Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1907-03-13
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It's given up by every one that Pat.
rick of the bells was the most won
derful saint that ever lived for work
ing miracles, and the one I am going
to tell you about now was the great
est miracle of them all.
Long ago, and very long time
ago entirely it was when Finn Mac
Cumhull and the warriors of the
Fianna ruled from their kings dun at
Almhuin over the pleasant province
of Leinster. Three score captains
there were of the Fianna and five
score champions followed every cap
tain when he went to the wars. And
the like of these men for heroes
the world has never seen before or
since. Seven feet tall was Mime, the
smallest Of them all, and the handle
of his spear was just a young ash
tree. By that you may know what the
others were like. Many's the fine
song has been made up about them by
the ancient bards of Ireland.
On a day at the court of Teamlair
in the presence of the four kings and
the four queens of Ireland the three
caskets of honor were given without
lessening to Oisin by Cormac, the
high king. The first casket held the
five silver lilies of courtesy, which
meant kindness to the conquered
hospitality to the stranger, charity for
fho 1ictr
old men and children, and white hon.
age to women. The second casket con-
tanned the five bronze nuts of learn
ing, which signified: Skill in fighting,
sleight in wrestling, swiftness in
hunting, caution in chess playing, and
sweet cunning in the making OF
melodious songs. And the third cas-
ket held three golden apples which
signified courage in danger, faith in
friendship, and truth in speaking. And
no other man before or since ever got
those three caskets at one time with
out lessening.
So no wonder at all it was that
Niahm of the golden hair, who was
the daughter of the king of the Coun-
try Of the Young, fell into conceit
with the great fame of Oisin and jour-
neyed all the way to Ireland for love
Of him. And no sooner did Oisin set
eyes on Niahm of the golden hair than
he loved her with every vein of his
body, and it's what he said to her:
From this day out I will have
neither ease of mind nor peace of
heart until your life is the same as
my life; and for me there's no other
woman in the world but you, o, wom-
an of the deep shining eyes,"
For answer Niahm bent down from
the white horse on which she rode
and kissed him on. the forehead and
on the eyes, and this is what she said:
There is many a kings son who
has paid court to me, o Oisin of the
comely brows, but it's to you I give
my heart, and to- no other. And it's
to take you back with me to my IA
theirs country I have come, bringing
the white horse of magic for our
journey. And if you love me, as you
say, you will come up now and sit
behind me here"
So he did that, and the great white
horse turned his face to the western
sea and the people of the Fianna saw
them no more. And th ey went their
way together on the white horse of
magic over the high, tossing sea and
under the dark, running waves and
in the Country of the Young and were
given an hundred thousand welcomes
in the palace of the king itself. = ! Il
But one day as Oisin and his young
men were coming home from the hunt
on the side OF the hill before them,
and out of the middle of the: cloud "a
sweet sounding harp began playing,
and the heart of ,Olsin stood still, for
he knew it . to- be Suanach, son of
Senshenn, who was in it playing, and
the song that Suanach sang was the
lament. for the death of Oscar.
And ,straightway sudden famish-
ing fora sight of the wide, green hills
Of Ireland and a hungry yearning for
a sound of the long forgotten voices
took the strength from Oisin's limbs,
and, the enehantment fell from his
eyes. ~
Oisin never looked back, but went
as swift as the wind over the high.
tossing sea and under the dark run
ming waves till he came to his own
fair country of Ireland.
Now it CHANGED at that hour that
Patrick of the bells, son of Calphrun,
with two of his. clerics, was on his
way to Ath Cliath to preach the new
faith to the people. After Oisin told
his wonderful story to the clerics Pat.
rick took him by the hand and led
him the ways to Ath Cliath, where for
three days Oisin listened to Patrick
Of the bells preaching to the princes
and to the people. - - e.
i On the fourth day of the preaching,
when Patrick was getting ready to
baptize the people it's what. he said
to Oisin:%:. - - =
. -. ~ 49, t<>&: h
!. ~ = ). s Il
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