vited him to
accompany her to her own realm and share her throne. Oisin was not long
in making up his mind, and all the delights of Tir na n'Og were laid at
his feet. In one part of the palace garden, however, was a broad flat
stone, on which he was forbidden to stand, under penalty of the heaviest
misfortune. Probably, as is usual in these cases, if he had not been
forbidden, he would never have thought of standing on it. But one day
finding himself near it, the temptation to transgress was irresistible.
He yielded, and stepping on the stone he found himself in full view of
his native land, the very existence of which he had forgotten till that
moment. Even in the short space of time since he left it much had
changed: it was suffering from oppression and violence. Overcome with
grief, he hastened to the queen and prayed for leave to go back, that he
might help his people. The queen tried to dissuade him, but in vain. She
asked him how long he supposed he had been absent. Oisin told her:
"Thrice seven days." She replied that three times thrice seven years had
passed since he arrived in Tir na n'Og; and though Time could not enter
that land, it would immediately assert its dominion over him if he left
it. At length she persuaded him to promise that he would return to his
country for one day only, and then come back to dwell with her for ever.
She accordingly gave him a beautiful jet-black horse, from whose back he
was on no account to alight, or at all events not to allow the bridle to
fall from his hand; and in parting she gifted him with wisdom and
knowledge far surpassing that of men. Mounting the steed, he soon found
himself near his former home; and as he journeyed he met a man driving a
horse, across whose back was thrown a sack of corn. The sack had fallen
a little aside; and the man asked Oisin to assist him in balancing it
properly. Oisin, good-naturedly stooping, caught it and gave it such a
heave that it fell over on the other side. Annoyed at his ill-success,
he forgot his bride's commands, and sprang from the horse to lift the
sack from the ground, letting go the bridle at the same time. Forthwith
the steed vanished; and Oisin instantly became a blind, feeble, helpless
old man--everything lost but the wisdom and knowledge bestowed upon him
by his immortal bride.[148]

A variant adds some particulars, from which it appears that Oisin was
not only husband of the queen, but also rightful monarch of Tir na n'Og.