He was at the gate of the town when the King of Ireland’s Son rode back
on the Slight Red Steed. The King’s Son dismounted, put his arm about
Flann and told him that he now had the whole of the Unique Tale. They
sat before Mogue’s tent, and the King’s Son told Flann the whole of the
story he had searched for--how a King traveling through the mist had
come to where Druids and the Maid of the Green Mantle lived, how the
King was enchanted, and how the maiden Sheen released him from the
enchantment. He told him, too, how the Enchanter was changed into a
wolf, and how the wolf carried away Sheen’s child. “And the Unique Tale
is in part your own history, Flann,” said the King of Ireland’s Son,
“for the child that was left with the Hags of the Long Teeth was no one
else than yourself, for you, Flann, have on your breast the stars that
denote the Son of a King.”
“It is so, it is so,” said Flann, “and I will find out what King and
Queen were my father and my mother.”
“Go to the Hags of the Long Teeth and force them to tell you,” said the
King’s Son.
“I will do that,” said Flann, but in his own mind he said, “I will first
bring the Comb of Magnificence to Flame-of-Wine, and I will tell her
that I will have to be away for so many years with Mogue and I shall ask
her to remember me until I come back to her. Then I shall go to the Hags
of the Long Teeth and force them to tell me what King and Queen were my
father and mother.”
The King of Ireland’s Son left Flann to his thoughts and went to find
the Gobaun Saor who would clear for him the tarnished blade of the Sword
of Light and would show him the way to where the King of the Land of
Mist had his dominion.
Mogue spent his time with the ballad-singers and the story-tellers
around the market-stake, and when he came back to his tent he wanted
to drink ale and go to sleep, but Flann turned him from the ale-pot by
saying to him, “I want the Comb of Magnificence from you, Mogue.”
“By my skin,” said Mogue, “it’s my blood you’ll want next, my lad.”
“If you give me the Comb of Magnificence, Mogue, I shall serve you for
six years--three years more than I said yesterday. I shall serve you
well, even though I am the son of a King and can find out who my father
and mother are.”
“I won’t give you the Comb of Magnificence.”
“I’ll serve you seven years if you do, Mogue.”
Mogue drank and drank out of the ale-pot, frowning to himself. He put
the ale-pot away and said, “I suppose your life won’t be any good to you
unless I give you the Comb of Magnificence?”
“That is so, Mogue.”
Mogue sighed heavily, but he went to his pack and took out the box that
the treasures were in. He let Flann take out the Comb of Magnificence.
“Seven years you will have to serve me,” said Mogue, “and you will have
to begin your service now.”
“I will begin it now,” said Flann, but he stole out of the tent, put on
his red cloak and went to the King’s orchard.