Page:Heroes of the dawn.djvu/183

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THE ENCHANTED CAVE
147

The setting sun shone on the long unsheathed sword he carried in his hand, and by the device on his shield the witches knew that he who approached them was Goll mac Morna, one of the most unconquerable of the Fian chiefs. As he came near to them they raised their swords and rushed at him, uttering horrid cries, and taken unawares, for a moment he stood in danger of death. But he soon recovered himself, and a fierce rage rose in him at the discourteous manner in which the wicked witches had attacked him, so that he determined to kill them; and, using all the battleskill that he possessed, with one mighty stroke he gave Caemog and Cullen their death-wounds.

Iarran, seeing that her sisters were dead, pretended to give up the battle, and dropped her sword on the ground. But deceit was in her heart, and the first time that Goll mac Morna turned his eyes from her to the hideous beings stretched on the grass, she swiftly passed to his back, and clasped her strong arms about him, so that only with the utmost difficulty could he twist himself round to face her. For a long time they struggled together,