Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic

‘Caoilte i Sí Easa Ruaidh’, Niall Ó Dónaill a d’aithris, Seanchas na Féinne (Baile Átha Cliath, 1942;  2nd edn. 1996), pp. 3-6 (at pp. 3-4).

Lá de na laethanta a bhí Pádraig Naofa ag siúl na hÉireann casadh ag Ráth Droma Deirg é, áit dá raibh ag Fionn agus ag an Fhiann an tráth a mhair siad.

Bhí sé ag beannú an tseanrátha nuair a chonaic a chléirigh chucu an fear mór aosta agus naonúr laoch ag siúl ina dhiaidh. Scanraigh an slua roimhe, óir níor chosúil é le lucht na haimsire sin.

Ar theacht i láthair don fhear mhór chroith Pádraig an t-uisce coisricthe ina éadan, agus leis sin d’éirigh scaoth deamhan os a chionn agus d’imigh go fíorghlinnte an aeir amach.

‘Maith, m’anam!’ arsa Pádraig. ‘C’ainm thú, a óglaigh?’

‘Caoilte mac Rónáin,’ arsa seisean.

‘Scéal iontach linn go bhfuil tú beo an cian aimsire seo i ndiaidh na Féinne,’ arsa Pádraig. ‘Agus, a Chaoilte, cad é a bhuanaigh do shaol?’

‘D’inseoinn an scéal sin daoibh ach tá ocras orm agus chaill mé mo lúth seilge,’ arsa Caoilte.

‘Roinn ár bproinn,’ arsa Pádraig le Seachnall Easpag, ‘agus tabhair a leath do na hóglaigh seo’

Shuigh Caoilte i bhfochair Phádraig gur chaith a dhóthain bia agus dí, agus ansin d’inis sé a scéal.

Chuaigh Caoilte go Sí Easa Ruaidh agus é ina sheanóir chríon chloíte i ndiaidh na Féinne. Óir ba mhian leis a lúth agus a neart a fháil ar ais ag Tuatha Dé Danann ar son gach sochair dá bhfuair siad uaidh.

‘Déanfaimid do leigheas, má fhanann tú anseo againn inár gcruth féin,’ ar siadsan.

‘Is trua sin, deilbh draíochta a ghlacadh!’ arsa Caoilte. ‘Agus ní ghlacfaidh, ach an deilbh is dual domh.’

‘Is guth fíorlaoich sin,’ ar siadsan. ‘Ach ní bhfaighidh tú do leigheas gan chairde.’

‘Cad é ábhar na cairde?’ arsa Caoilte.

‘Trí mic Rí Uladh atá ag imirt díoltais orainn,’ arsa lucht na sí. ‘Tig siad chugainn gach bliain a iarraidh éiric a seanathar a mharaigh Tuatha Dé Danann ag Tráigh Bhaile thuaidh.

Caithfidh triúr as sí éigin comhrac a dhéanamh leo gach bliain, agus ní hé sin an comhrac cothrom, óir maraítear an triúr a théann uainne agus filleann an triúr bráthar slán go Beanna Boirche. Tiocfaidh siad go Sí Easa Ruaidh amárach agus cuirtear ár gcosaint mar chairde ort, a Chaoilte.’

‘Caoilte in the fairy-dwelling of Assaroe’, told by Niall Ó Dónaill, Stories of the Fian.  Translation by Dr M. Griffin-Wilson.

On one of the days when holy Patrick was travelling Ireland, he came upon Ráth Droma Deirg, a place that was in the possession of Fionn and the fian-band when they were alive.

He was blessing the old fort when his clerics saw approaching them a large old man and nine warriors walking behind him.  The host took fright, for he was unlike the people of that time. 

When the large man approached him, Pádraig sprinkled the holy water upon his forehead, and thereupon a swarm of demons arose above his head and went out into the firmament of the air. 

‘Well, upon my soul!’ says Pádraig. ‘What is your name, o warrior?’

‘Caoilte son of Rónan’, says he.

‘We are astounded that you are alive for this length of time after the fianna,’ says Pádraig. ‘And Caoilte, what is it that prolonged your life?’

‘I would tell you that story, but I am hungry, and I have lost my vigour for the hunt,’ said Caoilte.

‘Share our meal’, says Pádraig to Bishop Seachnall, ‘and give half of it to these warriors.’

Caoilte sat close to Pádraig while he consumed his fill of food and drink, and then he told his story.

Caoilte went to the fairy-dwelling of Assaroe when he was an old, withered and worn-out warrior [living] after the fianna. For he wanted to get back his vigour and strength from the Tuatha Dé Danann in return for every benefit that they had gotten from him.

‘We will heal you, if you remain here with us in our own form’, they said.

‘It is a pitiful thing to take on a supernatural form!’ says Caoilte. ‘And I will not [take on that form], but only the form which is my own.’

‘That is the voice of a true hero,’ they said. ‘But you will not get your healing without [making] a pact.’

‘What is the substance of the pact?’ says Caoilte.

‘The three sons of the King of Ulster are exacting vengeance upon us’, said the people of the fairy-dwelling. ‘They come to us every year seeking the honour price of their grandfather, whom the Tuatha Dé Danann killed at the strand of Baile Thuaidh.

Three warriors from a certain fairy-dwelling must do battle with them each year, and that is not an equal combat, for the three who go from us are killed, and the three brothers return safe to Beanna Boirche.  They will come to the fairy-dwelling of Assaroe tomorrow, and protecting us is placed upon you as a condition [for your healing], o Caoilte,’

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