Mide seldom became more than a season of skirmishes. The Ulati were far in the north; one scarcely even heard of them. The men of Mumu bore ample spears against each other. At the same time, safe harbors brought about overseas trade in a measure unknown to the neighbor realms. Roman goods arrived from as far away as Egypt: wine, oil, glass, earthenware, in exchange for gold, honey, beeswax, furs, hides. Likewise did the sumptuous fabrics of Ys. Scot’s Landing, below that city, took it name not from pirates out of Eriu but from the frequent, peaceful visits of Mumach fishers. The Christian faith got its first foothold on the island among their kinfolk, who claimed that some of the Lord’s own apostles had been there.
Missionaries had not yet reached the rugged country about the Mountain of Fair Women when Lugthach maqq Aillelo was king over its allied tuaths. Afterward poets told how Fedelmm, daughter of Moethaire of the Corco Ochae, fought him. Not only did she have warriors at her beck, she was a mighty witch. The story went that she had a friend in the female warrior Bolce Ben-bretnach from Alba. Perhaps as a way to making peace, Bolce sought out Lugthach and laid upon him the demand that he bed her. He could not refuse one with her powers, and thus Conual maqq Lugthaci was begotten. At the birth, the father was away but Fedelmm was present, and to her the mother gave Conual for fostering.
Fedelmm took the infant home. The next night a coven was to meet in her house. Lest harm befall him, she hid Conual in a hole beneath the hearthstone. One of the witches sniffed him and said, “I do not destroy anything save what is under the cauldron.” At that, the fire flashed downward and burned the ear of the boy.
From this, some say, came his nickname Corcc, the Red; but others say that was the color of his hair. He also became known as Conual maqq Larech, because his mother bore the nickname Lair Derg, the Red Mare.
To her came a seer, who read the child’s hand and told him: “Always set free any captives you meet, if you are able. Do this and your race will grow great and your fame endure.” Conual could scarcely have understood, then, but throughout his life he strove to obey the commandment.
So went the stories. They did not say why Fedelmm soon gave the fostering over to Torna Eces. She may have wished the lad to be free of the dark forces around herself.
Torna was the foremost poet of his day, a man who saw deeply into things and knew promise when he found it. Already he was raising Niall maqq Echach, son of the King of Mide. He had rescued the child from the murderous spite of the King’s new wife, Mongfind, the witch-queen out of Mumu.
Conual was only three or four years old when Torna deemed Niall of an age to return to Temir, show that he was not dead as everybody there believed, and claim his rights. Mongfind could wreak no further harm upon him. However, after his father died, she succeeded in having her brother Craumthan maqq Fidaci hailed King.
A better person than his sister, on the whole he reigned well. His grief was that he was childless. When he heard about Conual, who was his cousin, he sent for the boy, meaning to make him an adoptive son. Torna let Conual go, counselling him to remember the kindly duty given him.
The newcomer was soon a worshipful friend of the older Niall and, when big enough, accompanied him to war. Fighting in Qoiqet Lagini, they took a prisoner who proved to be a learned man. On that ground, Conual persuaded Niall he should be released without ransom.
The closeness between the princes aroused all of Mongfind’s malignancy. Niall was by then too strong, with too many handfast men, for her to seek his overthrow. It would take very little to break the uneasy peace and let him avenge the wrongs she had done him and his mother Carenn. But she could poison Craumthan’s mind against Conual, word by sly word. At last, sick of soul, the king decided he must be rid of the
Missionaries had not yet reached the rugged country about the Mountain of Fair Women when Lugthach maqq Aillelo was king over its allied tuaths. Afterward poets told how Fedelmm, daughter of Moethaire of the Corco Ochae, fought him. Not only did she have warriors at her beck, she was a mighty witch. The story went that she had a friend in the female warrior Bolce Ben-bretnach from Alba. Perhaps as a way to making peace, Bolce sought out Lugthach and laid upon him the demand that he bed her. He could not refuse one with her powers, and thus Conual maqq Lugthaci was begotten. At the birth, the father was away but Fedelmm was present, and to her the mother gave Conual for fostering.
Fedelmm took the infant home. The next night a coven was to meet in her house. Lest harm befall him, she hid Conual in a hole beneath the hearthstone. One of the witches sniffed him and said, “I do not destroy anything save what is under the cauldron.” At that, the fire flashed downward and burned the ear of the boy.
From this, some say, came his nickname Corcc, the Red; but others say that was the color of his hair. He also became known as Conual maqq Larech, because his mother bore the nickname Lair Derg, the Red Mare.
To her came a seer, who read the child’s hand and told him: “Always set free any captives you meet, if you are able. Do this and your race will grow great and your fame endure.” Conual could scarcely have understood, then, but throughout his life he strove to obey the commandment.
So went the stories. They did not say why Fedelmm soon gave the fostering over to Torna Eces. She may have wished the lad to be free of the dark forces around herself.
Torna was the foremost poet of his day, a man who saw deeply into things and knew promise when he found it. Already he was raising Niall maqq Echach, son of the King of Mide. He had rescued the child from the murderous spite of the King’s new wife, Mongfind, the witch-queen out of Mumu.
Conual was only three or four years old when Torna deemed Niall of an age to return to Temir, show that he was not dead as everybody there believed, and claim his rights. Mongfind could wreak no further harm upon him. However, after his father died, she succeeded in having her brother Craumthan maqq Fidaci hailed King.
A better person than his sister, on the whole he reigned well. His grief was that he was childless. When he heard about Conual, who was his cousin, he sent for the boy, meaning to make him an adoptive son. Torna let Conual go, counselling him to remember the kindly duty given him.
The newcomer was soon a worshipful friend of the older Niall and, when big enough, accompanied him to war. Fighting in Qoiqet Lagini, they took a prisoner who proved to be a learned man. On that ground, Conual persuaded Niall he should be released without ransom.
The closeness between the princes aroused all of Mongfind’s malignancy. Niall was by then too strong, with too many handfast men, for her to seek his overthrow. It would take very little to break the uneasy peace and let him avenge the wrongs she had done him and his mother Carenn. But she could poison Craumthan’s mind against Conual, word by sly word. At last, sick of soul, the king decided he must be rid of the
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