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Updated: May 12, 2025
Of the free clans, the most illustrious were those of whose Princes we have traced the record the descendants of Nial in Ulster and Meath, of Cathaeir More in Leinster, of Oliold in Munster, and of Eochaid in Connaught. An arbitrary division once limited the free clans to six in the southern half-kingdom, and six in the north; and the unfree also to six.
In the time of the great Caesar, Eochaid Airem was high king of Ireland; and he had for his queen Etain, reborn then as a mortal, but a Danaan princess at one time, and the wife of Miidir. It was a fine evening in the summer, and Eochaid Airem was looking from the walls of Tara and admiring the beauty of the world.
"But the queen is sleeping in her chamber now," said Eochaid; "and it is there the chessboard is." "Little matter," said Midir, "I have here a board as good as yours is." And that was the truth. His chessboard was of silver, glittering with precious stones at each corner. From a satchel wrought of shining metal he took his chessmen, which were of pure gold. Then he arranged them on the board.
"Play you," said he. "I will not play without a stake," said the king. "What will the stake be?" said Midir. "All one to me," said Eochaid. "If you win," said Midir, "I will give you fifty broad-chested horses with slim swift feet." "And if you win," said Eochaid Airem, sure of victory, "I will give you whatever you demand." Midir won that game, and demanded Etain the queen.
Of the free clans, the most illustrious were those of whose Princes we have traced the record the descendants of Nial in Ulster and Meath, of Cathaeir More in Leinster, of Oliold in Munster, and of Eochaid in Connaught. An arbitrary division once limited the free clans to six in the southern half-kingdom, and six in the north; and the unfree also to six.
But the rules of chess are that the vanquished may claim his revenge, a second game, that is, to decide the matter; and the high king proposed that it should be played at the end of a year. Midir agreed, and vanished. The year ended, and Eochaid was at Tara; he had had the palace surrounded by a great armed host against Midir; and Etain was there with him.
"What name is on you?" said Eochaid. "Nothing illustrious about it in the world," said the other. "I am Midir of Bregleith." "What has brought you hither?" "I am come to play at chess with you." "I have great skill at chess," said the high king; and indeed, he was the best at it in Ireland, in those days. "We shall see about that," said Midir.
But to return to the hall of Eochaid Airem: Every door in it was locked; and the whole place filled with the cream of the war-host of the Gael, and apprehension on everyone, they not knowing would it be war and violence with Midir, or what it would be. So it had been all day; so it was now in the dusk of the evening.
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