and the girls spinning at the doors, and

orderly, but yours is like the wind among

Another half-mile on the way, he asked

the monastery, our gracious Coarb, who

town, and he clenched his fist, and shook

endured many sorrows, and how the sons

hearts. So they set the cross upon his

call Don of the Vats of the Sea; and

Brother Dove, Brother Little Wolf, Brother

and showed him a blanket hanging from a

the salley gardens. I said what I could for

places of the shore and to the ungovern- 1

that night, for his teeth were chattering

having a hope of heath beer or wine at his

43

cause I heard in my heart the rustling of

him also, or that his grave had been dug

a place in the guest-house. Then the lay

days end, he had left the brooks untasted,

not the sods as wet as the sands of

brother came to him. I cannot get a

the Plain, and Red Aodh of the Hill of

make known to you that it is the head of

nail, and a shelf with a loaf of bread and

blood of the Ernaans, and his birth-place

lower and lower. And presently the birds

highway from his feet; but the water was

subtle than Angus, the Subtle-Hearted,

and shoulders, and began to peck at him,

upon was a great clam our, for the beggars

when we had him under our thumb !

house. And while he still stood upon the

crosses which stood out against the sky

he said, all the tricks of Angus the

t lighted a rush-candle fixed between two

Subtle-Hearted. The old friars were for

their hearts, always longing after the Son

sing a bards curse on the Coarb. And

that are lost in the darkness. Therefore, I l

of Usna died to serve her. And the young

Day, were we to spare an enemy of his

bite, for the bread was hard and mouldy.

So he flung the bread and the strips of

trees were growing, and they made him

against the outcast ?

of White-Breasted Deirdre, and how she

the louder, we will crucify him.

I ask no more delays, for I have drawn

the cross from him, and began to dig a hole

be crucified, and led him out of the guest-

flung it from him straight way, for the

but who could help such a one as you ?

36

and drew the tub out of the corner with

led him back to the guest-house, why do

more lovely than a bursting dawn to them

6e let eat the food I carry in my wallet.

I am myself the poorest, for I have

passed over two hills and under the battle-

feet have ever irked me, because of the

curse.

but only under roofs, and between four

I ever glo.rify our gracious Coarb, and

in the morning, and bade him get ready to

who was the porter, and of him he asked

he gave the jug a kick, so that it broke

you ever use the wit which God has given

cowardice and with decei九-九-藏-書t !

Now he put the jug to his lips, but he

called Buckleys Ford.

to foot, and the sweat came out upon

upon a hill a little to the eastward of the

in my niche by the door, and I sorrow to

the province. My soul is decent and

how he fared in the guest-house, and he

Coarb: for to-morrow or the next day

some distance, where many straight young

fleas in the blanket as many as the waves

of cold fried bacon out of his wallet and laid

down the blanket to wrap it about him for

him the Swift, Wild Horse; and he was

length, while the beggars stood round them

Neither our blessed Patron nor the sun

sleeping places were the four provinces of

Hal went on beating at the door, and

While he spoke, he shivered from head

shorter piece of wood, and nail it upon

dragged him to the river, and they dipped

bald head looked like an island in the

lighted all at once upon his head and arms

hill where the others were. A half-mile

hole.

vision, and am content.

Aodh, Cleena, Eiveen and Don? 1, too,

him, and he would teach his lines to the

doublet of particoloured cloth upon my

of the Shelly River. Many called him Cum-

Little Wolf, Brother Bald Patrick, Brother

Then we must make another cross. If

not eaten now these two days.

on, sitting round the cross. But when the

steadfastness of purpose upon the roads,

midst of a pond, for in Connaught they

brown patch of hair in the middle of his

them upon the ground. I will give a tithe

an evil race, ever cursing and ever stirring

the glee man to a place in the woods at

brother.

poverty, and their yellow faces swayed like

crumpled it in his hands, and the circular

The crosses are all full, said the lay

Brother, I would sleep, and therefore I

give him dry sods, a fresh loaf, clean water

unless I am well-nigh starved. I have

He was very hungry, for he had not eaten

the jests of Conan the Bald, upon whose

stringing, or stoning or beheading, it would

upon a journey, but I do not taste of it

with many cries until the last scrap was

and blew a silver whistle until the lay

And Cumhal the son of Cormac began

of straw; but his blowing profited him

The lay brother found Brother Kevin,

I am done with all things, I give it unto you.

my soul will travel with you to the waste

poems in praise of those kings and queens

and went back to his place by the door.

and more full of the beauty of laughter than

it with water from the bogs.

eaten. But meanwhile the friars nailed the

was in my heart. And I have been the more

for the style then coming into use. If we

secutors of the bard and the glee man, haters

the soldier of Dathi, who brought the

at the foot of the九_九_藏_書 cross, and the birds flew

Still he did not give way to his wrath, for

lay brother saw that the lock was fast, and

You may eat, then, says the Coarb,

craft. I have, indeed, many such tales and

Bald Brandon, Brother James and Brother

on the way he asked them to stop and

fied one called in a weak voice to the beg-

he had looked upon many crosses. He

your feet ! I would that the red wind

sleepy to talk with comfort. And Cum-

of the stones of the wall, and set the glow-

gathered about them, being come there to

mind, and therefore am I called the Swift,

or a pride in those rhymes would move

on him, and said his tricks were dull and

anger upon the tub, but took up the black

Dagda, and Dana the Mother, and all the

he crossed himself, and when he had

St. Benign us, and sour would be his face

glee man to his cross, and set it upright in

sing in a very loud voice. The singing

the robbers on the mountain of Gulben ?

ment Ed gate, and then round by a left-

than it was alive with skipping fleas. At

and a bulging wallet. Also he was of the

finished he drew the nightcap over his

Is he cursing in rhyme ?

i ll became them to listen to such follies.

part from the loaf and the bacon. Who

and the wolves began to eat his feet. Out-

from the Abbey tower of the White Friars

of Lir, and Angus, and Bridget, and the

who has forgotten God ? and is not the

his rhymes to the children in the street,

the morning, lest this but make him curse

him in it at the place which was afterwards

in his turn would begin. to curse, and my

way, and he asked them to stop and hear

robbers on the mountain of Gulben.

pressing on, but the young friars would

he had not drunken these many hours;

went back to his niche, for he was too

against the opposite wall, and he took

up in bed, and he made them get up.

be bad enough. But to have the birds

wink of sleep with that noise, said the

in a jug, clean foot-water, and a new

the first. So there was his cross for him;

the ridge of the earth. His eyes strayed

Benignus our Patron, and the princes of

pecking your eyes and the wolves eating

two unlighted sods and a wisp of straw,

a glee man, and he wore a short parti-

name would wither. For learn there is no

ask a favour before I die, says Cum Hal.

is indeed like the wind, and it blows me

the Shelly ~iver when the floods have filled

them to stop and hear him sing the story

house. The Coarb and the friars led

water was bitter and ill-smelling. Then

The Coarb and the friars came to him

By sun and moon, not l; I ask but to

tree of death out of barbarous lands, or

them, even to the drawing of live frogs out

He is九九藏書 cursing in rhyme, and with

the sword, and told the truth, and lived my

with rhyme those demons, Finvaragh, Red

moderate in all things, and heathen in

Brother James and Brother Peter sitting

to blow upon the glowing turf, that he

been charred in the Undying Fires ? The

to stand it in, while the beggars gathered

carne to the door, and asked what ailed

the Shee, and Cleena of the Wave, and

river that he may cease to sing. And in

Hal, the son of Cormac, and many called

you, being also a man of many thoughts,

ùIq E

and verses ? For such is the way of your

award the tithe to myself; but yet, because

What ails me ! shouted Cumhal, are

his face, and he knew not why, for

of the water in the jug, of the foot-water,

two assonances in every line of his

Conan the Bald, and more full of the wisdom

merrows deep at the roots of the deep

Shall I go then, said the other, and

and they put it upon his shoulder, for

beg from any traveller or pilgrim who

and led the way to a big and naked out-

of tears than White-Breasted Deirdre, and

and the town battlements to a row of

My soul, friend, answered the glee man,

his curses to the children in the street, and

Brother Kevin, Brother Dove, Brother

and he turned to help the friars dig the

do not somewhat, he said, he will teach

lifted his arms to them and said, ~ O great

him, and why he woke him out of sleep.

of his ears. But after a while they turned

we do not make an end of him another

verses well nigh by rote, and so I know

moon, that no bond be lacking, not to tell

step a flock of great grass-barnacles passed

coloured doublet, and had pointed shoes,

alone upon the roads and by the sea, be-

was the ~ield of Gold; but his eating and

then they went away, but the beggars stared

Then they bound Cumhal, and they

see him: so he did many wonders for

went their w;~y. Then the wolves gathered

the Coarb.

corner. Then the lay brother left him

they had gone a little way, the wolves, who

Gleeman, said the lay brother, as they

to the door of the guest-house, but the lay

window, and stood upon it, and began to

orders all things concerning the lodging of

to make his supper the more delightful.

and upon your father and your mother,

The Coarb pulled his night-cap off and

a bards curse upon you, O brother Coarb,

damp. So he took off his pointed shoes,

back a sheeps wool grew. And the young

that wound from the south to the Town

was studded with great nails, and whenhe knocked at it, he roused the lay brother

had ended, they grew angry, and beat him

Coarb. What is happening ?

bacon among the beggars, and they fought

the girls spinning at the doors, and 九-九-藏-書to the

that melts the bones of the people with

colour that shall be upon him when he has

Brother, the bards and the glee men are

ing turf upon the hearth and gave him

water in the jug as bitter and as ill-smelling

at the foot of the mountain, had smitten

able sea ! At the gate a crowd of beggars

all that day; so he did not waste much

false gods of the old days; always making

and the birds wheeled closer and closer.

mother, and upon all your relations.

casts, he moaned, have you also turned

sleep.

that I speak true ! And why do you praise

46

hear the bards railing upon the friars.

Eri, and his abiding place was not upon

high above him with clanking cries. He

again bade him take up his cross, for it

of the demons, Finvaragh of the Hill in

the night. But no sooner did he touch it

Eiveen of the Grey Rock, and him they

had not yet abandoned the ancient ton sure

as not, just such another vagabond as

Stay, outcasts, yet a little while, the cruci-

because he had called them outcasts, so

see him juggle for them: for he knew,

his eyes, and composed himself to

sun was sinking, they also got up to go, for

him jest for them, for he knew, he said, all

am a man of great wit and learning, but

friars were mad to hear him, but when he

face, half ran, half walked, along the road

bind him with ropes, and dip him in the

will, for who can eat and sleep in peace

by the green-haired and green-toothed

a shade unholy, and set the cross on his

as his soul ? and is not the foot-water the

blessed Saints. While he was speaking

sea.

once more, and cried out at him, ~ O

world ? Ill should we stand before blessed

foot, and trampled it level and hard. So

cowardly and tyrannous race of friars, per-

to and fro, and up and down, a lid puts

friars, when they had heard his merry tales,

blanket, and make him swear by the

this, beside himself with anger, he rushed

when he comes to judge us at the Last

27

nothing, for the sods and the straw were

gars, and keep the beasts and the birds

the Three Headlands ? and are not the

it at the crosses. He knew they were

He listened for a little, and, says he,

44

You may sleep, said Cumhal, ~ I will

A MAN, with thin brown hair and a pale

shoulders again. Another half-mile on the

grass-barnacles, tarry a little, and may hap

make rhymes; I make many while I sit

might light the two sods and the wisp

Peter. And they shall take the man, and

his crucifixion was to be on the top of the

Cumhal emptied the tub and began to

bread as hard as the heart of a lay brother

travellers.

Ioaf, and bit into it, and then spat out the

back and the torn pointed shoes upon my

himself was han九*九*藏*書ged on one of them; and

and of the blanket. And now he is singing

might have spent the night in the guest-

45

in a ring, talking and gesticulating. The

among you is the poorest ? And there-

of life and joy ! O race that does not draw

he set the tub upside down under th~

he muttered; If it were hanging or bow-

and your grandfather and your grand-

Coarb then bade him cut off another and

brother took a glowing turf on a shovel,

the hole, and shovel led the earth in at the

ears, to shut out the noise, and closed

Bald Patrick, Brother Bald Brandon,

you to make blasphemous and immoral tales

many things into my mind and out of my

while men like him are going about the

railing against God and Christ and the

Wild Horse. And he spoke no more

brother, being well accustomed to such

the mood to curse would come upon him,

We will grant you no more delays, says

beat the door with it, till the lay brother

children, and the girls, and the robbers.

not empty, for the birds were fluttering

Gleeman, said the lay brother, I also

presently he heard the lay brothers foot

47

travel led the bare road, and by the glitter-ing footsteps of the sea; and the tattered

outcries, had locked it on the outside; so

with the cold.

a jug of water, and a tub in a far

from me. But the beggars were angry

awoke the Coarb, so that he sat up in bed

blessed St. Benign us, and by the sun and

and the moon would avail at all, said the

The glee man took a loaf and some strips

up the people, and immoral and im-

began the history of their sorrows and their

I carry food in my wallet whenever I go

the thought of washing the dust of the

walls. Therefore I bid you go and awaken

back, and hurried him to the hill.

to the poor, says he, and he cut a tenth

that the lightning, when it smote Dathi

they threw stones and mud at him, and

the air was getting chilly. And as soon as

the sword and tell the truth ! O race

house strewn with very dirty rushes; and

for waking forgotten longings in their

had been showing themselves on the edge

of a neighbouring coppice, came nearer,

Would you then confess ?

the rose-bordered dress of her who is more

so dirty that he could not see the bottom

of the sea and as lively ? and is not the

who complains of the sods, of the bread,

about them; and he thought how, as like

of the Druids had withered in his cradle

When he was come to the top, they took

5 1

It is a glee man, said the lay brother,

cut one down and fashion it to the right

round, and talked among themselves. ~ I

Or else he would tell another of his craft

towered city full of noble raiment *hich