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IRISH SONGS AND LYRICS 353 |
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WHITLEY STOKES (1830- )
KING AILILL'S DEATH
From the Early Middle Irish
I
KNOW who won the peace of God, King Ailill, called " the Beardless Man " ; Who fought beyond the Irish Sea All day against a Connaught clan.
His host was broken : as he fled
He muttered to his charioteer: " Look back—the slaughter, is it red ?
The slayers, are they drawing near ? ''
The boy looks back. The west wind blows Dead clansmen's hair against his face;
He heard the war-shout of his foes, The death-cry of his ruined race.
The foes came darting from the height, Like pine-trees down a flooded fall:
Like heaps of hay in spate, his clan Swept on or sank—he saw it all.
And spake : " The slaughter is full red, But we may still be saved by flight."
Then groaned the king : " No sin of theirs Falls on my people here to-night; |
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