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

loved. It is dark your dwelling-place is under the sod, it is

mournful and cold your bed is; it is pleasant your laugh was to-day; you

were my happiness, Diarmuid."

 

And she went back then into the Rath, and bade her people to bring the

body to her there.

 

Now just at this time, it was showed to Angus at Brugh na Boinne that

Diarmuid was dead on Beinn Gulbain, for he had kept no watch over him

the night before.

 

And he went on the cold wind towards Beinn Gulbain, and his people with

him, and on the way they met with Grania's people that were bringing the

body to the Rath.

 

And when they saw him they held out the wrong sides of their shields as

a sign of peace, and Angus knew them; and he and his people gave three

great terrible cries over the body of Diarmuid.

 

And Angus spoke then, and it is what he said: "I was never one night

since 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 been

cut 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 Finn

to 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 the

lasting rocks. And if I cannot bring him back to life," he said, "I will

put 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 pointed

upwards, 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 let

them bring the body into the Rath, but brought it away himself to Brugh

na Boinne. And Grania said she had no power over him.

 

And she sent out then for her four sons that were being reared in the

district of Corca Ui Duibhne. And when they came she gave them a loving

welcome, and they came into the Rath and sat down there according to

their age. And Grania spoke to them with a very loud, clear voice, and

it is what she said: "My dear children, your father has been killed by

Finn, son of Cumhal, against his own bond and agreement of peace, and

let you avenge it well upon him. And here is your share of the

inheritance of your father," she said, "his arms and his armour, and his

feats of valour and power; and I will share these arms among you

myself," 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, for

it 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 skill

in fighting, till such time as you will come to your full strength to

avenge 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 lords

will be going into danger against Finn and the Fianna of Ireland?" And

Donnchadh, son of Diarmuid, bade them stop in their own places; "for if

we make peace with Finn," he said, "there need be no fear on you, and if

not, you can make your choice between ourselves and him." And with that

they set out on their journey.

 

But after a while Finn went secretly and unknown to the Fianna to the

place where Grania was, and he got to see her in spite of all her high

talk, and he spoke gently to her. And she would not listen to him, but

bade him to get out of her sight, and whatever hard thing her tongue

could say, she said it. But all the same, he went on giving her gentle

talk 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 where

the seven battalions of the Fianna were waiting for Finn. And when they

saw 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 bowed

down her head with shame, "By my word, Finn," said Oisin, "you will keep

a good watch on Grania from this out."

 

And some said the change had come on her because the mind of a woman

changes like the water of a running stream; but some said it was Finn

that had put enchantment on her.

 

And as to the sons of Diarmuid, they came back at the end of seven

years, after learning all that was to be learned of valour in the far

countries of the world. And when they came back to Rath Grania they were

told their mother was gone away with Finn, son of Cumhal, without

leaving any word for themselves or for the King of Ireland. And they

said if that was so, there was nothing for them to do. But after that

they said they would make an attack on Finn, and they went forward to

Almhuin, and they would take no offers, but made a great slaughter of

every troop that came out against them.

 

But at last Grania made an agreement of peace between themselves and

Finn, and they got their father's place among the Fianna; and that was

little good to them, for they lost their lives with the rest in the

battle of Gabhra. And as to Finn and Grania, they stopped with one

another 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 casting

stones. 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 at

hand; and look now at those dark clouds of blood," he said, "that are

threatening 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 called

Osgar 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 are

with you." Then all the Fianna looked up at the cloud, and some of them

were glad and cheerful and some were downhearted.

 

Then the Druid bade Finn to call all his battalions together and to

divide them into two halves, that they could be watching for the coming

of the enemy.

 

So Finn sounded the Dord Fiann, and they answered with a shout, every

one hurrying to be the first. And Finn bade Osgar and Goll and Faolan to

keep watch through the night, and he bade Conan the Bald to stop in the

darkness of the cave of Liath Ard. "For it is you can shout loudest," he

said, "to warn us if you see the enemy coming." "That I may be pierced

through the middle of my body," said Conan, "if I will go watching for

troubles or for armies alone, without some more of the Fianna being with

me." "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 come

near the height." "Do not be speaking to me any more," said Conan, "for

I will not go there alone, through the length of my days, for Finn and

the whole of the Fianna." "Go then, Conan," said Osgar, "and Aodh Beag

will go with you, and you can bring dogs with you, Bran and Sceolan and

Fuaim 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 along

with him. And as to Finn, he lay down to sleep, and it was not long till

he saw through his sleep Aodh Beag his son, and he without his head. And

after that he saw Goll fighting with a very strong man. And he awoke

from his sleep, and called the Druid of the Fianna to him, and asked him

the meaning of what he saw. "I am in dread there is some destruction

coming on the Fianna," said the Druid; "but Aodh Beag will not be

wounded in the fight, or Goll," he said.

 

And it was not long till Finn heard a great shout, and he sounded the

Dord Fiann, and then he saw Conan running, and the hounds after him. And

Finn sounded the Dord Fiann again before Conan came up, and when he

came, Osgar asked him where was Aodh Beag. "He was at the door of the

cave when I left it," said Conan, "but I did not look behind me since

then," he said; "and it was not Aodh Beag was troubling me." "What was

troubling you then?" said Osgar. "Nothing troubles me but myself," said

Conan; "although I am well pleased at any good that comes to you," he

said.

 

Osgar went then running hard, till he came to the cave, and there he

found Aodh Beag with no fear or trouble on him at all, stopping there

till he would hear the noise of the shields. And Osgar brought him back

to where the Fianna were, and they saw a great army coming as if in

search of them.

 

And a beautiful woman, having a crimson cloak, came to them over the

plain, and she spoke to Finn, and her voice was as sweet as music. And

Finn asked her who was she, and who did she come looking for. "I am the

daughter of Garraidh, son of Dolar Dian, the Fierce," she said; "and my

curse upon the King of Greece that bound me to the man that is

following 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 of

him," said Finn. "It is not without reason I hate him," said she, "for

he has no good appearance, and his skin is of the colour of coal, and he

has the head and the tail of a cat. And I have walked the world three

times," she said, "and I did not leave a king or a great man without

asking help from him, and I never got it yet." "I will give you

protection," said Finn, "or the seven battalions of the Fianna will fall

for your sake."

 

With that they saw the big strange man, Tailc, son of Treon, coming

towards them, and he said no word at all of greeting to Finn, but he

called for a battle on account of his wife.

 

So a thousand of the Fianna went out to meet him and his men; and if

they did they all fell, and not one of them came back again. And then

another thousand of the best men of the Fianna, having blue and green

shields, went out under Caoilte, son of Ronan, and they were worsted by

Tailc and his people. And then Osgar asked leave of Finn to go out and

fight the big man. "I will give you leave," said Finn, "although I am

sure 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