Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
The Metrical Dindshenchas (Author: [unknown])
poem 16
Almu I
- Almu of the Leinstermen, a fort of the Fians,
an abode that Find the truly noble used to frequent:
hither came by chance one of no common line,
the woman from whom Almu is so called.
- 5] Almu is the name of the man who got the place
in the time of Nemed of mighty renown;
he died there on the green hill
of a sudden sickness in a moment.
- Almu, beautiful was the woman!
10] the wife of Nuadu Mor, son of Achi;
she entreatedjust was the award
that her name should be on the entire hill.
- Nuadu the druid was a fierce man;
by him was built a fort strong and high:
15] by him alum was rubbed on the rock
over the whole fort, after it was marked out.
- All white is the fort (bitter strife),
as if it had received the lime of all Erin,
from the alum he put on his house,
20] thence is Almu so named.
- Tadc, son of Nuadu, who strengthens valour,
the druid of Cathair Mor great in fame,
to him his father left
Almu with her noble possessions.
- 25] Tadc the strong had a lovely daughter
whose name was Murni Fair-neck;
the woman was demanded by Cumall;
Tadc the white-sided refused her.
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- Cumall carried her off by force
30] the daughter of Tadc, though it was an ugly deed;
for a year, without right and without victory,
did Cumall the warrior possess Murni.
- Tadc wept gustily
before Cond the brave of the hundred fights:
35] he taunted himenormous the evil!
he reviled him,great was the hurt!
- Sentence is given by Cond the brave
against Cumall that he should leave Banba;
so they fought the battle of Cnucha there,
40] and Cumall fell before Cond.
- Nine hours before the battle was fought
was begotten the Man of Luck;
on the daughter of Tadc the white-sided
Find the true warrior was begotten.
- 45] Murni came after the slaying of her husband,
and fared to Almu the all-white;
plaintive, sorrowful she was,
it was not fitting for the high-born lady.
- Lovely and gracious was the princess,
50] and she was great with child;
Tadc threatened (great the deed!)
to kill and make an end of her.
- Said Cond of the white palm:
"I hold it better she should bear a son;
55] the same mother, with her substance,
had Cumall and my father."
- Vehemently is she rejected by Tadc,
(to Murni it was cause of tears)
yet he did not dare to do what he spoke of
60] to destroy them or slay them suddenly.
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- She came to fair Temair of Fail,
Murni Fair-Neck ...-Skin;
she asked the blameless Cond
of her destiny and her disposal.
- 65] "Go thou," said Cond, "thou has my leave
to Fiacail Fí, son of Conchend:
the own-sister of Cumall dwells with him
Bodmall ..."
- She went to Temair Margi,
70] did Murni White-neck the high-born;
Conla, servant of Cond the blameless
... to dispose of her.
- Joyful to see her was the pleasant youth
Fiacail Fí, son of Conchend;
75] joyful was Bodmall, right heartily,
joyful was the whole company.
- Thereafter was born Find the honoured,
king of the Fians, high his spirit!
... nine years precisely
80] was he the royal champion of Erin.
- Find demanded from Tadc of the towers,
a price for killing Cumall Mor,
battle without respite, without delay,
or to get a duel with him man to man.
- 85] Tadc, since he could not face battle
against the true-born prince,
abandoned to him (it was enough for him)
all Almu as it stood.
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