lengthening once more. By now I had not eaten well nor slept for nearly two days, and I was thoroughly exhausted. I had to make a camp, no matter the danger.
I began by carefully setting up Ogums of protection. I painted the Ogums onto stones with my fingers using uisge beatha as I chanted the name of each Ogum out loud, until I had five enchanted stones in a ring around my campsite. Then I placed crossed twigs of rowan at each of the directions and invoked the spirit of that tree to surround me with her magical shield.
I carefully cut a circle of turf, set the grass aside, and then gathered dry, dead fallen pine needles and birch bark and started a fire on the bare earth with tinder and flint. As it burned down to hot embers, I picked some fresh nettles and made myself a clear green broth by dropping red-hot stones into a little cauldron that I had hung from a small iron tripod placed over the fire. By now I was giddy with fatigue, and my fingers were trembling as I used the edge of my cape to pull the hot cauldron from the flames. I dipped a wooden cup into the broth and drank the hot liquid gratefully, swallowing portions of bread and cheese until I finally felt warm and satisfied.
âConláed would think me crazy if he could see what I am doing, all alone in the wilderness like this,â I said out loud to the fire.
The fire answered back in its own language, singing and dancing like a living creature sent to keep me company through the might. I was certain that my magic would keep me safe and that the little fire would scare away the beasts of the forest, so at last I curled into my cape and fell into a sound sleep.
I continued this routine of existence, gathering herbs and cresses by day as I walked and making a new fire each night. Every morning I carefully covered the embers with cut turf to hide my passage. One evening there was a damp drizzle and I found a rocky overhang under which I could sleep. It was a peaceful few days.
One morning at daybreak, in the midst of a deep dream, I suddenly felt that I was suffocating. At first I thought I was having a nightmare, and I struggled hard to bring myself awake. But then I realized I was awake and that there was some kind of thick leather hood over my head.
I could hardly breathe; someone was tying my hands and feet together with rope. Suddenly I felt myself being lifted and turned upside down. Then a pole was thrust between my arms and legs, and I was swinging like a ham trussed for market.
âShe looks strong; I wonder who she is?â a voice said from before me.
âAnother catch to add to our store from Irardacht!â another added from behind, slapping me hard on the rear end and laughing. To him I was just a lowly peasant, no more valuable than a side of meat.
Now my hind parts were swinging madly from side to side, and it was all I could do to keep my neck from breaking as I fought to keep my head up, suspended as I was from a pole between two men. I was terrified. What were they planning? What would they do to me? How could I have been so foolish to leave the dun without a retinue and no way to defend myself?
They carried me for what felt like half a day until I was finally dropped with no warning onto a grassy patch of ground. Then they pulled my hood back far enough that my mouth was exposed and thrust a clay cup against my mouth.
âDrink!â someone ordered. I drank. It was water.
âI have to relieve myself,â I said.
Surely they would let me take care of my needs behind a bush. I felt the ropes around my hands and feet being loosened.
âStand up, woman,â one of them said.
I tried to imagine how many of them there were by their voices, but it was very confusing. It seemed like every time someone spoke, there was a different voice; I had counted more than twenty individuals already. Then I felt a rough hand on my back, pushing me forward. I still had the leather hood over my face, but I could see the ground
I began by carefully setting up Ogums of protection. I painted the Ogums onto stones with my fingers using uisge beatha as I chanted the name of each Ogum out loud, until I had five enchanted stones in a ring around my campsite. Then I placed crossed twigs of rowan at each of the directions and invoked the spirit of that tree to surround me with her magical shield.
I carefully cut a circle of turf, set the grass aside, and then gathered dry, dead fallen pine needles and birch bark and started a fire on the bare earth with tinder and flint. As it burned down to hot embers, I picked some fresh nettles and made myself a clear green broth by dropping red-hot stones into a little cauldron that I had hung from a small iron tripod placed over the fire. By now I was giddy with fatigue, and my fingers were trembling as I used the edge of my cape to pull the hot cauldron from the flames. I dipped a wooden cup into the broth and drank the hot liquid gratefully, swallowing portions of bread and cheese until I finally felt warm and satisfied.
âConláed would think me crazy if he could see what I am doing, all alone in the wilderness like this,â I said out loud to the fire.
The fire answered back in its own language, singing and dancing like a living creature sent to keep me company through the might. I was certain that my magic would keep me safe and that the little fire would scare away the beasts of the forest, so at last I curled into my cape and fell into a sound sleep.
I continued this routine of existence, gathering herbs and cresses by day as I walked and making a new fire each night. Every morning I carefully covered the embers with cut turf to hide my passage. One evening there was a damp drizzle and I found a rocky overhang under which I could sleep. It was a peaceful few days.
One morning at daybreak, in the midst of a deep dream, I suddenly felt that I was suffocating. At first I thought I was having a nightmare, and I struggled hard to bring myself awake. But then I realized I was awake and that there was some kind of thick leather hood over my head.
I could hardly breathe; someone was tying my hands and feet together with rope. Suddenly I felt myself being lifted and turned upside down. Then a pole was thrust between my arms and legs, and I was swinging like a ham trussed for market.
âShe looks strong; I wonder who she is?â a voice said from before me.
âAnother catch to add to our store from Irardacht!â another added from behind, slapping me hard on the rear end and laughing. To him I was just a lowly peasant, no more valuable than a side of meat.
Now my hind parts were swinging madly from side to side, and it was all I could do to keep my neck from breaking as I fought to keep my head up, suspended as I was from a pole between two men. I was terrified. What were they planning? What would they do to me? How could I have been so foolish to leave the dun without a retinue and no way to defend myself?
They carried me for what felt like half a day until I was finally dropped with no warning onto a grassy patch of ground. Then they pulled my hood back far enough that my mouth was exposed and thrust a clay cup against my mouth.
âDrink!â someone ordered. I drank. It was water.
âI have to relieve myself,â I said.
Surely they would let me take care of my needs behind a bush. I felt the ropes around my hands and feet being loosened.
âStand up, woman,â one of them said.
I tried to imagine how many of them there were by their voices, but it was very confusing. It seemed like every time someone spoke, there was a different voice; I had counted more than twenty individuals already. Then I felt a rough hand on my back, pushing me forward. I still had the leather hood over my face, but I could see the ground
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