Heroic Romances of Ireland Part 35

Lothar (or Lothur), a follower of Fraech.

Bicne, a follower of Conall.

IMMORTALS

Befind, Fraech's fairy mother.

Boand (p.r.o.nounced like "owned"), sister to Befind; Queen of the Fairies.

Three fairy harpers.

TAIN BO FRAICH

THE RAID FOR THE CATTLE OF FRAECH

Now the news of the love of that maid to Fraech, at his home where he dwelt, was brought, And he called his folk, and with all he spoke, and for speech with the maid he sought: And they counselled him thus: "Let a message from thee be sent to thy fairy kin To entreat their aid when we seek that maid; a boon we may chance to win: For the wondrous robes of the fairy land, and for gifts from the fairies plead; And sure thy mother's sister's hand will give to thee all thy need."

To Mag Breg,[FN#1] where his mother's sister dwelt, to Boand he away hath gone, And she gave to him mantles of dark black-blue, like a beetle's back they shone: Four dark-grey rings in each cloak she gave were sewn, and a brooch shone, bright With the good red gold in each mantle's fold; she gave tunics pale and white, And the tunics were bordered with golden loops, that forms as of beasts displayed; And a fifty she added of well-rimmed s.h.i.+elds, that of silver white were made.

[FN#1] p.r.o.nounced Maw Brayg.

Then away they rode, in each hero's hand was a torch for a kingly hall, For studs of bronze, and of well-burned gold, shone bright on the spears of all; On carbuncle sockets the spears were set, their points with jewels blazed; And they lit the night, as with fair sunlight, as men on their glory gazed.

By each of the fifty heroes' side was a sword with a hilt of gold; And a soft-grey mare was for each to ride, with a golden curb controlled; At each horse's throat was a silver plate, and in front of that plate was swung, With a tinkling sound to the horse's tread, a bell with a golden tongue.

on each steed was a housing of purple hide, with threads of silver laced, And with spiral st.i.tch of the silver threads the heads of beasts were traced, And each housing was buckled with silver and gold: of findruine[FN#2]

was made the whip For each rider to hold, with a crook of gold where it came to the horse man's grip.

[FN#2] p.r.o.nounced "find-roony," the unknown "white-bronze" metal.

By their sides, seven chase-hounds were springing At leashes of silver they strained, And each couple a gold apple, swinging On the fetter that linked them, sustained: And their feet with bronze sheaths had been guarded, As if greaves for defence they had worn, Every hue man hath seen, or hath fancied, By those chase-hounds in brilliance was borne.

Seven trumpeters strode on the road before, with colour their cloaks were bright, And their coats, that shone with the gauds they wore, flashed back as they met the light; On trumpets of silver and gold they blew, and sweet was the trumpets'

sound, And their hair, soft and yellow, like fairy threads, shone golden their shoulders round.

Three jesters marched in the van, their-crowns were of silver, by gilt concealed, And emblems they. carried of quaint device, engraved on each jester's s.h.i.+eld; They had staves which with crests were adorned, and ribs down their edges in red bronze ran; Three harp-players moved by the jesters' sides, and each was a kingly man.

All these were the gifts that the fairy gave, and gaily they made their start, And to Croghan's[FN#3] hold, in that guise so brave, away did the host depart.

[FN#3] p.r.o.nounced Crow-han.

On the fort stands a watchman to view them, And thus news down to Croghan he calls: "From yon plain comes, in fulness of numbers, A great army to Croghan's high walls; And, since Ailill the throne first ascended, Since the day we hailed Maev as our Queen, Never army so fair nor so splendid Yet hath come, nor its like shall be seen."

"'Tis strange," said he," as dipped in wine, So swims, so reels my head, As o'er me steals the breath divine Of perfume from them shed."

"A fair youth," said he, "forth with them goeth, And the grace of such frolicsome play, And such lightness in leap as he showeth Have I seen not on earth till to-day: For his spear a full shot's length he flingeth, Yet the spear never reacheth to ground, For his silver-chained hounds follow after, In their jaws is the spear ever found!"

The Connaught hosts without the fort To see that glory rushed: Sixteen within, of baser sort, Who gazed, to death were crushed.

To the fort came the youths, from their steeds they leapt, for the steeds and the stabling cared, And they loosed the hounds that in leash they kept, for the hunt were the hounds prepared; Seven deer, seven foxes and hares, they chased to the dun on Croghan's plain, Seven boars they drave, on the lawn in haste the game by the youths was slain: With a bound they dashed into Bree, whose flood by the lawns of Croghan flows; Seven otters they caught in its stream, and brought to a hill where the gateway rose.

'Twas there that Fraech and the princes sat at the castle-gate to rest, And the steward of Croghan with Fraech would speak, for such was the king's behest: Of his birth it was asked, and the men he led all truth to the herald spake: "It is Idath's son who is here," they said, and they gave him the name of Fraech.

To Ailill and Maev went the steward back of the stranger's name to tell; "Give him welcome," said they: "Of a n.o.ble race is that youth, and I know it well; Let him enter the court of our house," said the king, the gateway they opened wide; And the fourth of the palace they gave to Fraech, that there might his youths abide.

Fair was the palace that there they found, Seven great chambers were ranged it round; Right to the walls of the house they spread, Facing the hall, where the fire glowed red: Red yew planks, that had felt the plane, Dappled the walls with their tangled grain:

Rails of bronze at the side-walls stood, Plates of bronze had made firm the wood, Seven bra.s.s bolts to the roof-tree good Firmly the vaulting tied.

All that house had of pine been made, Planks, as s.h.i.+ngles, above were laid; Sixteen windows the light let pa.s.s, Each in a frame of the s.h.i.+ning bra.s.s: High through the roof was the sky seen bright; Girder of bra.s.s made that opening tight, Under the gap it was stretched, and light Fell on its gleaming side.

All those chambers in splendour excelling, The midmost of all in the ring, Rose a room, set apart as the dwelling Of Queen Maev, and of Ailill the king.

Four bra.s.s columns the awning supported For their couch, there was bronze on the wall; And two rails, formed of silver, and gilded, In that chamber encircled it all: In the front, to mid-rafters attaining, Rose in silver a wand from the floor; And with rooms was that palace engirdled, For they stretched from the door to the door.

'Twas there they went to take repose, On high their arms were hung; And down they sank, and welcome rose, Acclaimed by every tongue.

By the queen and the king they were welcome made, the strangers they turned to greet; And their courtesy graciously Fraech repaid: "'Twas thus we had hoped to meet."

"Not for boasting to-day are ye come!" said Maev; the men for the chess she set: And a lord of the court in the chess-man sport by Fraech in a match was met.

'Twas a marvellous board of findruine fair was prepared, when they played that game, Four handles, and edges of gold it had, nor needed they candles' flame; For the jewels that blazed at the chess-board's side, a light, as from lamps, would yield; And of silver and gold were the soldiers made, who engaged on that mimic field.

"Get ye food for the chiefs!" said the king; said Maev, "Not yet, 'tis my will to stay, To sit with the strangers, and here with Fraech in a match at the chess to play!"

"Let thy game be played!" said Ailill then, "for it pleaseth me none the less:"

And Queen Maev and Fraech at the chess-board sate, and they played at the game of chess.

Now his men, as they played, the wild beasts late caught were cooking, they thought to feed; And said Ailill to Fraech, "Shall thy harpmen play?" "Let them play,"

said Fraech, "indeed:"

Now those harpers were wondrous men, by their sides they had sacks of the otter's skin, And about their bodies the sacks were tied, and they carried their harps within, With st.i.tches of silver and golden thread each case for a harp was sewed; And, beneath the embroidery gleaming red, the s.h.i.+mmer of rubies showed!

The skin of a roe about them in the middle, it was as white as snow; black-grey eyes in their centre. Cloaks of linen as white as the tunic of a swan around these ties.[FN#4] Harps of gold and silver and bronze, with figures of serpents and birds, and hounds of gold and silver: as they moved those strings those figures used to run about the men all round.

[FN#4] This is the Egerton version, which is clearly right here. The Book of Leinster gives: "These figures accordingly used to run," &c., leaving out all the first part of the sentence, which is required to make the meaning plain.

They play for them then so that twelve of the people[FN#5] of Ailill and Medb die with weeping and sadness.