youths (100 according to the oldest version) who are desirous of
learning his art, though what this consisted in we are not told. The
Druids are represented as being able to foretell the future and to
perform magic. Before setting out on the great expedition against
Ulster, Medb, queen of Connaught, goes to consult her Druid, and just
before the famous heroine Derdriu (Deirdre) is born, Cathbu prophesies
what sort of a woman she will be. We may cite two instances of the
magical skill of the Druids. The hero Cuchulinn has returned from the
land of the fairies after having been enticed thither by a fairy-woman
named Fand, whom he is now unable to forget. He is given a potion by
some Druids, which banishes all memory of his recent adventures and
which also rids his wife Emer of the pangs of jealousy. More remarkable
still is the story of Etain. This lady, now the wife of Eochaid Airem,
high-king of Ireland, was in a former existence the beloved of the god
Mider, who again seeks her love and carries her off. The king has
recourse to his Druid Dal[=a]n, who requires a whole year to discover
the haunt of the couple. This he accomplished by means of four wands of
yew inscribed with ogam characters. The following description of the
band of Cathbu's Druids occurs in the epic tale, the _Cattle-spoiling of
Cualnge_ (Cooley): "The attendant raises his eyes towards heaven and
observes the clouds and answers the band around him. They all raise
their eyes towards heaven, observe the clouds, and hurl spells against
the elements, so that they arouse strife amongst them and clouds of fire
are driven towards the camp of the men of Ireland." We are further told
that at the court of Conchobar no one had the right to speak before the
Druids had spoken. In other texts the Druids are able to produce
insanity.

In the religious literature they are almost exclusively represented as
magicians and diviners opposing the Christian missionaries, though we
find two of them acting as tutors to the daughters of Laegaire, the
high-king, at the coming of St Patrick. They are represented as
endeavouring to prevent the progress of St Patrick and St Columba by
raising clouds and mist. Before the battle of Culdremne (561) a Druid
made an _airbe druad_ (fence of protection?) round one of the armies,
but what is precisely meant by the phrase is obscure. The Irish Druids
seem to have had a peculiar tonsure. The word _drui_ is always used to
render the Latin _ma