xii THE BA TTLE OF VENTRY. 



prophetic skill. They came to Erinn in clouds of mist [ina caipaib ciack, 



LL. p. 4 b), and in setthng on Sh'ab Conmacne Rein in Connaught, 



they caused a solar eclipse of three days and three nights. They had in 



their possession the spells of druids and cliarioteers, and cooks and cup- 



bearers. They brought the great fdl with them, &c, They are then 



finally overcome by the Goidels, or Maic Milcd, and are compelled to 



take up their abode under ground in hills and j-/^-mansions, whence they 



are called ^ side, under ground ' (LL. p. 261 b). Thus they are here 



clearly identified with the dcs side \ As they are imagined to live under 



earth, the growth of all fruit is thought to be their special care and 



interest. Thus in the poem on the Fair of Carmun, LL. p. 215 a, begin- 



ning Estid, a Laigniu nal-lecht, Carmun and her three sons (their names 



imply evil) ' who came from remote Athens westward to Erinn,' bring 



evil upon the TuatJia De Danand by blighting the fertility of their land : 



no Diiltis ini Thiiatliaib Dc, 

 in t-aes duachair ttaimtide, 

 iorud cach thaljnan co traig : 

 ba fogal adbal ecair. 



A tale may here be inserted which has not been published before. 

 Though it belongs to the mythological cycle, it is, curiously enough, in 

 the Stowe MS. 992,^0. 50 a 2, whence I take it, enumerated and given as 

 one of the remscela of the Tdin Bo Cualnge. 



Do ghabJiail in t-sighdJia. 



Bui rig amra for Erijin 7 for TuatJiaibJi De Donand .i. in DagJidha 

 Mor mac EitJdcnd. Bd mSr dono cumachta in Daghdha do maccaib 

 MiledJi iar n-gabail rigJii doib ar cigin dar TuatJiVi D. D. Ar coillsit 

 TuatJia D. D. itJi 7 blicJit im macca Miled conn-dernsat cairrdes frisiu 

 DagJida. Dorat sidJie dono itJi 7 blicJit doib ar culu. Ba mor dono a 

 cumacJita in tan ro gJiab rigJii for TuafJidi D. D., conidJi Jie ro fogJiail 

 sigJidJia Erenn do TJiuatJiaib D. D. LugJi mac Eitlcnd a SidJi Fodrubain, 

 Ogma a SidJi AircJielltrai. SidJi LeitJict LacJitmJiaigJie 7 Oo Cualann 7 

 Cnoc Baine 7 Bru Ruair. SigJi iji BrogJia oc in DagJidJia bodJiein. Ls 

 ann sin do luidJt Aengus a mac cJiuigi do c?iingidJi feraind fair 7 ba dalta 

 side do MidJiir Bri LeitJi 7 do NinidJi faid. ' Nimtd-sa ferann duit^ ol 

 in DagJida ' 7 tairnic lim mo ferann do fogJiail do T. D. D.' ' Tabair gid 



^ Windisch, Ir. T. p. 204, n., has already drawn attention to the fact that Midir, gen- 

 erally known as 2,fer side, is in LU. p. 38 a, called Midir do Thuaith De Danand. 



