Ossian Collection > Reliquiae Celticae > Volume 2

HE TALE OF DEIRDRE.
427
It was then that Concliobav raif^ed his lofty, hght-clear voice,
and this was what he said, " Ye young men and nobles of Ulster,"'
said he, " know ye of any fault, or blemish, or want that you now
have f " We know not any, ! king and lord," said they. " It
is not so with me," said Conchobar ; " I know of a great want you
have, namely, that the three torches of valour of the Gael are
absent from you ; that is, that the three noble valiant sons of
Uisnech, son of Congal Claringnech, namely, Naesi, Ainnle, and
Ardan should be in exile on account of any woman in the world,
and that Naesi the son of Uisnech is fit to be a king, and that he
and his two brothers have defended the half of Alba by the might
of their hands and the hardness of their swords." " ! king and
lord," said the rest, " it is long since we would have said that if
we had not been afraid i to say it ; for these three would defend
the whole province of Ulster against every other province in Erin,
although the men of Ulster should not rise with them, for a lion
in valour and prowess and a serpent in venom is each of them.' -
" If that be so," said Conchobar, " send ye messages and
messengers for them to Alba." " Who will go to bring them ?" said
the nobles of Ulster. "I know," said Conchobar, "that it is one
of the geam ^ of Naesi not to come to Erin except with Fergus, sou
of Rossa the Red, son of Rudhraighe, or with Conall Cernach,* or
with Cuchulainn ; and I will know now which of these three loves
me most." And he took Conall Cernach into a place apart, and
this is what he said unto him, " Warrior-king, ! Conall," said
he, " what wouldst thou do unto me if I should send thee for the
sons of Uisnech, and that they should be destroyed for me — a
thing which I do not purpose to do V " It is not the death of
one man alone that would result from that," said Conall, " but
none of the Ulstermen of whom I could lay hold, would escape
from me^ without being put to death." " That is true," said
•Conchobar, "it is now that I understand that the sons*^ of
Uisnech are more dear to thee than myself." And he sent Conall
away," and requested Cuchulainn to be brought unto him ; and
t"his is what he said unto him — " Cuchulainn," said he, " if I
should send thee for the sons-^ of Uisnech, and they should be
destroyed for me— a thing which I do not purpose to do — what
wouldst thou do unto me ?" " I pledge my word," said Cuchu-
lainn, " that if thou wouldst do that, shouldst thou seek eastward
^ Lit., "if fear had allowed us." "Lit., "each man of them." 'The
geasa were solemn injunctions, which those upon whom they weie laid were
under obligations of honour to fulfil. ■* i.e., " Conall the victorious." ' Lit.,
" but every one of the Ulstermen of whom I could lay hold, he would not
escape from me without beinsi put to death." ^ Lit.. " children," and
always. " Lit., " he sent Conall from him."