An Old Irish Tale

In the hollow hills of Ireland, in the lacy margin where the Atlantic tide touches the shore, on the islands just beyond sight of the western coast, lies a country invisible to most human eyes, a country called Tir na nÓg, the Land of Youth. Life in this Otherworld flows and eddies much like life in Ireland, except that to all of the strife and clamor, love and jealousy of the mortal world is added the shimmering loveliness of the fairy realm. Wars are waged, songs are crafted and sung before the ladies and gentlemen of the court, and the young fall deeply in love, as they do in our world.

Our tale begins in that golden world with the marriage of two people who are hopelessly, blissfully in love. Étaín (pronounced Ay-deen), the most beautiful and best-hearted woman in all of Tir na nÓg, and her true love, Midir (pronounced Mith-ir), handsome, clever and fiercely devoted.

But not all of the denizens of that Otherworld are without flaw or fault. Midir's first wife, Fúamnach, is afire with jealousy at the sight of his joyful new bride, and from her rage and envy she concocts a dark spell. With one touch of her wand of scarlet rowan, Étaín is transformed into a splendid golden fly. The humming of her wings is a comfort to all who hear it, and the drops of water which fall from those delicate wings possess the power to cure disease. Midir recognizes his beloved Étaín even in her new form, and the two spend all their hours together.

Not content with merely depriving Étaín of her human form, Fúamnach resolves to split the two lovers forever. She conjured up a lashing wind that drives Étaín out of the house she shared with Midir, out beyond the safety of land and into the wildness of the sea winds.

Helpless against the power of the spell, Étaín spends seven years buffeted among the waves and rocks. Sea-spray drenches her wings, loneliness pulls her closer to an ending in the cold grey ocean. At last, exhausted, she comes to land on the roof of a house in Northern Ireland in which people are feasting. The sight of a warm fire, laughing faces and a hearty meal cheers her heart. Closer and closer she creeps towards the warmth and merriment, hungry for the sound of voices after her long trial. But - too close! In her frailty and eagerness she falls into a goblet of wine which is in the hand of a warrior's wife. The good woman swallows Étaín along with the wine, and thereby conceives a daughter.

Étaín is reborn in Ireland as the daughter of a wealthy chieftain. Beloved by many, she is said to possess the three graces - the gift of love, the gift of generosity, and the gift of kindness.

One day while Étaín and her handmaidens are bathing at the well they spy a man approaching them on horseback. He is Eochaid, the King of Ireland, and as soon as his eyes light on Étaín's radiant face, he loses his heart to her and asks her to be his Queen.

But truth will have its way, and dreams come to an end. Slowly the memory of another life and another world comes to Étaín, and the silver polish wears away from the life she has created in the mortal world. She stretches her mind, as if waking from a long sleep.

One bright morning the King and Queen walk out into the woods that encircle their castle. No sooner have they stepped in among the trees than a heavy mist falls, obscuring their sight. A man dressed in a scarlet tunic steps from the mist, his hair is shining yellow and his eyes sparkling grey. He bows to Eochaid and asks, "Will we play a game of chess together?" And Eochaid answers, "We will, surely, sir, for I am good at that game."

The two sit down to play. Eochaid wins the first game and demands as his prize fifty dark grey horses with fifty silver bridles. He wins the second game and demands fifty boars, fifty white red-eared cows, fifty bright cloaks and fifty gold-hilted swords. The stranger wins the third game, and as his prize demands, "My arms around Étaín and a kiss upon her lips." Étaín gasps with recognition and turns to look at her two husbands.

Eochaid agrees to honor Midir's demand in a month's time. When the fated day arrives, Eochaid arranges all of the best warriors in Ireland in concentric circles around the castle, ring within ring of warriors, and the King and Queen in the center of the house.

But Midir walks through the troops without casting a harsh word or shedding a drop of blood and comes to stand in the very room in which the King and Queen are drinking their wine. "I have come for that which we agreed upon," he says, and with great sadness Eochaid leads Étaín into the center of the room. "You may put your arms around her and take but one kiss."

Midir puts his arms around Étaín and his mouth upon her mouth. In the twinkling of an eye they fly up through the skylight in the shape of two downy white swans, linked by a chain of gold. They fly all through the starry night, over the sea and through the strange mist that keeps the two worlds apart, until at last they reach the beautiful country which is their own true home.

Thanks to the recording of Tim Janis who has turned this beautiful story into wonderful original music, and recorded it as his album called "Étaín", available worldwide by: Authentic Recordings