And another that went to the Land of the Ever-Living Ones, but that came
back again, was Tadg, son of Cian, son of Olioll; and this is the way
that happened.
It was one time Tadg was going his next heir's round, into the west of
Munster, and his two brothers, Airnelach and Eoghan, along with him. And
Cathmann, son of Tabarn, that was king of the beautiful country of
Fresen that lay to the south-east of the Great Plain, was searching the
sea for what he could find just at that time, and nine of his ships with
him. And they landed at Beire do Bhunadas, to the west of Munster, and
the country had no stir in it, and so they slipped ashore, and no one
took notice of them till all were surrounded, both men and cattle. And
Tadg's wife Liban, daughter of Conchubar Abratrudh of the Red Brows, and
his two brothers, and a great many of the people of Munster, were taken
by the foreigners and brought away to the coasts of Fresen. And Cathmann
took Liban to be his own wife, and he put hardship on Tadg's two
brothers: Eoghan he put to work a common ferry across a channel of the
coast, and Airnelach to cut firing and to keep up fires for all the
people; and all the food they got was barley seed and muddy water.
And as to Tadg himself, it was only by his courage and the use of his
sword he made his escape, but there was great grief and discouragement
on him, his wife and his brothers to have been brought away. But he had
forty of his fighting men left that had each killed a man of the
foreigners, and they had brought one in alive. And this man told them
news of the country he came from. And when Tadg heard that, he made a
plan in his own head, and he gave orders for a curragh to be built that
would be fit for a long voyage. Very strong it was, and forty ox-hides
on it of hard red leather, that was after being soaked in bark. And it
was well fitted with masts, and oars, and pitch, and everything that was
wanting. And they put every sort of meat, and drink, and of clothes in
it, that would last them through the length of a year.
When all was ready, and the curragh out in the tide, Tadg said to his
people: "Let us set out now on the high sea, looking for our own people
that are away from us this long time."
They set out then over the stormy, heavy flood, till at last they saw no
land before them or behind them, but only the hillsides of the great
sea. And farther on again they heard the singing of a great flock of
unknown birds; and pleasant white-bellied salmon were leaping about the
curragh on every side, and seals, very big and dark, were coming after
them, breaking through the shining wash of the oars; and great whales
after them again, so that the young men liked to be looking at them, for
they were not used to see the like before.
They went on rowing through twenty days and twenty nights, and at the
end of that time they got sight of a high land, having a smooth coast.
And when they reached it they all landed, and they pulled up the curragh
and lit their fires, and food was given out to them, and they were not
long making an end of it. They made beds for themselves then on the
beautiful green grass, and enjoyed their sleep till the rising of the
sun on the morrow.
Tadg rose up then and put on his arms, and went out, and thirty of his
men along with him, to search the whole island.
They went all through it, but they found no living thing on it, man or
beast, but only flocks of sheep. And the size of the sheep was past all
telling, as big as horses they were, and the whole island was filled
with their wool. And there was one great flock beyond all the others,
all of very big rams, and one of them was biggest of all, nine horns he
had, and he charged on Tadg's chief men, attacking them and butting at
them.
There was vexation on them then, and they attacked him again, and there
was a struggle between them. And at the first the ram broke through five
of their shields. But Tadg took his spear that there was no escape from,
and made a lucky cast at the ram and killed him. And they brought the
ram to the curragh and made it ready for the young men to eat, and they
stopped three nights on the island, and every night it was a sheep they
had for their food. And they gathered a good share of the wool and put
it in the curragh because of the wonder and the beauty of it. And they
found the bones of very big men on the island, but whether they died of
sickness or were killed by the rams they did not know.
They left that island then and went forward till they found two strange
islands where there were great flocks of wonderful birds, like
blackbirds, and some of them the size of eagles or of cranes, and they
red with green heads on them, and the eggs they had were blue and pure
crimson. And some of the men began eating the eggs, and on the moment
feathers began to grow out on them. But they went bathing after that,
and the feathers dropped off them again as quick as they came.
It was the foreigner they had with them gave them the course up to this
time, for he had been on the same track before. But now they went on
through the length of six weeks and never saw land, and he said then,
"We are astray on the great ocean that has no boundaries." Then the wind
with its sharp voice began to rise, and there was a noise like the
tramping of feet in the sea, and it rose up into great mountains hard to
climb, and there was great fear on Tadg's people, for they had never
seen the like. But he began to stir them up and to rouse them, and he
bade them to meet the sea like men. "Do bravery," he said, "young men of
Munster, and fight for your lives against the waves that are rising up
and coming at the sides of the curragh." Tadg took one side of the
curragh then and his men took the other side, and he was able to pull it
round against the whole twenty-nine of them, and to bale it out and keep
it dry along with that. And after a while they got a fair wind and put
up their sail, the way less water came into the curragh, and then the
sea went down and lay flat and calm, and there were strange birds of
many shapes singing around them in every part. They saw land before them
then, with a good coast, and with that courage and gladness came on
them.
And when they came nearer to the land they found a beautiful inver, a
river's mouth, with green hills about it, and the bottom of it sandy and
as bright as silver, and red-speckled salmon in it, and pleasant woods
with purple tree-tops edging the stream. "It is a beautiful country
this is," said Tadg, "and it would be happy for him that would be always
in it; and let you pull up the ship now," he said, "and dry it out."
A score of them went forward then into the country, and a score stopped
to mind the curragh. And for all the cold and discouragement and bad
weather they had gone through, they felt no wish at all for food or for
fire, but the sweet smell of the crimson branches in the place they were
come to satisfied them. They went on through the wood, and after a while
they came to an apple garden having red apples in it, and leafy
oak-trees, and hazels yellow with nuts. "It is a wonder to me," said
Tadg, "to find summer here, and it winter time in our own country."
It was a delightful place they were in, but they went on into another
wood, very sweet smelling, and round purple berries in it, every one of
them bigger than a man's head, and beautiful shining birds eating the
berries, strange birds they were, having white bodies and purple heads
and golden beaks. And while they were eating the berries they were
singing sweet music, that would have put sick men and wounded men into
their sleep.
Tadg and his men went farther on again till they came to a great smooth
flowery plain with a dew of honey over it, and three steep hills on the
plain, having a very strong dun on every one of them. And when they got
to the nearest hill they found a white-bodied woman, the best of the
women of the whole world, and it is what she said: "Your coming is
welcome, Tadg, son of Cian, and there will be food and provision for you
as you want it."
"I am glad of that welcome," said Tadg; "and tell me now, woman of sweet
words," he said, "what is that royal dun on the hill, having walls of
white marble around it?" "That is the dun of the royal line of the kings
of Ireland, from Heremon, son of Miled, to Conn of the Hundred Battles,
that was the last to go into it." "What is the name of this country?"
Tadg said then. "It is Inislocha, the Lake Island," she said, "and there
are two kings over it, Rudrach and Dergcroche, sons of Bodb." And then
she told Tadg the whole story of Ireland, to the time of the coming of
the Sons of the Gael. "That is well," said Tadg then, "and you have good
knowledge and learning. And tell me now," he said, "who is living in
that middle dun that has the colour of gold?" "It is not myself will
tell you that," she said, "but go on to it yourself and you will get
knowledge of it." And with that she went from them into the dun of white
marble.
Tadg and his men went on then till they came to the middle dun, and
there they found a queen of beautiful shape, and she wearing a golden
dress. "Health to you, Tadg," she said. "I thank you for that," said
Tadg. "It is a long time your coming on this journey was foretold," she
said. "What is your name?" he asked then. "I am Cesair," she said, "the
first that ever reached Ireland. But since I and the men that were with
me came out of that dark, unquiet land, we are living for ever in this
country."
"Tell me, woman," said Tadg, "who is it lives in that dun having a wall
of gold about it?" "It is not hard to tell that," she said, "every king,
and every chief man, and every noble person that was in a high place of
all those that had power in Ireland, it is in that dun beyond they are;
Parthalon and Nemed, Firbolgs and Tuatha de Danaan." "It is good
knowledge and learning you have," said Tadg. "Indeed I have good
knowledge of the history of the world," she said, "and this island," she
said, "is the fourth paradise of the world; and as to the others, they
are Inis Daleb to the south, and Inis Ercandra to the north, and Adam's
Paradise in the east of the world." "Who is there living in that dun
with the silver walls?" said Tadg then. "I will not tell you that,
although I have knowledge of it," said the woman; "but go to the
beautiful hill where it is, and you will get knowledge of it."
They went on then to the third hill, and on the top of the hill was a
very beautiful resting-place, and two sweethearts there, a boy and a
girl, comely and gentle. Smooth hair they had, shining like gold, and
beautiful green clothes of the one sort, and any one would think them to
have had the same father and mother. Gold chains they had around their
necks, and bands of gold above those again. And Tadg spoke to them: "O
bright, comely children," he said, "it is a pleasant place you have
here." And they answered him back, and they were praising his courage
and his strength and his wisdom, and they gave him their blessing.
And it is how the young man was, he had a sweet-smelling apple, having
the colour of gold, in his hand, and he would eat a third part of it,
and with all he would eat, it would never be less. And that was the food
that nourished the two of them, and neither age or sorrow could touch
them when once they had tasted it.
"Who are you yourself?" Tadg asked him then. "I am son to Conn of the
Hundred Battles," he said. "Is it Connla you are?" said Tadg. "I am
indeed," said the young man, "and it is this girl of many shapes that
brought me here." And the girl said: "I have given him my love and my
affection, and it is because of that I brought him to this place, the
way we might be looking at one another for ever, and beyond that we have
never gone."
"That is a beautiful thing and a strange thing," said Tadg, "and a thing
to wonder at. And who is there in that grand dun with the silver
walls?" he said. "There is no one at all in it," said the girl. "What is
the reason of that?" said Tadg. "It is for the kings that are to rule
Ireland yet," she said; "and there will be a place in it for yourself,
Tadg. And come now," she said, "till you see it."
The lovers went on to the dun, and it is hardly the green grass was bent
under their white feet. And Tadg and his people went along with them.
They came then to the great wonderful house that was ready for the
company of the kings; it is a pleasant house that was, and any one would
like to be in it. Walls of white bronze it had, set with crystal and
with carbuncles, that were shining through the night as well as through
the day.
Tadg looked out from the house then, and he saw to one side of him a
great sheltering apple-tree, and blossoms and ripe fruit on it. "What is
that apple tree beyond?" said Tadg. "It is the fruit of that tree is
food for the host in this house," said the woman. "And it was an apple
of that apple-tree brought Connla here to me; a good tree it is, with
its white-blossomed branches, and its golden apples that would satisfy
the whole house."
And then Connla and the young girl left them, and they saw coming
towards them a troop of beautiful women. And there was one among them
was most beautiful of all, and when she was come to them she said: "A
welcome to you, Tadg." "I thank you for that welcome," said Tadg; "and
tell me," he said, "who are you yourself?" "I am Cliodna of the Fair
Hair," she said, "daughter of Gebann, son of Treon, of the Tuatha de
Danaan, a sweetheart of Ciabhan of the Curling Hair; and it is from me
Cliodna's wave on the coast of Munster got its name; and I am a long
time now in this island, and it is the apples of that tree you saw that
we use for food." And Tadg was well pleased to be listening to her talk,
but after a while he said: "It is best for us to go on now to look for
our people." "We will be well pleased if you stop longer with us," said
the woman.
And while she was saying those words they saw three beautiful birds
coming to them, one of them blue and his head crimson, and one was
crimson and his head green, and the third was speckled and his head the
colour of gold, and they lit on the great apple-tree, and every bird of
them ate an apple, and they sang sweet music then, that would put sick
men into their sleep.
"Those birds will go with you," Cliodna said then; "they will give you
guidance on your way, and they will make music for you, and there will
be neither sorrow or sadness on you, by land or by sea, till you come to
Ireland. And bring away this beautiful green cup with you," she said,
"for there is power in it, and if you do but pour water into it, it will
be turned to wine on the moment. And do not let it out of your hand,"
she said, "but keep it with you; for at whatever time it will escape
from you, your death will not be far away. And it is where you will meet
your death, in the green valley at the side of the Boinn; and it is a
wandering wild deer will give you a wound, and after that, it is
strangers will put an end to you. And I myself will bury your body, and
there will be a hill over it, and the name it will get is Croidhe Essu."
They went out of the shining house then, and Cliodna of the Fair Hair
went with them to the place they had left their ship, and she bade their
comrades a kindly welcome; and she asked them how long had they been in
that country. "It seems to us," they said, "we are not in it but one day
only." "You are in it through the whole length of a year," said she,
"and through all that time you used neither food nor drink. But however
long you would stop here," she said, "cold or hunger would never come on
you." "It would be a good thing to live this way always," said Tadg's
people when they heard that. But he himself said: "It is best for us to
go on and to look for our people. And we must leave this country,
although it is displeasing to us to leave it."
Then Cliodna and Tadg bade farewell to one another, and she gave her
blessing to him and to his people. And they set out then over the ridges
of the sea; and they were downhearted after leaving that country until
the birds began to sing for them, and then their courage rose up, and
they were glad and light-hearted.
And when they looked back they could not see the island they had come
from, because of a Druid mist that came on it and hid it from them.
Then by the leading of the birds they came to the country of Fresen, and
they were in a deep sleep through the whole voyage. And then they
attacked the foreigners and got the better of them, and Tadg killed
Cathmann, the king, after a hard fight; and Liban his wife made no
delay, and came to meet her husband and her sweetheart, and it is glad
she was to see him.
And after they had rested a while they faced the sea again, and Tadg and
his wife Liban, and his two brothers, and a great many other treasures
along with them, and they came home to Ireland safely at the last.