s a
sorrowful tale to me to hear you mention it, lest thou mayest not come
again in your life to my own land, O victorious Oisin!"

"What do we dread, O blooming Queen? Whilst the white steed is at my
service he will teach me the way with ease, and will return safe back to
thyself."

"Remember, O Oisin! what I am saying. If thou layest foot on level
ground thou shalt not come again for ever to this fine land in which I
am myself. I say to thee again without guile, if thou alightest once off
the white steed thou wilt never more come to the 'Land of Youth,' O
golden Oisin of the warlike arms! I say to thee for the third time, if
thou alightest off the steed thyself thou wilt be an old man, withered
and blind, without activity, without pleasure, without run, without
leap. 'Tis a woe to me, O loving Oisin, that thou ever goest to green
Erin; 'tis not now as it has been; and thou never shalt see Fionn of the
hosts. There is not now in all Erin but a father of orders and hosts of
saints. O loving Oisin, here is my kiss; thou wilt never return to the
'Land of Youth'!"

I looked up into her countenance with compassion, and streams of tears
ran from my eyes. O Patrick! thou wouldst have pitied her tearing the
hair off the golden head. She put me under strict injunctions to go and
come without touching the lea, and said to me, by virtue of their power,
if I broke them that I'd never return safe. I promised her each thing,
without a lie, that I would fulfil what she said to me. I went on the
back of the white steed and bade farewell to the people of the fortress.
I kissed my gentle consort, and sorrowful was I in parting from her; my
two sons and my young daughter were under grief, shedding tears. I
prepared myself for travelling, and I turned my back on the "Land of
Youth." The steed ran swiftly under me, as he had done with me and
"Golden-headed Niamh."

On my coming, then, into the country, I looked closely in every
direction. I thought then, in truth, that the tidings of Fionn were not
to be found. 'Twas not long for me, nor tedious, till I saw from the
west approaching me a great troop of mounted men and women, and they
came into my presence. They saluted me kindly and courteously, and
surprise seized every one of them on seeing the bulk of my own person,
my form, my appearance, and my countenance. I myself asked then of them,
did they hear if Fionn was alive, or did anyone else of the Fianna live,
or what disaster had s