Celtic Tales - Louey Chisholm (best fiction novels to read txt) 📗

of early summer made bright the earth, and Nathos and his brothers had not yet left their father’s home for the castle in the north. But the days were hot, and they had pitched three tents on the seashore, one for Nathos and Deirdre, one for Ailne and Ardan, and one in which to eat and to drink. It was on a bright noon that Nathos and Deirdre sat before the tents, playing chess.

The chess-board was of ivory, the chessmen were of wrought gold, and they had belonged to Concobar, for on the day before the sons of Usna fled from Alba, the King had been hunting by their castle, and there had he left the board and men.

As Nathos and Deirdre played, of a sudden was a cry heard from adown the shore.

‘Yonder is the voice of a man of Erin,’ said Nathos, as they paused in their game.

Again a loud cry, and the sons of Usna were called by name.

‘Yea, most truly is that the cry of a man of Erin.’

But Deirdre said, ‘Nay, thou dreamest, Nathos. Let us play on.’

Then nearer and clearer came a third cry, and there was none but knew that it was indeed the voice of a man of Erin.

‘Go, Ardan,’ said Nathos, ‘go to the harbour, and there welcome Fergus from the Green Isle, for he indeed it is and none other.’

But when Ardan went, Nathos saw that Deirdre’s lips grew pale and a great fear looked out from her eyes.

‘What terror is it that hath hold of thee?’ he asked.

‘Hath it not been revealed to me in a dream, O Nathos, that this Fergus who should come with honey-sweet words hath in his mind the shedding of our blood?’

Even as she spake Ardan led Fergus to where the two sat on either side of the chess-board.

Eagerly did the exiled sons of Usna beg for tidings of their friends in the Green Isle.

‘I come to you,’ said Fergus, ‘with greetings from Concobar the King. Fain would he see once more in Erin the fairest and bravest heroes of his realm. Peace he would pledge with you, and great shall be your welcome, if ye will come back with me.’

But before the brothers could answer, Deirdre spake. ‘Here in Alba is Nathos now lord over lands wider than the realm of Concobar. Wherefore then should he seek forgiveness of the King?’

‘Yet,’ replied Fergus, ‘Erin is the land of his adoption. Since his boyhood’s days Nathos has been a hero in the Green Isle, and it were well that he should yet rejoice in the land, and, if need be, defend it still.’

‘We have two lands,’ said Ardan, ‘and both are dear unto us. Yet, if Nathos will go with thee to Erin, so also will Ailne and I, myself.’

‘I will go,’ said Nathos, but he looked not at his star-eyed wife as he spake the words.

That night all rejoiced save Deirdre. Heavy was her heart as she thought she would never again, in shadow or in sunlight, rest in the land of Alba of the lochs.

On the morrow they set sail, and swiftly the galley bore them to the shores of the Green Isle. And when Deirdre stood once more on the soil of her own land, then was her heart glad, and for a brief space she remembered not her fears or her dreams.

In three days they came to the castle of Borrach, and there had Fergus to keep his bond to feast with Borrach. ‘For,’ he said, turning to those with him, ‘my feast-bond I must keep, yet send I with you my two sons.’

‘Of a surety, Fergus, must thou keep thy feast-bond,’ answered Nathos, ‘but as for thy sons, I need not their protection, yet in the company each of the other will we fare southward together.’

But as they went, Deirdre urged that they should tarry, and when they had gone further, Nathos found that his wife had vanished from his side. Going back he found her in deep sleep by the wayside.

Gently waking her, Nathos read terror in her starry eyes.

‘What aileth thee, my Queen?’

‘Again have I dreamed, O Nathos, and in my dream I saw our little company, but as I looked, on the younger son of Fergus alone, was the head left upon his body. Turn aside, and let us go not to Concobar, or that thing which I saw in my dream, it shall come to pass.’

But Nathos feared not, for had not Fergus come to them with the bond of peace from the King?

And on the morrow they came to the great palace.

When it was told Concobar that the three sons of Usna and Deirdre the Star-eyed, and the two sons of Fergus were without, he ordered that they should be taken into the House of the Red Branch. And he ordered, too, that there should be given unto them of pleasant foods, and that all that dwelt in the castle should do them honour.

But when evening was come, and all the company was merry, Deirdre was wearied with journeying, and she lay upon a couch draped with deerskins, and played with Nathos upon the gold and ivory chess-board.

And as Deirdre rested, the door opened, and there entered a messenger from the King. And this messenger was none other than Lavarcam, who had been sent to discover if Deirdre were still as fair as in days of old. And when Lavarcam beheld Deirdre, her eyes filled with tears. ‘You do not well, O Nathos, thus to play upon the chess-board which Concobar holds dearer than aught else save Deirdre, thy wife. Both have ye taken from him, and here, within these walls, are ye now in his power.’

Of a sudden Deirdre spake, her gaze fixed as if on some strange thing. ‘I see as in a dream. As in a dream I see three torches. The three torches are this night put out. The names on the torches are Nathos, Ailne, Ardan. Alas! it is but for the beauty of a woman that these brave ones perish.’

The sons of Usna were silent awhile, and the sons of Fergus spake not. Then said Nathos, ‘It were better, Deirdre, to be a torch quenched for thy sake than to live for aught save thee. That which shall come, shall come.’

‘Now must I get me hence,’ said Lavarcam, ‘for Concobar awaiteth my coming. But, sons of Usna, see ye well to it, that the doors and windows be this night barred.’

Then Lavarcam hastened to the King and told him how that the sons of Usna had come to Erin to live peaceably, but how that the beauty of Deirdre had faded until she was no longer fairest among women.

Then was Concobar wroth, and he sent yet another messenger.

To this man he said, ‘Who was it that slew thy father and thy brother?’

‘Nathos, son of Usna, O King!’

‘Then go thou to the House of the Red Branch, and bring me word hither if Deirdre be still the fairest among women.’

And the man went. But when he found that bar and bolt were drawn across door and window, he knew well that the sons of Usna were warned of the wrath of the King. But espying one open window, he put his eye near to the lower corner that he might glance within. And Deirdre saw the man’s eye, and told Nathos, and he, with the ivory bishop that was in his hand, took aim as if with a javelin, and the chessman pierced the spy’s eye, and it became blind.

And the man returned to King Concobar and said, ‘Of a surety Deirdre, the wife of Nathos, is yet of all fair women the most fair.’

Then could not Concobar contain his wrath, but burst forth, ‘Arise, ye Ultonians; the fort that surroundeth the House of the Red Branch set ye in flames.’

And the Ultonians set it in flames.

Then came out the younger of the sons of Fergus from the burning fort, and he rushed upon the Ultonians and killed three hundred men. And when King Concobar beheld the onslaught, he cried aloud, ‘Who hath done this thing?’

And when it was told him that it was the son of Fergus, he said, ‘To such a hero will I give the choice of lands, and he will be to me as a son, if he will but forsake the sons of Usna.’

And the son of Fergus made answer, ‘I swear to abide by thee and to return not to the House of the Red Branch.’

And when he returned not, Deirdre, said, ‘Even as Fergus hath deceived us, even so hath his son.’

Then went forth the elder son of Fergus, and he fell upon the Ultonians, and there perished by his hand three hundred men. And when Concobar saw who it was that had done this thing, he called his own son, who had been born the same night as this son of Fergus. ‘Take these, my magic arms,’ he cried, ‘and fall upon the foe.’

Then did the son of Concobar strike with his enchanted weapons, and all the waves of Erin thundered at the stroke. And a great warrior, hearing the thunder, came riding across the plain, and in his hand he held a magic sword with blade of blue. Coming upon the fighting men, he rushed at the son of Fergus from behind, and thrust the blue blade through his heart. ‘I would that mine enemy had fought me fair,’ said the dying man.

‘Who art thou?’ asked the stranger.

And the son of Fergus told his name, and of that which had come to pass in the House of the Red Branch.

Then answered the stranger, ‘I shall not depart hence, no, not until the son of Concobar be slain in the dust’; and thereupon he rushed upon the King’s son, and with one stroke of the blue blade severed his head from his body. So he departed, and soon the son of Fergus also lay dead.

And now the Ulstermen surrounded the House of the Red Branch and set fire to its walls. But Ardan came forth, and put out the fire, and slew three hundred men, and after he had gone in, then came Ailne forth, and slew a countless multitude beside.

A glimmering ray of dim grey light now broke, and spread over the forms of dead and dying men.

It was at that hour that Nathos kissed Deirdre and went forth from the House. And there was not a man but quailed as the hero rushed upon the Ultonians and slew a thousand men.

When Concobar heard this, he sent for that Wise Man who in the house of Felim the Harper had foretold the sorrow that would come upon his realm.

And when the old man had come, Concobar said, ‘I swear that I mean no harm unto the sons of Usna, yet will they slay every Ultonian in the land. Therefore I would that thou wouldst help me by thy magic power.’

And the Wise Man believed the words of Concobar, and he caused a hedge of spears to encircle the burning House. And as the flames rose higher the sons of Usna came forth with Deirdre the Star-eyed. And around her they placed their shields, and they cleft a way through the Hedge of Spears and came safely to the plain beyond.

[Illustration: The Hedge of Spears]

But when the Wise Man saw that his magic availed nought, he laid upon the land yet another enchantment, for the plain upon which Deirdre stood with the sons of Usna, he caused to be covered with tempestuous water.

And the magic sea rose higher and yet