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

them back to Ireland, the whole of

the Fianna were watching to see him ride away again, himself and his

long-legged horse. But while they were watching him, he vanished from

them, and all they could see was a mist, and it stretching out towards

the sea.

 

And that is the story of the Hard Servant, and of Diarmuid's adventures

on 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 of

Diarmuid. It was he came to their help the time Miodac, the son of the

King of Lochlann, brought them into the enchanted House of the Quicken

Trees.

 

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 made

about a great army that he saw riding over the plains to victory, and

robbing all before it, and the riders of it having no horses but plants

and branches. "I understand that," said Finn, "it was an army of bees

you saw, that was gathering riches from the flowers as it went." And

another verse Miodac made was about a woman in Ireland that was swifter

than the swiftest horse. "I know that," said Finn, "that woman is the

River Boinn; and if she goes slow itself, she is swifter in the end than

the swiftest horse, for her going never stops." And other verses he made

about 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 them

go into his House of the Quicken Trees till he would bring it. And they

did that, and went in, and it was a beautiful house, having walls of

every colour, and foreign coverings of every colour on the floor, and a

fire that gave out a very pleasant smoke. And they sat down there, and

after a while Finn said: "It is a wonder such a beautiful house to be

here." "There is a greater wonder than that," said Goll; "that fire that

was so pleasant when we came in is giving out now the worst stench in

the world." "There is a greater wonder than that," said Glas; "the walls

that were of all colours are now but rough boards joined together."

"There is a greater wonder than that," said Fiacha; "where there were

seven high doors to the house there is now but one little door, and it

shut." "Indeed, there is a more wonderful thing than that," said Conan;

"for we sat down on beautiful coverings, and now there is nothing

between us and the bare ground, and it as cold as the snow of one

night." And he tried to rise up, but he could not stir, or any of the

rest 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 of

the Island of the Floods that had brought them into that danger. And

Finn knew by his divination that their enemies were gathering to make an

end of them, and he said to his people there was no use in making

complaints, but to sound the music of the Dord Fiann.

 

And some of the Fianna that were waiting for him not far off heard that

sorrowful music, and came fighting against Miodac and his armies, and

they fought well, but they could not stand against them. And at the last

it was Diarmuid, grandson of Duibhne, that made an end of Miodac that

was 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 Trees

with their blood.

 

And when he was freeing the Fianna, Conan called out, asking him to

bring him a share of the feast Miodac had made ready for his own

friends, for there was hunger on him. And when Diarmuid took no heed of

him, 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 his

love to; and if he was often called Diarmuid the brave, or the hardy, or

the comely, or the Hawk of Ess Ruadh, it is often he was called as well

the 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 out

alone on the green lawn without a boy or a servant being with him. And

Oisin followed him there, and Diorraing the Druid. "What is the cause of

your 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 since

Maighneis, daughter of Black Garraidh, died from me; for quiet sleep is

not used to come to a man that is without a fitting wife." "Why would

you be like that?" said Oisin, "for there is not a woman in all green

Ireland you would throw a look on but we would bring her to you, willing

or unwilling." "I myself could find a wife would be fitting for you,"

said Diorraing. "Who is that?" said Finn. "It is Grania, daughter of the

High King of Ireland," said Diorraing; "and she is the woman of the best

make and shape and the best speech of the women of the whole world." "By

my word, Diorraing," said Finn, "there is strife and disagreement

between the High King and myself this long time, and it would not be

pleasing to me to get a refusal from him. And it is best for you two to

go together," he said, "and to ask his daughter for me in marriage; the

way that if he gives a refusal, it will be to you and not to myself he

will give it." "We will go," said Oisin, "even if it is little profit we

will 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 not

told what they did till they came to Teamhair. The King of Ireland was

holding a gathering at that time on the green of Teamhair, and the chief

nobles of his people were with him. And there was a friendly welcome

given to Oisin and to Diorraing, and the king put off the gathering

till the next day, for he was sure it was some pressing thing had

brought these two men of the Fianna to Teamhair. And Oisin went aside

with him, and told him it was to ask his daughter Grania in marriage

they 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 or

of a great prince, there is not a champion in Ireland my daughter has

not 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 displeased

with me."

 

So they went together to the sunny house of the women, and the king sat

down 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 as

a wife for him, and what answer have you a mind to give them?" And it is

what Grania said: "If he is a fitting son-in-law for you, why would he

not be a fitting husband for me?"

 

They were satisfied then, and there was a feast made for them that night

in Grania's sunny house, and the king settled for a meeting a fortnight

from that time between himself and Finn at Teamhair.

 

So Oisin and Diorraing went back again to Almhuin, and told Finn their

story from beginning to end. And as everything wears away, so did that

time of delay.

 

And then Finn gathered together the seven battalions of the Fianna from

every part where they were to Almhuin. And they set out in great bands

and troops till they came to Teamhair.

 

The king was out on the green before them, and the great people of the

men of Ireland, and there was a great welcome before Finn and the

Fianna.

 

But when Grania saw grey-haired Finn, she said: "It is a great wonder

it was not for Oisin Finn asked me, for he would be more fitting for me

than a man that is older than my father."

 

But they talked together for a while, and Finn was putting questions to

Grania, for she had the name of being very quick with answers. "What is

whiter than snow?" he said. "The truth," said Grania. "What is the best

colour?" said Finn. "The colour of childhood," said she. "What is hotter

than fire?" "The face of a hospitable man when he sees a stranger coming

in, and the house empty." "What has a taste more bitter than poison?"

"The reproach of an enemy." "What is best for a champion?" "His doings

to be high, and his pride to be low." "What is the best of jewels?" "A

knife." "What is sharper than a sword?" "The wit of a woman between two

men." "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. And

for all their talk together she had no liking for Finn, and she felt the

blood in her heart to be rising against him.

 

And the wedding-feast was made ready then, and they all went into the

king's feasting-house in the Middle Court. And the king sat down to take

his share of drinking and pleasure, and his wife at his left side, and

Grania beside her again; and Finn, son of Cumhal, at the right hand of

the king, and Oisin at the other side, and every other one according to

his nobility and his birth.

 

Then Daire of the poems stood up before Grania, and sang the songs and

good poems of her fathers to her. And there was sitting near to Grania a

knowledgeable man, a Druid of Finn's people, and it was not long until

they began to talk together. "Tell me now," said Grania, "who is that

man on the right hand of Oisin?" "That is Goll, son of Morna," said the

Druid, "the ready fighter." "Who is that beside Goll?" said Grania.

"Osgar, son of Oisin," said the Druid. "And who is that thin-legged man

beside Osgar?" "That is Caoilte, son of Ronan." "Who is that proud,

hasty man beside Caoilte?" "Lugaidh's Son of the Strong Hand." "Who is

that sweet-worded man," she said then, "with the dark hair, and cheeks

like the