THE STORY OF THE TAIN. 73 Annals of the Four Masters. There is also a copy, or fragment, of the Liber Hymnorum already spoken of, and which is a work of great importance to the Ecclesiastical History of Ireland. And besides these, the collection contains several important pieces relating to Irish history, of which no copies are known to exist elsewhere.' The Cuilmenn, a book already mentioned, contains one of the most famous of the early Celtic historical tales. The Táin bó Chuailgné, or Cattle Spoil of Cooley, as an Irish history would be very incomplete without specimens of early Irish literature; we shall give the story of the Táin.* The Táin bó Chuailgné. The Táin bb Chuailgné, in the form at present extant, was probably written about A.D. 600. It is almost certain that all Irish history was preserved in rhyme. But when these ancient tales were committed to writing some part of the verse was omitted, and the omission supplied by a prose condensation. The evidence of the antiquity of this tale is complete, and the tale itself is an admirable example of early Irish historical compilations. It gives us more than a glimpse into the habits, manners, customs, dress, military tactics, and civilization. of our people in the earliest ages of the Christian era; and as such is of equal interest to the historical student and the Celtic race. The tale was written by St. Ciaran of Clonmacnoise, who died in the year 548. He wrote the narrative with his own hand, and inserted it in a book called Leabhar na h-Uidhri. There is solid reason for believing that this book was preserved for hundreds of years at Clonmacnoise, in ancient Westmeath. The ancient book has been lost, but a book, a fragment of a vellum manuscript, is still preserved, and is now in the Library of the Royal Irish Academy, which is called also Leabhar na h-Uidhri, and this book was written at Clonmacnoise by a celebrated scribe named Mael Muire,† the son of Ceilechar, who was killed there in the year 1106. The portion of Maelmuire's book which yet remains contains a portion of the Táin bỏ Chuailgné, which, there can be no reasonable doubt, was copied from the original manuscript written by St. Ciaran-ample evidence of a precious and reliable antiquity-incontrovertible proof that the Irish Celt had a history, and a history worth preserving; had intellectual resources which might bear no invidious comparison with the literary tastes of later ages. But there are several copies of this tale. In proof of the great antiquity of this remarkable production, we may quote the words of Professor Sullivan, the highest authority on such subjects. He says: The episode from the tale of the Táin bó Chuailgné, which I have printed in the appendix to these volumes, is, in my opinion, essentially pagan, notwithstanding that the language is not older at most than the tenth century. I do not mean that the tale is word for word as the pagans have composed it, but that St. Kieran, or whoever committed it to writing in the sixth or seventh century, did no K The Book of Leinster was written in or about the year 1150 by Tinn Mac Gorman, Bishop of Kildare, who died in 1160. The Book of Leinster, now over 700 years old, is well preserved, and this book also contains a copy of the Táin bó Chuailgné. This copy, however, differs slightly from others.* The tale, dignified by the heroic style of the narrative, was simply a cattle raid. It originated thus:-† Medb (Méav), or Mab, was the daughter of Eochaidh Feidhlech, who divided Ireland into four provinces, over each of which he appointed a provincial king. Méav was married first to Conor, the celebrated provincial king of Ulster, but the marriage was not a happy one, and was dissolved, in modern parlance, on the ground of incompatibility. In the meanwhile Méav's three brothers had rebelled against their father, and though his arms were victorious, the victory did not secure peace. The men of Connacht revolted against him, and to retain their allegiance he made his daughter Queen of Connacht, and gave her in marriage to Ailill, a powerful chief of that province. This prince, however, died soon after, and Méav, determined for once, at least, to choose a husband for herself, made a royal progress to Leinster, where Ross Ruadh held his court at Naas. She selected the younger son of this monarch, who bore the same name as her former husband, and they lived together happily as queen and king-consort for many years. But the peace was interrupted, if it was not broken, by a serious dispute. Ailill has the credit of having commenced it, though Méav certainly knew how to retort. The scene opens in the early morning at Cruachan of Rath Conrach. Ailill began the conversation with the assertion that 'a good man's wife was a happy creature.' Méav inquired his reason for such a remark, which manifestly meant more than came to the ear. He replied: you." ""The reason I say so is because you are happier this day than the day I espoused 'Méav replied, "I was happy before I knew you." "It was a happiness of which we never heard," said Ailill; "we only heard of your being in the dependent position of a woman, whilst your nearest enemies stole and plundered and carried off your property." ""Not so was I," said Méav; "but my father was arch-king of Erinn, that is, Eochy Feidlech, son of Finn, son of Finnoman, son of Finneon, son of Finnlag, i.e., he had six daughters of daughters-viz., Derbrin, Eithne, and Ele; Clothra, Mugain, Méav, myself, The late Professor O'Curry made a copy of this tale from the Book of Leinster, which he collated with all the ancient copies known to him. The grammatical endings are best preserved in the copy contained in the fragment of the Leabhar na h-Uidhre; it preserves the antique form and the archaic poetry of the language. To give a complete history of the Táin would require a volume nearly as large as the present work. The quest of the Táin is not the least curious part of the whole narrative. Those who quote, or use the words, Erinn go brath, little know the antiquity of their origin. Cathbadh, a celebrated Druid, was one day instructing his pupils at Emania; they began to ask for the favourable signs or omens of the day. The Druid replied that the fame of the youth who should take arms upon that day should live in Erinn go brath; that is, Erinn for ever. Cuchulaind, the hero of the Táin bó Chuailgné, therefore, begged his master to recommend him to the king for championship. His request was granted. THE STORY OF THE TAIN. 75 who was the most noble and illustrious of them. I was the best for battle and fight and combat of them. I was the best for gifts and presents of them. It was I that had fifteen hundred noble mercenaries, soldiers, sons of foreign chiefs, and as many more of the sons of my own landholders; and there were ten (men) with every soldier of them, and eight with every soldier, and seven with every soldier, and three with every soldier, and two with every soldier, and a soldier with every soldier. These I had for my ordinary household," said Méav, "and for that it was that my father gave me a province of the provinces of Erinn, viz., the province of Cruachan, where I am called Méav of Cruachan. And I was sought in marriage by Tinn, son of Ross Ruadh, King of Laighin, and by Cairpri Nia Fear, the son of the King of Teamair, and by Conor, son of Fachna Fathach. And I was sought by Eochy, son of Luchta, and I did not go, because it was I that demanded the extraordinary dowry, such as no woman ever before sought from the men of Erinn, viz., a man without parsimoniousness, without jealousy, without fear. If the man who would have me were parsimonious, we were not fit to be united in one, because I am good at bestowing gifts and presents, and it would be a reproach to my husband that I were better in gifts than he; and it would be no reproach now if we were equally good, provided that we were both good. If myhusband were timid, we were not the more fit to unite, because I go in battles and fights and combats by myself alone, and it would be a reproach to my husband that his wife were more active than himself; and it is no reproach if we were equally active, but that we are active both of us. If the man who had me were jealous, we were not matched either, ecause I was never without having a man in the shadow of another. I have found that man, viz., you, viz., Ailill, the son of Ross Ruadh, of the men of Laighin. You were not parsimonious, you were not jealous, you were not timid. I gave you an engagement and dowry, the best that is desired of women, viz., the array of twelve men, of clothes, a chariot, with thrice seven cumhals; the breadth of your face of red gold, the span of your left wrist of carved silver. Should any one work reproach, or injury, or incantation on you, you are not entitled to Eirc or Encelann for it, but what comes to me," said Méav, "because a man in attendance on a woman is what you are." "Such was not my taste," said Ailill, "but I had two brothers, one the King of Temar, and the other King of Laighin. I left them the sovereignty because of their seniority; and you were not better for gifts and presents than I was. I have not heard of a province of Erinn in woman-keeping but this province alone. I came then, and I assumed sovereignty here in succession to my mother; for Máta, of Murisg, the daughter of Mágach, was my mother, and what better queen need I desire to have than you, since you happen to be the daughter of the arch-king of Erinn." "It happens, however," said Méav, "that my goodness is greater than yours." ""I wonder at that," said Ailill, "since there is no one that has more jewels, and wealth, and riches than I have; and I know there is not." Ailill and Méav then commenced a comparison of their goods and effectsfor women at this time had their dowries secured to them, and did not lose by marriage their separate rights of property. Their jewels, their garments, their flocks were compared, and found to be of equal value and excellence, with one notable exception only: 'There was a particularly splendid bull of Ailill's cows, and he was the calf of one of Méav's cows, and Finnbheannach (white-horn) was his name; but he deemed it not honourable to be in a woman's dependence, and he passed over to the king's cows.' The queen was indignant, but hearing that Daré, son of Factna of Cuailgné, 76 MANE THE MOTHERLIKE, AND MANE THE FATHERLIKÈ. was the possessor of a brown bull, a still finer animal than the white-horned deserter of her drove, she despatched her courtier, Mac Roth, to Daré, requesting of him the loan of the Donn Chuailgné (the brown one of Melney) for a year, and promising to restore him with fifty heifers to boot, a chariot worth sixty-three cows, and other marks of her friendship and high consideration. Daré courteously complied with the request of Méav, and prepared an entertainment for her envoys. During the progress of the feast some surly Connacian, in reply to an observation on the happy termination of their mission, observed that it was as well that the Ultonians had agreed to send with them the Donn Chuailgné, as if he had been refused they would have carried him back with them by force. This unprovoked insult excited the just indignation of Daré. He swore by his 'swearing gods' that the Connacht envoys should not now have the bull, either by consent or by force. The messengers returned to Méav, and the disappointed queen summoned her forces, and called on her friends and allies, and the Ultonian exiles who had found refuge at her court, to join in a foray, the object of which should be the capture of the desired Donn Chuailgné. Fergus MacRoy and Conor's own son, Cormac Conlingas, who had left Emania on the violation of their safe conduct to the sons of Usnach, brought their contingent to the Connacian army. It was not without much hesitation and many mental pangs, that these noble exiles consented to take part in an expedition directed against their countrymen and former friends. Méav led her armies in person. 'A woman comely, white-faced, long-necked, and large, gold yellow hair on her; a short crimson cloak on her; a gold pin in the cloak over her breast; a straight carved-backed spear flaming in her hand.' Such was the appearance of this royal amazon when leading her hosts to the fray Ailill and his son Mané, who resembled both parents, are thus described : 'Two great men with flaming eyes; with golden crowns of blazing gold over them; kingly armour on them; gold-hilted long swords at their girdles, in bright silver scabbards, with pillows of chequered gold on their outside.' Mané the motherlike, and Mané the fatherlike, as follows: 'There came to me two soft youths there. They were both alike-curled hair on the one of them; curled yellow hair on the other; two green cloaks wrapped round them; two bright pins of silver in these cloaks over their breasts; two shirts of smooth yellow silk to their skins; white-hilted swords at their sides; two white shields with fastenings of fair silver on them; two fleshy-pointed spears with bright silver ferules in their hands.'* Cuchulaind and Ferdiad are the two great heroes of the Táin. The boyish feats of the former are fully narrated. He had indeed many 'gifts,' this great hero of old Erinn's heroic times. He had the gift of form and face, the gift of horsemanship and of swimming, the gift of battle and of fight; nor were gifts of intellect wanting, for he was skilled at chess, the great game of the learned Celt of * The Irish before the Conquest. M. F. Ferguson. |