CHAPTER V
On the slope of a sunny hill overlooking Loch Eitche, Deirdre was cooking the meal which her husband and his brothers had run to earth and carried home on their shoulders.
“The food is ready,” she called.
“It is not as ready as I am, for I could eat land and water,” Ardan averred.
“We shall not give you any,” she mocked.
“Serve the greedy person right,” said Ainnle. “He eats in his sleep.”
“But I must get the part I killed,” Ardan protested.
“What part is that?”
“I don’t know its name, but it is the tenderest part.”
“This is also a thievish person,” saidAinnle indignantly; “he is trying to claim the part I killed.”
“Fight for me, Naoise!” Ardan implored. “Be on my side, Deirdreen!”
“You shall be served last,” said Deirdre severely, “and you shall get a tough piece.”
“Ochone! ochone for ever!” he lamented.
“How do you like that piece?” said Deirdre vindictively.
“I could eat a cow’s horn if you cooked it,” he wheedled. “Won’t you give me more in a minute, little sister?”
“I shall give you ten kisses,” said Deirdre.
“Do not go between that man and his meat,” Ainnle warned; “he will bite you.”
“The law says that you are my brother, but I shall certainly divorce you,” the other cried, “and then you will be sorry.”
“You are silent, Naoise!” said Deirdre.
“No man can talk with his mouth full except me,” Ardan explained.
“Half an hour ago,” said Naoise, “I saw a ship beating in from the sea.”
“A fishing-boat?”
“I think it was a boat from Ireland.”
“Why should you think so?”
“It had the cut of an Irish boat.”
“If it is any of our friends from Ireland,” said Ainnle, “they will be almost at the strand now.”
“We have no friends in Ireland,” Deirdre returned coldly.
“Run to the strand, Ardan my pulse, and see who came in that ship.”
The boy scrambled to his feet.
“If they are friends I’ll give them kisses. If they are enemies I’ll steal their supper.”
But Deirdre was woebegone as she looked on the two brothers.
“What ails you, little sister?” Ainnle inquired.
“I had a dream last night,” she replied, “and it troubles me.”
“We share all things, and our troubles. Tell us your dream.”
Deirdre looked away distantly to the sea.
“I dreamed that three birds came flying from Emain Macha.”
“Happy birds,” said Naoise dreamily, “that can fly, and fly back.”
“They had each a sip of honey in their beaks. They left the three sips of honeywith us, and they took away from us three sips of our blood.”
“The ending,” said Naoise, “is not so sweet as the beginning.”
“How do you interpret that dream?” his brother asked.
“I think that three people will come to us carrying a sweet, deceitful message from Conachúr.”
“A dream is a dream,” he soothed her.
“And my dreams!” she cried. “How many times have we fled on the advice of my dream? and as we looked back we saw that happening which we fled from. Is that true, brother?”
“It is true. Our Deirdre has second sight.”
Naoise turned his shoulder along the grass, and laid his ear to the wind.
“I hear a shout,” he said.
“It is some man of these parts giving a hunting call,” she answered.
“It seemed to me like the shout of an Irishman.”
“It may be Ardan returning.”
“It is not his call.”
“It is Fergus and his two sons,” saidDeirdre miserably. “They are coming to us with three sips of honey in their mouths.”
“What is in Fergus’ mouth is in his heart also,” Naoise cried joyfully. “One time or another even your dream may be wrong, for if Fergus agrees to be a messenger the message will be as true as his own truth.”
“Remember,” said Deirdre, “that I told you they were coming without having seen them.”
Fergus and his two sons, with Ardan doing circles and whoops around them, rose on a slope of the hill, and came striding over the tussocks. Behind them came the shield-bearer and the shield itself, and at the sight Ainnle fled to meet them, but Naoise drew back to keep Deirdre company, for she had not moved.
“It is Fergus,” he said, with shining eyes.
“He has come for our blood,” said white-lipped Deirdre.
“Queen of queens,” her husband laughed, “you do not know Fergus.”
At that the whole band came together, and they all kissed each other fondly.
“Welcome to this land,” said Naoise.
“And thou art Deirdre!” cried Fergus, as he kissed her on either cheek.
She smiled wanly as she returned his kisses.
“We shall teach you to laugh in Ireland,” he trolled.
“What news is there from the lovely country?” her husband demanded.
“The best. The news that you are to return there.”
“Ah!” said Naoise.
“The king himself has sent me to bring you home under my surety and protection.”
“Whoo-oop!” said Ardan.
“He bids me tell you that he has forgiven you, and wishes you all happiness.”
But Deirdre turned to him, smiling and fearful.
“We are happy here in Scotland,” she said.
“Nay,” said Fergus, “one cannot be satisfied when one is in exile, for his native land is dearer to a man than any other.”
“This is truly a dear country,” she replied.
“And it is well known,” Fergus continued, “that if a man of Ireland had the lordship of another country he would yet be unhappy unless he could see Ireland every day.”
“It is so,” said Ainnle.
“There is no one knows its truth better than the sons of Uisneac,” cried Naoise.
“You see,” the great man chided her.
“I know that this is a dear land,” said Deirdre stubbornly, “and that here the sons of Uisneac might rise to any destiny they aimed for.”
“It may be so,” Naoise affirmed. “But Ireland is dearer to me than Scotland.”
“Scotland is safer,” she said.
“Will you be safer in Scotland than with me?” cried Fergus in amazement. “I have yet a little power,” he smiled.
“We will go with you,” said Naoise.
“Do not go, my pulse,” said Deirdre in great agitation. “Do not trust yourself where Conachúr is.”
“Women and cats dislike change,” Naoise laughed, “but you will love this change.”
In half an hour they strode down the hill,and in an hour their sails were bent for Ireland.
It was then Deirdre made her first poem, beginning
A lovable land is that in the east,Marvellous Alba....
A lovable land is that in the east,Marvellous Alba....
A lovable land is that in the east,Marvellous Alba....
A lovable land is that in the east,
Marvellous Alba....