Part 61 (1/2)
III.
”Glen-Lee, O Glen-Lee, where I slept happy under soft coverlets: fish and fowl, and the flesh of red deer and badgers; these were our fare in Glen-Lee.
IV.
”Glen-Masan, O Glen-Masan: tall its cresses of white stalks: often were we rocked to sleep in our curragh in the gra.s.sy harbour of Glen-Masan.
V.
”Glen-Orchy, O Glen-Orchy: over thy straight glen rises the smooth ridge that oft echoed to the voices of our hounds. No man of the clan was more light-hearted than my Naisi when following the chase in Glen-Orchy.
VI.
”Glen-Ettive, O Glen-Ettive: there it was that my first house was raised for me: lovely its woods in the smile of the early morn: the sun loves to s.h.i.+ne on Glen-Ettive.
VII.
”Glen-da-Roy, O Glen-da-Roy: the memory of its people is dear to me: sweet is the cuckoo's note from the bending bough on the peak over Glen-da-Roy.
VIII.
”Dear to me is Dreenagh over the resounding sh.o.r.e: dear to me its crystal waters over the speckled sand. From those sweet places I would never depart, but only to be with my beloved Naisi.”
After this they entered the house of Barach; and when Barach had welcomed them, he said to Fergus: ”Here I have a three-days banquet ready for thee, and I invite thee to come and partake of it.”
When Fergus heard this, his heart sank and his face waxed all over a crimson red: and he said fiercely to Barach:--”Thou hast done an evil thing to ask me to this banquet: for well thou knowest I cannot refuse thee. Thou knowest, too, that I am under solemn pledge to send the Sons of Usna this very hour to Emain: and if I remain feasting in thy house, how shall I see that my promise of safety is respected?”
But none the less did Barach persist; for he was one of the partners in Concobar's treacherous design.
Then Fergus turned to Naisi and said:--”I dare not violate my knighthood promise: what am I to do in this strait?” But Deirdre answered for her husband:--”The choice is before thee, Fergus; and it is more meet for thee to abandon thy feast than to abandon the sons of Usna, who have come over on thy pledge.”
Then Fergus was in sore perplexity; and pondering a little he said:--”I will not forsake the sons of Usna: for I will send with them to Emain Macha my two sons, Illan the Fair and Buinni the Red, who will be their pledge instead of me.”
But Naisi said: ”We need not thy sons for guard or pledge: we have ever been accustomed to defend ourselves!” And he moved from the place in great wrath: and his two brothers, and Deirdre, and the two sons of Fergus followed him, with the rest of the clan; while Fergus remained behind silent and gloomy: for his heart misgave him that mischief was brewing for the sons of Usna.
Then Deirdre tried to persuade the sons of Usna to go to Rathlin, between Erin and Alban, and tarry there till Barach's feast was ended: but they did not consent to do so, for they deemed it would be a mark of cowardice: and they sped on by the shortest ways towards Emain Macha.
When now they had come to Fincarn of the Watch-tower on Slieve Fuad, Deirdre and her attendants stayed behind the others a little: and she fell asleep. And when Naisi missed her, he turned back and found her just awakening; and he said to her:--”Why didst thou tarry, my princess?”
And she answered:--”I fell asleep and had a dream. And this is what I saw in my dream:--Illan the Fair took your part: Buinni the Red did not: and I saw Illan without his head: but Buinni had neither wound nor hurt.”
”Alas, O beauteous princess,” said Naisi, ”thou utterest nought but evil forebodings: but the king is true and will not break his plighted word.”
So they fared on till they had come to the Ridge of the Willows,[CLXXVI.] an hour's journey from the palace: and Deirdre, looking upwards in great fear, said to Naisi:--”O Naisi, see yonder cloud in the sky over Emain, a fearful chilling cloud of a blood-red tinge: a baleful red cloud that bodes disaster! Come ye now to Dundalgan and abide there with the mighty hero Cuculainn till Fergus returns from Barach's feast; for I fear Concobar's treachery.”