Page:Celtic Stories by Edward Thomas.djvu/60

 When he had greeted the brothers—but not Deirdre, for she stood apart—Fergus delivered the message of Conachoor:

'He desires to have back again the noblest of the heroes of the Red Branch. He offers you peace and a full welcome.'

The sons of Usna were glad, but Deirdre spoke to Fergus, saying:

'Naisi in Alba is king over a broader land than Conachoor's.'

'But', said Fergus softly, 'Erin is the home of his hero days. It has need of his prowess, and he has need of it to spend his powers against worthy foes.'

Fergus gave his word that he would be on Naisi's side if all Ireland were against him, and without looking at Deirdre Naisi promised to go, and all were glad saving her. From the ship's deck she looked back at Alba and spoke her thoughts:

'My love to thee, land of the east! I am sad to leave thy bright hills, thy rich plains, and the harbours of thy coast. O, we need not have left thee. Lovely and marvellous,' she said, 'is the land of Alba, and I would not have left it except with Naisi. The time now seems short that I spent in Alba with Naisi. Many days there we ate fish and venison and badger's fat, and slept solitary in the tall grass under its precipices or on the calm waters. There we made our first house together in Glen Etive where the sun dwelt as a cow in its fold. The singing of the cuckoos on the branches was sweet in Alba. There Naisi was gladder than any man. The very white sand under the waters of Alba was dear to me, and I would not have left that country except with my beloved.'