Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race - Knowledge Rush

130 Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race[157]her into a butterfly, she raised a tempest that drove her forthfrom the palace, and kept her for seven years buffeted hitherand thither throughout the length and breadth of Erin. At last,however, a chance gust of wind blew her through a window ofthe fairy palace of Angus on the Boyne. The immortals cannot behidden from each other, and Angus knew what she was. Unableto release her altogether from the spell of Fuamnach, he made asunny bower for her, and planted round it all manner of choiceand honey-laden flowers, on which she lived as long as she waswith him, while in the secrecy of the night he restored her to herown form and enjoyed her love. In time, however, her refuge wasdiscovered by Fuamnach; again the magic tempest descendedupon her and drove her forth; and this time a singular fate washers. Blown into the palace of an Ulster chieftain named Etar,she fell into the drinking-cup of Etar's wife just as the latter wasabout to drink. She was swallowed in the draught, and in duetime, having passed into the womb of Etar's wife, she was born asan apparently mortal child, and grew up to maidenhood knowingnothing of her real nature and ancestry.Eochy and EtainAbout this time it happened that the High King of Ireland,Eochy, 123 being wifeless and urged by the nobles of his land totake a queen—“for without thou do so,” they said, “we will notbring our wives to the Assembly at Tara”—sent forth to inquirefor a fair and noble maiden to share his throne. The messengersreport that Etain, daughter of Etar, is the fairest maiden inIreland, and the king journeys forth to visit her. A piece ofdescription here follows which is one of the most highly wroughtand splendid in Celtic or perhaps in any literature. Eochy findsEtain with her maidens by a spring of water, whither she hadgone forth to wash her hair:“A clear comb of silver was held in her hand, the comb was123 Pronounced “Yeo´hee.”