Violet Russell

“ And I tell you your journey will be in vain, for Fionn and his Fians are no longer in the land; instead of your great warriors you will find a multitude of weak, sad-faced men, who say prayers to a strange God night and day; instead of the cheerful barking of hounds and sound of the chase you will hear the melancholy ringing of bells wherever you go. Again I say to you, Oisin, let nothing tempt you to dismount from the horse; if you do you will never return to this country, for old, old age will fall upon you in the twinkling of an eye. ”

“ As I touched the earth I remembered Niav's words, but too late. Quickly as a flying shadow the white horse disappeared, and still more quickly a withered, shrivelled old age came upon me, and left me feeble and helpless as you, O Patrick, now behold me. It is my unending grief that never again shall I see Niav and my dear children; my noble father and comrades have all gone from me, and I, the last of the Fianna, am left alone, with a heart more full of sorrow than was any man's ever before. ”

“ At his bidding the phantoms began to howl and wail and scream, and all the wild animals of the woods and hills hid where the sound could not reach them. The horses broke loose and ran away in terror—all but Black Flame, who, knowing that his master was in peril, beat on the heavily-barred door with his hoofs, splintering it into fragments, and screaming with rage rushed over the threshold to stand by Fionn's side. Fear touched even the heroes' hearts, but they called on their gods to strengthen them, and held their spears and shields ready for the attack of the demons. ”

“ In the midst of the floor reposed a more stately warrior than the others, with silver hair flowing over his shoulders; at his head was a silken banner, with a golden sun rising above the horizon, and on either side of him a hound rested.
The man looked at them; he thought they must be warriors who had died long ages ago, but the colour still remained in their cheeks, and the red in their lips, as though they only slept. He walked a few paces into the cave, and stumbled over a long, carved wooden instrument half-buried in the sand. ”

“ The dark hours of the night passed on, and Fionn shivered as the chill autumnal dews dropped on his weak and helpless limbs. He thought how the poor and the old must suffer, without warmth or comfort, and welcomed the dawn and sunrise more eagerly than he ever had before; then on his ears fell the sound of men's voices shouting and calling, and the barking of many dogs. Nearer and nearer the sound came; a minute or two later his son Oisin, and Oscur the son of Oisin, with Caeilté and Conan mac Morna and a great band of the Fianna Eireann, came over the hill-top to him. ”

“ Long years the people of Ireland have suffered silently under their powerful sway and the great tributes they imposed, and if Fionn still gathers these tributes, and imposes his will on you as he has hitherto done, you will have no peace nor will you gather wealth for your children. Men of Ireland, will you still continue to pay tribute to Fionn and allow him to quarter his Fianna and his hounds upon you as he chooses, or will you band yourselves together and fight him till he and his proud clan are subdued? ”

“ Three nights Fionn lay encamped on the plain of Gabhra, within sight of his enemy; and what those nights were to Cairbre and his followers I do not know, but to the Fians they were nights of ill-omen. Each morning when they rose Oscur's banner of white silk, embroidered with a slender rowan-tree and clusters of flaming berries, had fallen to the ground, and each night the camp was surrounded by a sorrowful moaning sound, as though hosts of unseen beings were lamenting the fall of noble heroes. ”

“ I came to the silver-white sands of Berramain, where I had left my father and comrades, but no sign of their presence or any dwellings there could I see. I shouted the war-cry of the Fianna, and listened and waited for the sound of my father's mighty tread and the hounds' tumult, but no sound, except the lapping of the wavelets and the rustling of the leaves, disturbed the silence. ”

“ Three times the cups were filled and emptied, and at the end of the third drinking a mist of enchantment covered the minds of the Fians. Each man beheld his comrade as some one most wonderful and noble, and it seemed to each man there that he was following a path which led to strange adventures—perchance to the hidden Land of the Ever-Young, where the apple-blossoms chimed and rang together like delicate silver bells; and where, whatever a man wished, his wish was fulfilled on the instant ”

“ Though very young, Fionn already showed signs of that bravery and undaunted courage for which he became so famous in after years, and fear was unknown to him. As a child he would go hunting by himself through forest and over mountain, and return to the Druidesses laden with hares or wild fowl; when he grew older he would hunt and run down the swift deer on foot, and stand up unafraid before the fiercest boar. ”

“ After the sorrowful battle of Gabhra, Fionn and Oisin and Caeilté, with the few Fians left to them, went southward to Kerry. They lingered for a while by the waters of Loch Lein, resting there until their wounds had healed a little; then they journeyed to the west, and at last reached the smooth shining stretches of sand at Berramain.
"Here will we stay for a time," said Fionn. "Old age presses upon me, and my heart is heavy with sorrow for the loss of my noble Oscur and my brave Fians." ”

“ Then he spoke to the men: "Who are you, young men, and where do you come from?"
"We are princes, sons of the King of Norway, and have travelled across the sea from the east to meet you, lord of the Fians," they answered.
"What do you seek, or what is your need?" asked Fionn.
"We have heard of your fame as a warrior, and we wish to take service with you," they replied.
"Are you good fighters?" questioned Fionn. "No one can enter the Fianna who has not strength in his arm and unfailing courage in his heart. ”

“ When I wed it must be among my own people."
"Think again, Fionn, before you reject our love," said Miluchra; "and remember it is better for you to have the friendship of the Sidhe than their enmity. I can offer you, too, unbounded wealth and power."
"Power I have already, and riches enough for my needs," Fionn answered.
Then for the first time Aina spoke to him:
"I will give you strong sons to bear your name, and as long as I am with you grey old age shall never touch you," she promised, not knowing the wicked depths of her sister's mind. ”

“ But listen, what is that noise?" he said to Donn, as a sound like sea-waves rolling over shingle, or like innumerable spears clashing on shields, fell on his ear.
"The warriors of the Tuatha de Danann are coming," said one of the sons of Midir, rushing in.
Fiona took his shield from the wall, and followed by the little band of brothers and his own men, walked to the door and looked out.
"Most worthy opponents they seem to be," he said, "and much I like their appearance, with their strong, keen-pointed spears. Oscur," he called.
"Here I am, chief of the Fians," he answered. ”

“ Fionn called Bran to him, and the man walked over to where the boar lay panting on the ground. He struck it lightly with a hazel wand, and to the wonder of the Fians the fierce, ungainly beast changed instantly into a beautiful girl. He then touched himself, and from an ugly giant he became a tall, handsome man.
On seeing this Fionn drew back a step or two. He thought that perhaps the man might touch him with his magic stick, and he had no mind to be transformed into a pig, or a fly, or whatever else the enchanter might choose to make him. ”

“ In my land the trees are green from the beginning of the year to its close, and their branches bear blossom and fruit continually. You will find there no lack of food or wine, or gold or jewels, or anything beautiful that you may desire. All these treasures will be yours, Oisin, with many others that I have not mentioned, and every wish that lies hidden in your heart will be fulfilled if you come with me to Tir-na-noge. ”

“ Fionn hesitated—he remembered the song he had heard them sing; then he thought how foolish it was to imagine that these girls could work harm to him or his Fians, so he and Conan stepped over the rope, which was woven from one side of the cave's mouth to the other. No sooner were they inside the cave than a trembling came over all their limbs, and the strength left their bodies. Then, before their eyes, the maidens transformed themselves into terrible, fierce-looking hags, more deformed and ugly than any one the Fians had ever seen before. ”

“ For ten days we feasted and rejoiced; at the close of that time Niav became my wife.
"Truly, Patrick, there is no other country under the sun, or above it, that equals in beauty and delight the Land of the Ever-Young. If you could once behold it you would cease your perpetual singing of praises about that heaven you have never seen."
"You are a profane old man, Oisin," said Patrick, "and all the prayers that I have prayed to God in heaven on your account have not yet availed to change you. ”

“ But I tell you, Conan, that could all those Fians who have died during the past seven years come to life again, and be added to those who still live, between the rising of the sun and its setting I would make you all feel the pain and sorrow of death, so that not one Fian would be left alive to enjoy either battle or feast again. ”

“ Instantly Tuirenn was transformed into a beautiful white hound, with black markings on her sides and back, and soft brown eyes that looked up piteously in Uchtdealb's face. But the enchantress, slipping a golden collar on her neck, held her in leash, and in that manner led her to the house of a man named Fergus Fionnlia. Of all houses it was the worst to take her to, for in the whole of Ireland there was not another man like Fergus, who hated dogs, and would never keep one with him. ”

“ At the conclusion of the Fians' visit the king gave them presents of gold and silver cups, inset with precious stones, and much gold and silver too; but to Fionn he gave a stately black horse, with bridle and head-piece of golden chain-work, from which hung little musical golden bells.
"There is no horse in Ireland so swift as Black Flame," said the king, stroking the proudly arched neck; "indeed in the whole world, except the wave-stepping steed of Manannan, there is none to surpass him, for he is descended from the horses of the Sidhe. ”

“ He was in the midst of the meal when Cael appeared, charging furiously along the hill-road, his sword bare in his hand and his eyes blazing-red, like the eyes of an angry dog.
"Surely he will do some one a damage if he comes nearer," said the Carle, and seizing a mass of the mixed corn and berries in his enormous hands quickly kneaded it up into a hard ball, and threw it with such precision of aim that it struck Cael on the head, hitting him with so great a force that his head was twisted sideways on his body, and he could not straighten it again. ”

“ Evening came, and Mongan was in his palace, surrounded by the warriors and nobles of Ulster. His queen sat beside him, weeping and full of sorrow, for in little more than an hour the three days would expire, and still Mongan had made no effort to prove his word.
"Why do you weep?" said Mongan; "do you not know that aid is drawing nearer and nearer to us? Even now I hear the feet of our helper as he strides over the hills and rivers on his way here." He knew that Caeilté was coming to his assistance, though none of the others seemed to see or hear anything unusual. ”

“ Patrick questioned them:
"Who and what are you?" he asked. "Are you living, or have you returned from the land of the dead?"
"I am Caeilté mac Ronan, a chief of the Fianna Eireann," said the leader of the little band. "My friends were the noble Fionn, brown-haired Diarmuid, and Oscur the brave. Alas, but few of us remain; only Oisin with nine men, I and my nine men: soon we, too, shall join our comrades in the Isles of Promise."
Patrick and his people listened to Caeilté's words with great astonishment, and wondered that any one could live so long. ”

“ The Fians rose and looked round them, then saw that the hounds had started from its lair an immense wild boar, which, instead of running from the dogs, turned round and attacked them. The Fians cheered their hounds on, thinking they would soon conquer the boar, but, to their grief and anger, it killed one after another of the hounds, until there was left only Bran, the wise and beautiful hound that was Fionn's joy and delight, and one of the greatest treasures he ever possessed. ”