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Updated: June 12, 2025
'Yonder is the voice of a man of Erin, said Nathos, as they paused in their game. Again a loud cry, and the sons of Usna were called by name. 'Yea, most truly is that the cry of a man of Erin. But Deirdre said, 'Nay, thou dreamest, Nathos. Let us play on. Then nearer and clearer came a third cry, and there was none but knew that it was indeed the voice of a man of Erin.
Then, too, on the two roads to the east of the Ancre River, the troops for the battle moved up to the line. The battalions were played by their bands through Albert, and up the slope of Usna Hill to Pozières and beyond, or past Fricourt and the wreck of Mametz to Montauban and the bloody woodland near it. Those roads then were indeed paths of glory leading to the grave.
Thence ofttimes in the young summer would they sail southwards. No bluer blue, no greener green, had it been given mortal eye to behold. And throughout the land of Alba was it told of the fame of the sons of Usna, and no poet or bard had a song so fair as that which sang of the wondrous beauty of Deirdre.
'Go forth, said Concobar, when he saw the gladness of the people, 'go hence to Alba and come not again until ye bring with you the three sons of Usna. Then spake one among them, 'Right gladly we go, but who can bring to thee Nathos, if it be not his will? 'He who loves me most, answered the King, 'he it is that will fail not to bring with him the exiled heroes.
Light beyond the sun was shed through the glen before her. Through his lattice of trailing ivy the son of Usna saw her. Her countenance was purer and clearer than morning-dew upon the rose or the lily, and the rose and lily, nay, the whiteness of the snow of one night and the redness of the reddest rose, were there.
And this prince made answer, 'If by thy command I saw the sons of Usna lie dead before me, then woe be upon thee, for with mine own hand should I take thy life. Then spake the King likewise to Fergus, and Fergus answered, 'Let what may befall the sons of Usna, never shall my hand be lifted against the King. 'To thee, good Fergus, do I intrust this thing.
Then went he forward and told his waiting huntsmen to return by a long and winding path to the castle of the sons of Usna. Three days would it thus take them to reach it, and Nathos with Deirdre would be there on the morrow, if, tarrying not, they walked on through the dark night. But Concobar's messengers would follow the hounds, thinking so to capture Nathos.
The chess-board was of ivory, the chessmen were of wrought gold, and they had belonged to Concobar, for on the day before the sons of Usna fled from Alba, the King had been hunting by their castle, and there had he left the board and men. As Nathos and Deirdre played, of a sudden was a cry heard from adown the shore.
Well knew those wise men that what they long apprehended had come now to pass, namely, the fierce and truceless antagonism of the King and of the ex-King. Well they knew that Concobar would not forgive the Clan Usna, and that Fergus Mac Roy would not permit them to be punished.
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.
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