Beannaithe and the Dragon
At the next story time around the hearth with me grandkids I resumed once again me story of the strange lass and her attempt to claim the Armour of the Aes Sídhe from the hoard of Dragún Dearg...
'Beannaithe relaxed when she heard the dragon soundly sleepin' once more. After pausin' for awhile she resumed her search for the armour that Áine said were in the dragon's lair. The search were made more difficult because of the vast amount of treasure in the hoard.
The tunnel wound down and down in a concentric ring around the interior of the lair where the dragon himself lay upon its flooor, sleepin' like an enormous hound sleepin on an immense pile of gold.
The dragon's deep breathin' stopped yet again. Beams of light shone from his eyes. He glanced to and fro about his lair searchin' for the intruder he sensed were there.
"Oh no, I'm done for!" thought Beannaithe.
The light that shone from the dragon's eyes were not all bad, for in its reflection on the walls of the cavern Beannaithe at last spied that for which she searched: the Armour of the Aes Sídhe. Would she, however, be able to claim her prize before the dragon found her and, if so, would she be able to escape the dragon's flames while still in possession of the armour? The lass knew that stealth and patience would be the keys to her success, so she waited.
The beams of light went out when the dragon finally shut his eyes. Would he return to his deep slumber? Beannaithe were doubtful but she had no choice other than to wait.'
Just then me daughters Fódla, Banba, and Ériu came into the room.
'Story time can't be finished already!' cried Darowva.
'Peace, daughter,' said Ériu. 'Your aintín (aunties) and meself only wanted to hear whether Beannaithe were able to claim the Armour of the Aes Sídhe.'
I smiled. 'You're just in time, daughters. Sit a spell whilst I continue.'
Me daughters sat next to their children, who were content to snuggle close to their mothers for the remainder of the evenin'.
'Beannaithe, layin' on her belly, crawled along the cavern floor until she drew nigh to the armour. She considered whether she should don the armour before attemptin' to leave, although Áine seemed to warn against it, or place the armour in the sack that she'd brought along for that purpose.
In the torch light Beannaithe could see how beautiful the armour were. The cuirass, pauldrons, gauntlets, and sabatons had an iridescent sheen like mother-of-pearl.'
Knowin' that members of me family had never been to the sea nor seen the creatures that live in its waters, I held up a shell that I'd collected on me travels durin' me youth.
'Oo!' me grandkids exclaimed. 'That's beautiful!' cried Darowva. Me daughters looked at each other knowin'ly. I'd shown them this treasure when they were wee lasses themselves.
'Aye,' I replied before continuin'...
'Beannaithe crawled silently along as best she could manage. She decided that draggin' the sack along the gold coins strewn about the cavern floor might wake the dragon, so she quietly removed her snail-inspired armour and put on the Armour of the Aes Sídhe.
First the lass put on the maille. It were a wee bit snug but she figured that were how it were supposed to fit. Over the maille she put on the armour which also included a mask that covered the upper part of her face. The dragon did not stir.
Beannaithe were reluctant to leave behind her snail armour, but decided that it were for the best. Perhaps some future adventurer would find it? She liked to think so. Now it were time for her escape.
The lass slowly crawled on her belly for the longest distance. She listened closely to the sound of the dragon sleepin'. She thought again about grabbin' more treasure, but quickly dismissed it. She were determined not to be a greedy fool like that the thief whose charred bones lay near the entrance to the lair.
When Beannaithe lifted her head she could see the dim outline of the cave openin'--night had fallen. The lass rose to her feet, paused once more to listen to the dragon's breathin', then creeped along the wall hopin' to use it as a shield against the flames should Dragún Dearg awaken.
Just as she reached the cave openin' the tunnel were suddenly filled with a blast of dragon fire. 'Thief!' the dragon roared. Beannaithe leapt head first out of the cave and into the night air. The tips of her hair were slightly singed but the lass were otherwise unharmed.
Although Beannaithe were free of the cave she were not yet safe. Shouts of "Dyfodiad!" (stranger) filled her ears. A Draig-lûth warband were upon her.
Mac came gallopin' when Beannaithe whistled for him. The lass lept upon the pony's back, and the two sped away as fast as Mac's legs could carry 'em. As ye know well, that were very fast indeed.
The thrown spears of the Draig-lûth fell well short of their mark. Most of the arrows fell short as well. One, however,...'
'Oh no!' cried Darowva.
'...struck Beannaithe in the back...'
Darowva began to weep.
'...but deflected off the impenetrable Armour of the Aes Sídhe.'
Me daughters and grandkids, especially wee Darowva, expressed a sigh of relief.
'As it turns out, the lass chose rightly in decidin' to don the armour.'
'She did indeed!' said Darowva.
We all laughed.
'Well, it's time for bed me darlin' children,' said Ériu.
'Aye, ye best be gettin' your rest,' added Banba. 'Tomorrow will be a busy day for ye.'
'What happens tomorrow?' asked Dooli.
'Ye shall find out in the mornin',' replied Fódla.
'Oh, all right,' me grandkids moaned. 'Good night, Granda!' they says to me.
'Oíche mhaith, me wee darlin's!' I says to them in return.
