Old Celtic Romances Part 17

RETURN AND DEATH OF THE SONS OF TURENN.

Making no further delay, he led them to their s.h.i.+p, and they set sail for Erin. While they were yet far off, Brian, gazing over the sea towards the west, suddenly cried out--

"Lo, I see Ben Edar[XLVIII.] yonder, rising over the waters; and I see also Dun Turenn farther towards the north."

And Ur answered from where he reclined with Urcar on the deck, "If we could but get one sight of Ben Edar methinks we should regain our health and strength; and as thou lovest us, and as thou lovest thy own renown, my brother, come and raise our heads and rest them on thy breast, that we may see Erin once more. After that, we shall welcome either life or death."

UR.

O brother, torch of valour, strong of hand, Come, place our weary heads upon thy breast; And let us look upon our native land, Before we sink to everlasting rest!

BRIAN.

Beloved sons of Turenn, woe is me!

My wounds are deep, my day of strength is past; Yet not for this I grieve, but that I see Your lives, my n.o.ble brothers, ebbing fast!

UR.

Would we could give our lives to purchase thine; Ah, gladly would we die to ease thy pain!

For art thou not the pride of Turenn's line, The n.o.blest champion of green Erin's plain?

BRIAN.

That mighty Dannan healer, Dianket;[XLIX.]

Or Midac, who excelled his sire in skill; The maiden-leech, Armedda, mightier yet, Who knew the herbs to cure, the herbs to kill:

Oh, were they here; or had we now at hand Those gifted apples from the distant East; Then might we hope to reach our native land, And live again in joy and peace and rest!

UR.

Brother, methinks could we but see once more Ben Edar's slopes, or Bregia's[L.] dewy plain, Tailltenn,[LI.] or Bruga's[LII.] mystic mansion h.o.a.r, Our blood would course in health and strength again.

Or let us once behold our father's home, Or winding Liffey down by Ahaclee,[LIII.]

Old Frevan's hill,[LIV.] or Tara's[LV.] regal dome; Then welcome death or life, whiche'er may be!

So Brian raised their heads and rested them on his breast, and they gazed on the rocky cliffs and green slopes of Ben Edar while the s.h.i.+p wafted slowly towards land.

Soon after this they landed on the north side of Ben Edar, from which they made their way slowly to Dun Turenn. And when they had reached the green in front of the house, Brian cried out--

"Father, dear father, come forth to thy children!"

Turenn came forth and saw his sons all wounded and pale and feeble.

And Brian said, "Go, beloved father--go quick to Tara, and quickly return. Bring this cooking-spit to Luga, and tell him that we have given the three shouts on Midkena's Hill. Say that we have now paid the full eric-fine, and bring back from him the apples of the Garden of Hisberna, to heal our wounds, else we die."

BRIAN.

Father, our wounds are deadly; nought can save Thy children's lives but Luga's friendly hand: Go, seek him, father--fare thee fast--and crave The healing apples from Hisberna's land!

TURENN.

In vain, my sons, ye seek to fly your doom; The stern Ildana's mind too well I know: Alas! far liefer would he see your tomb, Than all the treasures all this world could show!

BRIAN.

But he is just; and though his sire we slew, Have we not paid full eric for the deed?

The great Ildana is our kinsman too, And will relent in this our time of need.

Then go, my father, thou art swift and strong; Speed like the wind--why linger here to mourn?

Go straight to Luga's home, nor tarry long; Or, father, we shall die ere thou return!

Turenn set out and travelled like the wind till he reached Tara, where he found Luga.

He gave him the cooking-spit, and said, "Behold, my three sons have now paid thee the full eric-fine, for they have given the three shouts on Midkena's Hill. But they are wounded even unto death; and now give me, I pray thee, the apples from the Garden of Hisberna, to cure them, else they die."

But Luga refused, and turned away from Turenn.

Turenn hastened back to his sons with a sorrowful heart, and told them that he had failed to get the apples.

Then Brian said, "Take me with thee to Tara. I will see him, and perchance he may have pity on us, and give us the apples."

And it was done so. But when Brian begged for the apples, Luga said--

"I will not give them to thee. If thou shouldst offer me the full of the whole earth of gold, I would not give them to thee. Thou and thy brothers committed a wicked and pitiless deed when you slew my father.

For that deed you must suffer, and with nothing short of your death shall I be content."

For the blood that you spilled, For the hero you killed-- The deed is avenged, and your doom is fulfilled!

Brian turned away and went back to his brothers, and, lying down between them, his life departed; and his brothers died at the same moment.

Then their father and their sister stood hand in hand over their bodies, lamenting. And Turenn spoke this lay--

Oh, pulseless is my heart this woful hour, My strength is gone, my joy for ever fled; Three n.o.ble champions, Erin's pride and power, My three fair youths, my children, cold and dead!

Mild Ur, the fair-haired; Urcar, straight and tall; The kings of Banba[LVI.] worthy both to be; And Brian, bravest, n.o.blest, best of all, Who conquered many lands beyond the sea:

Lo, I am Turenn, your unhappy sire, Mourning with feeble voice above your grave; No life, no wealth, no honours I desire; A place beside my sons is all I crave!

After this Turenn and Ethnea fell on the bodies of the three young heroes and died.

And they were all buried in one grave.

This is the story of the Fate of the Children of Turenn.

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