Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
The Metrical Dindshenchas (Author: [unknown])

poem 15

Faffand

  1. Broccaid the powerful with winning of hostages,
    of the bright and famous race of the Galian,
    he had a son, Faifne the poet;
    the record of his final madness is no falsehood.
  2. 5] It was she was the mother of the comely son,–
    even Libir quick and eager of mood:
    their daughter was the swift lady of the hosts
    Aige, the noble and skilful.
  3. Exceeding fair were the four, curled and gentle;
    10] they were a noble kin, of virtuous behaviour,
    the father and the lovely mother,
    the daughter and the brother soft and fair.
  4. The evil spirits made an onset
    (it was no feeble deed of wanton folly):–
    15] they changed into the form of a wild doe
    the noble Aige of the love-spots.
  5. She traversed Erin from shore to shore
    fleeing before all the fierce and fiery packs;
    so that she coursed round Banba, land of judges,
    20] bravely, four fair times.
  6. Her doings and her valiance had an end,
    here came to pass her final dissolution;
    they tore her in pieces in their wickedness,
    did the warriors of Meilge of Imlech.

  7. p.69

  8. 25] Hence is the name of chill Aige
    given to the river of the many-coloured plain
    since she was tortured without secrecy
    and flung upon the flowing water.
  9. That ancient stream is deathless till Doomsday,
    30] which pours across Life in furious wise:
    (if you will heed, not wrongly noised abroad (?))–
    Aige is its name for all time.
  10. Westward came rushing,
    the swift druid, the skilled poet,
    35] to blemish the famous king of Berre,
    Meilge, son of kindly Cobthach.
  11. He denounced rightfully upon the king
    reproach and shame together,
    and disgrace an unremitting harrying ...
    40] in revenge for his sweet sister.
  12. The keen poet fell
    by the harsh and horrid cause;
    he was betrayed for ever ...
    for blemishing the king of high Tara.
  13. 45] He was chastised, he was maimed,
    he was parted from his misery;
    in Faffand of the wrathful warriors
    he met the pursuit of swift spoilers.

  14. p.71

  15. There he begged a boon
    50] at the place where the soldier cut him down (?)
    that his name should serve–O deed of woe!–
    to designate the ancient hill for ever.
  16. Known to me with laughter (?) in sooth
    is the death of Libir and Broccaid;
    55] not obscure is the cause whence is named
    the rath where Broccaid was buried.

  17. p.73