Celtic Tales, Told to the Children Part 9

'Thou, as ever, art right, O King,' cried Dermat. 'I am here, and with me is Grania, but none other shall come hither save with my leave.'

Now in the circle fence were seven doors, and at each door did Finn place strong men, so that Dermat should by no means escape.

And Grania, when she heard Finn's voice, was filled with fear, and she trembled greatly. Then Dermat kissed her three times and bade her be of good cheer for all would yet be well.

Now it was by Angus of Bruga that Dermat had been brought up. Most skilled in magic was this Angus, and to him was the plight of Dermat revealed--Dermat, whom he loved as though he were his own son.

So Angus arose and travelled on the wings of the wind until he came to the hut where Dermat and Grania dwelt, and, unseen of Finn or his chiefs, he entered the dwelling.

And Dermat, when he saw his foster-father, greeted him gladly and told him of the solemn vow which the Princess Grania had laid upon him, and how she was his wedded wife. 'And now are we in sore strait, for Finn, whose will it was to marry Grania, hath pursued us and would fain take my life.'

'No harm shall befall you,' said Angus, 'if ye will but shelter under my mantle, the one on the right side and the other on the left, for then will I bring you both forth from this place, and Finn shall know it not.'

But Dermat would not flee from Finn, yet it was his will that Grania should go with Angus. 'And I will follow if it be that I leave this place alive, yet should I be slain, I pray thee, Angus, send the Princess to her father and beg him that he deal gently with her.'

Then Dermat kissed Grania, and Angus, having told the way that they would go, placed the Princess beneath his mantle and was carried forth on the wings of the wind unseen of Finn.

When Angus and Grania had gone, Dermat girded on his armour, and, deep in thought, he walked to one of the seven doors and asked who was without.

And the answer came, 'True friends are we, and no harm shall befall thee, shouldst thou venture forth.'

But Dermat answered, 'I seek the door guarded by Finn, and by none other shall I leave this place.'

And he came to another door and asked who was without, and again was it told him, 'Thy bounden friends.'

Then to the third, to the fourth, and to the fifth door did Dermat go, and at each was he told how the men without were willing to fight to the death for their love of him.

But when Dermat came to the sixth door and asked by whom it was guarded, the answer came, 'No friends of thine, for shouldst thou dare to venture forth, we will make thee a mark for our swords and spears.'

'Cowards, no fear of you keepeth me from coming forth, but I crave not the blood of such as ye.'

And he went to the seventh door and asked who was without. And the voice of Finn answered, 'He that hateth thee, and will sever thy head from thy body shouldst thou dare to come forth.'

'At length have I found the door I seek, for by the door that Finn guardeth, by it only shall I pa.s.s out.'

But Dermat, seeing of a sudden an unguarded spot, sprang with a light bound over the fence, and ran so swiftly that soon he was beyond the reach of sword or spear. And no man dared to follow Dermat. Nor did the hero rest until he came to the warm, well-lighted hut where Grania sat with Angus before a blazing fire.

When Grania saw Dermat her heart leaped for joy. Then did he tell her his tidings from beginning to end, and after they had eaten they slept in peace until the morning brake.

And while it was yet early Angus bid them farewell, and he left with them this warning, knowing that Finn would pursue them still: 'Go into no tree that has but one trunk; nor into any cave having but one opening; land on no island that has but one way leading to it; where you cook your food, there eat it not; where you eat, sleep not there; and where you sleep to-night, rise not there to-morrow.' [Footnote: Angus meant that Dermat should change his place of sleeping during the night.]

And when Angus had left them, Dermat and Grania sorrowed after him, and it was not long until they journeyed forth.

All that befell Dermat and Grania cannot be told in this book, but of Sharvan the giant and of the fairy quicken-tree you shall hear now.

After many wanderings Dermat came with Grania to the wood where Sharvan guarded the quicken-tree. Honey-sweet were the berries of the tree, and gladness flowed through the veins of him who ate thereof. Though he were one hundred years old, yet would he be but thirty so soon as he had eaten three of the fairy berries.

By day Sharvan the giant sat at the foot of the tree, and by night he sat in a hut in its branches, and no man dared to come near. Fearful to behold and wicked was this Sharvan. One eye, one red eye gleamed from the middle of his black forehead. On his body was a girdle of iron, and from the girdle was a heavy club hung by a heavy chain. And by magic was Sharvan saved from death, for water would not drown him nor fire burn; neither was there weapon, save one, that could wound the giant. The one weapon was Sharvan's own club, for were he by it dealt three blows, his doom was come.

Now Dermat knew of the giant that guarded the fairy quicken-tree, therefore he left Grania in shelter and went alone to the foot of the tree. And there sat Sharvan, for it was day.

And Dermat told the giant how he would fain build a hut in the forest and hunt amid the woods.

Then the giant, casting his red eye upon the champion, told him in surly tone that it mattered not to him who lived or hunted in the forest, so long as he did not eat the berries of the quicken-tree.

So Dermat built a hut near to a clear well, and there he and Grania lived in peace for many days, eating the food of the forest and drinking water from the spring.

Now it was at this time that two chiefs came to Finn on the green slopes of Allen. And when he asked them who they were and whence they came, they told how they were enemies that would fain make peace.

But Finn answered, 'One of two things must ye bring hither would ye win peace from me. Either must ye bring me the head of a warrior or a handful of berries from the quicken-tree.'

Then said Oisin the son of Finn, 'I counsel you, get ye hence, for the head that the King seeketh from you is the head of Dermat, and were ye to attempt to take it, then would Dermat take yours, were ye twenty times the number that ye be. And as for the quicken-berries, know ye that they grow on a fairy tree, guarded by the one-eyed giant Sharvan.'

But the two chiefs were firm and would not be moved, for it were better to die in their quest than to return to the hilly slopes of Allen at enmity with Finn. So they left the palace, and journeyed without rest until they came to Dermat's hut by the clear well.

Now Dermat, when he heard footsteps without, seized his weapons, and going to the door, asked of the strangers who they were and whence they came.

And the chiefs told their names and for what cause they were come thither.

Then Dermat said, 'I am not willing to give you my head, nor will you find it an easy matter to take it. Neither may ye hope to fare better in your quest of the quicken-berries, for the surly giant Sharvan guards the tree.

Fire will not burn him nor water drown, nor is there a weapon that hath power to wound him, save only his own club. Say, therefore, which ye will do battle for first, my head or the quicken-berries?'

And they answered, 'We will first do battle with thee.'

So they made ready, and it was agreed that they should use nought save their hands in the combat. And if Dermat were overcome then should his head be taken by the chiefs to Finn; if they were overpowered then should their heads be forfeit to Dermat.

But the fight was short, for the chiefs were as children in the hands of the hero, and he bound them sore in bitter bonds.

Now when Grania heard of the quicken-berries she longed with a great longing to taste them. At first she said nought for she knew how they were guarded by the surly giant Sharvan; but when she could hide her desire no longer, she said to Dermat, 'So great is my longing for the berries of the quicken-tree that if I may not eat of them I shall surely die.'

And Dermat, who would see no ill befall his dear wife, said he would bring her the berries.

When the two chiefs heard this, they prayed Dermat to loose their bonds that they also might fight the giant.

But Dermat answered, 'At the mere sight of Sharvan ye would flee, and even were it not so I wish the aid of none.'

Then the chiefs begged that they might see the fight, and Dermat gave them leave.

When the champion came to the foot of the quicken-tree he found Sharvan there, asleep. And he struck the giant a mighty blow to awake him.

Then Sharvan raised his head, and, glaring at Dermat with his one red eye, said, 'There hath been peace betwixt us heretofore, wherefore should we now depart from it?'

And Dermat said, 'It is not to strive that I come hither, but to beg of thee berries from the quicken-tree, for Grania, my wife, longeth for them with a great longing.'

But the giant answered, 'Though the Princess were at the point of death, yet would I not give her berries from the quicken-tree.'

When Dermat heard this he said, 'It had pleased me well to remain at peace with thee, but now must I take the berries from the tree whether it be thy will or no.'