Lady Augusta Gregory

by Irish Myths

  you are praising your clerks: the song of the blackbird in Leiter l..aoi,

  and the sound of the Dord Fiann; the very sweet thrush of the Valley

  of the Shadow, or the sound of the boats striking the strand. The cry of

  the hounds was better to me than the noise of your schools, Patrick.

  "Little Nut, little Nut of my heart, the little dwarf that was

  with Finn, when he would make tunes and songs he would put

  us all into deep sleep.

  "The twelve hounds that belonged to Finn, the time they

  would be let loose facing out from the Siuir, their cry was sweeter

  than harps and than pipes.

  "I have a little story about Finn; we were but fifteen men; we

  took the King of the Saxons of the feats, and we won a battle

  against the King of Greece.

  "We fought nine battles in Spain, and nine times twenty battles in Ireland; from Lochlann and from the eastern world there was a share of gold coming to Finn.

  "My grief! I to be stopping after him, and without delight in

  games or in music; to be withering away after my comrades; my

  grief it is to be living. I and the clerks of the Mass books are two

  that can never agree.

  4 1 4

  IRISH MYTHS AND LEGENDS

  "If Finn and the Fianna were living, I would leave the clerks

  and the bells; I would follow the deer through the valleys, I would

  like to be close on his track.

  "Ask Heaven of God, Patrick, for Finn of the Fianna and his

  race; make prayers for the great man; you never heard of his like. "

  PATRICK. "I will not ask Heaven for Finn, man of good wit that

  my anger is rising against, since his delight was to be living in valleys with the noise of hunts."

  OISIN. "If you had been in company with the Fianna, Patrick of

  the joyless clerks and of the bells, you would not be attending on

  schools or giving heed to God. "

  PATRICK. "I would not part from the Son of God for all that

  have lived east or west; 0 Oisin, 0 shaking poet, there will harm

  come on you in satisfaction for the priests. "

  OISIN. "It was a delight to Finn the cry o f his hounds on the

  mountains, the wild dogs leaving their harbours, the pride of his

  armies, those were his delights. "

  PATRICK. "There was many a thing Finn took delight in, and there

  is not much heed given to it after him; Finn and his hounds are

  not living now, and you yourself will not always be living, Oisin. "

  OISIN. "There is a greater story of Finn than of us, or of any

  that have lived in our time; all that are gone and all that are living,

  Finn was better to give out gold than themselves. "

  PATRICK. "All the gold you and Finn used to be giving out, i t is

  little it does for you now; he is in Hell in bonds because he did

  treachery and oppression. "

  01s1N. "It is little I believe o f your truth, man from Rome with

  the white books, Finn the open-handed head of the Fianna to be

  in the hands of devils or demons. "

  PATRICK. "Finn is in bonds in Hell, the pleasant man that gave

  out gold; in satisfaction for his disrespect to God, he is under grief

  in the house of pain. "

  01s1N. "If the sons of Moma were within it, or the strong men

  of the sons of Baiscne, they would take Finn out of it, or they

  would have the house for themselves. "

  OISIN AND PATRICK

  4 1 5

  PATRICK. "If the five provinces of Ireland were within it, or the

  strong seven battalions of the Fianna, they would not be able to

  bring Finn out of it, however great their strength might be. "

  01s1N. "If Faolan and Goll were living, and brown-haired Diarmuid and brave Osgar, Finn of the Fianna could not be held in any house that was made by God or devils. "

  PATRICK. "If Faolan and Goll were living, and all the Fianna

  that ever were, they could not bring out Finn from the house

  where he is in pain. "

  OISIN. "What did Finn do against God but to be attending on

  schools and on armies? Giving gold through a great part of his

  time, and for another while trying his hounds."

  PATRICK. "In payment for thinking of his hounds and for serving the schools of the poets, and because he gave no heed to God, Finn of the Fianna is held down."

  OISIN. "You say, Patrick of the Psalms, that the Fianna could not

  take out Finn, or the five provinces of Ireland along with them.

  "I have a little story about Finn. We were but fifteen men

  when we took the King of Britain of the feasts by the strength of

  our spears and our own strength.

  "We took Magnus the great, the son of the King of Lochlann

  of the speckled ships; we came back no way sorry or tired, we put

  our rent on far places.

  "O Patrick, the story is pitiful, the King of the Fianna to be

  under locks; a heart without envy, without hatred, a heart hard in

  earning victory.

  "It is an injustice, God to be unwilling to give food and riches;

  Finn never refused strong or poor, although cold Hell is now his

  dwelling-place.

  "It is what Finn had a mind for, to be listening to the sound of

  Druim Dearg; to sleep at the stream of Ess Ruadh, to be hunting

  the deer of Gallimh of the bays.

  "The cries of the blackbird of Leiter Laoi, the wave of Rudraighe beating the strand, the bellowing of the ox of Magh Maoin, the lowing of the calf of Gleann da Mhail.

  4 1 6

  IRISH MYTHS AND LEGENDS

  "The noise of the hunt on Slieve Crot, the sound of the fawns

  round Slieve Cua, the scream of the sea-gulls there beyond on Iorrus, the screech of the crows over the battle.

  "The waves vexing the breasts of the boats, the howling of the

  hounds at Druim Lis; the voice of Bran on Cnoc-an-Air, the outcry of the streams about Slieve Mis.

  "The call of Osgar going to the hunt; the voice of the hounds

  on the road of the Fianna, to be listening to them and to the

  poets, that was always his desire.

  "A desire of the desires of Osgar was to listen to the striking of

  shields; to be hacking at bones in a battle, it is what he had a

  mind for always.

  "We went westward one time to hunt at Formaid of the Fianna,

  to see the first running of our hounds.

  "It was Finn was holding Bran, and it is with myself Sceolan was;

  Diarmuid of the Women had Fearan, and Osgar had lucky Adhnuall.

  "Conan the Bald had Searc; Caoilte, son of Ronan, and Daol;

  Lugaidh's Son and Goll were holding Fuaim and Fothran.

  "That was the first day we loosed out a share of our hounds to

  a hunting; and Och! Patrick, of all that were in it, there is not one

  left living but myself.

  "O Patrick, it is a pity the way I am now, a spent old man without sway, without quickness, without strength, going to Mass at the altar.

  "Without the great deer of Slieve Luchra; without the hares of

  Slieve Cuilinn; without going into fights with Finn; without listening to the poets.

  "Without battles, without taking of spoils; without playing at

  nimble feats; without going courting or hunting, two trades that

  were my delight. "

  PATRICK. "Leave off, old man, leave your foolishness; let what

  you have done be enough for you from this out. Think on the

  pains that are before you; the Fi
anna are gone, and you yourself

  will be going. "

  OISIN. "If I go, may yourself not be left after me, Patrick of the

  OISIN AND PATRICK

  4 1 7

  hindering heart; if Conan, the least of the Fianna, were living,

  your buzzing would not be left long to you."

  "Or if this was the day I gave ten hundred cows to the headless

  woman that came to the Valley of the Two Oxen; the birds of the

  air brought away the ring I gave her, I never knew where she went

  herself from me. "

  PATRICK. "That is little to trouble you, Oisin; i t was but for a

  while she was with you; it is better for you to be as you are than

  to be among them again. "

  01s1N. " O Son of Calphurn o f the friendly talk, it is a pity for

  him that gives respect to clerks, and bells; I and Caoilte my friend,

  we were not poor when we were together.

  "The music that put Finn to his sleep was the cackling of the

  ducks from the lake of the Three-Narrows; the scolding talk of

  the blackbird of Doire an Cairn, the bellowing of the ox from the

  Valley of the Berries.

  "The whistle of the eagle from the Valley of Victories; or from

  the rough branches of the ridge by the stream; the grouse of the

  heather of Cruachan; the call of the otter of Druim-re-Coir.

  "The song of the blackbird of Doire an Cairn indeed I never

  heard sweeter music, if I could be under its nest.

  "My grief that I ever took baptism; it is little credit I got by it,

  being without food, without drink, doing fasting and praying. "

  PATRICK. "In my opinion it did not harm you, old man; you

  will get nine score cakes of bread, wine and meat to put a taste on

  it; it is bad talk you are giving."

  01s1N. "This mouth that is talking with you, may it never confess to a priest, if I would not sooner have the leavings of Finn's house than a share of your own meals."

  PATRICK. "He got but what he gathered from the banks, or

  whatever he could kill on the rough hills; he got hell at the last

  because of his unbelief."

  OISIN. "That was not the way with us at all, but our fill of wine

  and of meat; justice and a right beginning at the feasts, sweet

  drinks and every one drinking them.

  4 1 8

  IRISH MYTHS AND LEGENDS

  "It is fretting after Diarmuid and Goll I am, and after Fergus of

  the True Lips, the time you will not let me be speaking of them, 0

  new Patrick from Rome. "

  PATRICK. "We would give you leave to be speaking of them, but

  first you should give heed to God. Since you are now at the end of

  your days, leave your foolishness, weak old man."

  OISIN. "O Patrick, tell me as a secret, since it is you have the

  best knowledge, will my dog or my hound be let in with me to

  the court of the King of Grace? "

  PATRICK. "Old man in your foolishness that I cannot put any

  bounds to, your dog or your hound will not be let in with you to

  the court of the King of Power."

  OISIN. "If I had acquaintance with God, and my hound to be at

  hand, I would make whoever gave food to myself give a share to

  my hound as well.

  "One strong champion that was with the Fianna of Ireland would

  be better than the Lord of Piety, and than you yourself, Patrick."

  PATRICK. "O Oisin of the sharp blades, it is mad words you

  are saying. God is better for one day than the whole of the Fianna

  of Ireland."

  01s1N. "Though I am now without sway and my life is spent to

  the end, do not put abuse, Patrick, on the great men of the sons

  of Baiscne.

  "If I had Conan with me, the man that used to be running

  down the Fianna, it is he would break your head within among

  your clerks and your priests."

  PATRICK. "It is a silly thing, old man, to be talking always of the

  Fianna; remember your end is come, and take the Son of God to

  help you."

  01s1N. "I used to sleep out on the mountain under the grey

  dew; I was never used to go to bed without food, while there was

  a deer on the hill beyond."

  PATRICK. "You are astray at the end of your life between the

  straight way and the crooked. Keep out from the crooked path of

  pains, and the angels of God will come beneath your head. "

  OISIN AND PATRICK

  4 1 9

  OISIN. "If myself and open-handed Fergus and Diarmuid were

  together now on this spot, we would go in every path we ever

  went in, and ask no leave of the priests."

  PATRICK. "Leave off, Oisin; do not be speaking against the

  priests that are telling the word of God in every place. Unless you

  leave off your daring talk, it is great pain you will have in the end."

  01s1N. "When myself and the leader of the Fianna were looking for a boar in a valley, it was worse to me not to see it than all your clerks to be without their heads."

  PATRICK. "It is pitiful seeing you without sense; that is worse to

  you than your blindness; if you were to get sight within you, it is

  great your desire would be for Heaven. "

  OISIN. "It is little good it would be to me to be sitting in that city,

  without Caoilte, without Osgar, without my father being with me.

  "The leap of the buck would be better to me, or the sight of

  badgers between two valleys, than all your mouth is promising

  me, and all the delights I could get in Heaven."

  PATRICK. "Your thoughts are foolish, they will come to nothing;

  your pleasure and your mirth are gone. Unless you will take my

  advice to-night, you will not get leave on this side or that."

  OISIN. "If myself and the Fianna were on the top of a hill today drawing our spear-heads, we would have our choice of being here or there in spite of books and priests and bells. "

  PATRICK. "You were like the smoke o f a wisp, or like a stream in

  a valley, or like a whirling wind on the top of a hill, every tribe of

  you that ever lived."

  01s1N. "If I was in company with the people of strong arms, the

  way I was at Bearna da Coill, I would sooner be looking at them

  than at this troop of the crooked croziers.

  "If I had Scolb Sceine with me, or Osgar, that was smart in battles, I would not be without meat to-night at the sound of the bell of the seven tolls."

  PATRICK. "Oisin, since your wits are gone from you be glad at

  what I say; it is certain to me you will leave the Fianna and that

  you will receive the God of the stars."

  420

  IRISH MYTHS AND LEGENDS

  OISIN. "There is wonder on me at your hasty talk, priest that

  has travelled in every part, to say that I would part from the

  Fianna, a generous people, never niggardly. "

  PATRICK. "If you saw the people of God, the way they are settled at feasts, every good thing is more plentiful with them than with Finn's people, however great their name was.

  "Finn and the Fianna are lying now very sorrowful on the flagstone of pain; take the Son of God in their place; make your repentance and do not lose Heaven."

  OISIN . " I do no t believe your talk now, 0 Patrick of the

  crooked staves, Finn and the Fianna to be there within, unless

  they find pleasure being in it. "

  PATRICK. "Make right repentance now, before you know when

  your end is
coming; God is better for one hour than the whole of

  the Fianna of Ireland."

  OISIN. "That is a daring answer to make to me, Patrick of the

  crooked crozier; your crozier would be in little bits if I had Osgar

  with me now.

  "If my son Osgar and God were hand to hand on the Hill of

  the Fianna, if I saw my son put down, I would say that God was a

  strong man.

  "How could it be that God or his priests could be better men

  than Finn, the King of the Fianna , a generous man without

  crookedness.

  "If there was a place above or below better than the Heaven

  of God, it is there Finn would go, and all that are with him of

  his people.

  "You say that a generous man never goes to the hell of pain;

  there was not one among the Fianna that was not generous to all.

  "Ask of God, Patrick, does He remember when the Fianna

  were alive, or has He seen east or west any man better than themselves in their fighting.

  "The Fianna used not to be saying treachery; we never had the

  name of telling lies. By truth and the strength of our hands we

  came safe out of every battle.

  OISIN AND PATRICK

  42 1

  •'There never sat a priest in a church, though you think it sweet

  to be singing psalms, was better to his word than the Fianna, or

  more generous than Finn himself.

  "If my comrades were living to-night, I would take no pleasure

  in your crooning in the church; as they are not living now, the

  rough voice of the bells has deafened me.

  ··och ! in the place of battles and heavy fights, where I used to

  have my place and to take my pleasure, the crozier of Patrick

  being carried, and his clerks at their quarrelling.

  "Och! slothful, cheerless Conan, it is great abuse I used to be

  giving you; why do you not come to see me now? You would get

  leave for making fun and reviling through the whole of the niggardly clerks.

  "Och ! where are the strong men gone that they do not come

  together to help me ! 0 Osgar of the sharp sword of victory, come

  and free your father from his bonds!

  "Where is the strong son of Lugaidh? Och! Diarmuid of all the

  women! Och ! Caoilte, son of Ronan, think of our love, and travel

  to me ! "

  PATRICK. "Stop your talk, you withered, witless old man; it is

  my King that made the Heavens, it is He that gives blossom to

  the trees, it is He made the moon and the sun, the fields and