the lapse of ages has
thrown an obscuring halo of romance round her belligerent
qualifications, and metamorphosed her into the gentle "Faery Queen" of
the poet Spenser. One of Meav's exploits is recorded in the famous Tain
bo Chuailgne, which is to Celtic history what the Argonautic Expedition,
or the Seven against Thebes, is to Grecian. Meav was married first to
Conor, the celebrated provincial king of Ulster; but the marriage was
not a happy one, and was dissolved, in modern parlance, on the ground of
incompatibility. In the meanwhile, Meav's three brothers had rebelled
against their father; and though his arms were victorious, the victory
did not secure peace. The men of Connacht revolted against him, and to
retain their allegiance he made his daughter Queen of Connacht, and gave
her in marriage to Ailill, a powerful chief of that province. This
prince, however, died soon after; and Meav, determined for once, at
least, to choose a husband for herself, made a royal progress to
Leinster, where Ross Ruadb held his court at Naas. She selected the
younger son of this monarch, who bore the same name as her former
husband, and they lived together happily as queen and king consort for
many years. On one occasion, however, a dispute arose about their
respective treasures, and this dispute led to a comparison of their
property. The account of this, and the subsequent comparison, is given
at length in the _Tain_, and is a valuable repertory of archaeological
information. They counted their vessels, metal and wooden; they counted
their finger rings, their clasps, their thumb rings, their diadems, and
their gorgets of gold. They examined their many-coloured garments of
crimson and blue, of black and green, yellow and mottled, white and
streaked. All were equal. They then inspected their flocks and herds,
swine from the forests, sheep from the pasture lands, and cows--here the
first difference arose. It was one to excite Meav's haughty temper.
There was a young bull found among Ailill's bovine wealth: it had been
calved by one of Meav's cows; but "not deeming it honorable to be under
a woman's control," it had attached itself to Ailill's herds. Meav was
not a lady who could remain quiet under such provocation. She summoned
her chief courier, and asked him could he a match for Finnbheannach (the
white-horned). The courier declared that he could find even a superior
animal; and at once set forth on his mission, suitably attended. Meav