The Tale of Connla
by MacMorna

I’ve a tale I’d like to tell you now. It’s the story of the Grandsire of one at the table. You should all know that Dobhar, our War Chief, is descended of the line of High Kings. This is the tale of Connla the Fair, Connla the Bold, who became Connla the Lost.

Many years ago, when Conn the Hundred Fighter was king over all Eireland, he had two sons. And their names were Connla and Art. They were as close as the two sons of a king could be. They competed with each other in all manner of sports and feats. Connla was the older of the two, and was destined to become king after Conn, but a strange thing befell him. And this is his story.

One fine day between Beltaine and Midsummer, Connla the Fair and Conn his father were standing on the hill of Usnech. As Connla looked out, he beheld a beautiful maiden, all dressed in strange and wonderful clothes. Connla, as a proper king’s son, greeted her with all civility, and he asked, "Where do you come from, O woman?"

She answered with a sweet smile on her rosy-cheeked face, "I come form the Land of the Living, where there is no trouble nor strife, nor hunger nor thirst. Peace is among us and we keep perpetual feast. It is a great sid in which we live, and we are called aes side."

Conn looked around at his son and asked, "Who is this you are talking to?" None of the rest of the party could see her, only Connla, alone.

She answered before Connla could but open his mouth. "I am a young and beautiful woman of noble descent, and I will know neither old age nor death, for I am of the Faerie Folk. Long have I loved Connla and I am asking him to come with me to Mag Mell, where we will live happily forever under Boadach the Eternal King."

Afraid of losing one of his two sons, Conn spoke to his chief Druid, who was named Corann. And this is what he said:

I appeal to you, Corann,
Skilled in song, skilled in arts!
A power has come over me
Too great for my skill,
Too great for my strength;
Such as I have not met since I took sovereignty.
By a treacherous attack the unseen shape overpowers me,
To rob me of my fair son,
With heathen words of magic.
He is snatched from my royal side
By woman’s words of magic.

And so the Druid Corann sang an incantation of magic against the woman, so that no one could hear her sweet voice. The spell drove her from the hill but, as she was leaving, she threw a bright red apple to Connla.

After this, Connla could eat no food except the apple. And this magical apple was never consumed, but regained its whole shape and freshness every night. A longing for the beautiful woman had fallen on him and he could think of nothing else but her. After a month had gone past, Connla was seated with his father when the woman came to him again. And this is what she said to him:

A woeful seat where Connla sits!
Among short-lived mortals,
Awaiting only dreadful death.
The living, the immortal call to you;
They summon you to the people of Tethra
Who behold you every day
In the assemblies of your native land,
Among your beloved kinsmen.

When Conn heard the woman, he called to his attendants to bring the Druid Corann. The spell on her tongue had worn thin and needed replenishment.

Before they could return with the Druid, the woman said:

O Conn the Hundred-Fighter,
Thou shouldst not cling to druidry!
It will not be long before there will come
To give judgements on our broad strand
A righteous one, with many wonderful companies.
Soon his law will reach you.
He will annihilate the false law of the druids
In the sight of the black magic demon.

Conn turned to his son and asked, "Has it touched your heart, what the woman says, O Connla?"

And Connla replied, "Indeed she has taken my heart. A love my people, but the longing for her is upon me."

And then the woman said:

Thou strivest --- most difficult of wishes to fulfill ---
Against the wave of longing which drives you hence.
That land we may reach in my crystal boat,
The fairy mound of Boadach.

There is yet another land
That is no worse to reach;
I see it, now the sun sinks.
Although it is far, we may reach it before night.

That is the land which rejoices
The heart of everyone who wanders therein;
No other sex lives there
Save women and maidens.

And with that, Connla gave a mighty leap into the crystal boat, and they sailed away into the setting of the sun. So bright was the sun on the crystal boat, that the people could hardly follow them with their eyes. From that day to this, they have never been seen again in this land. And he came to be known as Connla the Lost.

Conn then turned to his other son and said, "You are all I have left. From today is Art the lone one." And that is how the father of our great King Cormac became known as Art Oenfer, or Art the Lonely.