Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race - Knowledge Rush

CHAPTER IV: THE EARLY MILESIAN KINGS 133Etain now arranges a tryst with Ailill in a house outside ofTara—for she will not do what she calls her “glorious crime” inthe king's palace. But Ailill on the eve of the appointed day fallsinto a profound slumber and misses his appointment. A being [160]in his shape does, however, come to Etain, but merely to speakcoldly and sorrowfully of his malady, and departs again. Whenthe two meet once more the situation is altogether changed. InAilill's enchanted sleep his unholy passion for the queen haspassed entirely away. Etain, on the other hand, becomes awarethat behind the visible events there are mysteries which she doesnot understand.Midir the ProudThe explanation soon follows. The being who came to her inthe shape of Ailill was her Danaan husband, Midir the Proud.He now comes to woo her in his true shape, beautiful andnobly apparelled, and entreats her to fly with him to the Land ofYouth, where she can be safe henceforward, since her persecutor,Fuamnach, is dead. He it was who shed upon Ailill's eyes themagic slumber. His description of the fairyland to which heinvites her is given in verses of great beauty:The Land of Youth“O fair-haired woman, will you come with me to the marvellousland, full of music, where the hair isprimrose-yellow and the body white as snow?There none speaks of ‘mine’ or ‘thine’—white are the teeth andblack the brows; eyes flash with many-colouredlights, and the hue of the foxglove is on everycheek.Pleasant to the eye are the plains of Erin, but they are a desert tothe Great Plain.Heady is the ale of Erin, but the ale of the Great Plain is headier.It is one of the wonders of that land that youth does not changeinto age.