Matheson Collection > Deirdire; and, The lay of the children of Uisne

DEIRDIRE 15
'Hadst thou ever any offspring?' said
the soothsayer to Colum Cruitire.
* Well, no/ said Colum Cruitire, ' there
has never been offspring upon me or
upon her whom I have, nor do I expect
there ever shall be. I have only myself
and my wife.' ' Well,' said the sooth-
sayer, 'that surprises me much, and
that I see in my augury that it is
about a daughter of thine that the
greatest amount of blood will be spilt
that has been spilt in Eirin for genera-
tions and ages past. And the three
heroes of the greatest renown in the
land shall lose their lives on her
account.' ' Is that the soothsaying
that thou art making me ? ' said Colum
Cruitire with anger, he thinking that
the soothsayer was mocking him.
'Well, it is,' said the soothsayer.
' Well, if that be the soothsaying that
thou art making me, thou mayst keep
it to thyself, for neither thou thyself