Part 29 (1/2)
Now the tender warrior was asleep, with his feet in the lap of one of the two men and his head in the lap of the other. Then he awoke out of his sleep, and arose, and chanted this lay:
”The howl of Ossar (Conaire's dog) ... cry of warriors on the summit of Tol Geisse; a cold wind over edges perilous: a night to destroy a king is this night.”
He slept again, and awoke thereout, and sang this rhetoric:
”The howl of Ossar ... a battle he announced: enslavement of a people: sack of the Hostel: mournful are the champions: men wounded: wind of terror: hurling of javelins: trouble of unfair fight: wreck of houses: Tara waste: a foreign heritage: like is lamenting Conaire: destruction of corn: feast of arms: cry of screams: destruction of Erin's king: chariots a-tottering: oppression of the king of Tara: lamentations will overcome laughter: Ossar's howl.”
He said the third time:
”Trouble hath been shewn to me: a mult.i.tude of elves: a host supine; foes' prostration: a conflict of men on the Dodder[8]: oppression of Tara's king: in youth he was destroyed; lamentations will overcome laughter: Ossar's howl.”
[Footnote 8: A small river near Dublin, which is said to have pa.s.sed through the Bruden.--W.S.]
”Liken thou, O Fer rogain, him who has sung that lay.”
”Easy for me to liken him,” says Fer rogain. No ”conflict without a king” this. He is the most splendid and n.o.ble and beautiful and mighty king that has come into the whole world. He is the mildest and gentlest and most perfect king that has come to it, even Conaire son of Eterscel.
'Tis he that is overking of all Erin. There is no defect in that man, whether in form or shape or vesture: whether in size or fitness or proportion, whether in eye or hair or brightness, whether in wisdom or skill or eloquence, whether in weapon or dress or appearance, whether in splendour or abundance or dignity, whether in knowledge or valour or kindred.
”Great is the tenderness of the sleepy simple man till he has chanced on a deed of valour. But if his fury and his courage be awakened when the champions of Erin and Alba are at him in the house, the Destruction will not be wrought so long as he is therein. Six hundred will fall by Conaire before he shall attain his arms, and seven hundred will fall by him in his first conflict after attaining his arms. I swear to G.o.d what my tribe swears, unless drink be taken from him, though there be no one else in the house, but he alone, he would hold the Hostel until help would reach it which the man would prepare for him from the Wave of Clidna[9] and the Wave of a.s.saroe[10] while ye are at the Hostel.”
[Footnote 9: In the bay of Glandore, co. Cork.--W.S.]
[Footnote 10: At Ballyshannon, co. Donegal.--W.S.]
”Nine doors there are to the house, and at each door a hundred warriors will fall by his hand. And when every one in the house has ceased to ply his weapon, 'tis then he will resort to a deed of arms. And if he chance to come upon you out of the house, as numerous as hailstones and gra.s.s on a green will be your halves of heads and your cloven skulls and your bones under the edge of his sword.
”'Tis my opinion that he will not chance to get out of the house. Dear to him are the two that are with him in the room, his two fosterers, Dris and Snithe. Thrice fifty warriors will fall before each of them in front of the Hostel and not farther than a foot from him, on this side and that, will they too fall.”
”Woe to him who shall wreak the Destruction, were it only because of that pair and the prince that is between them, the over-king-of Erin, Conaire son of Eterscel! Sad were the quenching of that reign!” says Lomna Druth, son of Donn Desa.
”Ye cannot,” says Ingcel. ”Clouds of weakness are coming to you,” etc.
”Good cause hast thou, O Ingcel,” says Lomna son of Donn Desa. ”Not unto _thee_ is the loss caused by the Destruction: for thou wilt carry off the head of the king of another country, and thyself will escape.
Howbeit 'tis hard for me, for I shall be the first to be slain at the Hostel.”
”Alas for me!” says Ingcel, ”peradventure I shall be the frailest corpse,” etc.
”And whom sawest thou afterwards?”
THE ROOM OF THE REARGUARDS
”There I saw twelve men on silvery hurdles all around that room of the king. Light yellow hair was on them. Blue kilts they wore. Equally beautiful were they, equally hardy, equally shapely. An ivory-hilted sword in each man's hand, and they cast them not down; but it is the horse-rods in their hands that are all round the room. Liken thou that, O Fer rogain.”
”Easy for me to say. The king of Tara's guardsmen are there. These are their names: three Londs of Liffey-plain: three Arts of Ath cliath (_Dublin_): three Buders of Buagnech: and three Trenfers of Cuilne. I swear what my tribe swears, that many will be the dead by them around the Hostel.
And they will escape from it although they are wounded. Woe to him who shall wreak the Destruction were it only because of that band! And afterwards whom sawest thou there?”
LE FRI FLAITH SON OF CONAIRE, WHOSE LIKENESS THIS IS
”There I beheld a red-freckled boy in a purple cloak. He is always a-wailing in the house. A stead wherein is the king of a cantred, whom each man takes from bosom to bosom.