Page:Heroes of the dawn.djvu/207

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COMING OF THE CARLE
169

demand it—even my life shall be yours if you ask it. And now tell me by what name you are known."

"For the present you can call me 'The Carle of the Brown Coat,'" the stranger replied.

So Fionn turned his face and steps again in the direction of Ben Edar, but as he walked along the dark road, under the arching trees, he looked wonderingly at the big uncouth man who strode silently along at his side; for now and then Fionn caught the gleam of little many-coloured flames which flitted and danced around the stranger, and heard a sweet, clear ringing in the air about him, like the chiming of those silver bells which make music in Manannan's Isle of Promise.


It was night-time at Ben Edar, and the Fians, though they treated Cael quite courteously, were beginning to hate him intensely, for he moved among them and spoke to them as though he had already proved himself to be the conqueror of both them and their land. They did not pay much attention to his