English
Oengus was asleep one night when he saw something like a young girl coming towards the head of his bed, and she was the most beautiful woman in Eriu. He made to take her hand and draw her to his bed, but, as he welcomed her, she vanished suddenly, and he did not know who had taken her from him. He remained in bed until the morning , but he was troubled in his mind: the form he had seen but not spoken to was making him ill. No food entered his mouth that day. He waited until evening, and then he saw a timpán in her hand, the sweetest ever, and she played for him until he fell asleep. Thus he was all night, and the next morning he ate nothing.
A full year passed, and the girl continued to visit Oengus, so that he fell in love with her, but he told no one. Then he fell sick, but no one knew what ailed him. The physicians of Eriu gathered but could not discover what was wrong. So they sent for Fergne, Cond’s physician, and Fergne came. He could tell from a man’s face what the illness was, just as he could tell from the smoke that came from a house how many were sick inside. Fergne took Oengus aside and said to him ‘No meeting this, but love in absence’. ‘You have divined my illness,’ said Oengus. ‘You have grown sick at heart,’ said Fergne.; and you have not dared to tell anyone.’ ‘It is true,’ said Oengus. ‘A young girl came to me; her form was the most beautiful I have ever seen, and her appearance was excellent. A timpán was in her hand, and she played for me each night.’ ‘No matter,’ said Fergne, ‘love for her has seized you. We will send you to Bóand, your mother, that she may come and speak with you.’
They sent to Bóand, then, and she came. ‘I was called to see to this man, for a mysterious illnes had overcome him,’ said Fergne, and he told Bóand what had happened. ‘Let his mother tend to him,’ said Fergne, ‘and let her search throughout Eriu until she finds the form that her son saw.’ The search was carried on for a year, but the like of the girl was not found. So Fergne was summoned again. ‘No help has been found for him,’ said Bóand. ‘Then send for the Dagdae, and let him come and speak with his son,’ said Fergne. The Dagdae was sent for and came, asking ‘Why have I been summoned?’ ‘To advise your son,’ said Bóand. ‘It is right that you help him, for his death would be a pity. Love in absence has overcome him, and no help for it has been found.’ ‘Why tell me?’ asked the Dagdae. ‘My knowledge is no greater than yours.’ ‘Indeed it is,’ said Fergne, ‘for you are king of the Síde of Eriu. Send messengers to Bodb, for he is king of the Síde of Mumu, and his knowledge spreads throughout Eriu.’
Messengers were sent to Bodb, then, and they were welcomed: Bodb said ‘Welcome, people of the Dagdae.’ ‘It is that we have come for,’ they replied. ‘Have you news?’ Bodb asked. ‘We have: Oengus son of the Dagdae has been in love for two years,’ they replied. ‘How is that?’ Bodb asked. ‘He saw a young girl in his sleep,’ they said, ‘but we do not know where in Eriu she is to be found. The Dagdae asks that you search all Eriu for a girl of her form and appearance.’ ‘That search will be made,’ said Bodb, ‘and it will be carried on for a year, so that I may be sure of finding her.’ At the end of the year, Bodb’s peple went to him at his house in Síd ar Femuin and said ‘We made a circuit of Eriu, and we found the girl at Loch Bél Dracon in Cruitt Cliach.’ Messengers were sent to the Dagdae, then; he welcomed them and said ‘Have you news?’ ‘Good news: the girl of the form you described has been found,’ they said. ‘Bodb has asked that oengus return with us to see if he recognises her as the girl he saw.’
Oengus was taken in a chariot to Síd ar Femuin, then, and he was welcomed there: a great feast was prepared for him, and ti lasted three days and three nights. After that, Bodb said to Onegus ‘Let us go, now, to see if you recognise the girl. You may see her, but it is not in my power to give her to you.’ They went on until they reached a lake; there, they saw three fifties of young girls, and Oengus’s girl was among them. The other girls were no taller than her shoulder; each pair of them was linked by a silver chain, but Oengus’s girl wore a silver necklace, and her chain was of burnished gold. ‘Do you recognise that girl?’ asked Bodb. ‘Indeed, I do,’ Oengus replied. ‘I can do no more for you, then’ said Bodb. ‘No matter, for she is the girl I saw. I cannot take her now. Who is she?’ Oengus said. ‘I know her, of course: Cáer Ibormeith daughter of Ethal Anbúail from Síd Uamuin in the province of Connachta.’
After that, Oengus and his people returned to their own lan, and Bodb went with them to visit the Dagdae and Bóand at Bruig ind Maicc Oic. They told their news: how the girl’s form and appearance were just as Oengus had seen: and they told her name and those of her father and grandfather. ‘A pity that we cannot get her,’ said the Dagdae. ‘What you should do is go to Ailill and Medb, for the girl is in their territory,’ said Bodb.
The Dagdae went to Connachta, then, and three score charios with him; they were welcomed by the king and queen there and spent a week feasting and drinking. ‘Why your journey?’ asked the king. ‘There is a girl in your territory,’ said the Dagdae, ‘with whom my son has fallen in love, and he has now fallen ill. I have come to see if you will give her to him.’ ‘Who is she ?’ Ailill asked. ‘The daughter of Ethal Anbúail,’ the Dagdae replied. ‘We do not have the power to give her to you,’ said Ailill and Medb. ‘Then the best thing would be to have the king of the síd called here,’ said the Dagdae. Ailill’s steward went to Ethal Anbúail and said ‘Ailill and Medb require that you come and speak with them.’ ‘I will not come,’ Ethal said, ‘and I will not give my daughter to the son of the Dagdae.’ The steward repeated this to Ailill, saying ‘He knows why he has bee summoned, and he will not come.’ ‘No matter,’ said Ailill, ‘for he will come, and the heads of his warriors with him.’
After that, Ailill’s household and the Dagdae’s people rose up against the sid and destroyed it; they brought out three score heads and confined the king to Crúachu. Ailill said to Ethal Anbúail ‘Give your daughter to the son of the Dagdae.’ ‘I cannot,’ he said, ‘for her power is greater than mine.’ ‘What great power does she have?’ Ailill asked. ‘Being in the form of a bird each day of one year and in human form each day of the following year,’ Ethal said. ‘Which year will she be in the shape of a bird?’ Ailill asked. ‘It is not for me to reveal that,’ Ethal replied. ‘Your head is off,’ said Ailill, ‘unless you tell us.’ ‘I will conceal it no longer, then, but will tell you, since you are so obstinate,’ said Ethal. ‘Next Samuin she will be in the form of a bird; she will be at Loch Bél Dracon, and beautiful birds will be seen with her, three fifties of swans about her, and I will make ready for them.’ ‘No matter that,’ said the Dagdae, ‘since I know the nature you have brought upon her.’
Peace and friendship were made among Ailill and Ethal and the Dagdae, then, and the Dagdae bade them farewell and went to his house and told the news to his son. ‘Go next Samuin to Loch Bél Dracon,’ he said, ‘and call her to you there.’ The Macc Oc went to Loch Bél Dracon, and there he saw the three fifties of white birds, with silver chains, and golden hair about their heads. Oengus was in human form at the edge of the lake, and he called to the girl, saying ‘Come and speak with me, Cáer!’ ‘Who is calling to me?’ sked Cáer. ‘Oengus is calling,’ he replied. ‘I will come,’ she said, ‘if you promise me that I may return to the water.’ ‘I promise that,’ he said. She went to him, then: he put his arms round her, and they slept in the form of swans until they had circles the lake three times. Thus, he kept his promise. They left in the form of two white birds and flew to Bruig ind Maicc Oic, and there they sang until the people inside fell asleep for three days and three nights. The girl remained with Oengus after that. This is how the friendship between Ailill and Medb and the Macc Oc arose, and this is why Oengus took three hundred to the cattle raid of Cúailnge.
Translated: Jeffrey Gantz. Early Irish Sagas.
Old Irish
Boí Óengus in n-aidchi n-aili inna chotlud. Co n-accae ní, in n-ingin cucci for crunn síuil dó. Is sí as áilldem ro boí i n-Ére. Luid Óengus do gabáil a l-lámae dia tabairt cucci inna imdai. Co n-accae ní; fo-sceinn úad opunn. Nícon fitir cia árluid h-úad. Boí and co arabárach. Nípo slán laiss a menmae. Do-génai galar n-dó in delb ad-condairc cen a h-accaldaim. Nícon luid biad inna béolu. Boí and do aidchi dano aithirriuch. Co
n-accae timpán inna láim as bindem boíe. Sennid céol n- dó. Con-tuil friss. Bíid and co arabárach. Nícon ro-proindig dano arabárach.
Blíadain lán dó os sí occa aithigid fon séol sin condid corastar i sergg. Nícon
epert fri nech. F-a-ceird i sergg íarum ocus ní fitir nech cid ro m-boí. Do-ecmalldar legi Érenn. Nícon fetatar-som cid ro m-boí asendud. Ethae co Fíngen, liaig Conchobuir. Do-tét-side cucci. Ad-gninad-som i n-aigid in duini a n-galar no bíth for ocus ad-gninad din dieid no théiged din tig a l-lín no bíth co n-galar and.
Atn-gládastar for leith.
‘Ate! nítat béodai do imthechta’, ol Fíngen, ‘Sercc écmaise ro carais’. ‘Ad-rumadar mo galar form’, ol Óengus.
‘Do-rochar i n-dochraidi ocus ní rolámar a epirt fri nech’, ol Fíngen. ‘Is fír deit’, ol Óengus. ‘Do-m-ánaic ingen álaind in chrotha as áilldem i n-Ére co n-écusc derscaigthiu. Timpán inna l-láim, conid senned dam cach n-aidchi.’ ‘Ní báe’, ol Fíngen; ‘do-rogad duit cairdes frie; ocus foítter úait cossin m-Boinn, cot máthair, co tuidich dot accaldaim’.
Tíagair cuicce. Tic iarum in Boann. ‘Bíu oc frepaid ind fir-se’, ol Fíngen, ‘d-an-ánaic galar n-ainchis’. Ad-fíadot a scéla don Boinn.
‘Bíd a freccor céill dia máthair’, ol Fíngen. ‘D-an-ánaic galar n-ainchis; ocus timchelltar h-úait Ériu uile, dús in n-étar h-úait ingen in chrotha so ad-condairc do macc’. Bíid oc suidiu co cenn m-blíadnae. Nícon frith ní ba chosmail di. Is iar sin con-gairther Fíngen doib aithirriuch. ‘Nícon frith cobair isindísiu’, ol Boann. As-bert Fíngen: ‘Foítter cossin n-Dagdae tuidecht do accaldaim a maicc’.
Tíagair cossin n-Dagdae. Ticc-side aithirriuch.
‘Cid diandom-chomgrad?’ ‘Do airli do maicc’, ol in Boann. ‘Is ferr duit a chobair. Is liach a dul immudu. At-tá i siurgg. Ro car seircc écmaise ocus ní roachar a chobair’. ‘Cia torbae mo accaldam?’ ol in Dagdae. ‘Ní móo mo éolas in- dáthe-si’.
‘Móo écin’, ol Fíngen. ‘Is tú rí síde n-Érenn; ocus tíagar úaib co Bodb, ríg síde Muman, ocus is deilm a éolas la h-Érinn n-uili’.
Ethae co suide. Feraid-side fáilti friu. ‘Fo chen dúib’, ol Bodb, ‘a muinter in Dagdai’. ‘Is ed do-roachtmar’. ‘Scéla lib?’ ol Bodb. ‘Atáat linni: Óengus macc in Dagdai i siurgg dá blíadnae’. ‘Cid táas?’ ol Bodb. ‘Ad-condairc ingin inna chotlud. Nícon fetammar i n-Ére cia h-airm i tá ind ingen ro char ocus ad-condairc. Timmarnad
duit ón Dagdae co comtastar h-úait fond Érinn ingen in chrotha-sa ocus ind écuisc’. ‘Con- díastar’ ol Bodb, ‘ocus étar dál blíadnae friumm co fessur fis scél’.
Do-lluid cinn blíadnae co tech m-Buidb co Síd Ar Femen. ‘To-imchiullus Érinn n-uili co fuar
in n-ingen oc Loch Bél Dracon oc Crottaib Cliach’, ol Bodb. Tíagair úaidib dochum in Dagdai. Ferthair fáilte friu. ‘Scéla lib?’ ol in Dagdae. ‘Scéla maithi; fo-fríth ind ingen in chrotha-so as-rubartaid.’ Timmarnad duit ó Bodb. Táet ass Óengus linni a dochum dús in n-aithgne in n-ingin, conda accathar. Brethae Óengus i carput co m-boí oc Síd Al Femen. Fled mór lassin ríg ara ciunn. Ferthae fáilte friss. Bátar trí láa ocus teora aidchi ocond fleid. ‘Tair ass trá’, ol Bodb, ‘dús in n-aithgne in n-ingin conda aiccther’.
‘Ci ad-da-gnoe, ní-s cumcaim-si a tabairt acht ad-n-da-cether namá.’
To-lotar íarum co m-bátar oc Loch. Co n-accatar inna tri cóecta ingen macdacht. Co n-accatar in n-ingin n-etarru. Ní tacmuictis inna h-ingena dí acht
coticci a gualainn. Slabrad airgdide eter cach dí ingin. Muince airgdide imma brágait fadisin ocus slabrad di ór forloiscthiu. Is and as-bert Bodb: ‘In n-aithgén in n-ingen n-ucut?’ ‘Aithgén écin’, ol Óengus. ‘Ní-m thá-sa cumacc deit’, ol Bodb, ‘bas móo’. ‘Ní báe són’, ol Óengus, ‘ém; óre as sí ad-condarc; ní cumcub a breith in fecht-so.’ ‘Cuich ind ingen-sa, a Buidb?’ ol Óengus.
‘Ro-fetar écin’, ol in Bodb, ‘Caer Ibormeith, ingen Ethail Anbuail a s-Síd Úamain i crích Connacht’.
Do-comlat ass íarum Óengus ocus a muinter dochum a críche. Téit Bodb laiss co n-árlastar in n-Dagdae ocus in m-Boinn oc Bruig Maicc ind Óicc. Ad-fíadat a scéla doib ad-fídatar doib amail m-boíe
eter cruth ocus écoscc amail ad-condarcatar. Ocus ad-fídatar a h-ainm ocus ainm a h-athar ocus a senathar. ‘Ní ségdae dúnn’, ol in Dagdae, ‘ná cumcem do socht’. ‘Aní bad maith duit, a Dagdai’, ol Bodb. ‘Eircc dochum n-Ailella ocus Medbae ar is leo bíid inna cóiciud ind ingen’.
Téit in Dagdae co m-boí i tírib Connacht, trí fichit carpat a lín. Ferthae fáilte friu lassin ríg ocus in rígnai. Bátar sechtmain láin oc fledugud íar sin im chormann doib. ‘Cid immu-b-rácht?’ ol in rí.
‘At-tá ingen lat-su it ferunn’, ol in Dagdae, ‘ocus ro-s car mo macc-sa, ocus do-rónad galar dó. Do-dechad-sa cuccuib dús in-da-tartaid don macc’. ‘Cuich?’ ol Ailill. ‘Ingen Ethail Anbuail’. ‘Ní linni a cumacc’, ol Ailill ocus Medb. ‘Dia cuimsimmis do-bérthae dó’.
‘Ani for-maith -congairther rí in t-síde cuccuib’, ol in Dagdae.
Téit rechtaire Ailella cucci. ‘Timmarnad duit ó Ailill ocus Meidb dul dia n-accaldaim’. ‘Ní reg-sa’, ol sé. ‘Ní tibér mo ingin do macc in Dagdai’. Fásagar co h-Ailill anísin. ‘Ní étar fair a thuidecht; ro-fitir aní dia con-garar’. ‘Ní báe’, ol Ailill, ‘do-rega-som ocus do-bértar cenna a laech laiss’. Íar sin cot-éirig teglach n-Ailella ocus muinter in Dagdai dochum in t-síde. Inrethat a síd n-uile. Do-sm-berat trí
fichtea cenn ass ocus in ríg co m-boí i Crúachnaib i n-ergabáil.
Is íarum as-bert Ailill fri h-Ethal n-Anbuail: ‘tabair do ingin do macc in Dagdai’. ‘Ni cumcaim’, ol sé. ‘Is móo a cumachtae in- dó’. ‘Ced cumachtae mór fil lee?’ ol Ailill. ‘Ní anse; bíid i n-deilb éuin cach la blíadnai, in m-blíadnai n-aili i n-deilb duini’. ‘Ci-ssí blíadain m-bís i n-deilb éuin?’ ol Ailill. ‘Ní lemm-sa a mrath’, ol a h-athair. ‘Do chenn dít’, ol Ailill, ‘mani-n-écis-ni’.
‘Níba sia cucci dam-sa’, ol sé. ‘At-bérsa’, ol sé; is lérithir sin ro-n gabsaid occai. ‘In t-samuin-se as nessam bieid i n-deilb éuin oc Loch Bél Dracon, ocus ad-cichsiter sain-éuin lee and, ocus bieit
trí cóecait géise n-impe; ocus at-tá aurgnam lemm-sa doib’. ‘Ni báe lemm-sa iarum,’ ol in Dagdae, ‘óre ro-fetar a h-aicned do-s-uc-so’.
Do-gníther íarum cairdes leu .i. Ailill ocus Ethal ocus in Dagdae ocus soírthair Ethal ass. Celebraid in Dagdae doib. Ticc in Dagdae dia thig ocus ad-fét a scéla dia macc. ‘Eirc immon samuin as nessam co
Loch Bél Dracon con-da-garae cuccut dind loch’. Téit in Macc Óc co m-boí oc Loch Bél Dracon. Co n-accae trí cóecta én find forsind loch cona slabradaib airgdidib co caírchesaib órdaib imma cenna. Boí Óengus i n-deilb doínachta for brú ind locha. Con-gair in n-ingin cucci. ‘Tair dom accaldaim, a Chaer’. ‘Cia do-m-gair?’ ol Caer. ‘Cotot-gair Óengus’. ‘Regait diandom fhoíme ar th’ inchaib
co tís a l-loch mofhrithisi.’ ‘Fo-t-sisiur’, ol sé.
Téiti cucci. Fo-ceird-sium dí láim forrae. Con-tuilet i n-deilb dá géise co timchellsat a l-loch fo thrí conná bed ní bad meth n-enech dó-som. To-comlat ass i n-deilb dá én find co m-batar ocin Bruig Maicc in Óicc, ocus chechnatar cocetal cíuil co corastar inna dóini i súan trí láa ocus teora n-aidche. Anais laiss ind ingen íar sin.
Is de sin ro boí cairdes in Maicc Óic ocus Ailella ocus Medbae. Is de sin do-cuaid Óengus, tricha cét, co Ailill ocus Meidb do tháin inna m-bó a Cúailnge.
Conid ‘De Aislingiu Óenguso maicc in Dagdai’ ainm in scéuil sin isin Táin Bó Cúailnge. Finit.