“And the man you saw kindling the fire,” he said, “is a young lord that is more liberal than he can afford, and every one else is served while he is getting the feast ready, and every one else profiting by it.

“And the well you saw is the Well of Knowledge, and the streams are the five streams through which all knowledge goes.  And no one will have knowledge who does not drink a draught out of the well itself or out of the streams.  And the people of many arts are those who drink from them all.”

And on the morning of the morrow, when Cormac rose up, he found himself on the green of Teamhair, and his wife, and his son, and his daughter, along with him, and he having his branch and his cup.  And it was given the name of Cormac’s Cup, and it used to judge between truth and falsehood among the Gael.  But it was not left in Ireland after the night of Cormac’s death, as Manannan had foretold him.

CHAPTER XII.  CLIODNA’S WAVE

And it was in the time of the Fianna of Ireland that Ciabhan of the Curling Hair, the king of Ulster’s son, went to Manannan’s country.

Ciabhan now was the most beautiful of the young men of the world at that time, and he was as far beyond all other kings’ sons as the moon is beyond the stars.  And Finn liked him well, but the rest of the Fianna got to be tired of him because there was not a woman of their women, wed or unwed, but gave him her love.  And Finn had to send him away at the last, for he was in dread of the men of the Fianna because of the greatness of their jealousy.

So Ciabhan went on till he came to the Strand of the Cairn, that is called now the Strand of the Strong Man, between Dun Sobairce and the sea.  And there he saw a curragh, and it having a narrow stern of copper.  And Ciabhan got into the curragh, and his people said:  “Is it to leave Ireland you have a mind, Ciabhan?” “It is indeed,” he said, “for in Ireland I get neither shelter or protection.”  He bade farewell to his people then, and he left them very sorrowful after him, for to part with him was like the parting of life from the body.

And Ciabhan went on in the curragh, and great white shouting waves rose up about him, every one of them the size of a mountain; and the beautiful speckled salmon that are used to stop in the sand and the shingle rose up to the sides of the curragh, till great dread came on Ciabhan, and he said:  “By my word, if it was on land I was I could make a better fight for myself”

And he was in this danger till he saw a rider coming towards him on a dark grey horse having a golden bridle, and he would be under the sea for the length of nine waves, and he would rise with the tenth wave, and no wet on him at all.  And he said:  “What reward would you give to whoever would bring you out of this great danger?” “Is there anything in my hand worth offering you?” said Ciabhan.  “There is,” said the rider, “that you would give your service to whoever would give you his help.”  Ciabhan agreed to that, and he put his hand into the rider’s hand.