And then the people of the hill rose up and went into the stream to
swim. And Caoilte said: "What ails me now not to go swim, since my
health has come back to me?" And with that he went into the water. And
afterwards they went back into the hill, and there was a great feast
made that night.
And Caoilte bade them farewell after that, and Cascorach, but Fermaise
stopped with them for a while. And the people of the hill gave good
gifts to Caoilte; a fringed crimson cloak of wool from the seven sheep
of the Land of Promise; and a fish-hook that was called Aicil mac Mogha,
and that could not be set in any river or inver but it would take fish;
and along with that they gave him a drink of remembrance, and after that
drink there would be no place he ever saw, or no battle or fight he ever
was in, but it would stay in his memory. "That is a good help from
kinsmen and from friends," said Caoilte.
Then Caoilte and Cascorach went out from the hill, and the people of it
made a great lamentation after them.
CHAPTER VIII. THE CAVE OF CRUACHAN
CAOLITE was one time at Cruachan of Connacht, and Cascorach was with
him, and there he saw sitting on a heap of stones a man with very rough
grey hair, having a dark brown cloak fastened with a pin of bronze, and
a long stick of white hazel in his hand; and there was a herd of cattle
before him in a fenced field.
Caoilte asked news of him. "I am steward to the King of Ireland," said
the old man, "and it is from him I hold this land.
Pages:
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345