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Denna Ríg "The Destruction of Dind Ríg" Editions
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Cobthach Cóel, the king of Brega, becomes so envious of his brother Lóegaire Lorc, the king of Ireland, that he begins to waste away (hence his epithet cóel “thin, slender”). But when Lóegaire comes to bless him before he dies, he accidentally breaks a chick’s leg as he enters his brother’s house. Cobthach rebukes him, for it is a bad omen, and then tells him to return upon the morrow to perform his funeral rites. When Lóegaire returns the next day, he is told that his brother’s body is lying in state in his chariot. Lóegaire throws himself on Cobthach in lamentation, but the latter, who is very much alive, stabs him to death. Cobthach then assumes the kingship of Ireland and has Ailill, Lóegaire’s son and the king of Leinster, poisoned. Ailill, however, leaves behind a son named Móen Ollam. The boy was mute (móen) until one day when he cried out after being struck on the shin during a hurley match. His outburst surprised the other athletes so much that they shouted Labraid Móen! (“The mute one speaks!”), and so the boy became known as Labraid (“the Speaker”) from then on. Some time later during the Feast of Tara, Cobthach asks the assembled who the most generous man in Ireland is. When Craiphtine, the harper, and Ferchertne, the poet, assert that it is Labraid and not Cobthach himself, the king has them banished. However, Labraid, Craiphtine, and Ferchertne do not leave Ireland, but instead go westwards to stay with Scoriath, king of Fir Morca. There Labriad and Moriath, the king’s daughter, fall in love. Although her virginity is jealously guarded by her mother, Craiphtine lulls Scoriath’s household to sleep with his music so that the lovers can be together. But as soon as Moriath’s mother awakens, she knows by her daughter’s sighs that she is no longer a virgin. Scoriath is enraged and threatens to kill the poets if they do not tell him who his daughter’s lover is. However, when Labraid fesses up, Scoriath is pleased with the match and sees the two formally wed. Scoriath then provides Labraid with troops and sends him home to claim his patrimony. Labraid leads his troops to Dind Ríg. During the siege, Craiphtine lulls the occupants of the fort to sleep with his music so Labraid can sack it and seize the kingship of Leinster. Afterwards, Labraid has a magnificent iron house built at Dind Ríg and invites Cobthach to a feast. However, when he arrives, Cobthach refuses to enter the iron house until Labraid’s mother and fool go in first. But as soon as they enter, Labraid has the doors chained shut. Fires are then lit along the outside of the building until the iron house becomes so hot that everyone inside, Cobthach included, is killed.
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| Copyright 2004 Dan M. Wiley. Last updated 07/11/04 | |