The Journey South
Followin' our supper I resumed me story of Beannaithe's adventures...
'Followin' a nourishin' breakfast, Beannaithe gathered her things and prepared her pony Mac Énbarr for departure...'
'Do the Fair Folk eat rashers for breakfast?' asks Diolun.
'I don't rightly know, lad,' I says to him, 'but I rather doubt it.'
'Tea?' asks Daibhidh.
'I couldn't say,' I tells him.
'You couldn't or you wouldn't?" asks Daibhidh.
'Both!" I says. 'May I continue me story?'
'Yes, please,' Darowva says sweetly before givin' her brother and cousin a hard look.'
'...The lass were surprised, delighted and, perhaps, a wee bit concerned to discover that the Fair Folk had placed horse armour on her pony. She thought that Mac looked grand, but the horse armour meant that he were goin' to be placed in danger.
I suppose that deep down she'd known this all along, it isn't as if they hadn't been in danger before, but the armour reinforced the idea that she and Mac were goin' to war.
Once mounted, Beannaithe and Mac followed the route suggested by the Lady of Light. They crossed a short bridge to the other side of the River Silverlode, rode south and east then further south departin' the Land of Dreamflower into the northern frontier of the Land of the Horse-riders.
At first the lass and her pony rode at a gentle pace allowin' Mac to stretch his legs a bit before he began gallopin'. As before, the lass tucked her head close to Mac's long neck and held on tightly. Her curly hair swirled in the wind as the breeze swept over the top of her head. So swift were Mac Énbarr that he covered a very great distance in surprisin'ly little time.
The two rode along a path that closely followed the southeasterly course of the Great River. The river eventually turned east where it became a bog. At this point, pony and rider turned south, crossin' a bridge over the River Swift-light into the land of the Land of the Horse-riders proper.
They continued to generally follow the direction of the Great River, it had emerged from the bog at this point, until the river flowed into the Land of the Sun. To the south Beannaithe could see the White Mountains that formed a boundary between the Land of the Horse-riders and Stoneland...'
'I'm a wee confused,' said Darowva. 'Is the Land of the Sun within the Stoneland or is it another place altogether?'
''Tis part of the Stoneland,' I answers.
'The lass crossed a shallow ford, and followed an easterly road into the Land of the Sun. After a wee while Beannaithe observed a path that led south from the road into a heavily wooded area. The lass, wary of bein' espied by goblins--or worse--chose to follow the southerly route until it reached another road runnin' east and west.
The hour were growin' late and the sky darkened. Beannaithe decided that Mac could use a rest, and that she needed a few morsels of food. She discovered that the Fair Folk had placed some light wafers wrapped in leaves in her rucksack. She unwrapped one and took a wee nibble. She found the wafer wonderfully sweet and satisfying. She hungrily devoured the entire wafer...'
'The way Diolun devours rashers?' asked Daibhidh. Me other grandkids, save Diolun, giggled.
'Aye,' I replied before continuing...
'She also took a few swallows of wine from the skin that the Fair Folk had provided. They had thought of everythin'.
Pony and rider then settled in for the night in a comfortable spot amongst the trees where they were certain they would not be discovered by those who might do them harm.'
'That were an enchantin' episode, Grandad,' exclaimed Darowva.
'It would've been more excitin' if they'd met some goblins,' said Daibhidh.
'--or worse!' added Diolun.
The two lads giggled mischievously. Darowva merely rolled her eyes in response.
'What did you think, Dooli?' I asked me grandson.
'It were okay,' he said with a yawn.
Hmmm. I suppose ye can't please everyone.
'It were grand, Daidí,' said me daughter Ériu.
'Aye, it were,' agreed Fódla.
'Agreed, but now it's time for these wee rascals to go to their beds,' said Banba.
'Aw!' came the expected moan from me grandkids as they slowly gathered themselves off the floor where they'd been sittin' while listenin' to me story.
'Good night, Grandad,' me grandkids said as they reluctantly trudged off to their beds.
'Oíche mhaith, me wee darlin's' I said in return.
