Page:The Mythology of the Aryan Nations.djvu/423

Rh CHAP. This is, practically, the Gaelic story of Conall Gulban, which may be fairly regarded as embodying a whole cycle of mythical tradition. The materials of which it is made up carry us to a vast number of of ConaU legends in Aryan mythology; but the main story is that of Herakles, Achilleus, and Helen. Conall himself is the solar hero, despised at first for his homely appearance and seeming weakness, but triumphant in the end over all his enemies. Nay, as he becomes an idiot in the Lay of the Great Fool, so here he is emphatically Analkis, the coward. But he is resolved nevertheless to make the daughter of the King of Laidheann his wife, although, like Brynhild and Briar Rose and Surya Bai, she is guarded within barriers which the knight who would win her must pass, at the cost of his life if he fails. The fortress had a great wall, with iron spikes within a foot of each other, and a man's head upon every spike but the one spike which had been left for his own, although it was never to be graced by it. It is the hedge of spears of the modern Hindu legends, the fiery circle which Sigurd must enter to waken the maiden who sleeps within it. As he draws nigh to the barrier, one of the soldiers says, "I perceive that thou art a beggar who was in the land of Eirinn ; what WTath would the king of Laidheann have if he should come and find his daughter shamed by any one coward of Eirinn ? " At a window in this fastness stands the Breast of Light, the Helen of the tale. " Conall stood a little while gazing at her, but at last he put his palm on the point of his spear, he gave his rounded spring, and he was in at the window beside the Breast of Light," a name which recalls the Europe, Euryganeia, and Eurj'phassa of Hellenic myths. The maiden bids him not make an attempt which must end in his death, but he leaps over the heads of the guards. " Was not that the hero and the worthy wooer, that his like is not to be found to-day ? " Yet she is not altogether pleased that it is " the coward of the great world " that has taken her away ; but Conall is preparing to take a vengeance like that of Odysseus, and all the guards and warriors are slain. The insult is wiped out in blood ; but with marvellous fidelity to the old mythical phrases, Conall is made to tell the Breast of Light " that he had a failing, every time that he did any deed of valour he must sleep before he could do brave deeds again." The sun must sleep through the night before he can again do battle with his foes. The sequel is as in the Lay of the Great Fool. Paris comes while Menelaos slumbers, or heeds him not, or is absent. He has a mirror in his ship which will rise up for none but the daughter of the king of Laidheann,

which may be exhibited in the following Auge : Teuthras : : Helena : Paris, equation : — Tegea : Mysia : : Sparta : Ilion.