The Crucifixion Of The Outcast
the louder, we will crucify him.
began the history of their sorrows and their
window, and stood upon it, and began to
the air was getting chilly. And as soon as
am a man of great wit and learning, but
Brother Dove, Brother Little Wolf, Brother
name would wither. For learn there is no
he muttered; If it were hanging or bow-
the ridge of the earth. His eyes strayed
sea.
alone upon the roads and by the sea, be-
Then they bound Cumhal, and they
The crosses are all full, said the lay
While he spoke, he shivered from head
you to make blasphemous and immoral tales
that the lightning, when it smote Dathi
blessed St. Benign us, and by the sun and
beat the door with it, till the lay brother
who complains of the sods, of the bread,
orders all things concerning the lodging of
he said, all the tricks of Angus the
and showed him a blanket hanging from a
as his soul ? and is not the foot-water the
children, and the girls, and the robbers.
Little Wolf, Brother Bald Patrick, Brother
I carry food in my wallet whenever I go
unless I am well-nigh starved. I have
sleeping places were the four provinces of
more lovely than a bursting dawn to them
back and the torn pointed shoes upon my
to the poor, says he, and he cut a tenth
Brother, the bards and the glee men are
blanket, and make him swear by the
up the people, and immoral and im-
beg from any traveller or pilgrim who
nail, and a shelf with a loaf of bread and
again bade him take up his cross, for it
Stay, outcasts, yet a little while, the cruci-
By sun and moon, not l; I ask but to
And Cumhal the son of Cormac began
his crucifixion was to be on the top of the
pecking your eyes and the wolves eating
to and fro, and up and down, a lid puts
them, even to the drawing of live frogs out
he crossed himself, and when he had
might light the two sods and the wisp
blood of the Ernaans, and his birth-place
see him juggle for them: for he knew,
them to stop and hear him sing the story
foot, and trampled it level and hard. So
be bad enough. But to have the birds
friars were mad to hear him, but when he
him, and why he woke him out of sleep.
among you is the poorest ? And there-
sleepy to talk with comfort. And Cum-
36
Coarb then bade him cut off another and
he had looked upon many crosses. He
Brother James and Brother Peter sitting
upon a journey, but I do not taste of it
the girls spinning at the doors, and to the
craft. I have, indeed, many such tales and
Eri, and his abiding place was not upon
who has forgotten God ? and is not the
The lay brother found Brother Kevin,
railing against God and Christ and the
glee man to his cross, and set九九藏书 it upright in
Coarb: for to-morrow or the next day
bacon among the beggars, and they fought
the morning, lest this but make him curse
once more, and cried out at him, ~ O
in the morning, and bade him get ready to
bread as hard as the heart of a lay brother
anger upon the tub, but took up the black
of the stones of the wall, and set the glow-
with rhyme those demons, Finvaragh, Red
45
He listened for a little, and, says he,
The glee man took a loaf and some strips
moon, that no bond be lacking, not to tell
on the way he asked them to stop and
than it was alive with skipping fleas. At
You may eat, then, says the Coarb,
that night, for his teeth were chattering
then they went away, but the beggars stared
back, and hurried him to the hill.
house strewn with very dirty rushes; and
the Three Headlands ? and are not the
the province. My soul is decent and
The Coarb pulled his night-cap off and
trees were growing, and they made him
Bald Patrick, Brother Bald Brandon,
house. The Coarb and the friars led
from the Abbey tower of the White Friars
bald head looked like an island in the
poems in praise of those kings and queens
Dagda, and Dana the Mother, and all the
call Don of the Vats of the Sea; and
two unlighted sods and a wisp of straw,
mind, and therefore am I called the Swift,
Aodh, Cleena, Eiveen and Don? 1, too,
led him back to the guest-house, why do
their hearts, always longing after the Son
of life and joy ! O race that does not draw
brother took a glowing turf on a shovel,
and went back to his place by the door.
27
them upon the ground. I will give a tithe
make known to you that it is the head of
subtle than Angus, the Subtle-Hearted,
a bards curse upon you, O brother Coarb,
days end, he had left the brooks untasted,
44
i ll became them to listen to such follies.
had not yet abandoned the ancient ton sure
ment Ed gate, and then round by a left-
the monastery, our gracious Coarb, who
stringing, or stoning or beheading, it would
the robbers on the mountain of Gulben ?
on him, and said his tricks were dull and
towered city full of noble raiment *hich
him in it at the place which was afterwards
called Buckleys Ford.
Eiveen of the Grey Rock, and him they
he set the tub upside down under th~
that I speak true ! And why do you praise
make rhymes; I make many while I sit
sing in a very loud voice. The singing
was in my heart. And I have been the more
vision, and am content.
Another half-mile on the way, he asked
coloured doublet, and had pointed shoes,
verses well nigh by rote, and so I know
and blew a silver whistle until the lay
Brother Kevin, Brother 九*九*藏*书*网Dove, Brother
midst of a pond, for in Connaught they
will, for who can eat and sleep in peace
not empty, for the birds were fluttering
highway from his feet; but the water was
of the sea and as lively ? and is not the
I ask no more delays, for I have drawn
him the Swift, Wild Horse; and he was
his curses to the children in the street, and
The Coarb and the friars came to him
Hal, the son of Cormac, and many called
of Lir, and Angus, and Bridget, and the
for waking forgotten longings in their
casts, he moaned, have you also turned
while men like him are going about the
mother, and upon all your relations.
step a flock of great grass-barnacles passed
and the girls spinning at the doors, and
the soldier of Dathi, who brought the
in a jug, clean foot-water, and a new
and the moon would avail at all, said the
flung it from him straight way, for the
Brother, I would sleep, and therefore I
his face, and he knew not why, for
ùIq E
Wild Horse. And he spoke no more
lower and lower. And presently the birds
river that he may cease to sing. And in
merrows deep at the roots of the deep
but who could help such a one as you ?
shorter piece of wood, and nail it upon
to stand it in, while the beggars gathered
the thought of washing the dust of the
nothing, for the sods and the straw were
he gave the jug a kick, so that it broke
the Shelly ~iver when the floods have filled
of straw; but his blowing profited him
back a sheeps wool grew. And the young
endured many sorrows, and how the sons
We will grant you no more delays, says
Still he did not give way to his wrath, for
Subtle-Hearted. The old friars were for
Cumhal emptied the tub and began to
dragged him to the river, and they dipped
I ever glo.rify our gracious Coarb, and
of the Druids had withered in his cradle
Coarb. What is happening ?
a place in the guest-house. Then the lay
world ? Ill should we stand before blessed
the first. So there was his cross for him;
some distance, where many straight young
So he flung the bread and the strips of
crumpled it in his hands, and the circular
house. And while he still stood upon the
with many cries until the last scrap was
on, sitting round the cross. But when the
lay brother saw that the lock was fast, and
might have spent the night in the guest-
of the Shelly River. Many called him Cum-
when he comes to judge us at the Last
hill where the others were. A half-mile
that melts the bones of the people with
length, while the beggars stood round them
Peter. And they shall take the man, and
the glee man to a place in the woods at
crosses which stood out against the sky
doublet of 九_九_藏_书_网particoloured cloth upon my
at the foot of the mountain, had smitten
not eaten now these two days.
been charred in the Undying Fires ? The
wink of sleep with that noise, said the
You may sleep, said Cumhal, ~ I will
43
and the wolves began to eat his feet. Out-
a glee man, and he wore a short parti-
and verses ? For such is the way of your
an evil race, ever cursing and ever stirring
you ever use the wit which God has given
He was very hungry, for he had not eaten
with the cold.
steadfastness of purpose upon the roads,
Day, were we to spare an enemy of his
face, half ran, half walked, along the road
your feet ! I would that the red wind
this, beside himself with anger, he rushed
as not, just such another vagabond as
Would you then confess ?
that wound from the south to the Town
be crucified, and led him out of the guest-
cut one down and fashion it to the right
able sea ! At the gate a crowd of beggars
it at the crosses. He knew they were
part from the loaf and the bacon. Who
town, and he clenched his fist, and shook
cause I heard in my heart the rustling of
bind him with ropes, and dip him in the
himself was hanged on one of them; and
false gods of the old days; always making
secutors of the bard and the glee man, haters
feet have ever irked me, because of the
and of the blanket. And now he is singing
Ioaf, and bit into it, and then spat out the
of the water in the jug, of the foot-water,
upon was a great clam our, for the beggars
hearts. So they set the cross upon his
ears, to shut out the noise, and closed
sleep.
but only under roofs, and between four
the cross from him, and began to dig a hole
carne to the door, and asked what ailed
and led the way to a big and naked out-
the mood to curse would come upon him,
sing a bards curse on the Coarb. And
him jest for them, for he knew, he said, all
cowardice and with deceit !
not the sods as wet as the sands of
ask a favour before I die, says Cum Hal.
5 1
from me. But the beggars were angry
Or else he would tell another of his craft
6e let eat the food I carry in my wallet.
bite, for the bread was hard and mouldy.
and more full of the beauty of laughter than
Then we must make another cross. If
orderly, but yours is like the wind among
curse.
down the blanket to wrap it about him for
St. Benign us, and sour would be his face
to make his supper the more delightful.
was studded with great nails, and whenhe knocked at it, he roused the lay brother
the rose-bordered dress of her who is more
many things into my mind and out of my
the salley gardens. I said what I could for
him, and he would teach his lines to the
lighted all at once upon his head and arms
give him dry sods, a fresh loaf, clean water
Bald Brandon, Brother James and Brother
grass-barnacles, tarry a little, and may hap
two assonances in every line of his
eaten. But meanwhile the friars nailed the
Gleeman, said the lay brother, as they
against the opposite wall, and he took
to blow upon the glowing turf, that he
of Usna died to serve her. And the young
and he turned to help the friars dig the
and drew the tub out of the corner with
of the demons, Finvaragh of the Hill in
Neither our blessed Patron nor the sun
the sword and tell the truth ! O race
outcries, had locked it on the outside; so
tree of death out of barbarous lands, or
round, and talked among themselves. ~ I
way, and he asked them to stop and hear
The Crucifixion Of The Outcast
hear the bards railing upon the friars.
Conan the Bald, and more full of the wisdom
and the birds wheeled closer and closer.
passed over two hills and under the battle-
and a bulging wallet. Also he was of the
What ails me ! shouted Cumhal, are
damp. So he took off his pointed shoes,
about them; and he thought how, as like
water was bitter and ill-smelling. Then
fleas in the blanket as many as the waves
and they put it upon his shoulder, for
to foot, and the sweat came out upon
upon a hill a little to the eastward of the
the Coarb.
moderate in all things, and heathen in
so dirty that he could not see the bottom
brother, being well accustomed to such
blessed Saints. While he was speaking
finished he drew the nightcap over his
shoulders again. Another half-mile on the
Hal went on beating at the door, and
of his ears. But after a while they turned
My soul, friend, answered the glee man,
brother came to him. I cannot get a
brown patch of hair in the middle of his
presently he heard the lay brothers foot
A MAN, with thin brown hair and a pale
had ended, they grew angry, and beat him
we do not make an end of him another
I am done with all things, I give it unto you.
up in bed, and he made them get up.
the night. But no sooner did he touch it
ing turf upon the hearth and gave him
a shade unholy, and set the cross on his
see him: so he did many wonders for
friars, when they had heard his merry tales,
and the town battlements to a row of
47
him also, or that his grave had been dug
who was the porter, and of him he asked
to the door of the guest-house, but the lay
46
Is he cursing in rhyme ?
my soul will travel with you to the waste
in a ring, talking and gesticulating. The
travel led the bare road, and by the glitter-ing footsteps of the sea; and the tattered
his rhym九_九_藏_书_网es to the children in the street,
colour that shall be upon him when he has
because he had called them outcasts, so
that are lost in the darkness. Therefore, I l
gars, and keep the beasts and the birds
it with water from the bogs.
had been showing themselves on the edge
for the style then coming into use. If we
went their w;~y. Then the wolves gathered
travellers.
you, being also a man of many thoughts,
the jests of Conan the Bald, upon whose
awoke the Coarb, so that he sat up in bed
and shoulders, and began to peck at him,
the sword, and told the truth, and lived my
gathered about them, being come there to
in my niche by the door, and I sorrow to
he had not drunken these many hours;
of White-Breasted Deirdre, and how she
was the ~ield of Gold; but his eating and
pressing on, but the young friars would
When he was come to the top, they took
the Shee, and Cleena of the Wave, and
went back to his niche, for he was too
Benignus our Patron, and the princes of
of tears than White-Breasted Deirdre, and
hole.
or a pride in those rhymes would move
cowardly and tyrannous race of friars, per-
brother.
the Plain, and Red Aodh of the Hill of
lifted his arms to them and said, ~ O great
a jug of water, and a tub in a far
Shall I go then, said the other, and
water in the jug as bitter and as ill-smelling
is indeed like the wind, and it blows me
how he fared in the guest-house, and he
by the green-haired and green-toothed
high above him with clanking cries. He
of a neighbouring coppice, came nearer,
award the tithe to myself; but yet, because
and upon your father and your mother,
I am myself the poorest, for I have
they threw stones and mud at him, and
they had gone a little way, the wolves, who
places of the shore and to the ungovern- 1
of cold fried bacon out of his wallet and laid
Gleeman, said the lay brother, I also
and your grandfather and your grand-
against the outcast ?
robbers on the mountain of Gulben.
when we had him under our thumb !
having a hope of heath beer or wine at his
at the foot of the cross, and the birds flew
It is a glee man, said the lay brother,
Now he put the jug to his lips, but he
t lighted a rush-candle fixed between two
do not somewhat, he said, he will teach
poverty, and their yellow faces swayed like
his eyes, and composed himself to
He is cursing in rhyme, and with
corner. Then the lay brother left him
in his turn would begin. to curse, and my
walls. Therefore I bid you go and awaken
sun was sinking, they also got up to go, for
all that day; so he did not waste much
fied one called in a weak voice to the beg-
the hole, and shovel led the earth in at the