But it was not left in Ireland after the night
of Cormac's death, as Manannan had foretold him.
CHAPTER XII. CLIODNA'S WAVE
And it was in the time of the Fianna of Ireland that Ciabhan of the
Curling Hair, the king of Ulster's son, went to Manannan's country.
Ciabhan now was the most beautiful of the young men of the world at that
time, and he was as far beyond all other kings' sons as the moon is
beyond the stars. And Finn liked him well, but the rest of the Fianna
got to be tired of him because there was not a woman of their women, wed
or unwed, but gave him her love. And Finn had to send him away at the
last, for he was in dread of the men of the Fianna because of the
greatness of their jealousy.
So Ciabhan went on till he came to the Strand of the Cairn, that is
called now the Strand of the Strong Man, between Dun Sobairce and the
sea. And there he saw a curragh, and it having a narrow stern of copper.
And Ciabhan got into the curragh, and his people said: "Is it to leave
Ireland you have a mind, Ciabhan?" "It is indeed," he said, "for in
Ireland I get neither shelter or protection." He bade farewell to his
people then, and he left them very sorrowful after him, for to part with
him was like the parting of life from the body.
And Ciabhan went on in the curragh, and great white shouting waves rose
up about him, every one of them the size of a mountain; and the
beautiful speckled salmon that are used to stop in the sand and the
shingle rose up to the sides of the curragh, till great dread came on
Ciabhan, and he said: "By my word, if it was on land I was I could make
a better fight for myself"
And he was in this danger till he saw a rider coming towards him on a
dark grey horse having a golden bridle, and he would be under the sea
for the length of nine waves, and he would rise with the tenth wave, and
no wet on him at all.
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