The Story of Deirdre · page 21 2 3101Naois and Deirdre and Allen and Arden dwelt in a tower, and they were happy so long a time as they were there.102By this time the end of the period came at which Deirdre had to marry Connachar, King of Ulster.103Connachar made up his mind to take Deirdre away by the sword whether she was married to Naois or not.104So he prepared a great and gleeful feast.105He sent word far and wide through Erin all to his kinspeople to come to the feast.106Connachar thought to himself that Naois would not come though he should bid him; and the scheme that arose in his mind was to send for his father's brother, Ferchar Mac Ro, and to send him on an embassy to Naois.107He did so; and Connachar said to Ferchar, "Tell Naois, son of Uisnech, that I am setting forth a great and gleeful feast to my friends and kinspeople throughout the wide extent of Erin all, and that I shall not have rest by day nor sleep by night if he and Allen and Arden be not partakers of the feast."108Ferchar Mac Ro and his three sons went on their journey, and reached the tower where Naois was dwelling by the side of Loch Etive.109The sons of Uisnech gave a cordial kindly welcome to Ferchar Mac Ro and his three sons, and asked of him the news of Erin. "110The best news that I have for you," said the hardy hero, "is that Connachar, King of Ulster, is setting forth a great sumptuous feast to his friends and kinspeople throughout the wide extent of Erin all, and he has vowed by the earth beneath him, by the high heaven above him, and by the sun that wends to the west, that he will have no rest by day nor sleep by night if the sons of Uisnech, the sons of his own father's brother, will not come back to the land of their home and the soil of their nativity, and to the feast likewise, and he has sent us on embassy to invite you."111"We will go with you," said Naois.112"We will," said his brothers.113But Deirdre did not wish to go with Ferchar Mac Ro, and she tried every prayer to turn Naois from going with him--she said:114"I saw a vision, Naois, and do you interpret it to me," said Deirdre--then she sang:115O Naois, son of Uisnech, hear What was shown in a dream to me.116There came three white doves out of the South Flying over the sea, And drops of honey were in their mouth From the hive of the honey-bee.117O Naois, son of Uisnech, hear, What was shown in a dream to me.118I saw three grey hawks out of the south Come flying over the sea, And the red red drops they bare in their mouth They were dearer than life to me.119Said Naois:--120It is nought but the fear of woman's heart, And a dream of the night, Deirdre.121"The day that Connachar sent the invitation to his feast will be unlucky for us if we don't go, O Deirdre."122"You will go there," said Ferchar Mac Ro; "and if Connachar show kindness to you, show ye kindness to him; and if he will display wrath towards you display ye wrath towards him, and I and my three sons will be with you."123"We will," said Daring Drop. "124We will," said Hardy Holly. "125We will," said Fiallan the Fair.126"I have three sons, and they are three heroes, and in any harm or danger that may befall you, they will be with you, and I myself will be along with them."127And Ferchar Mac Ro gave his vow and his word in presence of his arms that, in any harm or danger that came in the way of the sons of Uisnech, he and his three sons would not leave head on live body in Erin, despite sword or helmet, spear or shield, blade or mail, be they ever so good.128Deirdre was unwilling to leave Alba, but she went with Naois.checked by a teacher129Deirdre wept tears in showers and she sang:130Dear is the land, the land over there, Alba full of woods and lakes; Bitter to my heart is leaving thee, But I go away with Naois.131Ferchar Mac Ro did not stop till he got the sons of Uisnech away with him, despite the suspicion of Deirdre.132The coracle was put to sea, The sail was hoisted to it; And the second morrow they arrived On the white shores of Erin.133As soon as the sons of Uisnech landed in Erin, Ferchar Mac Ro sent word to Connachar, king of Ulster, that the men whom he wanted were come, and let him now show kindness to them. "134Well," said Connachar, "I did not expect that the sons of Uisnech would come, though I sent for them, and I am not quite ready to receive them.135But there is a house down yonder where I keep strangers, and let them go down to it today, and my house will be ready before them tomorrow."136But he that was up in the palace felt it long that he was not getting word as to how matters were going on for those down in the house of the strangers. "137Go you, Gelban Grednach, son of Lochlin's King, go you down and bring me information as to whether her former hue and complexion are on Deirdre.138If they be, I will take her out with edge of blade and point of sword, and if not, let Naois, son of Uisnech, have her for himself," said Connachar.139Gelban, the cheering and charming son of Lochlin's King, went down to the place of the strangers, where the sons of Uisnech and Deirdre were staying.140He looked in through the bicker-hole on the door-leaf.141Now she that he gazed upon used to go into a crimson blaze of blushes when any one looked at her.142Naois looked at Deirdre and knew that some one was looking at her from the back of the door-leaf.143He seized one of the dice on the table before him and fired it through the bicker-hole, and knocked the eye out of Gelban Grednach the Cheerful and Charming, right through the back of his head.144Gelban returned back to the palace of King Connachar.145"You were cheerful, charming, going away, but you are cheerless, charmless, returning.146What has happened to you, Gelban?147But have you seen her, and are Deirdre's hue and complexion as before?" said Connachar.148"Well, I have seen Deirdre, and I saw her also truly, and while I was looking at her through the bicker-hole on the door, Naois, son of Uisnech, knocked out my eye with one of the dice in his hand.checked by a teacher149But of a truth and verity, although he put out even my eye, it were my desire still to remain looking at her with the other eye, were it not for the hurry you told me to be in," said Gelban.150"That is true," said Connachar; "let three hundred bravo heroes go down to the abode of the strangers, and let them bring hither to me Deirdre, and kill the rest."151Connachar ordered three hundred active heroes to go down to the abode of the strangers and to take Deirdre up with them and kill the rest. "152The pursuit is coming," said Deirdre.153"Yes, but I will myself go out and stop the pursuit," said Naois.154"It is not you, but we that will go," said Daring Drop, and Hardy Holly, and Fiallan the Fair; "it is to us that our father entrusted your defence from harm and danger when he himself left for home."155And the gallant youths, full noble, full manly, full handsome, with beauteous brown locks, went forth girt with battle arms fit for fierce fight and clothed with combat dress for fierce contest fit, which was burnished, bright, brilliant, bladed, blazing, on which were many pictures of beasts and birds and creeping things, lions and lithe-limbed tigers, brown eagle and harrying hawk and adder fierce; and the young heroes laid low three-thirds of the company.156Connachar came out in haste and cried with wrath: "Who is there on the floor of fight, slaughtering my men?"157"We, the three sons of Ferchar Mac Ro."158"Well," said the king, "I will give a free bridge to your grandfather, a free bridge to your father, and a free bridge each to you three brothers, if you come over to my side tonight."159"Well, Connachar, we will not accept that offer from you nor thank you for it.160Greater by far do we prefer to go home to our father and tell the deeds of heroism we have done, than accept anything on these terms from you.161Naois, son of Uisnech, and Allen and Arden are as nearly related to yourself as they are to us, though you are so keen to shed their blood, and you would shed our blood also, Connachar."162And the noble, manly, handsome youths with beauteous, brown locks returned inside. "163We are now," said they, "going home to tell our father that you are now safe from the hands of the king."164And the youths all fresh and tall and lithe and beautiful, went home to their father to tell that the sons of Uisnech were safe.165This happened at the parting of the day and night in the morning twilight time, and Naois said they must go away, leave that house, and return to Alba.166Naois and Deirdre, Allan and Arden started to return to Alba.167Word came to the king that the company he was in pursuit of were gone.168The king then sent for Duanan Gacha Druid, the best magician he had, and he spoke to him as follows:--"Much wealth have I expended on you, Duanan Gacha Druid, to give schooling and learning and magic mystery to you, if these people get away from me today without care, without consideration or regard for me, without chance of overtaking them, and without power to stop them."169"Well, I will stop them," said the magician, "until the company you send in pursuit return."170And the magician placed a wood before them through which no man could go, but the sons of Uisnech marched through the wood without halt or hesitation, and Deirdre held on to Naois's hand.171"What is the good of that? that will not do yet," said Connachar. "172They are off without bending of their feet or stopping of their step, without heed or respect to me, and I am without power to keep up to them or opportunity to turn them back this night."173"I will try another plan on them," said the druid; and he placed before them a grey sea instead of a green plain.174The three heroes stripped and tied their clothes behind their heads, and Naois placed Deirdre on the top of his shoulder.175They stretched their sides to the stream, And sea and land were to them the same, The rough grey ocean was the same As meadow-land green and plain.176"Though that be good, O Duanan, it will not make the heroes return," said Connachar; "they are gone without regard for me, and without honour to me, and without power on my part to pursue them or to force them to return this night."177"We shall try another method on them, since yon one did not stop them," said the druid.178And the druid froze the grey ridged sea into hard rocky knobs, the sharpness of sword being on the one edge and the poison power of adders on the other.179Then Arden cried that he was getting tired, and nearly giving over. "180Come you, Arden, and sit on my right shoulder," said Naois.181Arden came and sat, on Naois's shoulder.182Arden was long in this posture when he died; but though he was dead Naois would not let him go.183Allen then cried out that he was getting faint and nigh-well giving up.184When Naois heard his prayer, he gave forth the piercing sigh of death, and asked Allen to lay hold of him and he would bring him to land.185Allen was not long when the weakness of death came on him and his hold failed.186Naois looked around, and when he saw his two well-beloved brothers dead, he cared not whether he lived or died, and he gave forth the bitter sigh of death, and his heart burst.187"They are gone," said Duanan Gacha Druid to the king, "and I have done what you desired me.188The sons of Uisnech are dead and they will trouble you no more; and you have your wife hale and whole to yourself."189"Blessings for that upon you and may the good results accrue to me, Duanan.190I count it no loss what I spent in the schooling and teaching of you.191Now dry up the flood, and let me see if I can behold Deirdre," said Connachar.192And Duanan Gacha Druid dried up the flood from the plain and the three sons of Uisnech were lying together dead, without breath of life, side by side on the green meadow plain and Deirdre bending above showering down her tears.193Then Deirdre said this lament: "Fair one, loved one, flower of beauty; beloved upright and strong; beloved noble and modest warrior.194Fair one, blue-eyed, beloved of thy wife; lovely to me at the trysting-place came thy clear voice through the woods of Ireland.195I cannot eat or smile henceforth.196Break not to-day, my heart: soon enough shall I lie within my grave.197Strong are the waves of sorrow, but stronger is sorrow's self, Connachar."198The people then gathered round the heroes' bodies and asked Connachar what was to be done with the bodies.199The order that he gave was that they should dig a pit and put the three brothers in it side by side.200Deirdre kept sitting on the brink of the grave, constantly asking the gravediggers to dig the pit wide and free.1 2 3← previousThe Sprightly Tailornext →Munachar and Manachar↑ back to Celtic Fairy TalesThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg7885/13/page/2/