Legendary fictions of the Irish Celts

134 Fictions of the Irish Celts.
on the right hand of the Gruagach, on a chair of burnished
gold, -was his lady daughter, beauteous, gentle,
honest, unexceptionable in her attire, musical in voice and
compassionate, young, glorious, sweet-spoken, lightsome,
like a shining diamond, a harvest moon, a morning sun, a
heavenly angel. Her eyes were gray and thoughtful, like
the gleaming sparkling stars of a hard frosty night. Her
golden, curling hair was divided, and hung on each side
like bunches of clustering grapes. Her robe was of
silk, gracefully covering her beautiful figure, and an
ornamented brooch glittered on her bosom, and on her
knee was a hand-harp (Cruith), from which she was
drawing sweet sounds.'""
The hero of the story was an arrant coward, as well as
a poet ; but he plucked up courage to address the host,
who, after all, was not very formidable in appearance :
" King of the globe, fair is this place which I have come to
A royal fort, white-boarded, erected as the abode of Maev;
Like unto the Dun Aileach, it is similar to Paradise,
And I am not certain that it is not in a court 1 am truly.
" More delightful is this sight than Tara and Naas together,
And than the three branches in Emania,t once held by the hero
Dairg.
My journey I arrest till I know who dwells here."
The richly dressed Gruagach made a suitable reply :—
" Long it is since we saw a person or people before you,
who could afford us joy or pleasure" (they were apparently
not aware of his cowardice and general worthlessness),
" and long were we expecting you, for we have
* A profusion of epithets nearly synonymous often occurs in Irish
poetry and romance. It arises from the richness of the language in
words of the same or nearly the same meaning, and the temptation
thrown in the way of the poet by alliteration.
f Maii\ the Semiramis of the Royal Court of Conacht. Aileach,
the Great Stone Fortress in the north-east of Donegal. Naas, once
the residence of the kings of Leinster. Emania, the Court of
Ulster, whose ruins are yet to be seen near Armagh.
an order of knighthood there established.
Red Branc/i,
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