Myths & Legends of the Celtic RaceRolleston, T. W. (Thomas William)
Religion
Myths & Legends of the Celtic Race
Rolleston, T. W. (Thomas William)
Celts -- Religion; Mythology, Celtic
On the mountain of Ben Bulben in Sligo he comes across Finn with a
hunting-party of the Fianna. They are not now hunting, however; they are
being hunted; for they have roused up the enchanted boar without ears or
tail, the Boar of Ben Bulben, which has slain thirty of them that morning.
“And do thou come away,” says Finn, knowing well that Dermot will never
retreat from a danger; “for thou art under _geise_ not to hunt pig.” “How
is that?” says Dermot, and Finn then tells him the weird story of the
death of the steward’s son and his revivification in the form of this
boar, with its mission of vengeance. “By my word,” quoth Dermot, “it is to
slay me that thou hast made this hunt, O Finn; and if it be here that I am
fated to die, I have no power now to shun it.”
The beast then appears on the face of the mountain, and Dermot slips the
hound at him, but the hound flies in terror. Dermot then slings a stone
which strikes the boar fairly in the middle of his forehead but does not
even scratch his skin. The beast is close on him now, and Dermot strikes
him with his sword, but the weapon flies in two and not a bristle of the
boar is cut. In the charge of the boar Dermot falls over him, and is
carried for a space clinging to his back; but at last the boar shakes him
off to the ground, and making “an eager, exceeding mighty spring” upon
him, rips out his bowels, while at the same time, with the hilt of the
sword still in his hand, Dermot dashes out the brains of the beast, and it
falls dead beside him.
*Death of Dermot*
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account