Newton Online Library
Irish Fairy Tales
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Contents
  1. THE STORY OF TUAN MAC CAIRILL
  2. CHAPTER I
  3. CHAPTER II
  4. CHAPTER III
  5. CHAPTER IV
  6. CHAPTER V
  7. CHAPTER VI
  8. CHAPTER VII
  9. CHAPTER VIII
  10. CHAPTER IX
  11. CHAPTER X
  12. CHAPTER XI
  13. THE BOYHOOD OF FIONN
  14. CHAPTER I
  15. CHAPTER II
  16. CHAPTER III
  17. CHAPTER IV
  18. CHAPTER V
  19. CHAPTER VI
  20. CHAPTER VII
  21. CHAPTER VIII
  22. CHAPTER IX
  23. CHAPTER X
  24. CHAPTER XI
  25. CHAPTER XII
  26. CHAPTER XIII
  27. CHAPTER XIV
  28. THE BIRTH OF BRAN
  29. CHAPTER I
  30. CHAPTER II
  31. CHAPTER III
  32. CHAPTER IV
  33. CHAPTER V
  34. OISIN’S MOTHER
  35. CHAPTER I
  36. CHAPTER II
  37. CHAPTER III
  38. CHAPTER IV
  39. CHAPTER V
  40. CHAPTER VI
  41. CHAPTER VII
  42. THE WOOING OF BECFOLA
  43. CHAPTER I
  44. CHAPTER II
  45. CHAPTER III
  46. CHAPTER IV
  47. CHAPTER V
  48. THE LITTLE BRAWL AT ALLEN
  49. CHAPTER I
  50. CHAPTER II
  51. CHAPTER III
  52. THE CARL OF THE DRAB COAT
  53. CHAPTER I
  54. CHAPTER II
  55. CHAPTER III
  56. CHAPTER IV
  57. CHAPTER V
  58. CHAPTER VI
  59. CHAPTER VII
  60. CHAPTER VIII
  61. THE ENCHANTED CAVE OF CESH CORRAN
  62. CHAPTER I
  63. CHAPTER II
  64. CHAPTER III
  65. CHAPTER IV
  66. CHAPTER V
  67. CHAPTER VI
  68. BECUMA OF THE WHITE SKIN
  69. CHAPTER I
  70. CHAPTER II
  71. CHAPTER III
  72. CHAPTER IV
  73. CHAPTER V
  74. CHAPTER VI
  75. CHAPTER VII
  76. CHAPTER VIII
  77. CHAPTER IX
  78. CHAPTER X
  79. MONGAN’S FRENZY
  80. CHAPTER I
  81. CHAPTER II
  82. CHAPTER III
  83. CHAPTER IV
  84. CHAPTER V
  85. CHAPTER VI
  86. CHAPTER VII
  87. CHAPTER VIII
  88. CHAPTER IX
  89. CHAPTER X
  90. CHAPTER XI
  91. CHAPTER XII
  92. CHAPTER XIII
  93. CHAPTER XIV
  94. CHAPTER XV
  95. CHAPTER XVI
  96. CHAPTER XVII
  97. CHAPTER XVIII
  98. CHAPTER XIX
  99. CHAPTER XX

CHAPTER VI

THERE I dreamed, and I saw myself changing into a stag in dream, and I felt in dream the beating of a new heart within me, and in dream I arched my neck and braced my powerful limbs.

“I awoke from the dream, and I was that which I had dreamed.

“I stood a while stamping upon a rock, with my bristling head swung high, breathing through wide nostrils all the savour of the world. For I had come marvellously from decrepitude to strength. I had writhed from the bonds of age and was young again. I smelled the turf and knew for the first time how sweet that smelled. And like lightning my moving nose sniffed all things to my heart and separated them into knowledge.

“Long I stood there, ringing my iron hoof on stone, and learning all things through my nose. Each breeze that came from the right hand or the left brought me a tale. A wind carried me the tang of wolf, and against that smell I stared and stamped. And on a wind there came the scent of my own kind, and at that I belled. Oh, loud and clear and sweet was the voice of the great stag. With what ease my lovely note went lilting. With what joy I heard the answering call. With what delight I bounded, bounded, bounded; light as a bird’s plume, powerful as a storm, untiring as the sea.

“Here now was ease in ten-yard springings, with a swinging head, with the rise and fall of a swallow, with the curve and flow and urge of an otter of the sea. What a tingle dwelt about my heart! What a thrill spun to the lofty points of my antlers! How the world was new! How the sun was new! How the wind caressed me!

“With unswerving forehead and steady eye I met all that came. The old, lone wolf leaped sideways, snarling, and slunk away. The lumbering bear swung his head of hesitations and thought again; he trotted his small red eye away with him to a near-by brake. The stags of my race fled from my rocky forehead, or were pushed back and back until their legs broke under them and I trampled them to death. I was the beloved, the well known, the leader of the herds of Ireland.

“And at times I came back from my boundings about Eire’, for the strings of my heart were drawn to Ulster; and, standing away, my wide nose took the air, while I knew with joy, with terror, that men were blown on the wind. A proud head hung to the turf then, and the tears of memory rolled from a large, bright eye.

“At times I drew near, delicately, standing among thick leaves or crouched in long grown grasses, and I stared and mourned as I looked on men. For Nemed and four couples had been saved from that fierce storm, and I saw them increase and multiply until four thousand couples lived and laughed and were riotous in the sun, for the people of Nemed had small minds but great activity. They were savage fighters and hunters.

“But one time I came, drawn by that intolerable anguish of memory, and all of these people were gone: the place that knew them was silent: in the land where they had moved there was nothing of them but their bones that glinted in the sun.

“Old age came on me there. Among these bones weariness crept into my limbs. My head grew heavy, my eyes dim, my knees jerked and trembled, and there the wolves dared chase me.

“I went again to the cave that had been my home when I was an old man.

“One day I stole from the cave to snatch a mouthful of grass, for I was closely besieged by wolves. They made their rush, and I barely escaped from them. They sat beyond the cave staring at me.

“I knew their tongue. I knew all that they said to each other, and all that they said to me. But there was yet a thud left in my forehead, a deadly trample in my hoof. They did not dare come into the cave.

“‘To-morrow,’ they said, ‘we will tear out your throat, and gnaw on your living haunch’.”





CHAPTER VII

Then my soul rose to the height of Doom, and I intended all that might happen to me, and agreed to it.

“‘To-morrow,’ I said, ‘I will go out among ye, and I will die,’ and at that the wolves howled joyfully, hungrily, impatiently.

“I slept, and I saw myself changing into a boar in dream, and I felt in dream the beating of a new heart within me, and in dream I stretched my powerful neck and braced my eager limbs. I awoke from my dream, and I was that which I had dreamed.

“The night wore away, the darkness lifted, the day came; and from without the cave the wolves called to me: “‘Come out, O Skinny Stag. Come out and die.’

“And I, with joyful heart, thrust a black bristle through the hole of the cave, and when they saw that wriggling snout, those curving tusks, that red fierce eye, the wolves fled yelping, tumbling over each other, frantic with terror; and I behind them, a wild cat for leaping, a giant for strength, a devil for ferocity; a madness and gladness of lusty, unsparing life; a killer, a champion, a boar who could not be defied.

“I took the lordship of the boars of Ireland.

“Wherever I looked among my tribes I saw love and obedience: whenever I appeared among the strangers they fled away. And the wolves feared me then, and the great, grim bear went bounding on heavy paws. I charged him at the head of my troop and rolled him over and over; but it is not easy to kill the bear, so deeply is his life packed under that stinking pelt. He picked himself up and ran, and was knocked down, and ran again blindly, butting into trees and stones. Not a claw did the big bear flash, not a tooth did he show, as he ran whimpering like a baby, or as he stood with my nose rammed against his mouth, snarling up into his nostrils.

“I challenged all that moved. All creatures but one. For men had again come to Ireland. Semion, the son of Stariath, with his people, from whom the men of Domnann and the Fir Bolg and the Galiuin are descended. These I did not chase, and when they chased me I fled.

“Often I would go, drawn by my memoried heart, to look at them as they moved among their fields; and I spoke to my mind in bitterness: ‘When the people of Partholon were gathered in counsel my voice was heard; it was sweet to all who heard it, and the words I spoke were wise. The eyes of women brightened and softened when they looked at me. They loved to hear him when he sang who now wanders in the forest with a tusky herd.’”