Page:Celtic Stories by Edward Thomas.djvu/22



Cohoolin was a youth he went to Scotland to learn tricks of fighting from Scathach, one of the wild queens of that country. He was with her for a long time, and used to fight in her battles. Her most powerful enemy was another queen, named Eefa, and Cohoolin first slew Eefa's chief warriors, then overcame the Queen herself at single combat. This he did by a trick. Before going into battle he had asked Queen Scathach what it was Eefa most loved, and she told him: 'Her two horses, her chariot and her charioteer.' So when Eefa had broken Cohoolin's sword in the fight he called out suddenly, 'Look, look, Eefa's chariot has fallen over the precipice!' At this Eefa looked round towards where Cohoolin was looking, and instantly he seized her, and had her in his power. Having conquered this queen, he did not return at once to Scathach's country, but stayed with Eefa and made her his bride. When at last he was about to leave her, he said that if the child born to her were a boy, he should bear the name Conla. He left a ring for the expected boy, and as soon as it would fit his finger he was to come to Erin; but he was to tell no one his name and history; and he was never to refuse a challenge to battle.

The child was born and, as Cohoolin had hoped, it was a boy, and he was called Conla. He grew up worthy of such a father and such a mother, tall and beautiful and strong, and he knew not fear.