Celtic Tales, Told to the Children Part 11

Now it fell on a day after many years that Grania sat as one in a dream.

And Dermat asked his wife in what troublous thought she was lost, for he saw well that she was ill at ease.

And Grania answered, 'It seemeth not well to me that, having so great wealth, we live removed from the world, and welcome to our home neither my father nor Finn, though with both are we now at peace.'

Dermat gave heed to the words of his wife and then spake thus: 'Of a truth there is peace betwixt us, but thou knowest well that neither thy father the King nor yet Finn bears me aught but ill-will, and for this cause have we dwelt apart.'

'Yet will time have softened their hearts,' replied Grania, 'and wouldst thou but make them a feast, so mightest thou win their favour and their love.'

And Dermat, because of the love he bore Grania, granted her wish, and for a year they were making ready for the great feast.

Then were messengers sent to bid thither Cormac and Finn. And they came, and with them their n.o.bles, their horses and their dogs, and for a full year they hunted and feasted at Rath-Grania.

When a year had pa.s.sed, it chanced one night that the distant yelping of a hound woke Dermat from his sleep, and Grania too awoke and in great fear said, 'Of a truth doth that sound forebode ill. Heed it not, but lie down on thy bed and rest.'

Dermat lay down, but ere long he again heard the hound's voice. Then he started up, and made as though he would go to find for himself wherefore the hound disturbed the silence of the night. But again Grania begged him to lie down and to give no heed to the matter.

So Dermat lay down and fell into a light sleep, and when the hound awakened him the third time it was broad day. And Grania, seeing that his mind was set, did not beg him longer to stay, yet, fearing danger, she begged him to take with him his red javelin and his sword named 'The Greater Fury.'

But Dermat, deeming the matter light, took with him his yellow javelin and his sword 'The Lesser Fury,' and leading his faithful hound by the chain, went forth. And he did not rest till he came to the summit of a hill where he found Finn, and of him he asked the meaning of the chase.

And Finn answered that the men and hounds were tracking a wild boar which had ofttimes been chased, but had always escaped. Even now was it coming towards them, so it were well that they should betake themselves to some safer spot.

Dermat knew no fear of the wild boar, and he would not leave the summit of the hill where he stood. Yet did he pray Finn to leave with him his hound Bran, that it might help his own dog were he in need.

But Finn would not leave Bran to be torn by the wild boar that could now be seen coming towards them.

So Dermat stood alone on the summit of the hill, and he knew well it was that he might meet his death that Finn's men did hunt the boar this day.

Yet would he not leave the hill, for if it were his fate to meet death, nought could save him from his doom.

Then as the boar came rushing up the face of the hill, Dermat let loose his good hound, but it, seeing the fearful monster, fled before him.

And now Dermat knew that he would have need of his red javelin, and he sorrowed that he had given no heed to the counsel of Grania. Yet seizing his yellow javelin he cast it with careful aim and it struck the boar in its forehead. But it fell harmless to the ground, doing the monster no hurt.

Then Dermat drew his sword from its sheath, and with a mighty blow did he strike at the boar's neck. But the sword broke in his hand, and the boar felt not so much as a p.r.i.c.k.

Now was Dermat without any weapon save the hilt of his sword, and the boar made a deadly onslaught, thrusting his tusk into the hero's side. But with the strength that was left him Dermat flung the hilt of the sword at the brute's head, and it pierced his skull and entered his brain, whereupon the boar fell dead.

But so deep was the wound in Dermat's side that when Finn came to him he found the hero near unto death.

And Finn said, 'Now am I well content, for thine end hath come.'

'Sure the words that thou speakest come not from thine heart,' answered Dermat, 'for it is in thy power to heal me, and that thou knowest full well.'

'How might I heal thee?' asked Finn.

'Thou knowest that power was given thee to heal him who might be at the point of death. Let him but drink water from the palms of thy closed hands, and he is healed of his hurt.'

'Yet wherefore should I heal thee who hast worked me nought but ill?'

'Thou wouldst not speak thus wert thou mindful of the day when I saved thee from the flames. Thou wast bidden to a banquet, and ere the feast began the palace was set a-fire by those who wished thee ill. And I and my men rushed forth and quenched the flames and slew thy foes. Had I begged water from thy hands that night thou hadst not said me nay.'

'Thou forgettest that but for thee the fair Grania were my wedded wife.'

'Of a surety am I not blameworthy in this matter, O Finn, for Grania laid upon me a solemn vow that I should follow her from Tara ere thou shouldst wake from thy sleep. And I took counsel of many n.o.bles, and there was not one but said, "Even though death come of it, thou canst not depart from the solemn vow that Grania hath laid upon thee." And now, I pray of thee, let me drink from thine hands, else surely death will overtake me in this place. From many another deadly strait have I delivered thee, yet hast thou forgotten them all. But the hour will come when surely thou wilt need my help shouldst thou let me die this day. Yet grieve I not to think that thou wilt be in deadly strait, but rather grieve I for those true heroes whom I shall no longer aid.'

Then one of the n.o.bles, hearing these words, prayed Finn that he would let Dermat drink from his hands.

Finn replied, 'I know not of any well on this hill whence I can bring water.'

But Dermat said, 'Right well thou knowest that hidden by yonder bush is a well of crystal water. No more than nine paces must thou go to reach it.

Let me, I pray thee, drink from thine hands.'

Then Finn went to the well, and in his two hands tightly together did he bring the water towards Dermat. But as he came nearer he spilled it through his fingers, saying that he could not in such manner carry water so far.

But Dermat believed him not, and said, 'Of thine own will hast thou spilled the water. I pray thee go once more to the well and bring me to drink, or I die.'

Again the King went to the well, and with failing sight did Dermat follow the dripping hands that came nearer and yet more near. But of a sudden Finn thought of Grania, and a second time was the water spilled. And when Dermat saw it, he uttered a piteous cry.

Then were the champions no longer able to see Dermat in such grievous plight, and one said to Finn, 'I swear to thee that if thou bringest not water to Dermat, thou shalt not leave this hill alive, save I be a dead man.'

Finn, hearing these words and seeing their frowns, went a third time to fetch water from the well. And this time he made haste to bring it to Dermat, but ere he had got half-way, the hero's head fell backward and he died.

Then were raised three long cries of sorrow for Dermat, who had been dear unto them all.

After some time had pa.s.sed Finn said, 'Let us leave this hill lest Angus come, for he may not believe that it was not at our hands that Dermat met his death.'

So Finn and his n.o.bles left the hill, Finn leading Dermat's hound. But four of the n.o.bles turned back and laid their mantles over the champion.

Then they once more followed the King.

Grania sat that day on the highest tower of Rath-Grania, watching for Dermat. The fear she had felt in the night would not be stilled, and when at length Finn came in sight, leading by the chain Dermat's hound, she knew that she would not henceforth see Dermat alive. And when the truth had taken hold upon her, she fell in a swoon from the tower, and her handmaiden stood over her in great fear.

But at length her eyes opened, and when it was told her that Dermat was dead she uttered a long, piercing cry, so that all flocked to hear what had befallen the Princess. And when it was told that Dermat had been killed by the wild boar, the air was rent with cries of lamentation.

At length, when silence had fallen upon her grief, Grania arose, and ordered that five hundred men should go to the hill and bring to her the body of Dermat. Then turning to Finn she begged of him to leave with her Dermat's hound. And Finn would not. But a n.o.ble, hearing that Grania wished the hound took him from the hand of Finn and gave him to the Princess.

Now as the men left Rath-Grania to bring home the body of Dermat, it was revealed to Angus of Bruga that the hero lay dead on the hill. And he at once set out on the wings of the wind and reached the sorrowful place ere Grania's messengers had come there. And they, when they came, found Angus mourning over the body of Dermat, and he asked them wherefore they were come.

When it was told Angus that Grania had sent them to bring the body of Dermat to Rath-Grania, he stayed for some time wrapt in thought. At length he spake these words: 'Let it be told the Princess that I will take with me the body of Dermat to my home, that he may be preserved by my power as though he still lived. For though I cannot bring him back to life, yet each day shall he speak with me for some s.p.a.ce.'

And Angus turned to his men that he had brought with him there and ordered that Dermat's body should be placed on a golden bier, with the red and yellow javelins, one on either side, points upward. Thus was the dead hero carried to the home of Angus.

When Grania's messengers came back to her bringing not with them the body of Dermat, she was at first sore grieved. But when she heard how the hero lay on a golden bier in the keeping of his foster-father, and would each day speak with Angus for some s.p.a.ce, then was she content, for she knew that Angus loved Dermat as a father loveth his only son.

And Grania sent messengers to her sons to bid them come to her. And when they were come, she welcomed them gently and kissed them. Then with an exceeding loud and clear voice she said, 'O dear children, your father hath been slain by the will of Finn, though peace had been sworn between them. Therefore get ye hence and avenge his death. And that ye may have success in the battle, I will myself portion out among you your inheritance of arms, of arrows, and of sharp weapons. Spare none that would do good to Finn, yet see ye to it that ye deal not treacherously with any man. Hasten ye and depart.'

Then the sons of Dermat bade their mother a tender farewell, and went forth to avenge their father's death.