was
at first one Fithel. But Fithel's time came to die, and his son
Flahari,[30] a wise and learned man, trained by his father in all the
laws of the Gael, was to be brehon to the High King in his father's
stead. Fithel then called his son to his bedside and said:--

[30] Pronounced Fla'-haree--accent on the first syllable.

"Thou art well acquainted, my son, with all the laws and customs of
the Gael, and worthy to be the chief brehon of King Cormac. But wisdom
of life thou hast not yet obtained, for it is written in no law-book.
This thou must learn for thyself, from life itself; yet somewhat of it
I can impart unto thee, and it will keep thee in the path of safety,
which is not easily trodden by those who are in the counsels of great
kings. Mark now these four precepts, and obey them, and thou wilt
avoid many of the pit-falls in thy way:--

"Take not a king's son in fosterage,[31]
Impart no dangerous secret to thy wife,
Raise not the son of a serf to a high position,
Commit not thy purse or treasure to a sister's keeping."

[31] The institution of fosterage, by which the children of
kings and lords were given to trusted persons among their
friends or followers to bring up and educate, was a marked
feature of social life in ancient Ireland, and the bonds of
affection and loyalty between such foster-parents and their
children were held peculiarly sacred.

Having said this Fithel died, and Flahari became chief brehon in his
stead.

After a time Flahari thought to himself, "I am minded to test my
father's wisdom of life and to see if it be true wisdom or but
wise-seeming babble. For knowledge is no knowledge until it be tried
by life."

So he went before the King and said, "If thou art willing, Cormac, I
would gladly have one of thy sons in fosterage." At this Cormac was
well pleased, and a young child of the sons of Cormac was given to
Flahari to bring up, and Flahari took the child to his own Dun, and
there began to nurture and to train him as it was fitting.

After a time, however, Flahari one day took the child by the hand and
went with him into the deep recesses of the forest where dwelt one of
the swine-herds who minded the swine of Flahari. To him Flahari handed
over the child and bade him guard him as the apple of his eye, and to
be ready deliver him up again when he was required. The Flahari went
home, and for some days went about like a man weighed down by gloomy
and bitt