<> Conary Linen Hall Library 1880 Linen Hall Library Saturday, March 12, 2016 TIFF Ferg004 Manuscript Highway, Evil, Undone English https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/ferg004 Linen Hall Library Linen Hall Library Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Ferg004_2.jpg LHL Archive There, choice of highway waits us, north or south." Northward they rode. " What be these moving brakes Before us ? Nay, 'tis but a running drove Of antler' d stags. Whence come they ? and whence come These darkening flights of fowl above our heads ? " " These the wild brood of Clane-Milcarna's dens : " Replied the druid. "It is another gaysh For Tara's King to see them leave their lairs After mid-day ; and ill will come of it," " Omens of evil gather round my path, Though thought of evil in my breast is none," Said Conary, and heaved a heavy sigh ; " Yet, since I reign by law, and holy men Charged with the keeping of the law, declare Thou shalt not so-and-so, at such a time Do or leave undone, it beseems not me To question for what end the law is so : Though, were it but a human ordinance, 'Twere, haply, counted childish : but, go to, I own another violated gaysh ; I pray forgiveness of offended Heaven ; And, since some fierce invading enemy — Misguided brothers, that it be not you ! — Bars our approach to Tara, let us choose Cualann highroad ; for Cualann-ward there dwells One whom I once befriended ; and I know His home will give me shelter for to-night, Knew I aright the way that leads to it." " Name of the man, oh King ? " demanded Cecht (Fly ye, foes all, fly ye before the face Of Cecht, the battle-sidesman of the King ! ) Text