Part 16

“Put your hand into my horse’s ear and fling behind what you will find there,” said the Pooka, his teeth chattering. Flann put his hand into the horse’s right ear and found a twig of ash. He flung it behind them. Instantly a tangled wood sprang up. They heard the Bull driving through the tangle of the wood and they heard Crom Duv shouting as he smashed his way through the brakes and branches. But the Bull and the man got through the wood and again they began to gain on the Pooka’s horse. Again the breath of the Bull became hot upon them. “Oh, Pooka, what shall we do now?” said Morag.

“Put your hand into my horse’s ear and fling behind what you will find there,” said the Pooka, his teeth chattering with fear as he held on to his horse’s tail. Flann put his hand into the horse’s left ear and he found a bubble of water. He flung it behind them. Instantly it spread out as a lake and as they rode on, the lake waters spread behind them.

Morag and Flann never knew whether the Giant and the Bull went into that lake, or if they did, whether they ever came out of it. They crossed the river that marked the bounds of Crom Duv’s domain and they were safe. Flann pulled up the horse and jumped on to the ground. Morag sprang down with the Little Red Hen. Then the Pooka swung forward and whispered into his horse’s ear. Instantly it struck fire out of its hooves and sprang down the side of a hill. From that day to this Morag nor Flann ever saw sight of the Pooka and his big, black, snorting and foaming horse.

“Dost thou know where we are, my Little Red Hen?” said Morag when the sun was in the sky again.

“There are things I know and things I don’t know,” said the Little Red Hen, “but I know we are near the place we started from.”

“Which way do we go to come to that place, my Little Red Hen?” said Morag. “The way of the sun,” said the Little Red Hen. So Morag and Flann went the way of the sun and the Little Red Hen hopped beside them. Morag had in a weasel-skin purse around her neck the two rowan berries that Flann had given her.

They went towards the house of the Spae-Woman. And as they went Morag told Flann of the life she had there when she and her foster-sisters were growing up, and Flann told Morag of the things he did when he was in the house of the Spae-Woman after she and her foster-sisters had left it.

They climbed the heather-covered knowe on which was the Spae-Woman’s house and the Little Red Hen went flitting and fluttering towards the gate. The Spae-Woman’s old goat was standing in the yard, and its horns went down and its beard touched its knees and it looked at the Little Red Hen. Then the Little Red Hen flew up on its back. “We’re here again, here again,” said the Little Red Hen.

And then the Spae-Woman came to the door and saw who the comers were. She covered them with kisses and watered them with tears, and dried them with cloths silken and with the hair of her head.

VIII

Flann told the Spae-Woman all his adventures. And when he had told her all he said--“What Queen is my mother, O my fosterer?” “Your mother,” said the Spae-Woman, “is Caintigern, the Queen of the King of Ireland.”

“And is my mother then not Sheen whose story has been told me?” “Her name was changed to Caintigern when her husband who was called the Hunter-King made himself King over Ireland and began to rule as King Connal.”

“Then who is my comrade who is called the King of Ireland’s Son?”

“He too is King Connal’s son, born of a queen who died at his birth and who was wife to King Connal before he went on his wanderings and met Sheen your mother.”

And as the Spae-Woman said this someone came and stood at the doorway. A girl she was and wherever the sun was it shone on her, and wherever the breeze was it rippled over her. White as the snow upon a lake frozen over was the girl, and as beautiful as flowers and as alive as birds were her eyes, while her cheeks had the red of fox-gloves and her hair was the blending of five bright soft colors. She looked at Flann happily and her eyes had the kind look that was always in Morag’s eyes. And she came and ‘knelt down, putting her hands on his knees. “I am Morag, Flann,” she said.

“Morag indeed,” said he, “but how have you become so fair?”

“I have eaten the berry from the Fairy Rowan Tree,” said she, “and now I am as fair as I should be.”

All day they were together and Flann was happy that his friend was so beautiful and that so beautiful a being was his friend. And he told her of his adventures in the Town of the Red Castle and of the Princess Flame-of-Wine and his love for her. “And if you love her still I will never see you again,” said Morag.

“But,” said Flann, “I could not love her after the way she mocked at me.”

“When did she mock at you?”

“When I took her a message that the Spae-Woman told me to give her.”

“And what was that message?”

“‘Ask her,’ said the Spae-Woman, ‘for seven drops of her heart’s blood--she can give them and live--so that the spell may be taken from the seven wild geese and the mother who longs for you may be at peace again.’ This was the message the Spae-Woman told me to give Flame-of-Wine. And though I had given her wonderful gifts she laughed at me when I took it to her. And by the way she laughed I knew she was hard of heart.”

“Yet seven drops of heart’s blood are hard to give,” said Morag sadly.

“But the maiden who loves can give them,” said the Spae-Woman who was behind.

“It is true, foster-mother,” said Morag.

That evening Morag said, “To-morrow I must pre-pare for my journey to the Queen of Senlabor. You, Flann, may not come with me. The Spae-Woman has sent a message to your mother, and you must be here to meet her when she comes. A happy meeting to her and you, O Flann of my heart. And I shall leave you a token to give to her. So to-morrow I go to the Queen of Senlabor with the Rowan Berry and I shall bring my Little Red Hen for company, and shall stay only until my sisters are wed to Dermott and Downal, your brothers.”

The next day when he came into the house he saw Morag dressed for her journey but seated at the fire. She was pale and ill-looking. “Do not go to-day, Morag,” said he. “I shall go to-day,” said Morag. She put her hand into the bosom of her dress and took out a newly-woven handkerchief folded. “This is a token for your mother,” she said. “I have woven it for her. Give her this gift from me when you have welcomed her.”

“That I will do, Morag, my heart,” said Flann.

The Spae-Woman came in and kissed Morag good-by and said the charm for a journey over her.

May my Silver- Shielded Magian Shed all lights Across your path.

Then Morag put the Little Red Hen under her arm and started out. “I shall find you,” said she to Flann, “at the Castle of the King of Ireland, for it is there I shall go when I part from my foster-sisters and the Queen of Senlabor. Kiss me now. But if you kiss anyone until you kiss me again you will forget me. Remember that.”

“I will remember,” said Flann, and he kissed Morag and said, “When you come to the King of Ireland’s Castle we will be married.”

“You gave me the Rowan Berry,” said Morag, “and the Rowan Berry gave me all the beauty that should be mine. But what good will my beauty be to me if you forget me?”

“But, Morag,” said he, “how could I forget you?”

She said nothing but went down the side of the knowe and Flann watched and watched until his eyes had no power to see any more.

THE SPAE-WOMAN

I

There are many things to tell you still, my kind foster-child, but little time have I to tell you them, for the barnacle-geese are flying over the house, and when they have all flown by I shall have no more to say. And I have to tell you yet how the King of Ireland’s Son won home with Fedelma, the Enchanter’s daughter, and how it came to pass that the Seven Wild Geese that were Caintigern’s brothers were disenchanted and became men again. But above all I have to tell you the end of that story that was begun in the house of the Giant Crom Duv--the story of Flann and Morag.

The barnacle-geese are flying over the house as I said. And so they were crossing and flying on the night the King of Ireland’s Son and Fedelma whom he had brought from the Land of Mist stayed in the house of the Little Sage of the Mountain. On that night the Little Sage told them from what bird had come the wing that thatched his house. That was a wonderful story. And he told them too about the next place they should go to--the Spae-woman’s house. There, he said he would find people that they knew--Flann, the King’s Son’s comrade, and Caintigern, the wife of the King of Ireland, and Fedelma’s sister, Gilveen.

In the morning the Little Sage of the Mountain took them down the hillside to the place where Fedelma and the King’s Son would get a horse to ride to the Spae-Woman’s house. The Little Sage told them from what people the Spae-Woman came and why she lived amongst the poor and foolish without name or splendor or riches. And that, too, was a wonderful story.

Now as the three went along the river-side they saw a girl on the other side of the river and she was walking from the place towards which they were going. The girl sang to herself as she went along, and the King’s Son and Fedelma and the Little Sage of the Mountain heard what she sang,--

A berry, a berry, a red rowan berry, A red rowan berry brought mc beauty and love.

But drops of my heart’s blood, drops of my heart’s blood, Seven drops of my heart’s blood I have given away.

Seven wild geese were men, seven wild geese were men, Seven drops of my heart’s blood are there for your spell.

A kiss for my love, a kiss for my love, May his kiss go to none till he meet me again.

If to one go his kiss, if to one go his kiss, He may meet, he may meet, and not know me again.

The girl on the other bank of the river passed on, and the King’s Son and Fedelma with the Little Sage of the Mountain came to the meadow where the horse was. A heavy, slow-moving horse he seemed. But when they mounted him they found he had the three qualities of Finn’s steeds--a quick rush against a hill, the gait of a fox, easy and proud, on the level ground, and the jump of a deer over harriers. They left health and good luck with the Little Sage of the Mountain, and on the horse he gave them they rode on to the Spae-Woman’s house.

II

When Fedelma and the King of Ireland’s Son came to the Spae-Woman’s house, who was the first person they saw there but Gilveen, Fedelma’s sister! She came to where they reined their horse and smiled in the faces of her sister and the King of Ireland’s Son. And she it was who gave them their first welcome. “And you will be asking how I came here,” said Gilveen, “and I will tell you without wasting candle-light. Myself and sister Aefa went to the court of the King of Ireland after you, my sister, had gone from us with the lucky man of your choice. And as for Aefa, she has been lucky too in finding a match and she is now married to Maravaun the King’s Councillor. I have been with Caintigern the Queen. And now the Queen is in the house of the Spae-Woman with the youth Flann and she is longing to give the clasp of welcome to both of you. And if you sit beside me on this grassy ditch I will tell you the whole story from the first to the last syllable.”

They sat together, and Gilveen told Fedelma and the King’s Son the story. The Spae-Woman had sent a message to Caintigern the Queen to tell her she had tidings of her first-born son. Thereupon Caintigern went to the Spae-Woman’s house and Gilveen, her attendant, went with her. She found there Flann who had been known as Gilly of the Goatskin, and knew him for the son who had been stolen from her when he was born. Flann gave his mother a token which had been given him by a young woman. The token was a handkerchief and it held seven drops of heart’s blood. The Spae-Woman told the Queen that these seven drops would disenchant her brothers who had been changed from their own forms into the forms of seven wild geese.

And while Gilveen was telling them all this Flann came to see whose horse was there, and great was his joy to find his comrade the King of Ireland’s Son. They knew now that they were the sons of the one father, and they embraced each other as brothers. And Flann took the hand of Fedelma and he told her and the King’s Son of his love for Morag. But when he was speaking of Morag, Gilveen went away.

Then Flann took them into the Spae-Woman’s house, and the Queen who was seated at the fire rose up and gave them the clasp of welcome. The face she turned to the King’s Son was kindly and she called him by his child’s name. She said too that she was well pleased that he and Flann her son were good comrades, and she prayed they would be good comrades always.

Fedelma and the King of Ireland’s Son rested themselves for a day. Then the Spae-Woman said that the Queen would strive on the next night--it was the night of the full moon--to bring back her seven brothers to their own forms. The Spae-Woman said too that the Queen and herself should be left alone in the house and that the King of Ireland’s Son with Flann and Fedelma and Gilveen should go towards the King of Ireland’s Castle with MacStairn the woodman, and wait for the Queen at a place a day’s journey away.

So the King of Ireland’s Son and Flann, Fedelma and Gilveen bade good-by to the Queen, to the Spae-Woman and to the Spae-Woman’s house, and started their journey towards the King’s Castle with MacStairn the Woodman who walked beside their horses, a big axe in his hands.

At night MacStairn built two bothies for them--one covered with green boughs for Fedelma and Gilveen and one covered with cut sods for Flann and the King of Ireland’s Son. Flann lay near the opening of this bothie. And at night, when the only stir in the forest was that of the leaves whispering to the Secret People, Gilveen arose from where she lay and came to the other bothie and whispered Flann’s name. He awakened, and thinking that Morag had come back to him (he had been dreaming of her), he put out his arms, drew Gilveen to him and kissed her. Then Gilveen ran back to her own bothie. And Flann did not know whether he had awakened or whether he had remained in a dream.

But when he arose the next morning no thought of Morag was in his mind. And when the King’s Son rode with Fedelma he rode with Gilveen. Afterwards Gilveen gave him a drink that enchanted him, so that he thought of her night and day.

Neither Fedelma nor the King’s Son knew what had come over Flann. They mentioned the name he had spoken of so often--Morag’s name but it seemed as if it had no meaning for him. At noon they halted to bide until the Queen came with or without her seven brothers. Flann and Gilveen were always together. And always Gilveen was smiling.

III

When Caintigern had come, when she knew her son Flann, and when it was known to her and to the Spae-Woman that the token Morag had given him held the seven drops of heart’s blood that would bring back to their own forms the seven wild geese that were Caintigern’s brothers--when all this was known the Spae-Woman sent her most secret messenger to the marshes to give word to the seven wild geese that they were to fly to her house on the night when the moon was full. Her messenger was the corncrake. She traveled night and day, running swiftly through the meadows. She hid on the edge of the marshes and craked out her message to the seven wild geese. At last they heard what she said. On the day before the night of the full moon they flew, the seven together, towards the Spae-Woman’s house.

No one was in the house but Caintigern the Queen. The door was left open to the light of the moon. The seven wild geese flew down and stayed outside the door, moving their heads and wings in the full moonlight.

Then Caintigern arose and took bread that the Spae-Woman had made. She moistened it in her mouth, and into each bit of moistened bread she put a piece of the handkerchief that had a drop of blood. She held out her hand, giving each the moistened bread. The first that ate it fell forward on the floor of the Spae-Woman’s house, his head down on the ground. His sister saw him then as a kneeling man with this arms held behind him as if they were bound. And when she looked outside she saw the others like kneeling men with their heads bent and their arms held behind them. Then Caintigern said, giving the Spae-Woman her secret name, “O Grania Oi, let it be that my brothers be changed back to men!” When she said this she saw the Spae-Woman coming across the court-yard. The Spae-Woman waved her hands over the bent figures. They lifted themselves up as men--as naked, gray men.

The Spae-Woman gave each a garment and the seven men came into the house. They would stand and not sit, and for long they had no speech. Their sister knelt before each and wet his hand with her tears. She thought she should see them as youths or as young men, and they were gray now and past the prime of their lives.

They stayed at the house and speech came back to them. Then they longed to go back to their father’s, but Caintigern could not bear that they should go from her sight. At last four of her brothers went and three stayed with her. They would go to her husband’s Castle and the others would go too after they had been at their father’s. Then one day Caintigern said farewell. The thanks that was due to the Spae-Woman, she said she would give by her treatment of the maid who had given the token to her son Flann. And she prayed that Morag would soon come to the King’s Castle.

She went with her three brothers to the place where Flann and the King of Ireland’s Son, Fedelma and Gilveen waited for them. A smith groomed and decked horses for all of them and they rode towards the King of Ireland’s Castle, MacStairn, the Woodman, going before to announce their coming.

The King of Ireland waited at the stone where the riders to his Castle dismount, and his steward, his Councillor and his Druid were beside him. He lifted his wife off her horse and she brought him to Flann. And when the King looked into Flann’s eyes he knew he was his son and the son of Sheen, now known as Caintigern. He gave Flann a father’s clasp of welcome. And the queen brought him to her own three brothers who had been estranged from human companionship from before he knew her. And she brought him to the youth who was always known as the King of Ireland’s Son, and him his father welcomed from the path of danger.

And then the King’s Son took Fedelma to his father and told him she was his love and his wife to be. And the King welcomed Fedelma to the Castle. Then said Gilveen, “There is a secret between this young man, Flann, and myself.”

“What is the secret?” said the Queen, laying her hands suddenly upon Gilveen’s shoulders.

“That I am his wife to be,” said Gilveen.

The Queen went to her son and said, “Dost thou not remember Morag, Flann, who gave the token that thou gavest me?”

And Flann said, “Morag! I think the Spae-Woman spoke of her name in a story.”

“I am Flann’s wife to be,” said Gilveen, smiling in his face.

“Yes, my wife to be,” said Flann. Then the King welcomed Gilveen too, and they all went into the Castle. He told his wife he had messages from the King of Senlabor about his other sons Dermott and Downal, saying that they were making good names for themselves, and that everything they did was becoming to sons of Kings. In the hall Fedelma saw Aefa her other sister. Aefa was so proud of herself since she married Maravaun the King’s Councillor that she would hardly speak to anyone. She gave her sisters the tips of her fingers and she bowed very slightingly to the two youths. The King questioned his druid as to when it would be well to have marriages made in his Castle and the druid said it would be well not to make them until the next appearance of the full moon.

IV

As for Morag she went by track and path, by boher and bohereen, through fords in rivers and over stepping-stones across them, until at last she came to the country of Senlabor and to the Castle of the King.

No one of high degree was in the Castle, for all had gone to watch the young horses being broken in the meadow by the river; the King and Queen had gone, and the King’s foster-daughters; and of the maids in the Castle, Baun and Deelish had gone too. The King’s Councillor also had gone from the Castle. Morag went and stayed in the kitchen, and the maids who were there did not know her, either because they were new and had not heard her spoken of at all, or because she had changed to such beauty through eating the berry of the Fairy Rowan Tree that no one could know her now for Morag who had cleaned dishes in that kitchen before.