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But they could not hear more, for they must hasten to fly from the pleasant shores of Erin to the sea-stream of Moyle, which was their doom. And as they flew, Finola sang, and faint floated her voice over the kneeling host. As the sad song grew fainter and more faint, the Dedannans wept aloud.
Then, as the snow-white birds faded from sight, the sorrowful company turned the heads of their white steeds from the shore, and rode southward to the home of Lir. And when it was told there of the sufferings of Finola and her brothers, great was the sorrow of the Dedannans.
Then great cries of sorrow went up from the Dedannans, and again Lir sobbed aloud. But at the last silence fell upon his grief, and Finola told how she and her brothers would keep for ever their own sweet Gaelic speech, how they would sing songs so haunting that their music would bring peace to the souls of all who heard.
For jealousy filled the heart of Lir. Then were the Dedannans wroth, and a hundred swords were unsheathed and flashed in the sunlight on the plain. 'We go to slay Lir who doeth not homage to our King and regardeth not the choice of the people. But wise and generous was Bove Derg, and he bade the warriors do no hurt to the offended Prince.
Scarce could the Dedannans speak for the sorrow they had for Finola and her brothers, but they told how Lir and Bove Derg were alive and well, and were even now celebrating the Feast of Age at the house of Lir. 'But for their longing for you, your father and friends would be happy indeed. Glad then and of great comfort were the hearts of Finola and her brothers.
But through the ages has the tale of the wondrous beauty of Deirdre been sung, and yet shall it be told again, for when shall the world tire of the sorrowfullest of 'The Three Sorrows of Story-telling, the Fate of the Sons of Usna and of Deirdre the Star-eyed? In the days of long ago there lived in the Green Isle of Erin a race of brave men and fair women the race of the Dedannans.
And by day Finola and her brothers knew not loneliness, for in the sweet Gaelic speech they told of their joys and fears; and by night the mighty Dedannans knew no sorrowful memories, for by haunting songs were they lulled to sleep, and the music brought peace to their souls. Slowly did the years go by, and upon the shoulders of Bove Derg and Lir fell the long white hair.
The king also told Sheela the Scribe, secretly, that one of his knights had found a money-piece and a breviary in the forest of Rosnaree; and the silver was unlike any ever used in the country of the Dedannans, and the breviary could belong only to a pious Gael known as Loskenn of the Bare Knees.
North, south, east, and west did this noble people dwell, doing homage to many chiefs. But one blue morning after a great battle the Dedannans met on a wide plain to choose a King. 'Let us, they said, 'have one King over all. Let us no longer have many rulers. Forth from among the Princes rose five well fitted to wield a sceptre and to wear a crown, yet most royal stood Bove Derg and Lir.
Now all went happily with the Fair Strangers until the crimson berries were ripening on the quicken-tree near the Fairy Palace. For the berries possessed secret virtues known only to a man of the Dedannans, and learned from him by Sheela the Scribe, who put him under gesa not to reveal the charm to any one else.
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