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.

With that he put bonds on the three, Finn and Daire and Glanluadh, and he put them down into some deep shut place.

They were very sorrowful then, and they stopped there to the end of five days and five nights, without food, without drink, without music.

And Ailne went to see them then, and Finn said to her:  “O Ailne,” he said, “bring to mind the time you come to Cnoc-an-Air, and the way the Fianna treated you with generosity; and it is not fitting for you,” he said, “to keep us now under shame and weakness and in danger of death.”  “I know well I got kind treatment from Grania,” said Ailne in a sorrowful voice; “but for all that, Finn,” she said, “if all the Fianna were in that prison along with you under hard bonds, it would please me well, and I would not pity their case.  And what is it set you following after Finn,” she said then to Glanluadh, “for that is not a fitting thing for you to do, and his own kind wife living yet.”

Then Glanluadh told her the whole story, and how she was walking the plain with Lobharan her husband, and he followed the hunt, and the mist came about her that she did not know east from west, and how she met then with Finn that she never saw before that time.  “If that is so,” said Ailne, “it is not right for you to be under punishment without cause.”

She called then to her brother the Grey Man, and bade him take the spells off Glanluadh.  And when she was set free it is sorry she was to leave Daire in bonds, and Finn.  And when she had bidden them farewell she went out with Ailne, and there was food brought to her, but a cloud of weakness came on her of a sudden, that it was a pity to see the way she was.

And when Ailne saw that, she brought out an enchanted cup of the Sidhe and gave her a drink from it.  And no sooner did Glanluadh drink from the cup than her strength and her own appearance came back to her again; but for all that, she was fretting after Finn and Daire in their bonds.  “It seems to me, Glanluadh, you are fretting after those two men,” said Ailne.  “I am sorry indeed,” said Glanluadh, “the like of those men to be shut up without food or drink.”  “If it is pleasing to you to give them food you may give it,” said Ailne, “for I will not make an end of them till I see can I get the rest of the Fianna into bonds along with them.”  The two women brought food and drink then to Finn, and to Daire; and Glanluadh gave her blessing to Finn, and she cried when she saw the way he was; but as to Ailne, she had no pity at all for the King of the Fianna.

Now as to the Grey Man, he heard them talking of the Fianna, and they were saying that Daire had a great name for the sweetness of his music.  “I have a mind to hear that sweet music,” said he.  So he went to the place where they were, and he bade Daire to let him hear what sort of music he could make.  “My music pleased the Fianna well,” said Daire; “but I think it likely it would not please you.”  “Play it for me now,

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Gods and Fighting Men from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.