Blair Collection > Popular tales of the West Highlands > Volume 2

COXALL. 139
" Anything I have tliat I can part from, tliou shalt
get it," said the king ; " but the thing I have not, I
cannot give it to thee. Let out thy speech, and thou
shalt have it."
" It is Boinne Breat, thy son, at their head."
" My torture to thee ! had I not promised him to
thee, thou hadst not got him. But there were not
born in Alba, nor in Erin, nor in Sassun, nor in any one
phace (those) who would gain victory over my son if
they keep to fair play. If my son does not come back
as he went, the word of an Eriannach is never again
to be taken, for it is by treachery he wiU be overcome."
They went away on the morrow, and they sailed to
the king of Sassun. A message went up to the king
of Sassun that the young king of Erin had come to
the place. The king of Sassun took out to meet him.
He was taken up on the deadly points ; music was
raised, and lament laid do^\^l in the palace of the king
of Sassun ; meat was set in the place for eating ; drink
in the place for drinking ; music in the place of hear-
ing ; and they were plying the feast and the company
with joy and pleasure of mind.
" Oh ! young king of Erin," said the king of
Sassun, "it is not without the end of a matter that
thou art come here."
" I got the schooling of the son of a king and a
ridere. My mother's brother took me home. He began
to speak about the vassals of the country and the
people of the realm ; that care and trouble were on
him ; and that he had rather the end of the year had
not come at aU. Said I to him, ' I will build thee a
palace, so that thou shalt have but to wash thy face,
and stretch thy feet in thy shoes.' Said he, ' My
sister's son, thou hadst no right to the realm, and thou
gettest it not till a clod goes on me, in spite of every-