nce a wandering young seannachie was traveling 'round the countryside of Eire and came upon the Hill of the Goddess, Cnoc Aine. "Take care, boy," the inhabitants warned him. "Lest you be caught outside after dark, for the Ríoghann na Sealg Fiadaich runs wild hereabouts, and she and her horde of hounds will devour you!"
The lad thanked them for their warning, but paid it little heed, for he fancied himself stout of heart. He tarried late into the evening on the slopes of Aine's Hill, relaxing in the comfort of her green embrace, for indeed the country is lovely thereabouts. As the shadows began to consume the sun, he recalled the words he had heard and hastened to return to the safety of the hearth. But, lo, as he started on his way, he heard a baying in the distance. It was a dreadful chorus of howls and he knew it could only be one thing. The host of the Wild Hunt was coming this way!
He took to his heels and ran as fast as he could, but he was no match for the fae beasts, and they were soon nipping at his heels. He was a mind to stop running and let them take him, when a curious thing happened. Out of the shadows appeared a wee lass, with hair as black as the night and skin as pale as a pearl. She commanded the hoard of ravenous creatures to stop, and they fell into line like trained spaniels, much to the boy's amazement.
Being of a quick mind, he knew her to be Sidhe, by her slight form and the grace of her gait as she walked amongst the wild beasts, as if they were lambs. He found his voice and asked, "Pray tell me, Sidhe maid! Why have you spared me?" But the little thing said not a word and vanished.
Feeling most fortunate, the fellow returned to the place where he was staying in the village, and set off again the next day on his journey. As dusk fell, he saw lurking in the shadows a huge wolfound, with fur as black as coal, following in his footsteps. Something about the beast seemed familiar to him and when he called out to it, it vanished. Day after day, this strange ritual continued. The seannachie would tell his stories to those he met, and in the shadows of the firelight, when no one else was around, he would see the black dog, which seemed to be more curious than carnivorous.
"It must be the maid," he said to himself. He fancied that perhaps she found him comely, like Oisin of the Fianna, who Niamh of the Golden Hair spirited away, and that was why she spared him that night. Emboldened, he devised a plan to meet the maid again. He placed out trinkets he knew the fae could not resist, and hid a log under his blankets so it would appear that he was asleep beneath them. Himself, he hid in the nearby woods and waited for the huge wolfhound to appear. As midnight was rolling into early morning, the great beast came, and as he watched, it transformed himself into the girl who had spared him earlier. She was younger than he first thought, appearing to his eye to be no more than a child, though her bearing was as haughty as a Queen's.
He came out of hiding and carefully approached, calling out, "Hail, Ríoghann na Sealg Fiadaich! What brings you to my campfire tonight?" He was careful to use what he supposed was her proper title, for the Sidhe were sensitive to any insult, and punished wrongs committed against them, no matter how slight, most severely.
The girl became frightened and made to flee, but the boy continued to speak gently to her and she stopped. "Ríoghann na Sealg Fiadaich is what they call me hereabouts, but it was not the name I was given, Seannachie."
"Why did you spare me from your terrible hounds?"
"Because I thought you were interesting and did not deserve to die," was the matter of fact reply.
Not comely?, he thought and his heart deflated a wee bit. But he continued to converse with the maid throughout the night.
When the sun was beginning to stir again, she said to him, "I like your company, Seannachie. I wish to travel with you. As long as you keep me by your side, you will have naught to fear from the dangers of the darkness. But in return, you must always promise to be faithful to me, and never forget me, no matter how long we may be apart."
The boy threw back his head and laughed, "Those are bold words for a maid as small as you to speak! You are not old enough to say such things to a man!"
Her dark brows came together in a cross little frown. "Who says I am talking to a man! You would refuse my offer?"
"No, little maid. I dare not refuse the offer of one such as you. Very well, we shall travel together and have many adventures. But first, what shall I call you? Ríoghann na Sealg Fiadaich lays heavy on the tongue, you know."
"I cannot tell you my true name, for it is forbidden," she replied.
The lad thought for a moment. "Very well then, little Sidhe maid. I'll call you Caoimhe, for your protection is indeed a precious gift!"
