ction!" says Lomna Druth, "even
because of that one man, Cormac Condlongas, son of Conchobar." "I swear
what my tribe swears," says Lomna son of Donn Desa, "if I could fulfil
my counsel, the Destruction would not be attempted were it only because
of that one man, and because of the hero's beauty and goodness!"

"It is not feasible to prevent it," says Ingcel: "clouds of weakness
come to you. A keen ordeal which will endanger two cheeks of a goat will
be opposed by the oath of Fer rogain, who will run. Thy voice, O Lomna,"
says Ingcel, "hath taken breaking upon thee: thou art a worthless
warrior, and I know thee. Clouds of weakness come to you...."

Neither old men nor historians shall declare that I quitted the
Destruction, until I shall wreak it."

"Reproach not our honour, O Ingcel," say Ger and Gabur and Fer rogain.
"The Destruction shall be wrought unless the earth break under it, until
all of us are slain thereby."

"Truly, then, thou hast reason, O Ingcel," says Lomna Druth son of Donn
Desa. "Not to thee is the loss caused by the Destruction. Thou wilt
carry off the head of the king of a foreign country, with thy slaughter
of another; and thou and thy brothers will escape from the Destruction,
even Ingcel and Ecell and the Yearling of the Rapine."

"Harder, however, it is for me," says Lomna Druth: "woe is me before
every one! woe is me after every one! 'Tis my head that will be first
tossed about there to-night after an hour among the chariot-shafts,
where devilish foes will meet. It will be flung into the Hostel thrice,
and thrice will it be flung forth. Woe to him that comes! woe to him
with whom one goes! woe to him to whom one goes! wretches are they that
go! wretches are they to whom they go!"

"There is nothing that will come to me," says Ingcel, "in place of my
mother and my father and my seven brothers, and the king of my district,
whom ye destroyed with me. There is nothing that I shall not endure
henceforward."

"Though a ... should go through them," say Ger and Gabur and Fer rogain,
"the Destruction will be wrought by thee to-night."

"Woe to him who shall put them under the hands of foes!" says Lomna.
"And whom sawest thou afterwards?"

THE ROOM OF THE PICTS, THIS

"I saw another room there, with a huge trio in it: three brown, big men:
three round heads of hair on them, even, equally long at nape and
forehead. Three short black cowls about them reaching to their elbows:
long hoods were on