nen loved Decca, and great was his grief when he heard
that she had fled. And he commanded messengers to go after her, saying
he would send for the white swans if she would but come back. Therefore
Decca returned to the palace, and Largnen sent to Kemoc to beg of him
the four white swans. But the messenger returned without the birds.

Then was Largnen wroth, and set out himself for the cell of Kemoc. But
he found the saint in the little church, and before the altar were the
four white swans.

"Is it truly told me that you refused these birds to Queen Decca?" asked
the King.

"It is truly told," replied Kemoc.

Then Largnen was more wroth than before, and seizing the silver chain of
Finola and Aed in the one hand, and the chain of Fiacra and Conn in the
other, he dragged the birds from the altar and down the aisle, and it
seemed as though he would leave the church. And in great fear did the
saint follow.

But lo! as they reached the door, the snow-white feathers of the four
swans fell to the ground, and the children of Lir were delivered from
their doom. For was not Decca the bride of Largnen, and the good saint
had he not come, and the chime of the Christ-bell was it not heard in
the land?

But aged and feeble were the children of Lir. Wrinkled were their once
fair faces, and bent their little white bodies.

At the sight Largnen, affrighted, fled from the church, and the good
Kemoc cried aloud, "Woe to thee, O King!"

Then did the children of Lir turn toward the saint, and thus Finola
spake: "Baptize us now, we pray thee, for death is nigh. Heavy with
sorrow are our hearts that we must part from thee, thou holy one, and
that in loneliness must thy days on earth be spent. But such is the will
of the high God. Here let our graves be digged, and here bury our four
bodies, Conn standing at my right side, Fiacra at my left, and Aed
before my face, for thus did I shelter my dear brothers for thrice three
hundred years 'neath wing and breast."

Then did the good Kemoc baptize the children of Lir, and thereafter the
saint looked up, and lo! he saw a vision of four lovely children with
silvery wings, and faces radiant as the sun; and as he gazed they
floated ever upward, until they were lost in a mist of blue. Then was
the good Kemoc glad, for he knew that they had gone to heaven.

But, when he looked downward, four worn bodies lay at the church door,
and Kemoc wept sore.

And the saint ordered a wide grave to be d