The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

498 The Highland Monthly.
Better than warlike deeds. Away !"
He turned not to behold the crone
Who followed him intent to slay
With venom of her own.
" Go back to Grainne, Diarmad, go,
Or else to-morrow she shall find
Another golden-headed beau
To please her stable mind."
As when a man a viper sees
Beside his path, he onward goes.
Deeming low reptiles such as these
Not worth the cost of blows ;
But when the serpent following
With venomed fangs to pierce him tries,.
He strikes with death the evil thing.
And on his journey hies :
So stung with viperous dart and tongue
The vile witch Diarmad from behind ;
He paused, and caught her foot, and flung;
Her forth upon the wind.
Over the cliff she headlong shot,
Like arrow from a hunter's bow,
Her impious arts availed her not.
Dashed on the rocks below.
He followed close the Wild-boar's track,.
Swift-footed ran he round the hill ;
He saw the foul thing doubling back
Beside a corried rill.
Within the corry's mouth he stayed
And waited for the infuriate Boar ;
The Beast no vain escape essayed,
But rushed with eldritch roar
And all his fiendish rage to bear
Brave Diarmad lifeless to the ground ;
But soon the point of Diarmad's spear
His heart and entrails found,
And fixed him to the earth. Such force
The Beast had, scarce could spear be seen-
One groan, and then a horrid corse
Was stretched upon the green.