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

CONALL. 143
" Art thou waking, king of Erin V " I am ;
what wilt thou with me ?" " I saw another dream.
Fearghus coming down, and taking the head and the
neck out of me."
" That is, Fearghus kilhng me, and taking out my
head and neck."
She slept again, and she saw another dream.
" Art thou sleeping, king of Erin ?"
" I am not ; what wilt thou with me now?"
" I saw Erin, from side to side, and from end to
end, covered with sheaves of barley and oats. There
came a blast of wind from the east, from the west,
from the north ; every tree was swept away, and no
more of them were seen."
" Fearghus will kill me, and he will take the head
and neck out of me. As quickly as ever thou didst
(anything), seize my set of arms, and keep them. A
baby boy is begotten between thee and me. Thou
shalt suckle and nurse him, and thou shalt set him
in order. Keep the arms. When thou seest that he
has speech, and can help himself, thou shalt send him
away through the world a wandering, till he find out
who he is. He will get to be king over Erin ; his
son will be king over Erin ; his grandson wall be king
over Erin. His race will be kings over Erin till it
reaches the ninth knee. A child will be born from
that one. A farmer will come in with a fish ; he will
cook the fish ; a bone will stick in his throat, and he
will be choked."
Maobh, the king's sister, the mother of Fearghus,
had two other sons, and the battle was to be on the
morrow. Lagh an Laidli and Connal ; and Lagh an
Laidh was the eldest.
" Whether," said Lagh an Laidli, " shall we be
with our mother's brother or with Feardius?"