The Coming of Cuculain Read online

  CHAPTER XIII

  THE WEIRD HORSES

  "On the brink of the night and the morning My coursers are wont to respire, But the earth has just whispered a warning, That their flight must be swifter than fire, They shall breathe the hot air of desire."

  SHELLEY.

  One night when the stars shone brightly, Setanta, as he passed byCathvah's astrological tower, heard him declare to his students thatwhoever should be knighted by Concobar on a certain day would be famousto the world's end. He was in his coming out of the forest then witha bundle of young ash trees under his arm. He thought to put them toseason and therewith make slings, for truly he surpassed all others inthe use of the sling. Setanta went his way after that and came into thespeckled house. It was the armoury of the Red Branch and shone with allmanner of war-furniture. A fire burned here always, absorbing the dampof the air lest the metal should take rust. Setanta flung his trees intothe rafters over the fire very deftly, so that they caught and remainedthere. He said they would season best in that place.

  As he turned to go a man stood before him in the vast and hollowchamber.

  "I know thee," said the boy. "What wouldst thou now?"

  "Thou shalt go forth to-night," said the man, [Footnote: This man wasLu the Long-Handed, the same who met him when he was leaving home.] "andtake captive the Liath Macha and Black Shanghlan. Power will be given tothee. Go out boldly."

  "I am not wont to go out fearfully," answered the lad. "Great laboursare thrust upon me."

  He went into the supper hall as at other times and took his customaryplace there, and ate and drank.

  "Thy eyes are very bright," said Laeg.

  "They will be brighter ere the day," he replied.

  "That is an expert juggler," said Laeg. "How he tosseth the brightballs!"

  "Can he toss the stars so?" said Setanta.

  "Thou art strange and wild to-night," said Laeg.

  "I will be stranger and wilder ere the morrow," cried Setanta.

  He stood up to go. Laeg caught him by the skirt of his mantle. The piececame away in his hand.

  "Whither art thou going, Setanta?" cried the King from the other end ofthe vast hall.

  "To seek my horses," cried the lad. His voice rang round the hollowdome and down the resounding galleries and long corridors, so that menstarted in their seats and looked towards him.

  "They are stabled since the setting of the sun," said the chief groom.

  "Thou liest," answered the boy. "They are in the hills and valleys ofErin." His eyes burned like fire and his stature was exalted beforetheir eyes.

  "Great deeds will be done in Erin this night," said Concobar.

  He went forth into the night. There was great power upon him. He crossedthe Plain of the Hurlings and the Plain of the Assemblies and the opencountry and the great waste moor, going on to Dun-Culain. Culain's newhound cowered low when he saw him. The boy sprang over moat and rampartat one bound and burst open the doors of the smith's house, breaking thebar. The noise of the riven beam was like the brattling of thunder.

  "That is an unusual way to enter a man's house," said Culain. He and hispeople were at supper.

  "It is," said Setanta. "Things more unusual will happen this night. Giveme bridles that will hold the strongest horses." Culain gave him twobridles.

  "Will they hold the strongest horses?" said the boy.

  "Anything less than the Liath Macha they will hold," said the smith.

  The boy snapped the bridles and flung them aside. "I want bridles thatwill hold the Liath Macha and Black Shanglan," said he.

  "Fire all the furnaces," cried Culain. "Handle your tools; show yourmight. Work now, men, for your lives. Verily, if he get not the bridles,soon your dead will be more numerous than your living."

  Culain and his people made the bridles. He gave them to Cuculain. Thesmiths stood around in pallid groups. Cuculain took the bridles andwent forth. He went south-westwards to Slieve Fuad, and came to the GreyLake. The moon shone and the lake glowed like silver. There was a greathorse feeding by the lake. He raised his head and neighed when he heardfootsteps on the hill. He came on against Cuculain and Cuculain wenton against him. The boy had one bridle knotted round his waist andthe other in his teeth. He leaped upon the steed and caught him by theforelock and his mouth. The horse reared mightily, but Setanta held himand dragged his head down to the ground. The grey steed grew greater andmore terrible. So did Cuculain.

  "Thou hast met thy master, O Liath Macha, this night," he cried. "SurelyI will not lose thee. Ascend into the heavens, or, breaking the earth'sroof, descend to Orchil, [Footnote: A great sorceress who ruled theworld under the earth.] yet even so thou wilt not shake me away."

  Ireland quaked from the centre to the sea. They reeled together, steedand hero, through the plains of Murthemney. "Make the circuit of IrelandLiath Macha and I shall be on the neck of thee," cried Cuculain. Thehorse went in reeling circles round Ireland. Cuculain mightily thust thebit into his mouth and made fast the headstall. The Liath Macha went asecond time round Ireland. The sea retreated from the shore and stood inheaps. Cuculain sprang upon his back. A third time the horse went roundIreland, bounding from peak to peak. They seemed a resplendent Fomorianphantom against the stars. The horse came to a stand. "I think thou arttamed, O Liath Macha," said Cuculain. "Go on now to the Dark Valley."They came to the Dark Valley. There was night there always. Shapes ofDeath and Horror, Fomorian apparitions, guarded the entrance. They cameagainst Cuculain, and he went against them. A voice from within cried,"Forbear, this is the promised one. Your watching and warding are atend." He rode into the Dark Valley. There was a roaring of unseen riversin the darkness, of black cataracts rushing down the steep sides of theValley. The Liath Macha neighed loudly. The neigh reverberated throughthe long Valley. A horse neighed joyfully in response. There was anoise of iron doors rushing open somewhere, and a four-footed thunderoustrampling on the hollow-sounding earth. A steed came to the Liath Macha.Cuculain felt for his head in the dark, and bitted and bridled him erehe was aware. The horse reared and struggled. The Liath Macha draggedhim down the Valley. "Struggle not, Black Shanglan," said Cuculain, "Ihave tamed thy better." The horse ceased to struggle. Down and out ofthe Dark Valley rodest thou, O peerless one, with thy horses. The LiathMacha was grey to whiteness, the other horse was black and glisteninglike the bright mail of the chaffer. He rode thence to Emain Macha withthe two horses like a lord of Day and Night, and of Life and Death.Truly the might and power of the Long-Handed and Far-Shooting one wasupon him that night. He came to Emain Macha. The doors of Macha'sstable flew open before him. He rode the horses into the stable. Macha'swar-car brayed forth a brazen roar of welcome, the Tuatha De Dananshouted, and the car itself glowed and sparkled. The horses went totheir ancient stalls, the Liath Macha to that which was nearer to thedoor. Cuculain took off their bridles and hanged them on the wall. Hewent forth into the night. The horses were already eating their barley,but they looked after him as he went. The doors shut to with a brazenclash. Cuculain stood alone in the great court under the stars. Adruidic storm was abroad and howled in the forests. He thought all thathad taken place a wild dream. He went to his dormitory and to his couch.Laeg was asleep with the starlight shining on his white forehead; hisred hair was shed over the pillow. Cuculain kissed him, and sitting onthe bed's edge wept. Laeg awoke.

  "Thou wert not well at supper," said Laeg, "and now thou hast beenwandering in the damp of the night, and thou with a fever upon thee, forI hear thy teeth clattering. I sought to hinder thee, and thou wouldstnot be persuaded. Verily, if thou wilt not again obey me, being thysenior, thou shalt have sore bones at my hands. Undress thyself now andcome to bed without delay."

  Cuculain did so.

  "Thou art as cold as ice," said Laeg.

  "Nay, I am hotter than fire," said Cuculain.

  "Thou art ice, I say," said Laeg, "and thy teeth are clattering likehailstones on a brazen shield. Ay, and thine eyes shine terribl
y."

  Laeg started from the couch. He struck flintsparks upon a rag steeped innitre, and waved it to a flame, and kindled a lanthorn. He flung hisown mantle upon the bed and went forth in his shirt. The storm ragedterribly; the stars were dancing in high heaven. He came to the house ofthe Chief Leech and beat at the door. The Leech was not in bed. Allthe wise men of Emain Macha were awake that night, listening to theportents.

  "Setanta, son of Sualtam, is sick," said Laeg.

  "What are his symptoms?" said the Leech.

  "He is colder than ice, his eyes shine terribly, and his teeth clatter,but he says that he is hotter than fire."

  The Leech went to Cuculain. "This is not a work for me," he said, "butfor a seer. Bring hither Cathvah and his Druids." Cathvah and and hisseers came. They made their symbols of power over the youth and chantedtheir incantations and Druid songs. After that Cuculain slept. He sleptfor three days and three nights. There was a great stillness whilethe boy slept, for it was not lawful at any time for anyone to awakeCuculain when he slumbered.

  On the third morning Cuculain awoke. The bright morning sunshine wasall around, and the birds sang in Emain Macha. He called for Laeg with aloud voice and bade him order a division of the boys to get ready theirhorses and chariots for charioteering exercise and fighting out of theircars.