Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
The Metrical Dindshenchas (Author: [unknown])
poem/story 14
TUAG INBER
- Tuag Inber, lovely, grey-watered, know ye its legend? have ye heard aright the story of Tuag bright of skin?
- Tuag (dazzling was her colour) was daughter to Conall of Collamair: Conaire son of Eterscél reared her from her birth-bed.
- Dear was his sturdy nursling to the king of Erinnot haughty was he: he set a company of maidens to tend her in Tara, rich in herds.
- For the space of thrice five years, unharmed he reared his brother's daughter: no man, dark nor fair, had leave to approach her sun-bright bower.
- When the wide-ruling kings began to woo Tuag, bright of skin, comely Manannan heard of it and loved her with his first love.
- Manannan son of Ler despatched messengers to seek her from where mighty Manannan dwelt northeastward of Tuag Inber.
- The messenger's name, in his home, was Fer Fí, son of Eogabal, fosterling to Mac Lir of the blades: he was a druid of the Tuatha Dé Danann.
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- The druid, as beseemed him, turned himself into the shape of a wayfaring wench, and reached the bright bower where the girlish company abode.
- The druid stayed in strong Temair three nights, with Tuag of the sweet strings, in form like one of her fair handmaidens, in fit order of fellowship.
- At the fourth time, alas! the potent druid chanted a spell: on a Sunday night, with many an art, he bore off Tuag in heavy slumber.
- He laid her on his shouldersgreat his feats! and played a sleep-compelling strain: from the house of Temair he bore her, unfaltering, to the point of green-topped Banba.
- He laid her sleeping on the shore, and went to seek a well-built skiff: the fair flood-tide came and drowned the maiden, when he was gone.
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- As for the druid quick Manannán slew him, though it was not right, when he heard his evil tidings, because the maiden came not with him.
- Inber Glasgamna, famed for exploits, was its name, in verity, until the loss of Mac Lir's wife, whence it is called Tuag Inbir.
- Upright Conaire came on the track of his mighty fosterling: he wasted both Elle and Lé, to avenge the fate of Tuag.
- The three waves of all Erin: the Wave of Clidna, the Wave of Rudraige, the Wave that drowned Mac Lir's mate, that visits the shore by Tuag Inbir.
- Small was the Banna, once on a time (if there were any that could remember): women and boys would overleap it, before the outburst of Loch Echach.
- Eocho, son of goodly Mairid, son of the shapely king of Cashel, on him in his strong country Eblend, his father's noble wife, cast her love.
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- Eblend, daughter of bright Guaire from the Brug of mighty Mac Ind Ócfrom her, by old tradition, Sliab Eblinde has its name.
- Eocho and
[...]
Eblend quitted Mairid's domain: they escaped from the soil of Cass's Caisel to the Brug of stern Mac Ind Óc.
- Not alone went the loving pair, but with flocks and herds: a thousand tall men, verses proclaim, loosed their horses blithely, by Boand.
- There met them a man glad of mien, who warned them off his lawful land, and slew all their cattle that nightsore the bane.
- They tarried in spite of his warning all evening till nightfall in their houses: he comes to them, he utters a call, he slew their horses all at once.
- Then he spoke a haughty word to Mairid's fierce son: Unless ye depart from me I will slay your folk as well.
- Great harms hast thou done us, O warrior! said Mairid's prudent son: we cannot carry our goodly chattels since we lost our bridle-horses.
- So Oengus gave them without treachery a horse, tallest of the horses of Erin, to escort them from broad Boand bearing their chattels, as far as they should go.
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- Oengus of the many exploits bade that the wondrous horse should not be unharnessed till he should lie down forwearied in a meadow-land unvisited.
- He bade them send back again the great horse of magic power, before he could shed his water in rude wise, lest sudden death should befall them.
- They come there on a pleasant Sunday in the month of mid-harvest: the horse lay down after his journey at the hour of Sunday vespers in Liathmuine.
- Each lays hold of his proper possession: they stripped the horse in a moment: but none of them turned the horse's head homeward'twas a senseless business.
- While the horse was halted there, harmlessly, it contrived to stray: the plaguey horse staled in spite of them so that it made a well deep in the ground.
- Eochu, praise of troops, comes up and builds a house round the spot: he fixed a lid, without offence, over the well, to stifle it.
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- Eochu departs to stern strife with red-stained Clann Rudraige: he divided with Muredach Menn the overkingship of the Ulaid of Erin.
- Eochu's chieftainship lasted thereafter nineteen years' space in Emain: he fared forth to the soldiery of Line, what time the prophecy was fulfilled for him.
- The well being in his house yonder, with a woman there, watching it, one day that the worthy woman left it open, up swelled the cold depths of Lindmuine.
- When the flooding fount had filled the brimming levels of Liathmuine, it drowned Eochu with his children all but the boy that was called Conaing.
- So from Conaing, glad of cheer, sprang that seemly line, noble Dal Sellea prosperous people, and Dal Buan, rich in blessings.
- A blessing on the worshipful Son of God who spread abroad the sea of Liathmuine: hence comes the bright mere, the lake of Mairid's son from Mumu.
- The outburst of Loch Neagh of the rapids, a hundred years after the true birth of God, gave force to the strong Bann to cross all lands as far as Tuag Inbir.
- Long live the chieftain Niallverses admire himwho has come to lovely Ailech! God send him strength from heaven, on the western shore of Tuag Inbir!
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