Heroic Legends Of Ireland Part 21

Ecraid Mider in fidchill iarsin. Imbir ol Mider. Ni immr acht Set out Mider the chessboard thereupon. Play! said Mider. Not will I play, except di giull ol Eochaid. Cid gell bias and? ol Mider. c.u.mma lim ol for a stake, said Eochaid. What stake shall be here? said Mider. Equal to me, said Eochaid. Rot-bia lim-sa ol Mider md t beras mo thch.e.l.l, Eochaid. Thou shalt have from me, said Mider, if thou carry off my stake, L. gabur n-dub-glas ite cend-brecca, croderga, biruich, 50 horses of dark-gray, and they with dappled heads, blood-red, with ears p.r.i.c.ked high, bruin-lethain, bolg(s)roin, coss choela, comra.s.sa, faeborda,[1] femendae,[1]

chests broad, nostrils distended, feet thin, strong, keen, ? vehement, aurrda, aignecha, so-(a)staidi,[1] so very high, spirited, easily stopped, [1. See Bruidne da Derga (Stokes), 50, 51, faeborda, lit. with an edge on them; femendae? = Lat. vehemens; soaistidi is the form adopted by Stokes in his edition of the Bruidne; Egerton MS. gives soastaide.]

{p. 153} There is a gap here, a complete column being torn from the ma.n.u.script. The lost part obviously describes the issue of the chess game or games, and the penalties demanded by Bochaid: what these penalties were is plain from the succeeding story. The work of Mider and his folk in paying these penalties must also have been described: the next column (Leabhar na h- Uidhri, 131 b. of the facsimile) opens thus: iarsin doberar uir ocus grian ocus clocha for sin monai. Fri etna thereupon is, placed earth and gravel and stones on the bog. Over foreheads dam dano-btr fedmand la firu h-Erind cosind n-aidchi sin, co of oxen then were yokes among men of Ireland till that very night, when n-aicces la lucht in t-sde for a formnaib. Dognth it was seen (tbLat they were) among people of the Mounds on their shoulders. It was done samlaid la Eochaid, conid de at do som. Echaid Airem, ar so by Eochaid, so that hence is to himself (the name of) Echaid Airem, for is aice tisech tucad cuing for muinlaib dam do ferand h-Erind. Is it is by him first was put yoke on necks of oxen for land of Ireland. This ed dino and food ro bi im blaib in t-slaig oc denam in tcuir: is then there word which was on lips of the host at making of the causeway: Rhetoric-- Cuire illim, tochra illaim, Put into hand place (it) into hand aurdairc damrad trathaib iar fuin n.o.ble (are) oxen for hours after sunset for trom ailges ni fes cuich les very heavy request it is not known to whom (is) gain cich amles de thchur dar min Lmraige.

to whom harm from the causeway over moor of Lamrach.

Ni bad isin bith tchur bad ferr mani bethe oca There would not be in the world a causeway which is better, if not (men) had been at {p. 154} n-dscin Forrcbad de bochtae and iartain. Iarsin dolluid the seeing them. Was left on that account a breach there thenceforth. Thereupon came in rechtaire co Echaid ocus adft scla in mr fedma, atconnaire the steward to Echaid, and made known tales of the great serving band, that he saw fadai, ocus asbert nd rabi for fertas in betha c.u.machta before him, and said that there was not on the chariot pole of life a power dodrsce de. Am btar for a m-briathraib co n-accatr Mider that excelled it. When they were at their talking they saw Mider (come) chucu. Ard chustal ocus droch gn fair. Atrigestar Eochaid, to them. High ? girt (he was), and evil face (was) on him.? Rose ?[1] Eochaid, ocus ferais faelti fri. Is ed dorochtmr ol Mider. Is toreda ocus is and gave welcome to him. It is for that we have come, said Mider. It is cruel and is di-chill no ti frim, mor decrai ocus mr aingcessa do thabairt form senseless thou art to me, great hards.h.i.+p and great suffering thy bestowing on me adethaind n bad maith lat chena acht is bairnech mo menma frit.

I used to get what seemed good to thee still but is angry my mind against thee.

N bara fri bre dait-siu n do-gignestr do menma for Eochaid.

Not anger against anger: to thyself the thing that shall choose thy mind, said Eochaid.

Gebthar dano, ol Mider. Inn imberam fidchill? for Mider. Cid gell It shall be done then, said Mider. Shall we play at chess? said Mider. What stake bias and? for Eochaid. Gell adcobra cechtar d lna for shall be there? said Eochaid. The stake that wishes each of the two parties, said Mider. Berar tch.e.l.l n-Echdach all sin. Rucais mo Mider. Is carried off stake of Echaid in that very place. Thou hast carried off my thcell, for Eebaid. Mad al dam n-beraind chanaib, stake, said Echaid. If wish to me (had been) I could have carried it off long since, for Mider. Cacht cid adcobri form-sa? for Echaid. D lam im said Mider. Question what wishest thou from myself? said Echaid. Two arms about [1. This is a possible rendering, taking the word as a deponent form of atregaim. It would be more natural to take the word as from adagur; being equivalent to ad-d-raigestar, and to mean "feared him," but this does not agree with Eoebaid's general att.i.tude.]

{p. 155} tain, ocus pc di ol Mider. Sochtais Echaid la, sodain, ocus asbert, Etain, and a kiss from her, said Mider. Was silent Echaid thereon, and said, ts da ms on diu, doberthar dait an sin. In thou shalt come in a month from to-day, (and) shall be given to thee that very thing. The bliadain ra tuidecht do Mider co Echaid do imbert na fidehille bi oc year before the coming of Mider to Echaid for playing of the chess was he at tochmarc tane, ocus nis n-tad leis. Is ed ainm dobered Mider wooing of Etain, and nothing was found by him. This is the name used to give Mider di: befind conide asbert: to her: fair-haired lady, so that thence he said: b find in raga lim O fair-haired lady, wilt thou come with me i tr n-ingnad hi fil rind into a land marvellous, that is music?

Is barr sobarche folt and (thus) is the top of the head, of primrose the hair there, is dath snechta corp co ind: is colour of snow the body to the head: Is and nad b mi na ti, It is there not will be 'mine' or 'thine,'

gela det and, dubai brai, white teeth there, black eyebrows, Is l sula ln ar sluag,[1]

is colour of eyes number of our hosts, [2]no is brece is dath sion and cech grad: or is many-coloured is hue of foxglove there each cheek: [1. A conjecture by Windisch. Text gives sluig the genitive singular, which does not rhyme.

2 The three glosses are interesting. It may be noted that the last two certainly follow the word (above the line in which it occurs) that they seem to gloss: it is therefore probable that the first does so too; the two lines of a couplet are on the same line in the ma.n.u.script. It {footnote p. 156} seems then possible that the gloss "it is many-coloured" refers, not to the foxglove, but to the preceding line, "the colour of eyes is number of our hosts," and that the writer of this gloss gave the same meaning to the rather hard description of the colour of the eyes as is given in the verse translation (vol. i. p. 26), i.e. that the eyes had changing lights and shapes. We must hope, for the credit of his taste, that he did not think of the cheeks as many-coloured or freckled, but his gloss of lossa does not seem happy. The meaning "growth" is taken from O'Reilly's Dictionary.]

{p. 156} no lossa Is corcair maige cach muin,[1]

or growth?

is purple of a plain each neck, no is dath is li sula ugai luin: or is hue is colour of eyes (that of) eggs of a blackbird: cid cin deicsiu maigi Fail though pleasant (is) seeing plains of Fal (isle of Destiny) annam iar gnis maige mir.

a wilderness[2] after knowledge of the Great Plain.

Cid mesc lib coirm inse Fil, Though intoxicating to you (is) ale of the island Fal, is mescu coirm tre mir, is more intoxicating the ale of the country great, amra tre tr asbiur, a wonder of a land the land I mention, n thet oac and re siun.

not goes a young man there before an old man.

Srotha teith millsi tar tir, Streams warm (and) sweet through the land, rogu de mid ocus fn, choice of mead and wine, [1. A conjecture (Str.), min, treasure, is in the text: this does not rhyme, nor give good sense; note, however, that muin has no accent-the text gives one.

2. This meaning for annam is doubtful; the sense of "seldom" is established for the word; the line possibly means "it will seldom be so after," &c.]

{p. 157} dini delgnaidi, cen on, men ? handsome, without blemish, combart cen pecead, cen col.

conception without sin without crime.

Atchiam cch for each leth, We see all on every side, ocus ni-conn acci nech; and yet not sees us anyone temel imorbais daim the cloud of the sin of Adam do-don-archil[1] ar araim encompa.s.ses us from reckoning A ben da ris mo thuaith tind, O woman, if thou wilt come to my people strong, is barr oir bias fort chind, it is top of head of gold shall be on thy head, inue r, laith, lemnacht la lind pork unsalted, ale, new milk for drink rot bia lim and, a be find, a be find.

shall be to thee with me there, O woman fair-haired.

[a gap, 9 letters lost] i atumchotaise om aithech tige rag-sa, [a gap, thou obtainest me from my master of the house I will go, 9 letters lost] fetai, ni rag. Is iarsin dolluid Mider (L.U. 130 a .) co canst, not will I go. It is thereon came Mider to Echaid, ocus dmair a thoch.e.l.l fochtir co m-beth f'lo acai Echaid, and yields his stake immediately that may be (cause) of reproach for him do Echaid, is airi ric na comada mra, ocus issairi is to Echaid, it is therefore he paid the great stakes, and on that account it is (that) [1. From tairch.e.l.laim.]

{p. 158} f anfis con atig a gell. Conid iarsin giull adrubrad in tn tr under ignorance that he asked his wager. So that after that wager it was said when now ro bi Mider cona muinter oc c comad na aidehi, i. in tchor, ocus was Mider and his folk at paying the stake of the night, that is, the causeway, and di-chlochad Midi, ocus luachair Tetbai, ocus fid dar Breg: iss[1] seo clearing stones off Meath, and rushes of Tethba and forest over Breg: it is he this an no foclad bi oc muinter amal atbert lebor drom snechta: what used to say was with his folk as says Book of Drom-snechta: Rhetoric-- Cuirthe illand: tochre illand: airderg dararad: Put on the field: Put close on the field very red oxen: trom in choibden: clunithar fir ferdi.

heavy the troop Which hears ?really-manly buidni balc-thruim crand-chuir troops for strong heavy setting of trees forderg saire fedar of very red ?oaks[2] are led sechuib slimprib snthib past them on twisted wattles: sctha lma: ind rosc clina: fobth on mna weary are hands, the eye ?slants aside? because of one woman Dib in dgail: duib in trom-daim:[3]

To you the revenge, to you the heavy ?oxen tairthim flatho fer ban: splendour of sovereignty over white men: fomnis, fomnis, in fer m-braine cerpae fomnis did derg ? ? ?.

[1. Grammar not clear: perhaps the Irish is corrupt (Str.).

2. Reading daire for saire.

3. A conjecture. MS. gives trom-dim.]

{p. 159} fer arfeid solaig ?.

fri aiss esslind fer brn for-t ? ? sorrow shall, come on the man?

i. more ertechta inde lmnado luchair for di Thethbi ? rushes over?two Tethbas di-chlochad[1] Midi indracht cich les, cich amles clearing stones from Meath ? to whom the benefit, to whom the harm thocur dar clochach? moin .[2].

causeway over stony moor. Dalis Mider da ms Fochiallastar (i. rotinil). Echaid formna Mider appointed a meeting for the end of a month. Echaid a.s.sembled (i.e. collected)troops.

lech la-rend com btar hi Temrach, ocus an ro po dech do fiannaib of heroes of Ireland so that they were in Tara, and what was best of champions h-Erind, cach caird imm araile im Temrach immedon ocus a nechtair, of Ireland, each ring about another, around Tara im the middle, and outside it ocus is-tig. Ocus in ri ocus in rigan immedon in taigi, ocus ind lis and within. And the king and the queen in the middle of the house, and its Liss iatai f gla.s.saib, ar ro fetatar do t-icfad fer in mr c.u.macht. Etin shut under locks, for they knew that would comie of insen the great might. Etain bi ocon dil ind aidehi sin forsna flathi, ar ba sain dna disi dl.

was dispensing that night to the princes, for it was meet then for her pouring (of the wine) Am btar iarom fora. m-briathraib, co accatar Mider chucu for When they were thereon at their talking they saw Mider (come) to them on lar ind rigthige. B cin som dgres ba cini dana inn aidehi sin.

the floor of the royal palace. He was fair always, was fairer then on that night.

[1. A conjecture. MS. gives dlecad (Str.) 2. The last line in the Ms. is t d c m.]

{p. 160} Tosbert im mod na slg ateonnairc. Sochsit uli iarom ocus He brought to amazement the hosts that he saw.[1] Were silent all thereon, and ferais in r faelti fris. Is ed dorochtmar ol Mider. An ro gella the king gave welcome to him. It is this we have come for, said Mider. What was promised dam-sa or se, tucthar dam. Is fiach ma gelltar, an ro gellad to myself, said he, let it be given to me. It is a debt if a promise is given, tucus dait-siu. N imrordusa for Echaid, an sin co se.

I have given to thee. Not have I thought on, said Echaid, that very thing up to now.

Atrugell tain fin dam-sa, ol Mider, ticht uit-siu.

Thou hast promised Etain herself to me, said Mider, message (lit. a coming) from you.

Imdergthar im Etain la, sodain. N imdergthar imut for Mider, n There was a blush on Etain thereupon. Let there be no blush on thee, said Mider, not droch banas duit-siu. Atu-sa, ol s, bliadain oc do chuingid com evil marriage-feast to thee. I am myself, said he, a year at seeking thee with minib ocus staib at ildem in re, ocus n tucus-sa treasures and jewels that are the most beautiful in Ireland and not I took thee comad chomarlcud do Echaid. Ni -l-deas damsa ce till there should be permission of Echaid. Not by good-will to me any dotchotaind. Atrubart-sa frit-su ol si, conom rire Echaid, getting thee. I myself said to thyself, said she, until Echaid gives me up nit rius. Atometha lat ar mo chuit fin, da nom rire Echaid.

not will I come to thee. Take me with thee for my own part, if me Echaid will give up.

Nit ririub immorro, for Echaid, acht tabrad a d lim Not thee will I give up however, said Echaid, but (I give) a placing of his two hands imut for lr in tige, amal ro gabais. Dogntar for Mider.

about thee on floor of the house, as thou art. It shall be done! said Mider.

i. mider Atetha a gaisced ina lim cl, ocus gabais in mni fo a leth-oxail dess, that is, Mider He took his weapons in his hand left, and took the woman under his shoulder right, [1. Reading atcondairc (Str.).]

{p. 161} ocus fcois-l for forls in tige. Conrget in-t-sluig imn rig and carried her off over skylight of the house. Pose up the hosts, about the king ir mlacht forro, co n-accatar in d ela timch.e.l.l na Temra. Is ed after a disgrace on them, they saw the two swans around Tara. It is this, ro gabsat do sd ar Femun. Ocus luid Echaid co fomno they took (the road) to elfmound about about Femun. And went Echaid with a troop fer n-Erend imbi do sth ar Femun i. sd ban-find.

of men of Ireland about him to elf mound about Femun i.e. elfmound of the fair-haired women.

B (a si com)[1] arli fer n-Erend, fochlaid each sd [a gap, 12 letters lost]

That was the counsel of the men of Ireland, he dug up each elf-mound.

tised a ben. do udib, Foce [a gap of 13 letters, rest of the version should come his wife to him from them.

lost.]

[1, The letters in parentheses are a conjecture by Strachan, to fill up a gap in the ma.n.u.script]

Vol. II.

THE END.