Celtic Tales | Page 3

And when another seven years had sped, then came not the King thither,
either when the earth was green or golden, nor in the blue summer nor
the hoary winter, but from Lavarcam he heard that it was well with the
maid.
One white winter's morning Deirdre looked from her window, and saw
lying in the snow a calf. It had been killed by her nurse to provide food
for the little household, and its bright red blood dyed the thick-lying
snow. As Deirdre watched the flow of the scarlet stream, a raven, black
as night, flew down and drank of the warm blood. Then Deirdre smiled.
'Where are thy thoughts, fair child?' asked Lavarcam, entering the
room.

'Only did I think,' said Deirdre, 'that if a youth could be found whose
skin was white as snow, his cheek crimson as that pool of blood, and
his hair black as the raven's wing, him could I love right gladly.'
Then Lavarcam spake: 'Such a man have I seen, and one only.'
'His name, Lavarcam, his name?' cried Deirdre. 'Whence comes he, and
wherefrom he be found?'
'The fairest of three fair brothers is this Nathos, the son of Usna, and
now is he with Concobar the King.'
And Deirdre would thereafter think of none but Nathos, and Lavarcam
was much troubled because of the words that she had spoken. And
when Deirdre longed grievously by day and night to see this Nathos of
whom she had heard, Lavarcam thought of a plan whereby she might
end the maiden's dream.
One day, as she came from the palace of the King, she met on the Moor
of Loneliness a swineherd and two shepherd lads. And well though she
knew that none might enter the forest, she led them to a well in its leafy
depths. Then said this woman trusted of the King, 'Wait here by this
well until the jay cry and the hill-fox bark. Then move slowly on your
way, but speak to none whom ye may meet, and when ye leave the
wood let not your lips tell those things ye shall have seen and heard.'
With these words Lavarcam left the three men, and entered the cottage.
'Come, Deirdre,' she cried, 'the crisp snow glistens in the sunshine. Let
us wander forth.'
And Deirdre came, and dreamily she trod where Lavarcam led. Of a
sudden the older woman left her side, and bent as though she would
gather a woodland flower. At the same moment was heard the cry of
the jay and the bark of the hill-fox. Then came Lavarcam to the
maiden's side.
'Passing strange is it,' said Deirdre, 'to hear the jay cry and the hill-fox

bark while yet the snow lies thick.'
'Heed not strange sounds, fair Deirdre, but cast thine eyes toward
yonder well.'
And as Deirdre gazed she saw, as in a dream, the forms of three men
come slowly through the forest.
'These, Deirdre, are men,' said Lavarcam.
'Yet seem they not as the men I have seen ride by across the Moor of
Loneliness, for they were fair to look upon, but mine eyes have no
pleasure in beholding these strange forms.'
'Yet you look upon Nathos, for these men are none other than the three
sons of Usna.'
Deirdre started. 'Idle are your words, false Lavarcam. Yonder walks not
a man with skin white as snow, with cheek crimson as blood, nor with
hair black as the raven's wing. You lie!' And the maid made haste, and
she reached the men, and stood before them.
Amazed at her exceeding beauty, they gazed in silence. 'Tell me if ye
be the sons of Usna. Speak!'
But in wonder at the loveliness of the maiden, and in fear of the anger
of Lavarcam, the men were dumb.
'Speak!' she again cried. 'If indeed ye be Nathos and his brothers, then
truly hath Concobar the King my pity.'
At these words the swineherd could no longer keep silence.
'It is thy exceeding beauty that telleth us that thou art that Deirdre
whom the King hideth in this forest. Why mock us by asking if we are
the fairest of Concobar's nobles? Clearly canst thou see we are but men
of the hills, I a poor swineherd, and these men shepherds.'
'Then wilt thou, swineherd, for truly do I believe thy words, get thee to

the sons of Usna, and say to Nathos the eldest, that in the forest beyond
the Moor of Loneliness, Deirdre awaits his coming. Tell him that
to-morrow, an hour before the setting of the sun, he will find her by this
well.'
'If it be known that I so break the law of the King, I die, yet will I go
right gladly.'
Then Deirdre left the men, and walked