Legendary fictions of the Irish Celts

Ossiatiic and other Early Legends. 261
the same bed with your wife till you bring me the Eios
Path an aon Sceil (perfect narrative of the unique story)
and the Cloidheamh * Solais (Sword of Light) kept by
the Fiach ODiida (Raven, grandson of Soot) in the
Donn Teagh (Brown House)."
He returned home more dead than ahve, and Saav,
the moment she caught sight of him, knew what had
happened. So without speaking a word she ran and
threw her arms round his neck, and comforted him.
" Have courage, dear husband ! Lassa Buaicht is strong
and crafty, but we will match him." So she explained
what he was to do, made him lie down, sung him asleep
with a druidic
for his journey.
charm, and at dawn she had him ready
The first happy morning of her arrival, the Sculloge
had found a bright bay horse in his stable, and whenever
his wife went abroad, she rode on this
he would let no one else get on his
steed.
back.
Indeed,
Now he
stood quiet enough while husband and wife were enfolded
in each other's arms and weeping. She was the
first to take courage. She made him put foot in stirrup,
smiled, cheered him, and promised him success, so that
he remembered her charges, and carefully followed
them.
At last he started, and away at a gentle pace went the
noble steed. Looking back after three or four seconds
he saw his house a full mile away, and though he scarcely
felt the motion, he knew they were going like the wind
by the flight of hedges and trees behind them.
And so they came to the strand, and still there was no
stoppage. The horse took the waves as he would the
undulations of a meadow. The waters went backwards
in their course like arrows shot from strong bows. In
shorter time than you could count ten, the land behind
was below the waters, and the waves farthest seen in
* Pronounced Chloive ; Fath nearly as faw. Clayrnore is made up
of Cloidheamh and mhor, large. Glaive is evidently a cognate word.