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

poem 3

Boand II

  1. O Maelsechlainn son of Domnall
    of the family of Comgall's daughter!
    I will tell thee, O prince of Meath!
    the tale of white bright Boand.
  2. 5] Boand — a blessing on the stream
    did Christ fair of form ordain;
    so she from glen to glen
    is the river Jordan of Erin.
  3. Find Life, Find of the fierce Gaileon,
    10] from the union of two names,
    from their meeting is Mag Find named: —
    swift Find Life and Mifind.
  4. One of the two Finds, that wins victory,
    flows past Tara from the north-east:
    15] there at the Confluence it meets
    with white-bellied Boand.
  5. Bo Guairi which flows eastward
    through Loch Munremair past Tailtiu,
    Bo Guairi is the name of the river
    20] which is called great Banna.
  6. As there is ordan and an
    from which the river Jordan is called,
    so Boand is bo and find
    from the meeting of the two royal waters.

    7. p.37

  7. 25] Thither from the south came Boand
    wife of Nechtain to the love-tryst
    to the house of Elcmaire, lord of horses,
    a man that gave many a good judgment.
  8. Thither came by chance the Dagda
    30] into the house of famous Elcmaire:
    he fell to importuning the woman:
    he brought her to the birth in a single day.
  9. It was then they made the sun stand still
    to the end of nine months — strange the tale —
    35] warming the noble fine grass
    in the roof of the perfect firmament.
  10. Then said the woman here:
    "Union with thee, that were my one desire!"
    And Oengus shall be the boy's name,"
    40] said the Dagda, in noble wise.
  11. Boand went from the house in haste
    to see if she could reach the well:
    she was sure of hiding her guilt
    if she could attain to bathe in it.
  12. 45] The druid's three cup-bearers
    Flesc, and Lesc, and Luam,
    Nechtain mac Namat set
    to watch his fair well.
  13. To them came gentle Boand
    50] toward the well in sooth:
    the strong fountain rose over her,
    and drowned her finally.

    14. p.39

  14. It was contrived against the river on either shore
    by Maelmorda, vast of wealth,
    55] by the comely son of Murchad,
    that it should not reach the inlet of ships.
  15. God's mercy was shown
    on Leth Chuind by that counsel,
    so that it escaped the swift night of gloom
    60] unto thee, O generous Maelsechlainn!

    16. p.41