Gods and Fighting Men, Lady I. A Gregory [best e books to read TXT] 📗

from the armies

of the strangers, and they will not see you when you make an attack on

them. And we have a well of healing at the foot of Slieve Iolair, the

Eagle's Mountain," she said, "and its waters will cure every wound made

in battle. And after bathing in that well you will be as whole and as

sound as the day you were born. And bring whatever man you like best

with you," she said, "and we will heal him along with you."

 

Conn Crither gave them his thanks for that, and he hurried on to the

strand. And it was at that time the armies of the King of the Great

Plain were taking spoils from Traigh Moduirn in the north to Finntraighe

in the south. And Conn Crither came on them, and the Druid army with

him, and he took their spoils from them, and the Druid army took their

sight and their strength from them, and they were routed, and they made

away to where the King of the Great Plain was, and Conn Crither

followed, killing and destroying. "Stop with me, king-hero," said the

King of the Great Plain, "that I may fight with you on account of my

people, 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, and

fought a good part of the day until Conn Crither struck off the king's

head. And he lifted up the head, and he was boasting of what he had

done. "By my word," he said, "I will not let myself be parted from this

body 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 that

man is saying," he said; "and rise up now, Glas, son of Dremen, and see

which 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 of

the one blood with myself, for I am Glas, son of Bremen from Teamhair

Luachra." "It is not right for you to come fighting against me from

those foreigners, so," said Conn. "It is a pity indeed," said Glas; "and

but for Finn and the Fianna driving me from them, I would not fight

against you or against one of themselves for all the treasures of the

whole world." "Do not say that," said Conn, "for I swear by my hand of

valour," he said, "if you had killed Finn's own son and the sons of his

people along with him, you need not be in dread of him if only you came

under his word and his protection." "I think indeed the day is come for

me to fight beside you," said Glas, "and I will go back and tell that to

the King of the World."

 

He went back then to where the king was, and the king asked him which of

the 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, and

I have a great desire to go and help him." "If you go," said the King of

the World, "it is what I ask you, to come and to tell me every day how

many of the Fianna of Ireland have fallen by me; and if a few of my own

men 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 the

Fianna come to us, but to let one man only come to fight with each of us

until that time," he said.

 

So two of the strangers were sent against them that day, and they got

their death by Glas and by Conn Crither. Then they asked to have two men

sent against each of them, and that was done; and three times nine fell

by them before night. And Conn Crither was covered with wounds after

the day, and he said to Glas: "Three women came to me from the Country

of the Young, and they promised to put me in a well of healing for my

wounds. And let you watch the harbour to-night," he said, "and I will go

look for them." So he went to them, and they bathed him in the well of

healing, 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 what

he said in the great world in the east, that he himself would be enough

to take Ireland for you, and that he would bring it under tribute to you

by one way or another. And I ask you to let him come alone against me

to-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 a

very hard fight; but as it was not in the prophecy that Glas would find

his death there, it was the son of the King of the Marshes that got his

death by him.

 

And not long after that Conn Crither came back to Glas, and he gave Glas

great 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 White

Strand asking news; and Conn bade him go back to where Finn was and tell

him the way things were. But Taistellach would not go until he had

wetted his sword in the blood of one of the enemies of Ireland, the same

as the others had done. And he sent a challenge to the ships, and

Coimhleathan, a champion that was very big and tall, came and fought

with him on the strand, and took him in his arms to bring him back

living to the ship of the High King; but Taistellach struck his head off

in the sea and brought it back to land.

 

"Victory and blessing be with you!" said Conn Crither. "And go now

to-night," he said, "to the house of Bran, son of Febal my father at

Teamhair Luachra, and bid him to gather all the Tuatha de Danaan to help

us; and go on to-morrow to the Fianna of Ireland." So Taistellach went

on to Bran's house, and he told him the whole story and gave him the

message.

 

Then Bran, son of Febal, went out to gather the Tuatha de Danaan, and he

went to Dun Sesnain in Ui Conall Gabra, where they were holding a feast

at that time. And there he found three of the best young men of the

Tuatha de Danaan, Ilbrec the Many Coloured, son of Manannan, and

Nemanach 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 a

greater thing than this for you to do, Men of Dea," said Bran; and he

told them the whole story, and the way Conn Crither his son was. "Stop

with 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 Finn

above Magh Femen, and Bodb Dearg was there at that time, and Dolb gave

him his message. "Young man," said Bodb Dearg, "we are no way bound to

help the men of Ireland out of that strait." "Do not say that," said

Dolb, "for there is not a king's son or a prince or a leader of the

Fianna of Ireland without having a wife or a mother or a foster-mother

or a sweetheart of the Tuatha de Danaan; and it is good help they have

given you every time you were in want of it." "I give my word," said

Bodb 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 they

were, and they gathered to him. And from that they went on to Dun

Sesnain, and they stopped there through the night And they rose up in

the morning and put on their shirts of the dearest silk and their

embroidered coats of rejoicing, and they took their green shields and

their swords and their spears. And their leaders at that time besides

Bodb Dearg were Midhir of Bri Leith, and Lir of Sidhe Finnachaidh, and

Abarthach, son of Ildathach, and Ilbrec, son of Manannan, and Fionnbhar

of Magh Suil, and Argat Lamh, the Silver Hand, from the Sionnan, and the

Man of Sweet Speech from the Boinn.

 

And the whole army of them came into Ciarraighe Luachra, and to

red-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 courage

rise within you now in the face of the battle. For the doings of every

one among you," he said, "will be told till the end of the world; and

let you fulfil now the big words you have spoken in the

drinking-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 of

Ireland I see?" said the king. "They are not," said Glas, "but another

part of the men of Ireland that do not dare to be on the face of the

earth, but that live in hidden houses under the earth, and it is to give

warning of battle from them I am come." "Who will answer the Tuatha de

Danaan 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 the

Men 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 the

shore like great red waves. "Who is there to match with the King of the

Dog-Heads for me?" said Bodb Dearg. "I will go against him," said Lir of

Sidhe Finnachaidh, "though I heard there is not in the world a man with

stronger hands than himself." "Who will be a match for the King of the

Cat-Heads?" said Bodb Dearg. "I will be a match for him," said

Abarthach, son of Ildathach.

 

So Lir and the King of the Dog-Heads attacked one another,