Legendary fictions of the Irish Celts

Ossiank and other Early Legends. 277
Feargal was looking on in awe, the figures and the soft
vapour vanished.
But shouts of joy were heard on every side, and
crowds bearing torches were hurrying through various
defiles to the shore. The figure of Feargal had been
descried, and he was now conducted in triumph to the
dun, and the trophies were hung in the great hall.
Amarach had not been seen since the previous night,
and the meeting of the lovers and their speedy marriage
was undisturbed by fears of the sorceress, or of her hellish
spells.
THE CHILDREN OF LIR.
Lir, though the father of a demi-god, was not able to
secure domestic comfort. Having lost his beloved wife,
he sought relief in travel ; and being on a visit with
Bogha Derg, King of Conacht, he was induced to enter
on the married state again, taking the beauteous and
virtuous Princess Aebh (Eve) as his new partner. She
bore him twins, FioJiula (Fair-shoulder) and Aodh
(Hugh), and at a second birth, Fiachra and Conn. This
was followed by her death ; and after some time the
bereaved widower again sought the court of his fatherin-law.
He was there tempted to commit matrimony
again, hoping that the sister of his lamented wife, the
Princess Aoife, would do the duty of an aunt, at least,
to his orphans. For a year there was nothing to be
complained of, but then she began to be jealous of the
tenderness and attention ever exhibited by Lir to the
Princess Fionula and her brothers. From mere despite
she took to her bed, and there remained a year. At
last a skilful but wicked Druid visited her, extracted her
heart's secret, and tendered his advice. Rising from her
bed, she arrayed herself in her best, and taking the
children with her, got up into her chariot, and set out
for her father's court, near Loch Derg, on the Shannon.
On the route she urged her charioteer to destroy the