Gods and Fighting Men eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 602 pages of information about Gods and Fighting Men.

Gods and Fighting Men eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 602 pages of information about Gods and Fighting Men.

When her people heard of the death of Diarmuid they gave three great heavy cries in the same way, that were heard in the clouds and the waste places of the sky.  And then Grania bade the five hundred that she had for household to go to Beinn Gulbain for the body of Diarmuid.

And when they were bringing it back, she went out to meet them, and they put down the body of Diarmuid, and it is what she said: 

“I am your wife, beautiful Diarmuid, the man I would do no hurt to; it is sorrowful I am after you to-night.

“I am looking at the hawk and the hound my secret love used to be hunting with; she that loved the three, let her be put in the grave with Diarmuid.

“Let us be glad to-night, let us make all welcome to-night, let us be open-handed to-night, since we are sitting by the body of a king.

“And O Diarmuid,” she said, “it is a hard bed Finn has given you, to be lying on the stones and to be wet with the rain.  Ochone!” she said, “your blue eyes to be without sight, you that were friendly and generous and pursuing.  O love!  O Diarmuid! it is a pity it is he sent you to your death.

“You were a champion of the men of Ireland, their prop in the middle of the fight; you were the head of every battle; your ways were glad and pleasant.

“It is sorrowful I am, without mirth, without light, but only sadness and grief and long dying; your harp used to be sweet to me, it wakened my heart to gladness.  Now my courage is fallen down, I not to hear you but to be always remembering your ways.  Och! my grief is going through me.

“A thousand curses on the day when Grania gave you her love, that put Finn of the princes from his wits; it is a sorrowful story your death is to-day.

“Many heroes were great and strong about me in the beautiful plain; their hands were good at wrestling and at battle; Ochone! that I did not follow them.

“You were the man was best of the Fianna, beautiful Diarmuid, that women loved.  It is dark your dwelling-place is under the sod, it is mournful and cold your bed is; it is pleasant your laugh was to-day; you were my happiness, Diarmuid.”

And she went back then into the Rath, and bade her people to bring the body to her there.

Now just at this time, it was showed to Angus at Brugh na Boinne that Diarmuid was dead on Beinn Gulbain, for he had kept no watch over him the night before.

And he went on the cold wind towards Beinn Gulbain, and his people with him, and on the way they met with Grania’s people that were bringing the body to the Rath.

And when they saw him they held out the wrong sides of their shields as a sign of peace, and Angus knew them; and he and his people gave three great terrible cries over the body of Diarmuid.

And Angus spoke then, and it is what he said:  “I was never one night since the time I brought you to Brugh na Boinne, being nine months old, without keeping watch and protection over you till last night, Diarmuid, grandson of Duibhne; and now your blood has been shed and you have been cut off sharply, and the Boar of Beinn Gulbain has put you down, Diarmuid of the bright face and the bright sword.  And it is a pity Finn to have done this treachery,” he said, “and you at peace with him.

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Gods and Fighting Men from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.