"What loss came next to that?" said Finn. "All the Tuatha de
Danaan had of jewels and riches and treasures, horns and vessels and
cups of pale gold, we took from them at the one time." "What was the
third greatest loss they had?" said Finn. "It was Fethnaid, daughter of
Feclach, the woman-harper of the Tuatha de Danaan, their music and the
delight of their minds," said Donn.
"And to-morrow," he said, "they will be coming to make an attack on us,
and there is no one but myself and my brothers left; and we knew we
would be in danger, and that we could make no stand against them. And we
sent that bare-headed girl beyond to Toraig in the North in the shape of
a foolish fawn, and you followed her here. It is that girl washing
herself, and having a green cloak about her, went looking for you.
"And the empty side of the house," he said, "belonged to our people that
the Men of Dea have killed."
They spent that night in drinking and in pleasure. And when they rose up
in the morning of the morrow, Donn, son of Midhir, said to Finn, "Come
out with me now on the lawn till you see the place where we fight the
battles every year." They went out then and they looked at the graves
and the flag-stones, and Donn said: "It is as far as this the Men of Dea
come to meet us." "Which of them come here?" said Finn.
"Bodb Dearg with his seven sons," said Donn; "and Angus Og, son of the
Dagda, with his seven sons; and Finnbharr of Cnoc Medha with his
seventeen sons; Lir of Sidhe Fionnachaidh with his twenty-seven sons and
their sons; Tadg, son of Nuada, out of the beautiful hill of Almhuin;
Donn of the Island and Donn of the Vat; the two called Glas from the
district of Osraige; Dobhran Dubthaire from the hill of Liamhain of the
Smooth Shirt; Aedh of the Island of Rachrainn in the north; Ferai and
Aillinn and Lir and Fainnle, sons of Eogobal, from Cnoc Aine in Munster;
Cian and Coban and Conn, three sons of the King of Sidhe Monaid in
Alban; Aedh Minbhreac of Ess Ruadh with his seven sons; the children of
the Morrigu, the Great Queen, her six-and-twenty women warriors, the two
Luaths from Magh Life; Derg and Drecan out of the hill of Beinn Edair in
the east; Bodb Dearg himself with his great household, ten hundred ten
score and ten.
Pages:
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317