Old Celtic Romances Part 29

_The old hermit continues his story_--

The voice then ceased, and I heard no more Its hollow, beseeching tone; Then I closed the grave, and left the old monk To rest in his coffin alone.

My curragh sailed on the western main, And I saw, as I viewed the sea, A withered old man upon a wave; And he fixed his eyes on me.

He spoke, and his voice my heart's blood froze, And I shook with horror and fear: 'Twas the very voice of the dead old monk That sounded in mine ear!

_The dead monk speaks again_--

Far from my grave the sinner's corse In unhallowed clay lies deep; And now in my coffin, undefiled, For ever in peace I sleep.

Go, live and pray on the bare, brown rock, Far out in the stormy sea; A heavy penance for heavy crimes, And heaven at last for thee!

_The old hermit ends his story_--

And here I live from age to age; I pray and repent and fast; An otter brings me food each day, And I hope for heaven at last.

The tempests roar and the billows rage, But G.o.d holds forth His hand, And cold nor heat nor storm nor sleet, Can harm me where I stand.

FOOTNOTES:

[LXXVI.] Tory Island, off the coast of Donegal, where there was a monastery dedicated to St. Columkille.

CHAPTER x.x.xIV.

SIGNS OF HOME.

Soon after they saw a beautiful verdant island, with herds of oxen, cows, and sheep browsing all over its hills and valleys; but no houses nor inhabitants were to be seen. And they rested for some time on this island, and ate the flesh of the cows and sheep.

One day, while they were standing on a hill, a large falcon flew by; and two of the crew, who happened to look closely at him, cried out, in the hearing of Maildun--

"See that falcon! he is surely like the falcons of Erin!"

"Watch him closely," cried Maildun; "and observe exactly in what direction he is flying!"

And they saw that he flew to the south-east, without turning or wavering.

They went on board at once; and, having unmoored, they sailed to the south-east after the falcon. After rowing the whole day, they sighted land in the dusk of the evening, which seemed to them like the land of Erin.

CHAPTER x.x.xV.

MAILDUN MEETS HIS ENEMY, AND ARRIVES HOME.

On a near approach, they found it was a small island; and now they recognised it as the very same island they had seen in the beginning of their voyage, in which they had heard the man in the great house boast that he had slain Maildun's father, and from which the storm had driven them out into the great ocean.

They turned the prow of their vessel to the sh.o.r.e, landed, and went towards the house. It happened that at this very time the people of the house were seated at their evening meal; and Maildun and his companions, as they stood outside, heard a part of their conversation.

Said one to another, "It would not be well for us if we were now to see Maildun."

"As to Maildun," answered another, "it is very well known that he was drowned long ago in the great ocean."

"Do not be sure," observed a third; "perchance he is the very man that may waken you up some morning from your sleep."

"Supposing he came now," asks another, "what should we do?"

The head of the house now spoke in reply to the last question; and Maildun at once knew his voice--

"I can easily answer that," said he. "Maildun has been for a long time suffering great afflictions and hards.h.i.+ps; and if he were to come now, though we were enemies once, I should certainly give him a welcome and a kind reception."

When Maildun heard this he knocked at the door, and the door-keeper asked who was there; to which Maildun made answer--

"It is I, Maildun, returned safely from all my wanderings."

The chief of the house then ordered the door to be opened; and he went to meet Maildun, and brought himself and his companions into the house.

They were joyfully welcomed by the whole household; new garments were given to them; and they feasted and rested, till they forgot their weariness and their hards.h.i.+ps.

They related all the wonders G.o.d had revealed to them in the course of their voyage, according to the word of the sage who says, "It will be a source of pleasure to remember these things at a future time."

After they had remained here for some days, Maildun returned to his own country. And Diuran Lekerd took the five half-ounces of silver he had cut down from the great net at the Silver Pillar, and laid it, according to his promise, on the high altar of Armagh.

THE FAIRY PALACE OF THE QUICKEN TREES.[LXXVII.]

CHAPTER I.

COLGA, KING OF LOCHLANN, INVADES ERIN, AND IS SLAIN.

Once upon a time, a n.o.ble, warlike king ruled over Lochlann,[6] whose name was Colga of the Hard Weapons. On a certain occasion, this king held a meeting of his chief people, on the broad, green plain before his palace of Berva.[6] And when they were all gathered together, he spoke to them in a loud, clear voice, from where he sat high on his throne; and he asked them whether they found any fault with the manner in which he ruled them, and whether they knew of anything deserving of blame in him as their sovereign lord and king. They replied, as if with the voice of one man, that they found no fault of any kind.

Then the king spoke again and said, "You see not as I see. Do you not know that I am called King of the Four Tribes of Lochlann, and of the Islands of the Sea? And yet there is one island which acknowledges not my rule."

And when they had asked which of the islands he meant, he said--

"That island is Erin of the green hills. My forefathers, indeed, held sway over it, and many of our brave warriors died there in fight. There fell the great king, Balor of the Mighty Blows;[9] his son Bres[9] also; and his queen, Kethlenda of the Crooked Teeth;[9] there, too, fell Irann and Slana, sisters of the king; and many others that I do not name. But though our hosts at last subdued the land and laid it under tribute, yet they held it not long; for the men of Erin arose and expelled our army, regaining their ancient freedom.