O Oscar! thou wilt never rise again!
O’er thee, my old heart, like an elk, is leaping!
Thou wilt return, thou wilt return no more!
’Twas rightly said, ‘I shall return no more!’”
These are some of the scenes of the great battle of Gabhra, the Temora of Macpherson, fought about the year 284 A.D.
Strong-minded ladies in these days clamour for women’s rights; but if men are wise they will, before conceding these, consider what use was made by women in the early days of Finian chivalry of the rights which they then enjoyed. In these Islands in ancient days the gentler sex appears to have possessed some extraordinary powers and to have exercised terrible privileges which were sometimes abused. If a lady put Geasan (obligation) on a knight or chief there was no escape from the execution of her wishes. He had to obey her, however unreasonable the request might be. Thus when the great Finn himself was in the earlier stages of his barbarian youth, before he became the celebrated General of the Féinn, and when he had no better raiment than the skins of the animals he slew for food, he came across one fine morning a grand assemblage of ladies resting on one bank of a great chasm, and a party of gentlemen on the other. One of the former, a proud Princess, insisted in her lover’s case that he should clear that chasm before she gave him her hand; but the poor fellow kept clapping his arms round his body till he could screw his courage to the springing point. Finn understood the conditions, and observed the unfortunate fellow’s predicament, and modestly asked if she would take himself for her wedded lord on his accomplishing the task. She replied that he looked a personable enough man, though marvellously ill clad, and that if he succeeded she would give him the privilege. Finn did succeed, but she laid Geasa on him that he should accomplish the same task every year. This was not the only one that laid Geasa on Finn. Another fair tyrant insisted on his leaping over a dallan as high as his chin, with a similar pillar-stone of the same dimensions borne upward on the palm of his hand. In after days [he acknowledged in] confidence to his father-in-law, that this was the most difficult feat he had ever performed, and few indeed would be disposed to doubt his assertion. On one occasion Finn nearly failed in one of these exploits; the cause of his failure was thought to be his meeting a red-haired woman on the road, and that it was a Friday morning. It is evident that these Gaelic princesses were a little too exacting, and that it would not do for every one to undertake satisfying their somewhat unreasonable demands. That the laying on of Geasa was attended at times with much discomfort and danger is illustrated in the history of the beautiful but unfortunate Diarmad MacDoon.
Diarmad appears to have possessed one fatal gift—the ball-seirce—that of kindling love in all the women he met. It is said that there was a spot of beauty on his forehead which captivated all the ladies that saw him. He was the nephew of the king; and full proud was Finn at times of the deeds of valour which his sister’s son had achieved. He was generally described as the young, the beautiful, the brown-haired Diarmad. He was as brave and gallant as he was handsome, and a universal favourite among the Féinn. But he was soon to come under the influence of the inexorable Geasa which decided “the woful fate of MacDoon.” At the wedding feast of Finn and Gràine, the daughter of King Cormac, the bride lays Geasa on Diarmad to carry her off; and though this was highly repugnant to his loyal feeling, and in direct contravention to his military oath, as well as against his personal interests, he was obliged to comply. With what result the well known ballad, called “The Lay of Diarmad,” describes. There are many versions of this ballad; the one translated here is that found in “The Book of the Dean of Lismore.” It is here entitled “Bàs Dhiarmaid;” or, “The Death of Diarmad. “A houdir so Allane M’Royree,” or “The Author of this is Allan M’Rorie,” is prefixed. MacRorie was probably a mere reciter. The ballad begins thus:—
Here is Glen-Shee of the elk and deer,
Where we hear the sweetest sounds!
Where oft on its strath the Féinn