Scotland's Storybook: stories in English (1.1 - Education Scotland
Scotland's Storybook: stories in English (1.1 - Education Scotland
Scotland's Storybook: stories in English (1.1 - Education Scotland
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DEIRDRE OF THE SORROWS<br />
K<strong>in</strong>g Conchobar MacNessa, the K<strong>in</strong>g of Ulster, smiled as he entered the hall<br />
where the feast was ready for him. With him were his noblemen and warriors,<br />
Cathbad his chief druid, plus many other warriors and bards who were visit<strong>in</strong>g<br />
the k<strong>in</strong>g. The feast was given by Feidlimid MacDall; the k<strong>in</strong>g’s most gifted bard<br />
and storyteller whose skills were so great that he could charm the birds out of<br />
the trees with his tales and verses. His wife was a beautiful woman, and<br />
although she was heavily pregnant she saw to it that the servants poured w<strong>in</strong>e<br />
from silver jugs <strong>in</strong>to the goblets of their guests and made sure that everyone has<br />
whatever they wanted, especially K<strong>in</strong>g Conchobar. Feidlimid smiled to himself;<br />
he was the only bard <strong>in</strong> the land that was important enough to hold a feast for<br />
the k<strong>in</strong>g, and soon his hall would r<strong>in</strong>g with the laughter of his own child. But that<br />
was not meant to be.<br />
As the even<strong>in</strong>g wore on the sound of merriment <strong>in</strong> the hall was suddenly<br />
broken by a terrible, pierc<strong>in</strong>g scream. Everyone who heard it felt an icy cold<br />
shiver pass down their sp<strong>in</strong>e, because this scream seemed to herald a great<br />
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