Part 41 (1/2)

CHAPTER I.

FINN, THE SON OF c.u.mAL, SEEKS THE PRINCESS GRANIA TO WIFE.

On a certain day, Finn, the son of c.u.mal, rose at early morn in Allen of the broad hill-slopes, and, going forth, sat him down on the green lawn before the palace, without companion or attendant. And two of his people followed him, namely, Oisin his son, and Dering the son of Dobar O'Baskin.

Oisin spoke to him and asked, ”Why, O king, hast thou come forth so early?”

”Cause enough have I indeed,” replied Finn; ”for I am without a wife since Manissa, the daughter of Garad of the Black Knee, died; and who can enjoy sweet sleep when his life is lonely like mine, with no wife to comfort and cheer him? This, my friends, is the cause of my early rising.”

And Oisin said, ”Why should you be without a wife if you desire one? For there is not, within the sea-circle of green Erin, a maiden that we will not bring you, either by consent or by force, if you only turn the light of your eyes on her.”

Then Dering spoke and said, ”I know where there is a maiden, who in all respects is worthy to be thy wife.”

And when Finn asked who she was, Dering replied--

”The maiden is Grania, daughter of king Cormac,[22] the son of Art, the son of Conn the Hundred-fighter; the most beautiful, the best instructed, and the most discreet in speech and manner of all the maidens of Erin.”

”There has been strife between me and Cormac for a long time,” said Finn, ”and it may happen that he will not give me his daughter in marriage. But go ye to Tara in my name, you and Oisin, and ask the maiden for me: if the king should refuse, so let it be; but I can better bear a refusal to you than to myself.”

”We will go,” said Oisin; ”but it is better that no man know of our journey till we return.”

So the two heroes took leave of Finn and went their way; and nothing is told of what befell them till they reached Tara. It chanced that the king was at this time holding a meeting; and the chiefs and great n.o.bles of Tara were a.s.sembled round him. And when the two warriors arrived, they were welcomed, and the meeting was put off for that day; for the king felt sure that it was on some business of weight they had come.

After they had eaten and drunk, the king, sending away all others from his presence, bade the two chiefs tell their errand. So Oisin told him they had come to seek his daughter Grania in marriage for Finn the son of c.u.mal.

Then the king said, ”In all Erin there is scarce a young prince or n.o.ble who has not sought my daughter in marriage; and she has refused them all. And it is on me that the ill feeling and reproach caused by her refusals have fallen; for she has ever made me the bearer of her answers. Wherefore now you shall come to my daughter's presence, and I will not mention the matter to her till she give you an answer from her own lips: so shall I be blameless if she refuse.”

So they went to the apartments of the women, at the sunny side of the palace. And when they had entered the princess's chamber, the king sat with her on the couch and said--

”Here, my daughter, are two of the people of Finn the son of c.u.mal, who have come to ask thee as a wife for him.”

And Grania, giving, indeed, not much thought to the matter, answered, ”I know not whether he is worthy to be thy son-in-law; but if he be, why should he not be a fitting husband for me?”

The two messengers were satisfied with this answer, and retired. And Cormac made a feast for them; and they ate and drank and made merry with the chiefs and n.o.bles of the palace; after which the king bade them tell Finn to come at the end of a fortnight to claim his bride.

So the two heroes returned to Allen, and told how they had fared in their quest. And as all things come at last to an end, so this fortnight wore slowly away; and at the end of the time, Finn, having collected round him the chief men of the seven standing battalions of the Fena to be his guard, marched to Tara. The king received him with great honour, and welcomed the Fena, and they were feasted with the n.o.bles of Erin in the great banquet hall of Micorta.[CVII.] And the king sat on his throne to enjoy the feast with his guests, having Finn on his right hand, and on his left the queen, Etta, the daughter of Atan of Corca; and Grania sat next the queen, her mother, on the left. And all the others sat according to their rank and patrimony.

CHAPTER II.

DERMAT O'DYNA SECRETLY ESPOUSES THE PRINCESS GRANIA.

Now while the feast went on, it chanced that Dara of the Poems, one of Finn's druids, sat near Grania. And he recited for her many lays about the deeds of her forefathers; after which a pleasant conversation arose between them. And when they had talked for some time, she asked him--

”What means all this feasting? And why has Finn come with his people on this visit to my father the king?”

Dara was surprised at this question, and answered, ”If thou dost not know, it is hard for me to know.”