So Finn and the Fena departed from the hill, Finn leading Dermat's dog,
Mac-an-coill. But Oisin, and Oscar, and Dering, and Mac Luga turned
back, and with tears, threw their mantles over Dermat; after which they
followed the others.
Grania sat that day on the highest rampart of Rath-Grania, watching for
Dermat's return; for a dark fear haunted her mind on account of this
chase. And when at last the Fena came in view, she saw Dermat's dog led
by Finn; but not seeing Dermat himself, she said--
"Ah me! what is this I see? Surely if Dermat were alive, it is not by
Finn that Mac-an-coill would be led to his home!"
And as she spoke she fell forward off the rampart, and lay long in a
swoon as if her spirit had fled, while her handmaid stood over her,
weeping and distracted. And when at last she opened her eyes, then
indeed they told her that Dermat was dead; and she uttered a long and
piteous cry, so that her women and all the people of the court came
round her to ask the cause of her sorrow. And when they were told that
Dermat had perished by the wild boar of Ben-Gulban, they raised three
loud, bitter cries of lamentation, which were heard in the glens and
wildernesses around, and which pierced the clouds of heaven.
When at length Grania became calm, she ordered that five hundred of her
people should go to Ben-Gulban, to bring home the body of Dermat. Then,
turning to Finn, who still held Mac-an-coill in his hand, she asked him
to leave her Dermat's hound; but Finn refused, saying that a hound was a
small matter, and that he might be allowed to inherit at least so much
of Dermat's riches. When Oisin heard this, he came forward and took the
hound from the hand of Finn and gave him to Grania.
At the time that the men left Rath-Grania to go for the body of Dermat,
it was revealed to Angus that the hero was lying dead on Ben-Gulban. And
he set out straightway, and travelling on the pure, cool wind, soon
reached the mountain; so that when Grania's people came up, they found
him standing over the body, sorrowing, with his people behind him. And
they held forward the wrong sides of their shields in token of peace.
Then both companies, having viewed the dead hero, raised three mighty
cries of sorrow, so loud and piercing that they were heard in the wastes
of the firmament, and over the five provinces of Erin.
And when they had ceased, Angus spoke and said, "Alas! why did I abandon
thee, even for once, O my son? For from the day I took thee to Bruga, a
tender child, I have watched over thee and guarded thee from thy foes,
until last night. Ah! why did I abandon thee to be decoyed to thy doom
by the guileful craft of Finn? By my neglect hast thou suffered, O
Dermat; and now, indeed, I shall for ever feel the bitter pangs of
sorrow!"
Then Angus asked Grania's people what they had come for. And when they
told him that Grania had sent them to bring the body of Dermat to
Rath-Grania, he said--
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