telling on you; but now I have a desire you should tell me who you are.”
“Oh, I will tell you, and a thousand welcomes. If you asked me at first
I would have told you. Bioultach am I, son of the High King of Erin, who
left my father’s court and pleasant home, since I thought little of the
learning he was giving me, and I spent a year with the King of Spain
before I came here.”
Bioultach had a brother, who was but little when he went away. When he
grew big he asked the king,—
“Dada, where went my brother?”
“I know not,” said the king. “I never found out, either by praying or by
paying.”
“Why did he go away?”
“Because he thought little of the learning I was giving him.”
“I give you the quarters of heaven, of the earth, and of the sea, against
my body and my soul, that a second night I will not sleep in one bed,
that a second meal at the one table I will not eat, till I go in search
of him.”
“Oh, my son, evil is the oath you have taken, and it were better for you
to stay in Erin, nor leave it altogether without ah heir.”
“More to me is my brother than all Erin.”
When Maunus arose in the morning he took leave of his father, and went
down to the sea, and went on board ship, and stopped not till he came to
Spain. He spent a day and a year there. The king asked him,—
“Whence are you? I would like to get word of you.”
“Oh, you will get it. Maunus am I, son of the High King of Erin, who left
the court and pleasant home of my father a year since, yesterday, to
search for my brother, Bioultach.”
“Oh,” said the king, “Bioultach spent a day and year with me here, and if
he is alive he is with the King of Greece.”
“I will wait no longer till I see him.”
“Oh,” said the king, “if you reach Greece, do not rise in without
permission, for you have no knowledge how to handle a sword.”
When Maunus came to Greece he ran in without permission. The King of
Greece was out of doors, and Bioultach and Splendour, son of the King of
Greece, and Splendour-of-the-Sun, son of the King of the Castle of the
Stream.
“Oh, Bioultach, to-day it is three years and a day since you landed, and
since then not a ship has come in without permission, and a ship has come
in without permission to-day. Go down, Splendour-of-the-Sun, and get me
knowledge who is the champion.”
“By my soul, I will not go. Three years from to-day Bioultach tied me,
and I have never been well since then.”
“Go down, Splendour, and bring me word who is the champion.”
“I will not go. It was not I whom you told to go at first. If it were, I
would have gone.”
“I believe it is I myself must go.”
Splendour-of-the-Sun went down, and he and the man on board the ship
saluted each other. “Whether you are of the noble or ignoble of the
world, whence are you?”
“Never from my ship have I given tidings to tell of me till they were got
from me by force.”
“Oh! I would do that same if I had you here.”
“Oh! it is soon I will be there; but I must secure my ship, that sun may
not burn nor shingle hurt her.”
Maunus went out, and the two champions took hold of each other. Maunus
threw the other, and as he never wrestled with a man before, this is what
he made with him—a ball, and he threw him behind him.
“Oh!” said the king, “Splendour, go down now; he is killed yonder.”
Splendour, son of the King of Greece, went down, and Maunus tied him as
he did the other man; and the king cried to Bioultach, “Thy friendship
and thy fealty; let not the sway from Greece, for I have no other but
you.”
“If you asked me at first I would have gone.”
“If I had twelve sons I would send them before you.”
“I will go now.”
Bioultach went down, and he and Maunus saluted each other.
“Of the noble or ignoble of the world, whence are you?”
“I never from my ship gave tidings to tell of me, unless you take them by
force.”
“I will take them if I can.”
Bioultach and Maunus caught hold of each other, and they spent a long
part of the day, and neither of them threw the other. Said Bioultach, “To
me it is not good at all to be like this. Let us get swords for each.”
“To me it is no worse, if to you it is fine.”
“It were good to me if you would tell me who you are.”
“I will not tell you. But if you desire to fight, you will get that.”
“It is not good to me to be fighting with you.”
“Well, I will not tell you who I am.”
Bioultach got a sword, and Maunus another, and they went fighting.
Bioultach was wounding him with the sword, as Maunus did not know how to
use it.
“It is not good to me to wound you, and it were good to me if you would
tell me who you are. I could have killed you twice; but it is anguish on
me to kill you.”
“Well, I never held a sword until to-day, and if I am wounded my skill
increases; and do not spare me, as I will not spare you if I get one
chance at you.”
They fought for another while.
“Oh! it was good to me,” said Bioultach, “you should tell me who you are,
for I do not find it in my heart to be fighting with you.”
“Oh,” said Maunus, “is it not great the asking you have after my name?
But do you tell me who you are.”
“Oh, I have not hidden my name, ever. Bioultach am I, son of the High
King of Erin, who left my father’s court and pleasant home four years and
a day since, yesterday.”
“Well,” said Maunus, “had you a brother?”
“I had never but one brother, and sorry I am he is not so big as you yet.”
“Whether he is big or little, it is he that has been fighting with you
since morning.”
“Oh,” said Bioultach, “it cannot be that you are Maunus.”
They embraced one another, and Bioultach was weeping and kissing his
brother. When the King of Greece came in among the men—“Oh, Bioultach,
what ails you?”
“My king and my lord, I am fighting with my brother since morning; and if
I killed him, I would do nothing but put my sword through my heart.”
“Oh, Bioultach, did you not know there was not another man able to fight
with you but he?”
“I thought he was not yet so big.”
That was the time Maunus loosed the men, and they were only just alive.
The king took them all with him—Bioultach and Maunus, and Splendour son
of the King of Greece, and Splendour-of-the-Sun. They went to the court
of the High King of Greece.
Bioultach rose in the morning, and he and Maunus went into the garden,
and he began to ask Maunus how were his father and his mother and his
sister, and how was Erin. But the High King of Greece had a daughter, and
she was in a cloister in the garden. Maunus saw her going by, as a whiz
of wind would go. “Oh, Bioultach, do you see that beautiful woman?”
“I do not see. She does not concern us. Perhaps she will never come by
again.”
“Oh, Bioultach, I have never seen a woman as beautiful as she.”
“Well, you can see her no more. She goes by only once in a year.”
“I shall not live if I don’t get another sight of her.”
“Oh! I am sorry I ever saw you; but if you had an hour of her company you
would ask no more?”
“I would not ask.”
Bioultach turned a key in the door, and let in Maunus, who spent two
hours and a-half inside.
“Maunus, are you coming out?”
“Did you not promise me an hour?”
“I have given you two hours and a-half. Be coming out now.”
“I will not come. But I must get that woman in marriage, or I will not
leave a head on you or on the king.”
“Oh, wait patiently till I tell you who she is.”
“Make haste and ask her of the king.”
Bioultach went in and threw himself on his knees before the king.
“Bioultach,” said the king, “what is it you want? It cannot be that it
is that hard-fortuned daughter of mine that Maunus has seen.”
“Oh, it is she; and he says that unless he gets her in marriage he will
not leave a head on yourself or on me.”
“Can this be possible? But bid him to come in that I may see him and tell
him of her doings, and if he is content I will give her to him, and a
thousand welcomes; but let him have neither blame nor censure for me or
you.”
Bioultach went out to Maunus.
“Ha, Bioultach, have you got the woman?”
“I have got. But rise and come to the king, and he will tell you how she
has lived.”
Maunus went in to the king.
“Ha, Maunus, have you seen that beautiful woman?”
“I have seen.”
“You say you must get her in marriage?”
“I must, or I will not leave a stone in the place of your court.”
“Well, sit down,” said the king, “and I will tell you everything now.
“When she was growing up there came Bocaw More, of Kri-nă-Sorracha,
otherwise Shamus Elevayreh, son of the King of Sorracha, and he saw her.
He came and asked her in marriage. I refused him. He came again and asked
her and I refused. He came the third time and she would not marry him.
He told her he would be even with her. It was well till two years were
over her, and Blue Niall, son of the King of Spain, came here and asked
her in marriage.
“I told him what I am telling you. He said he was content with her. It
was well till they were married, and when they went into their chamber,
she never saw sight of him again, nor did any one else. It was very well
till a year passed, and there came Feathery[3] Clerk, son of the King of
the Western World, and asked her in marriage. I told him what I told the
other man. He said he was content with her. When they were married and
went to sleep, there was no getting him. She was in the bed, but there
was no husband with her. She would not tell where he went, and we doubted
that he could have gone and she not to know where. When I saw the two
fine men were destroyed through her, there came on me a dislike to her,
and I made her a dwelling in the garden, and put restrictions on her not
to see a man, for I did not like that another man should be destroyed
by her. But now, if you are satisfied, and your brother, so that there
will not be blame or censure with you for me if anything happens, I will
give her to you and welcome. Now, Bioultach, I will make a house, and
I will put bars of iron on it from ground to roof, and I will put three
iron doors in it, and seven locks on every door. I will put eight hundred
men round it, and Splendour, my own son, and Splendour-of-the-Sun, and
yourself at the three doors before Maunus goes in.”
When they were married, and were going into the fastness, Bioultach said
to the king, “I think it is on the outside the danger will come first,
and I would not like any one to be destroyed but myself; I will go on the
outer side entirely.”
Maunus and his wife went in, and the men were planted round about the
house. Bioultach went on the outside altogether. The day grew big with
lightning and thunder, and horror came on the day. When Bioultach saw
that the men were frightened, he ran through them till he came to the
door. He gave his shoulder to the door, and from door to door he broke
till he came inside. The woman was in bed, and Maunus was not with her.
“Ha! my good girl, where is my brother Maunus gone?”
“I do not know.”
“Tell me where he is gone, quickly.”
“Have sense.”
“Tell me at once where he is gone.”
“Oh, you will never see Maunus again.”
“I give you the quarters of heaven, of the earth, and of the sea,
against my body and my soul, that unless you tell me this moment where he
is gone I will put my sword through your heart.”
“Oh, Bioultach, your friendship and your protection! I cannot. But, if
you are the good champion they say, take a table and place it yonder;
strip yourself, and leave on you nothing but your shirt and trousers.
Stand on the table and defend that hole above. If a bar had been put
there at first, it would have done the business. But take with you a
sword, and I will say you are a good champion if you defend the hole, and
I will tell you where Maunus is gone.”
Bioultach stripped himself, and went on the table and took a sword. When
the man above saw the woman was going to tell the story, “Ha! my good
girl,” said he, “are you going to tell the story?”
“Oh! don’t heed him,” said Bioultach; “but tell the story, and be quick.”
“Short is the time since Maunus was here, and now he is in the Bake-house
in the east, and three drops on him of the molten torrent, as he had
three warnings.”
“Oh! you thief, you wanton, do you desire to tell the story?”
“My good girl,” said Bioultach, “I will defend you.”
“When I was growing up,” said the woman, “he asked me in marriage. My
father refused him three times; and even if he accepted him, I would not
marry him. He said he would be even with me. When Blue Niall married me
he took him away, and put on him one drop of the molten torrent, as he
had one warning. When, again, I was married to Feathery Clerk, he took
him away with him, and put on him two drops, as he had two warnings.”
“Oh, you slut, go on with the story no farther!” said the big man.
“Do not fear,” said Bioultach,—“go on.”
“As Maunus got three warnings, on him there are three drops, and each
drop goes to the bone.”
It was at this time the king came in through the men, and he saw
Bioultach all red with blood.
“Oh, Bioultach,” said he, “you are killed!”
“I am not. I am coloured with the blood of the giant, but on myself there
is no harm.”
“You are a good man, Bioultach,” said the woman; “I did not believe there
was a man in the world would fight the giant. Now you can come down.”
Bioultach sat down till he told the king. “I do not know what you will
do,” said the king. “But I will get ready a ship, and put on board eight
hundred men of the pick of my kingdom, and the two champions along with
you; and, on my honour, it is worse to me to part with you than with
them all.”
The king fitted out the ship, and he put on board the two champions and
the eight hundred men, along with Bioultach. When Bioultach went on board
the ship they raised their great sails, speckled, spotted, red-white, to
the top of the mast; and he left not a rope unsevered, nor a helm without
* * * * * * in the place where there were seals, whales, crawling,
creeping things, little beasts of the sea with red mouth, rising on
the sole and the palm of the oar, making fairy music and melody for
themselves, till the sea arose in strong waves, hushed with magic, hushed
with wondrous voices; with greatness and beauty was the ship sailing,
till to haven she came and harbour on the coast of the Land of Brightness.
That was the first place where the giant had his habitation. Bioultach
and the two champions went out on the shore. “I don’t know what we shall
do,” said Bioultach; “but stay, I see a small little boat coming under
great rowing, and in it I see but one man.”
When the boat came to land, there came out of her a ragged green man,
the top of whose head was out through his old hat, the toes of his feet
through his old boots, his elbows out through his coat, and his knees
through his old trousers.
“Ha, Bioultach, what likeness of adventure are you putting on yourself
to-day?”
“Bad luck on you! isn’t it the same to you what likeness of adventure I
am putting on myself?” said Bioultach.
“Oh, it is not equal. If I were as good as I might be, I should be beside
you. But to-day let me go before you.”
“I will let you and welcome.”
“Leave the other men on board the ship, and we will go to see the giant.
I will throw him, and we’ll see if you can tie him. But, sorry I am, I
can do nothing but throw him.”
Bioultach and the ragged green man went into the house, and when the
giant saw them he was about to be away. The ragged green man caught him
and threw him. Bioultach took hold of him and tied him tightly, and
brought the five slenders together, so that the toes of his feet gave
conversation to the holes of his ears, and no conversation did they give
him but the height of mischief and misfortune.
“Take might and mastery, Bioultach; I thought there was not a man in the
world able to tie him.”
“Oh, Bioultach,” said the giant, “tightly, tightly have you tied me; ease
the fastening a little at the knot.”
“Oh, Bioultach,” said the ragged green man, “it is better to sell than to
buy.”
“Oh, Bioultach,” said the giant, “do not heed that thief, but ease the
fastening on the cord.”
Bioultach laid his hand on the rope, to ease the knot, and out with the
giant through the window, and out with Bioultach after him. When the
giant was high, Bioultach was low, till the night came, and Bioultach was
forced to sit down, and he wept his fill. He saw a little light far from
him, and he made for it. When he came in (to the house) there was a big
cat in the ashes, and she got up and smothered him with the ashes.
“May you be worse a year from to-day,” said he; and he sat down. It was
not long till an old woman came down to him.
“Ha, Bioultach, it had been better for you to follow the counsel of the
ragged green man than your own.”
“Bad luck to you! Isn’t it all the same to you whose counsel I follow?”
“Oh! it is not the same to me. Not on your own feet are you going since
morning, but on the enchantments of the giant, and he is sailing a day
and a year’s journey from you. But I have here a little boat of lead, and
I will give it to you, and in whatever place, in the four quarters of the
world, you order it to be, there it will be in the morning. But you will
grant me a request, if you come safe; and, if you do not come, I will
forgive you.”
She gave him a tablecloth: “Every time you spread it, there will be
every kind of food and drink on it; and fold it when you are done.”
“Oh, I will give you any request you ask, if I come safe.”
There came then from a room twelve[4] hags, the ugliest man ever saw.
“Oh, the death-bands on you!” said Bioultach.
“Oh, Bioultach,” said the hag, “on us before this was the beauty of
youth, but now the decay of age, as on yourself it will yet be. But I
hope you will get the better of the giant.”
Bioultach took the little boat. “Now, Bioultach, the sea is not far from
you. Place the boat on the water, and ask of God and the miracles of
the leaden boat that in whatever place is the Bocaw More of the Land of
Sorracha you may be there at morning.”
Bioultach placed the boat on the water. “I ask of God and the miracles of
the leaden boat that in whatever place is the Bocaw More I may be there
at morning.”
When the day whitened Bioultach was in front of an island, and the haven
took fire around him and the boat began to melt. He saw the ragged
green man rising from a stone, and he rubbing his eyes after a while of
sleeping.
“Oh, Bioultach, you are badly off now, and I must make a gallon to put
out the flame.”
“If I am here till you make a gallon, I shall be destroyed.”
“I shall not be long away.”
It was not long till he came. He threw three palmfuls of water on the
flame and put it out.
“Ha, Bioultach, I hope you will not let the giant go to-day. He has no
expectation that we will come to-day.”
When they went in the giant was about to be off; but the ragged green man
caught him and threw him. Bioultach caught him and tied him well, better
than he tied him the day before.
“Oh, Bioultach, you have tied me more tightly to-day than yesterday; but
ease the tie a little.”
“It is better to sell than to buy,” said the ragged green man.
“Oh, if you are the son of a king by a queen, ease the knot. I am not
asking you to set me free.”
Bioultach laid his hand to ease him, and away with the giant through the
window, and away with Bioultach after him. He was but foolish to seek to
get a hold of him. When the night fell Bioultach spread his tablecloth,
and every sort of food and drink he wanted was upon it. He ate a great
plenty, and he took the boat up. He laid it on the water. “I ask of God
and the miracles of my boat that in whatever place is the Bocaw More I
may be there in the morning.”
He was opposite an island, and the haven froze round him. It was not long
till he saw the ragged green man coming from the side of a stone, and he
rubbing his eyes.
“Oh, Bioultach, are you frozen there?”
“And here I shall stay.”
“Oh, you will not stay. I will go to the forge and make an axe to break
the (ice).”
He came back, and an axe with him. They broke the stone of ice. Bioultach
came out. “Now, Bioultach, as we have come on two days unknown to the
giant, he will send out two ball players, with hurls of gold and balls
of silver; you will think they are the two champions you left behind at
the Island of the Torrent. If any limb of their limbs touches you, or the
ball, you are a grey flagstone, and over you heaps of ice and snow, as
big as if you were there for a hundred years.”
When they went up, he saw the two champions coming. It seemed to him
it was Splendour and Splendour-of-the-Sun were there. They ran to him,
and he was running to them in his delight. The ragged green man threw
them, so that they failed. They took out the ball. A man of them struck
the ball a blow, and it was coming straight to Bioultach. He put up his
hand to keep off the ball from his eye. He was struck on the palm of
the hand, and he fell, and became a grey flagstone, and a holly tree
growing through him. When the ragged green man saw that he was destroyed,
he bowed down and wept his fill; then he went back to the Island of the
Torrent.
“Oh,” said the men to him, “is it not long that you have been within? But
where is Bioultach?”
“Oh! go ye home. Bioultach is destroyed; he is away from you, a day and
a year’s voyage before you could reach him. He is a grey flagstone, and
over him are heaps of ice and snow.”
“We will not go home ever. We have no business at home, but we will be
travelling till we get as far as he is.”
“Do ye think that together ye could tie the giant?”
“Oh, I do not know.”
“Well, I will bring you there in the space of an hour.”
He took them with him as far as Bioultach, till they saw him and wept
together.
“Let us go in to see the Bocaw More.”
When they went in he was conversing with his wife.
“Oh! you have come, and your help is not with you.”
“Perhaps you are not a better man than my help.”
The ragged green man caught him and threw him. The two champions went to
tie him, and he failed them. He sat down.
“Oh, musha, the death-bands on you both! Am I not sorry that ever I left
harbour or haven with you? If you two tied him, I would keep a knee on
him, and Bioultach would be alive to me at the end of an hour.”
“Oh, I think that I could tie him by myself.”
The ragged green man threw him, and the two champions went and tied him
tightly.
“Oh! ease the knot on me a little.”
“You thief! we will not ease.”
“Oh, it is the good champions you are,” said the ragged green man; “I did
not think it was possible to tie him; but you shall see yourselves that I
shall have Bioultach now.”
He turned to the giant and cut fine pieces of his flesh, till he had the
full of his hands, and he ran and squeezed the flesh down on the stone,
and Bioultach arose alive again. They smothered him with kisses and
drowned him with tears, and dried him with fine cloths silken, and with
the hair of their heads; and when Bioultach stooped under the door, the
tree that was growing on him fell.
“Oh, Bioultach,” said the giant, “tightly, tightly it is they have tied
me; but do you ease the tie a little.”
“Oh, you thief!” said Bioultach, “I will not ease; but tell me where is
Maunus?”
“Oh! he is in the Bake-house outside there.”
“How shall I get him out?”
“I will put out the flame with a whiff.”
Bioultach pulled the giant out, till he quenched the flame and Maunus
came out.
“Where are the other two?”
“They are inside,” said the giant.
“Bring them to me,” said Bioultach.
They came out both.
“Can it be lighted when it is empty?” said Bioultach.
“Oh, it can,” said the giant.
“Kindle it,” said Bioultach.
The giant put three whiffs on it, and kindled it.
“Well, I put yourself into it now, and three drops on you for ever.”
“Oh! Bioultach,” said the ragged green man, “I will forgive you all that
ever you did for putting the giant in. I was afraid you would not put
him. But a thousand thanks to God that we have escaped him.”
Bioultach got healing water till he cured them; and they went on their
way till they came to the Island of the Torrent, where the eight hundred
men were on board the vessel.
“Oh! I believe I have forgotten. I did not go to the hag. I must go to
her now.”
“Will you let me with you?” said the ragged green man.
“I will let you, and welcome. Let us leave the men here!”
Bioultach and the ragged green man went as far as the hag. When Bioultach
went into the house, the cat put seven barrels of ashes out of her skin.
“Oh, may you be worse a year from to-day! you are gathering all that
since I went away.”
Thereupon he sat down, and he did not know where the ragged green man
was gone. It was not long till there came to him a beautiful woman, as
beautiful as ever he saw, and she said,—
“Oh, Bioultach, thy hundred thousand welcomes! Good be with you. A
thousand thanks to God that you accomplished the object of your journey.”
“Oh, what good is it to me, when the hag has a request to make of me?”
“Oh, good was the hag herself in the time of your difficulty.”
“Oh, I know it is myself she is asking to marry her,” said Bioultach.
“Oh! are you certain?” said she.
“Well, I would rather put the sword through my heart than marry her,
after seeing you or the like of you.”