Gods and Fighting Men

Danaan had the sway over Ireland, and it is likely it was

ery Gentle, that were called afterwards the Sons of the Gael, made their first attempt to land in

uids had told them there was no country for them to settle in till they would come to that island in the wes

eir enchantments they cast such a cloud over the whole island that the sons of Miled wer

s, they went sailing along the coast till at last they were a

n, and a train of beautiful women attending on her, and her Druids and wise men following her. Amergin, one of the s

the Tuatha de Danaan met them, and her women and her Druids after her, and they

king at her, for in the one moment she would be a wide-eyed most beautiful queen, and in another she would be a sharp-beaked, grey-white crow. She came on to w

e queens were often given t

the kingship between them at that time held their court. And these three were quarrelling with one another about the divisi

island, where the air was so wholesome, and the sun not too strong, or the cold too bitter, and where ther

aid, that they must give up the kingship there and then, or they must leave it to the chance of a battle. And he said he asked this in re

ey were not willing to fight at that time, for their army was not ready. "But let you make an offer to us," they said, "for we see well

the shore. And then he made his offer to the Tuatha de Danaan, that if they could hinder his men from landing on their island, he and all his ships would go back again to their own country, and w

the powers of their enchantments over the winds and the sea, and by their arts,

nd Arranan, son of Miled, knew that as well, and he went up in the mast of his ship to look about him. But a great blast of wind came against him, and he fell back into the ship and died on the moment. And there was great confusion on the Gael, for the ships were tossed to and fro, and had like to be lost. And the ship that Donn, son of Miled, was in command of was parted from the others by the dint of the storm, and was br

he landed was called Inver Colpa, because Colpa of the Sword, another of the sons of Miled, was drowned there, and he trying to get to land. Five of the sons of Miled i

e doing on us, not to put down this wind." "There is no treachery," said Amergin, his brother. And he rose up

n the great wide food-giving

s valleys; in its forests that are full of nuts and of all fruits;

is land; that there may be a king of our own in Team

in this land, that their ships and

are asking; let our chief men, let their learned wive

wind went down and the sea w

ns of Miled and of the Sons of the

foot on land, and when he stood on th

e wind o

wave of

ull of sev

eagle on

lash fro

st beautifu

trong wi

lmon in t

ake in t

word of k

d of the spe

that puts fir

t in the gatheri

l the ages

he place where