Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race - Knowledge Rush

212 Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race[248]king's palace. “Let us taste the porridge as we were bound,” saysBebo, “and make off before daybreak.” They steal in and findthe porridge-pot, to the rim of which Iubdan can only reach bystanding on his horse's back. In straining downwards to get atthe porridge he overbalances himself and falls in. There in thethick porridge he sticks fast, and there Fergus's scullions findhim at the break of day, with the faithful Bebo lamenting. Theybear him off to Fergus, who is amazed at finding another weeman, with a woman too, in his palace. He treats them hospitably,but refuses all appeals to let them go. The story now recountsin a spirit of broad humour several Rabelaisian adventures inwhich Bebo is concerned, and gives a charming poem supposedto have been uttered by Iubdan in the form of advice to Fergus'sfire-gillie as to the merits for burning of different kinds of timber.The following are extracts:“Burn not the sweet apple-tree of drooping branches, ofthe white blossoms, to whose gracious head each man putsforth his hand.”“Burn not the noble willow, the unfailing ornament ofpoems; bees drink from its blossoms, all delight in the gracefultent.”“The delicate, airy tree of the Druids, the rowan withits berries, this burn; but avoid the weak tree, burn not theslender hazel.”“The ash-tree of the black buds burn not—timber thatspeeds the wheel, that yields the rider his switch; the ashenspear is the scale-beam of battle.”At last the Wee Folk come in a great multitude to beg therelease of Iubdan. On the king's refusal they visit the countrywith various plagues, snipping off the ears of corn, letting thecalves suck all the cows dry, defiling the wells, and so forth; butFergus is obdurate. In their quality as earth-gods, dei terreni,