Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race - Knowledge Rush

CHAPTER IV: THE EARLY MILESIAN KINGS 129chanced that shortly after this the harper Craftiny broke his harpand needed a new one, and as luck would have it the first suitabletree he came to was the willow that had the king's secret. Hecut it down, made his harp from it, and performed that night asusual in the king's hall; when, to the amazement of all, as soon asthe harper touched the strings the assembled guests heard themchime the words, “Two horse's ears hath Labra the Mariner.” Theking then, seeing that the secret was out, plucked off his hoodand showed himself plainly; nor was any man put to death againon account of this mystery. We have seen that the compellingpower of Craftiny's music had formerly cured Labra's dumbness.The sense of something magical in music, as though supernaturalpowers spoke through it, is of constant recurrence in Irish legend.Legend-Cycle of Conary MōrWe now come to a cycle of legends centering on, or ratherclosing with, the wonderful figure of the High King ConaryMōr—a cycle so charged with splendour, mystery, and romancethat to do it justice would require far more space than can begiven to it within the limits of this work. 122 [156]Etain in FairylandThe preliminary events of the cycle are transacted in the “Landof Youth,” the mystic country of the People of Dana after theirdispossession by the Children of Miled. Midir the Proud son ofthe Dagda, a Danaan prince dwelling on Slieve Callary, had awife named Fuamnach. After a while he took to himself anotherbride, Etain, whose beauty and grace were beyond compare, sothat “as fair as Etain” became a proverbial comparison for anybeauty that exceeded all other standards. Fuamnach thereforebecame jealous of her rival, and having by magic art changed122The reader may, however, be referred to the tale of Etain and Midir asgiven in full by A.H. Leahy (“Heroic Romances of Ireland”), and by the writerin his “High Deeds of Finn,” and to the tale of Conary rendered by Sir S.Ferguson (“Poems,” 1886), in what Dr. Whitley Stokes has described as thenoblest poem ever written by an Irishman.