Celtic Tales by Louey Chisholm (read after TXT) ๐
'What beast wouldst thou slay?' cried Deirdre, affrighted.
'It was no beast,' said Nathos, 'but yonder among the bracken lieth a deadman, if my javelin missed not its mark.'
In fear and wonder Deirdre ran to the spot. No man lay there, but she sawon the bracken the form of a crouching man. She saw, too, the tracks thatmarked his escape.
Nathos followed her, and stooped to take his javelin from the ground. Andthere, beside it, lay a wooden-hilted knife.
'It is as I thought,' he said. 'This knife is used but by the hillmen whoare in bondage to Concobar. The King seeketh my life. Go thou, then, backto thy lonely cottage, and await that day when he shall make thee hisQueen.'
'Ask me not to turn from following thee, O Nathos, for thy way must bemine, this day and ever.'
'Come, then,' and Nathos took her by the hand.
Through the shadowy forest they walked swiftly, until of a sudden he badeher rest among the bracken. Then went he forward and
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The chess-board was of ivory, the chessmen were of wrought gold, and they had belonged to Concobar, for on the day before the sons of Usna fled from Alba, the King had been hunting by their castle, and there had he left the board and men.
As Nathos and Deirdre played, of a sudden was a cry heard from adown the shore.
โYonder is the voice of a man of Erin,โ said Nathos, as they paused in their game.
Again a loud cry, and the sons of Usna were called by name.
โYea, most truly is that the cry of a man of Erin.โ
But Deirdre said, โNay, thou dreamest, Nathos. Let us play on.โ
Then nearer and clearer came a third cry, and there was none but knew that it was indeed the voice of a man of Erin.
โGo, Ardan,โ said Nathos, โgo to the harbour, and there welcome Fergus from the Green Isle, for he indeed it is and none other.โ
But when Ardan went, Nathos saw that Deirdreโs lips grew pale and a great fear looked out from her eyes.
โWhat terror is it that hath hold of thee?โ he asked.
โHath it not been revealed to me in a dream, O Nathos, that this Fergus who should come with honey-sweet words hath in his mind the shedding of our blood?โ
Even as she spake Ardan led Fergus to where the two sat on either side of the chess-board.
Eagerly did the exiled sons of Usna beg for tidings of their friends in the Green Isle.
โI come to you,โ said Fergus, โwith greetings from Concobar the King. Fain would he see once more in Erin the fairest and bravest heroes of his realm. Peace he would pledge with you, and great shall be your welcome, if ye will come back with me.โ
But before the brothers could answer, Deirdre spake. โHere in Alba is Nathos now lord over lands wider than the realm of Concobar. Wherefore then should he seek forgiveness of the King?โ
โYet,โ replied Fergus, โErin is the land of his adoption. Since his boyhoodโs days Nathos has been a hero in the Green Isle, and it were well that he should yet rejoice in the land, and, if need be, defend it still.โ
โWe have two lands,โ said Ardan, โand both are dear unto us. Yet, if Nathos will go with thee to Erin, so also will Ailne and I, myself.โ
โI will go,โ said Nathos, but he looked not at his star-eyed wife as he spake the words.
That night all rejoiced save Deirdre. Heavy was her heart as she thought she would never again, in shadow or in sunlight, rest in the land of Alba of the lochs.
On the morrow they set sail, and swiftly the galley bore them to the shores of the Green Isle. And when Deirdre stood once more on the soil of her own land, then was her heart glad, and for a brief space she remembered not her fears or her dreams.
In three days they came to the castle of Borrach, and there had Fergus to keep his bond to feast with Borrach. โFor,โ he said, turning to those with him, โmy feast-bond I must keep, yet send I with you my two sons.โ
โOf a surety, Fergus, must thou keep thy feast-bond,โ answered Nathos, โbut as for thy sons, I need not their protection, yet in the company each of the other will we fare southward together.โ
But as they went, Deirdre urged that they should tarry, and when they had gone further, Nathos found that his wife had vanished from his side. Going back he found her in deep sleep by the wayside.
Gently waking her, Nathos read terror in her starry eyes.
โWhat aileth thee, my Queen?โ
โAgain have I dreamed, O Nathos, and in my dream I saw our little company, but as I looked, on the younger son of Fergus alone, was the head left upon his body. Turn aside, and let us go not to Concobar, or that thing which I saw in my dream, it shall come to pass.โ
But Nathos feared not, for had not Fergus come to them with the bond of peace from the King?
And on the morrow they came to the great palace.
When it was told Concobar that the three sons of Usna and Deirdre the Star-eyed, and the two sons of Fergus were without, he ordered that they should be taken into the House of the Red Branch. And he ordered, too, that there should be given unto them of pleasant foods, and that all that dwelt in the castle should do them honour.
But when evening was come, and all the company was merry, Deirdre was wearied with journeying, and she lay upon a couch draped with deerskins, and played with Nathos upon the gold and ivory chess-board.
And as Deirdre rested, the door opened, and there entered a messenger from the King. And this messenger was none other than Lavarcam, who had been sent to discover if Deirdre were still as fair as in days of old. And when Lavarcam beheld Deirdre, her eyes filled with tears. โYou do not well, O Nathos, thus to play upon the chess-board which Concobar holds dearer than aught else save Deirdre, thy wife. Both have ye taken from him, and here, within these walls, are ye now in his power.โ
Of a sudden Deirdre spake, her gaze fixed as if on some strange thing. โI see as in a dream. As in a dream I see three torches. The three torches are this night put out. The names on the torches are Nathos, Ailne, Ardan. Alas! it is but for the beauty of a woman that these brave ones perish.โ
The sons of Usna were silent awhile, and the sons of Fergus spake not. Then said Nathos, โIt were better, Deirdre, to be a torch quenched for thy sake than to live for aught save thee. That which shall come, shall come.โ
โNow must I get me hence,โ said Lavarcam, โfor Concobar awaiteth my coming. But, sons of Usna, see ye well to it, that the doors and windows be this night barred.โ
Then Lavarcam hastened to the King and told him how that the sons of Usna had come to Erin to live peaceably, but how that the beauty of Deirdre had faded until she was no longer fairest among women.
Then was Concobar wroth, and he sent yet another messenger.
To this man he said, โWho was it that slew thy father and thy brother?โ
โNathos, son of Usna, O King!โ
โThen go thou to the House of the Red Branch, and bring me word hither if Deirdre be still the fairest among women.โ
And the man went. But when he found that bar and bolt were drawn across door and window, he knew well that the sons of Usna were warned of the wrath of the King. But espying one open window, he put his eye near to the lower corner that he might glance within. And Deirdre saw the manโs eye, and told Nathos, and he, with the ivory bishop that was in his hand, took aim as if with a javelin, and the chessman pierced the spyโs eye, and it became blind.
And the man returned to King Concobar and said, โOf a surety Deirdre, the wife of Nathos, is yet of all fair women the most fair.โ
Then could not Concobar contain his wrath, but burst forth, โArise, ye Ultonians; the fort that surroundeth the House of the Red Branch set ye in flames.โ
And the Ultonians set it in flames.
Then came out the younger of the sons of Fergus from the burning fort, and he rushed upon the Ultonians and killed three hundred men. And when King Concobar beheld the onslaught, he cried aloud, โWho hath done this thing?โ
And when it was told him that it was the son of Fergus, he said, โTo such a hero will I give the choice of lands, and he will be to me as a son, if he will but forsake the sons of Usna.โ
And the son of Fergus made answer, โI swear to abide by thee and to return not to the House of the Red Branch.โ
And when he returned not, Deirdre, said, โEven as Fergus hath deceived us, even so hath his son.โ
Then went forth the elder son of Fergus, and he fell upon the Ultonians, and there perished by his hand three hundred men. And when Concobar saw who it was that had done this thing, he called his own son, who had been born the same night as this son of Fergus. โTake these, my magic arms,โ he cried, โand fall upon the foe.โ
Then did the son of Concobar strike with his enchanted weapons, and all the waves of Erin thundered at the stroke. And a great warrior, hearing the thunder, came riding across the plain, and in his hand he held a magic sword with blade of blue. Coming upon the fighting men, he rushed at the son of Fergus from behind, and thrust the blue blade through his heart. โI would that mine enemy had fought me fair,โ said the dying man.
โWho art thou?โ asked the stranger.
And the son of Fergus told his name, and of that which had come to pass in the House of the Red Branch.
Then answered the stranger, โI shall not depart hence, no, not until the son of Concobar be slain in the dustโ; and thereupon he rushed upon the Kingโs son, and with one stroke of the blue blade severed his head from his body. So he departed, and soon the son of Fergus also lay dead.
And now the Ulstermen surrounded the House of the Red Branch and set fire to its walls. But Ardan came forth, and put out the fire, and slew three hundred men, and after he had gone in, then came Ailne forth, and slew a countless multitude beside.
A glimmering ray of dim grey light now broke, and spread over the forms of dead and dying men.
It was at that hour that Nathos kissed Deirdre and went forth from the House. And there was not a man but quailed as the hero rushed upon the Ultonians and slew a thousand men.
When Concobar heard this, he sent for that Wise Man who in the house of Felim the Harper had foretold the sorrow that would come upon his realm.
And when the old man had come, Concobar said, โI swear that I mean no harm unto the sons of Usna, yet will they slay every Ultonian in the land. Therefore I would that thou wouldst help me by thy magic power.โ
And the Wise Man believed the words of Concobar, and he caused a hedge of spears to encircle the burning House. And as the flames rose higher the sons of Usna came forth with Deirdre the Star-eyed. And around her they placed their shields, and they cleft a way through the Hedge of Spears and came safely to the plain beyond.
[Illustration: The Hedge of Spears]
But when the Wise Man saw that his magic availed nought, he laid upon the land yet another enchantment, for the plain upon which Deirdre stood with the sons of Usna, he caused to be covered with tempestuous water.
And the magic sea rose higher and yet
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