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reached the Sruih na Male, or the Sea of Moyle, as those waters were called which flowed between Ireland and Scotland. Their departure occasioned deep sorrow to all who witnessed it, and they had a law proclaimed throughout the kingdom, that any one, from the king to the peasant, who should kill a swan, let his power be as great as it might, should meet with certain death. In the mean time, the children of Lir found that they had made an unhappy change of place. When they saw the broad wild ocean around them, they grew cold and hungry, and began to fall into despair, thinking that all they ever suffered was nothing until they were sent to these sens. They remained on the waters until one night it began to freeze very hard.

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My loving brothers," said Fingula, "we make very unwise provision against the coming night if we do not keep close together; and lest by any mischance we should lose sight of each other, let us appoint a place where we may meet again as soon as it may be in our power."

"In that case, dear sister," said the three brothers, "let us meet at the Carrig na Roin (or the Rock of the Seals), for that is a place with which we are all nequainted."

They continued thus until about the middle of the night. The wind then increased to a storm, the waters arose, and the mountains of brine as they rolled and broke around them sparkled in the gloom as if they had taken fire. So great was the tempest that the children of Lir were separated by the waves. All were scattered far and wide, nor could one tell whither any of the three others had been driven. At length it abated

a little of its violence, the deep became more settled, and Fingula found herself alone. Not being able to see her brethren anywhere around, she felt the deepest anxiety of mind, and at length broke forth into the following words:

:

Heart-broken o'er these seas I glide,

My frozen wings together clinging:
No more along the stormy tide

I hear my brethren singing.

Three lingering ages, marked by woes,

Since first we left Lone Dairvreac's water

Break, break, my heart, and give repose
To Lir's unhappy daughter.

Beloved alike, O loved so well,

That made your sister's breast your pillow,

Tell me, my wandering brethren, tell,
Where roam you o'er the billow?

Hid by what rocks or secret caves,

That wont beneath my wings to slumber,
I fear the dead will leave their graves,
Ere time restore our number.

Tossed by the surge and sleety storm
At random o'er this briny water;
Woe, woe to all who share the form

Of Lir's unhappy daughter.

Fingula remained that night on the Rock of the Seals. At sunrise the next morning, looking out in every direction along the water, she saw Cornu coming towards

For past delights are all our store,
Though fostered once in regal splendor.
Rise, sister of three brethren dear,

Let custom dull the edge of anguish,

In hollow rock or cavern drear,

By doom unrighteous, bound to languish.

Leaving the Rock of the Seals, they alighted again on the waters of Moyle, where the sharp brine pierced them keenly, although they strove to keep their feet under their wings as closely as they could. They continued to suffer thus, until their feathers grew, and the wounds of their feet were healed. They used frequently to go as near the shore as they could, on that part of the Irish coast which looks towards Scotland, and every night they came together to Moyle, which was their constant place of rest. One day as they drew nigh the shore of Bama, to the north, they saw a number of chariots and horsemen, splendidly arrayed, with horses richly caparisoned, approaching from the west.

"Do you observe that brilliant company, you sons of Lir?" said Fingula.

"We know not who they are," replied her brethren, "but they seem to be Irish; whether of the Sons of Mile, or the Tuatha Danaans, it is impossible for us to conjecture."

They drew close to the shore, in order to observe more accurately. When the horsemen saw them coming, they hastened towards them, until they came within speaking distance. The persons of note who were amongst them were Aodh Aithiosatch, or Merry Hugh, and Feargus Fithcall (of the Complete Armor), the two sons of Bogh

Dearg the Monarch, and the third part of his body. guard. The children of Lir inquired how the Tuatha Danaans were, and especially Lir and Bogh Dearg, with their friends and dependants.

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They are all well in their respective homes," replied the horsemen. “At present, it is true, they are in your father's palace, partaking of a splendid banquet, in health and joy, knowing no other want than that of your absence, and their ignorance of your place of abode, since you left the Lake of the Speckled Oak.”

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Evil has been our life since then," said Fingula, "for neither we nor any other creature, that we have heard of, ever suffered so much as we have done, since we came to the waters of Moyle"; and she uttered the following words:

We four are well,

Though in keen want and sombre grief we dwell.
Happy are they

Who sit in Lir's bright hall, and share his banquet gay.
Rich food and wine

For them in sparkling gold and silver shine;

While far away

His children shiver in the hungry spray!

We, who of yore

On dainties fared, and silken garments wore,
Now all our fare,

Cold sand, and bitter brine, for wax and honey rare ;
Our softest bed,

The crag that o'er those surges lifts its head;

Oft have we laid

Our limbs on beds of tenderest down arrayed.

Now must we lie,

On Moyle's rough wave, with plamage seldom dry;
A pageant rare

Oft bore us to our grandsire's palace fair.
Ah, mournful change!

Now with faint wings these dreary shores I range.
O'er Moyle's dark tide,

Plume touching plume, we wander side by side;
Sharing no more

The joys that cheered our happy hearts of yore;
The welcome mild,

That on our grandsire's kingly features smiled;
Lir's counsel meet,

And fond paternal kiss, that made the morning sweet.

The horsemen returned soon after to the house of Lir, and told the principal men of the Tuatha Danaans where they had seen the birds, and the dialogue they had held together.

We cannot assist them," they replied, "but we are well pleased to hear that they live, for they will be restored to their former shape, after a long time has clapsed."

The children of Lir, meantime, returned northwards to the Sea of Moyle, where they remained until their time in that place had expired. Then Fingula spoke to her brothers, and said:

"It is time for us to depart from hence, for the period appointed for us to remain here is at an end"; and she added these verses:

At length we leave this cheerless shore,

Unblest by summer's sunshine splendid;

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