

Maev Mhagh Plain about Loughrea. Magh Cobha Iveagh, Co. Down. Magh Cuilenn Moycullen, Co. Galway. Magh Femen Co. Tipperary. Magh Larg Co. Roscommon. Magh Leine King's County. Magh Luirg Co. Roscommon. Magh Maini Co. Wexford. Magh Mucraimhe Near Athenry. Magh Nia Same as Magh Tuireadh. Magh Rein Co. Leitrim. Magh Tuireadh Moytura near Sligo, scene of great battle, and Moytura, near Cong, scene of first battle. March of Finnliath River Lee, near Tralee. Midhe Meath, west of Ardagh. Mis Geadh In Bay of Erris. Muaid River Moy. Muc-inis Muckinish, off Connemara. 

Nas Naas. Nem The Nem. 

Oenach Clochan Morristown, Co. Limerick. Osraige Ossory. 

Paps of Dana Co. Kerry. Portlairge Waterford. 

River Maigh Co. Limerick. Ros da Shioleach Limerick. Ruirlech Liffey. 

Samair R. Cumhair, runs through Bruff. Sionnan River Shannon. Siuir River Suir, Co. Tipperary. Siuir and Beoir Suir and Nore and Barrow. And BerbaSlieve Baisne Co. Roscommon. Slieve Bladmai Slieve Bloom. Slieve Buane Slieve Banne, Co. Roscommon. Slieve Conaill Border of Leitrim and Donegal. Slieve Crot Co. Tipperary. Slieve Cua Co. Waterford. Slieve Cua and Slieve Crot In Galtee Mountains. Slieve Cuailgne Co. Louth. Slieve Echtge Co. Galway. Slieve Fuad Co. Armagh. Slieve Guaire Co. Cavan. Slieve Luchra Co. Kerry. Slieve Lugha Co. Mayo. Slieve Mis Co. Kerry. Slieve Muice Co. Tipperary. Slieve-nam-Ban Co. TipperarySligach Sligo. Srub Bruin In West Kerry. Sruth na Maoile Mull of Cantire. 

Tailltin Telltown. Teamhair Tara, Co. Meath. Teunhair Luchra Near Castle Island, Co. Kerry. The Beith River Behy, Barony of Dunkerrin. The Beoir The Berba. The Islands of Mod In Clew Bay. The Lemain River Laune, Co. Kerry. The Muaidh River Moy, Co. Sligo. Tonn Toime Toines, near Killarney. Traigh Eothaile Near Ballisodare. Tuathmumain Thomond. 

Ui Chonaill Gabhra Co. Limerick. Ui Fiachraih, Fiachraig Co. Mayo. 

Wave of Rudraighe Bay of Dundrum.