the nails glittered like stars , and twinkled with live light as stars do in a frosty night , and the blade of it quivered like a tongue of white fire . from haft to blade - point that spear was alive . there were voices in it too , and the war - tunes of the enchanted races of erin , whom they called the tuatha de danan , sounded from it . the mantle , too , was a wonder , for innumerable stars twinkled in the blue , and the likeness of clouds passed through it . the man gave these things to finn , and when he had instructed him in their use , he was not seen . then finn arose and armed himself , and took the magic spear and mantle and went out . there was a ring of flame round tara that night , for the fians and the warriors of conn had torches in their hands , and all the royal buildings of tara showed clear in the light , and also the dark serpentine course of the boyne , which flowed past tara on the north ; and there , standing silent and alert , were the innumerable warriors of all erin , with spear and shield , keeping watch and ward against the son of midna , also the four pillars of tara in four dense divisions around the high king , even conn the hundred - fighter . finn stood with his back to the palace , which was called the house - of - the - going - round - of - mead , between the palace and conn , and he grasped the magic spear strongly with one hand and the mantle with the other .
the fians and the warriors of conn had torches in their hands .
why was there a ring of flame around tara ?
why was there a ring of flame around tara ?