Irish Fairy Tales | Page 5

to the persistent stranger, so his heart opened, and Finnian
marched there to do the will of God, and his own will.


CHAPTER III
One day they were talking together about the majesty of God and His
love, for although Tuan had now received much instruction on this
subject he yet needed more, and he laid as close a siege on Finnian as
Finnian had before that laid on him. But man works outwardly and
inwardly. After rest he has energy, after energy he needs repose; so,
when we have given instruction for a time, we need instruction, and
must receive it or the spirit faints and wisdom herself grows bitter.
Therefore Finnian said: "Tell me now about yourself, dear heart."
But Tuan was avid of information about the True God. "No, no," he
said, "the past has nothing more of interest for me, and I do not wish
anything to come between my soul and its instruction; continue to teach
me, dear friend and saintly father."
"I will do that," Finnian replied, "but I must first meditate deeply on
you, and must know you well. Tell me your past, my beloved, for a
man is his past, and is to be known by it."
But Tuan pleaded: "Let the past be content with itself, for man needs
forgetfulness as well as memory."

"My son," said Finnian, "all that has ever been done has been done for
the glory of God, and to confess our good and evil deeds is part of
instruction; for the soul must recall its acts and abide by them, or
renounce them by confession and penitence. Tell me your genealogy
first, and by what descent you occupy these lands and stronghold, and
then I will examine your acts and your conscience."
Tuan replied obediently: "I am known as Tuan, son of Cairill, son of
Muredac Red-neck, and these are the hereditary lands of my father."
The saint nodded.
"I am not as well acquainted with Ulster genealogies as I should be, yet
I know something of them. I am by blood a Leinsterman," he
continued.
"Mine is a long pedigree," Tuan murmured.
Finnian received that information with respect and interest.
"I also," he said, "have an honourable record."
His host continued: "I am indeed Tuan, the son of Starn, the son of Sera,
who was brother to Partholon."
"But," said Finnian in bewilderment, "there is an error here, for you
have recited two different genealogies."
"Different genealogies, indeed," replied Tuan thoughtfully, "but they
are my genealogies."
"I do not understand this," Finnian declared roundly.
"I am now known as Tuan mac Cairill," the other replied, "but in the
days of old I was known as Tuan mac Starn, mac Sera."
"The brother of Partholon," the saint gasped.
"That is my pedigree," Tuan said.

"But," Finnian objected in bewilderment, "Partholon came to Ireland
not long after the Flood."
"I came with him," said Tuan mildly.
The saint pushed his chair back hastily, and sat staring at his host, and
as he stared the blood grew chill in his veins, and his hair crept along
his scalp and stood on end.


CHAPTER IV
But Finnian was not one who remained long in bewilderment. He
thought on the might of God and he became that might, and was
tranquil.
He was one who loved God and Ireland, and to the person who could
instruct him in these great themes he gave all the interest of his mind
and the sympathy of his heart.
"It is a wonder you tell me, my beloved," he said. "And now you must
tell me more."
"What must I tell?" asked Tuan resignedly.
"Tell me of the beginning of time in Ireland, and of the bearing of
Partholon, the son of Noah's son."
"I have almost forgotten him," said Tuan. "A greatly bearded, greatly
shouldered man he was. A man of sweet deeds and sweet ways."
"Continue, my love," said Finnian.
"He came to Ireland in a ship. Twenty-four men and twenty-four
women came with him. But before that time no man had come to
Ireland, and in the western parts of the world no human being lived or

moved. As we drew on Ireland from the sea the country seemed like an
unending forest. Far as the eye could reach, and in whatever direction,
there were trees; and from these there came the unceasing singing of
birds. Over all that land the sun shone warm and beautiful, so that to
our sea-weary eyes, our wind-tormented ears, it seemed as if we were
driving on Paradise.
"We landed and we heard the rumble of water going gloomily through
the darkness of the forest. Following the water we came to a glade
where the sun shone and where the earth was warmed, and