Lays of the red branch . ribute at Emania. He diedof a wound inflicted by Keth, son of Magach, and nephew ofMaev, with a ball from a sling; having been inveigled withinreach of the missile by certain Connaught ladies. His sonForbaid characteristically avenged his death by the assassinationof Maev, whom he slew, also with a sling, across the Shannon,while she was in the act of bathing. Notwithstanding therepulsive character of many of the acts ascribed to Conor, suchas the cruel enforcement of the foot-race upon Macha (0 Hcentiamfuroris, agm rdpublica gemitiiproseqtiendaiii! ) and the betrayalo
Lays of the red branch . ribute at Emania. He diedof a wound inflicted by Keth, son of Magach, and nephew ofMaev, with a ball from a sling; having been inveigled withinreach of the missile by certain Connaught ladies. His sonForbaid characteristically avenged his death by the assassinationof Maev, whom he slew, also with a sling, across the Shannon,while she was in the act of bathing. Notwithstanding therepulsive character of many of the acts ascribed to Conor, suchas the cruel enforcement of the foot-race upon Macha (0 Hcentiamfuroris, agm rdpublica gemitiiproseqtiendaiii! ) and the betrayalof the sons of Usnach, and abduction of Deirdre, the best part ofIrish heroic tradition connects itself with his reign and period,preceding by nearly three centuries the epoch of Cormac MacArt, and the Fenian or Irish Ossianic romances. The survivorof the men of renown of Conors era was Conall Carnach, thehero of many picturesque legends, one of the most remarkableof which affords the groundwork for the following verses.]. • ER Slieve Few, with noiseless tramping through the heavy- ? drifted snow, Bealcu,* Connacias champion in his chariot tracks the foe;And anon far off discerneth, inthe mountain-hollow white. Pronounced Bayal-Ku. THE HEALING OF CONALL CARNACH. 129 Slinger Keth and Conall Carnach mingling, hand tohand in fight Swift the charioteer his coursers urged across the wintry glade:Hoarse the cry of Keth and hoarser seemd to come demanding aid;But through wreath and swollen runnel ere the car could reach anigh,Keth lay dead, and mighty Conall bleeding lay at point to die. Whom beholding spent and pallid, Bealcu exulting cried, Oh thou ravening wolf of Uladh, where is now thy northern pride ?What can now that crest audacious, what that pale defiant brow,Once the bale-star of Connacias ravaged fields, avail thee now ? Taunts are for reviUng woman; faintly Conall made reply: Wouldst thou play the manlier foeman, end my pain and let me deem thy blade dishonour
Size: 1565px × 1596px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookpu, booksubjectenglishpoetry
