Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Buile Suibhne (Author: [unknown])

paragraph 36

    Loingseachan:

    1. O Suibhne from lofty Sliabh na nEach,
      thou of the rough blade wert given to wounding;
      for Christ's sake, who hath put thee in bon dage,
      grant converse with thy foster-brother.

      2. p.55

    2. Hearken to me if thou hearest me,
      O splendid king, O great prince,
      so that I may relate gently
      to thee tidings of thy good land.
    3. There is life for none in thy land after thee;
      it is to tell of it that I have come;
      dead is thy renowned brother there,
      dead thy father and thy mother.

    1. Suibhne:

    2. If my gentle mother be dead,
      harder is it for me to go to my land;
      'tis long since she has loved my body;
      she has ceased to pity me.
    3. Foolish the counsel of each wild youth
      whose elders live not;
      like unto a branch bowed under nuts;
      whoso is brotherless has a gaping side.

    Loingseachan:

    1. There is another calamity there
      which is bewailed by the men of Erin,
      though uncouth be thy side and thy foot,
      dead is thy fair wife of grief for thee.

    1. Suibhne:

    2. For a household to be without a wife
      is rowing a rudderless boat,
      'tis a garb of feathers to the skin,
      'tis kindling a single fire.

    Loingseachan:

    1. I have heard a fearful and loud tale
      around which was a clear, fierce wail,
      'tis a fist round smoke, however,
      thou art without sister, O Suibhne.

    p.57

    Suibhne:

    1. A proverb this, bitter the ... -
      it has no delight for me—
      the mild sun rests on every ditch,
      a sister loves though she be not loved.

    Loingseachan:

    1. Calves are not let to cows
      amongst us in cold Araidhe
      since thy gentle daughter, who has loved thee, died,
      likewise thy sister's son.

    1. Suibhne:

    2. My sister's son and my hound,
      they would not forsake me for wealth
      'tis adding loss to sorrow;
      the heart's needle is an only daughter.

    1. Loingseachan:

    2. There is another famous story—
      loth am I to tell it—
      meetly are the men of the Arada
      bewailing thy only son.

    1. Suibhne:

    2. That is the renowned drop (?)
      which brings a man to the ground,
      that his little son who used to say ‘daddy’
      should be without life.
    3. It has called me to thee from the tree,
      scarce have I caused enmity,
      I cannot bear up against the blow
      since I heard the tidings of my only son.

    1. Loingseachan:

    2. Since thou hast come, O splendid warrior,
      within Loingseachan's hands,
      all thy folk are alive,
      O scion of Eochu Salbuidhe.

      3. p.59

    3. Be still, let thy sense come,
      in the east is thy house, not in the west,
      far from thy land thou hast come hither,
      this is the truth, O Suibhne.
    4. More delightful deemest thou to be amongst deer
      in woods and forests
      than sleeping in thy stronghold in the east
      on a bed of down.
    5. Better deemest thou to be on a holly-branch
      beside the swift mill's pond
      than to be in choice company
      with young fellows about thee.
    6. If thou wert to sleep in the bosom of hills
      to the soft strings of lutes,
      more sweet wouldst thou deem under the oak-wood
      the belling of the brown stag of the herd.
    7. Thou art fleeter than the wind across the valley,
      thou art the famous madman of Erin,
      brilliant in thy beauty, come hither,
      O Suibhne, thou wast a noble champion.