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Updated: June 10, 2025
Setanta flung his trees into the rafters over the fire very deftly, so that they caught and remained there. He said they would season best in that place. As he turned to go a man stood before him in the vast and hollow chamber. "I know thee," said the boy. "What wouldst thou now?" Power will be given to thee. Go out boldly." "I am not wont to go out fearfully," answered the lad.
"Great labours are thrust upon me." He went into the supper hall as at other times and took his customary place there, and ate and drank. "Thy eyes are very bright," said Laeg. "They will be brighter ere the day," he replied. "That is an expert juggler," said Laeg. "How he tosseth the bright balls!" "Can he toss the stars so?" said Setanta. "Thou art strange and wild to-night," said Laeg.
She kissed him and he went forth as at other times to play upon the lawn by himself. The king sat upon a stone seat hard by the door of the grianan. Under the eaves he sat sunning himself and gazing upon the sea. The boy kneeled and kissed his hand. His father stroked his head and said, "Win victory and blessings, dear Setanta."
She bade her women go and fetch him, and afterwards the whole household. They called aloud, "Setanta, Setanta," but there was no answer, only silence and the watching and mocking trees and a sound like low laughter in the leaves; for Setanta was far away. The boy came out of that forest on the west side.
Thence too in the evening, ere he went to his small couch, Setanta would cry out "good-night" and "good slumber" to his friends in the hall, who laughed much amongst themselves for the secret of his immurement was not hid.
In the afternoon Concobar, having made as good a selection as he could of his chief men, set forth to go. As they passed through the lawn he saw Setanta playing with his comrades. He stopped for a while to look, and then called the lad, who came at once and stood erect and silent before the King. He was now full ten years of age, straight and well-made and with sinews as hard as tempered steel.
There was no more any anger anywhere, but a more unobstructed flow of mutual good-will and regard, for the Ultonians felt no more a secret inclination to laugh at the dusky artificers, and the smiths no longer regarded with disdain the beauty, bravery, and splendour of the Ultonians. In the meantime Setanta had returned to his place between the King and Fergus Mac Roy.
One night when the stars shone brightly, Setanta, as he passed by Cathvah's astrological tower, heard him declare to his students that whoever should be knighted by Concobar on a certain day would be famous to the world's end. He was in his coming out of the forest then with a bundle of young ash trees under his arm.
After a space they gave Setanta a draught of mighty ale, and his heart revived in him and the colour returned to his cheeks wherein before was the pallor of death, and he sat up again in his place, slender and fair, between Concobar and Fergus Mac Roy.
"I am Setanta, son of Sualtam and of Dectera thy own sister, and it is not before my uncle's palace that I should be dishonoured." Concobar smiled, for he was well pleased with the appearance and behaviour of the boy, but Fergus caught him up in his great arms and kissed him, and he said "Dost thou know me, O Setanta?" "I think thou art Fergus Mac Roy," he answered.
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