Page:Heroes of the dawn.djvu/226

 until at last he stood within a few paces of the silent Fians. For a moment or two he looked at them with a tender smile on his face, then he said:

"Did I not speak truly, O Fian-chief, when I said there was no man in Ireland but myself who could vanquish Cael? From my home in Rath Croghan I foresaw your need, and came hither to help you in your trouble; now my service is ended I must leave you again."

He shook the branch of bell-blossoms, and a sleepy music issued from it which caused the Fians' eyes to close. When they opened them again there was nothing unusual to be seen or heard, except a distant sound like the lingering echo of some wonderfully beautiful music; but Fionn and his warriors knew then that he who had been among them in the guise of the Carle was none other than Midir the Sun-Bright, the Ever-Living, one of the greatest chiefs of the Tuatha de Danann.