The Farmer's Daughter's Dream
The next evenin' I resumed me story where I'd previously ended, tellin' me grandkids about Beannaithe and her dreams...
'The farmer's daughter knew that somethin' were wrong with her daughter Beannaithe but couldn't determine what it were. She recalled that when she were 'bout sixteen years of age, the same age that Beannaithe were now, she began havin' strange dreams. The farmer's daughter thought it might be comfortin' for Beannaithe to hear one of her mother's youthful dreams.
"Are ye havin' strange dreams, love?" the farmer's daughter asked Beannaithe.
Beannaithe nodded her head.
"When I were about your age I began havin' strange dreams, too," said the farmer's daughter. "I had them for many years, well into me tweens and perhaps a wee bit beyond."
Beannaithe looked surprised. She thought she were the only one havin' strange dreams.
"Aye, 'tis true," said the farmer's daughter. She continued...
"One night a beautiful man came to me in a dream, only he weren't a man. He were, I believe, one of the Fair Folk, or very much like one."
"He had a head full of golden curls, and eyes so blue that ye felt ye could swim in 'em. He were clad in golden armour, and wore a mantle of crimson red.
His smile were like a bright beam of sunlight, and when he spoke it were as if honey were drippin' from his lips. His voice, 'though I couldn't understand a single word he said, were the most beautiful sound I'd ever heard.
He tenderly caressed me cheek with his large but gentle hand, and then softly kissed me. When I awoke, the beautiful man were gone."
The farmer's daughter's eyes were as large as saucers as she spoke. Her heart were poundin' and her breaths were quick and shallow. She were as excited recallin' the dream as she'd been on that mornin' seventeen years before.
"I thought that it must've been a dream, but what a dream! It is one I shall never forget."
Beannaithe observed all this with wonder.
"Do ye have dreams like this, Beannaithe?" her mother asked.
Beannaithe sadly shook her head "no".
"Don't ye worry, iníon ('daughter')," said the farmer's daughter with a smile. "Ye will someday."
Beannaithe smiled in return. She hoped that her dreams of war and battle would soon be replaced by dreams like her mother's.'
About then me daughters came to claim their children for bed. It were so quiet they thought their wee ones had already fallen asleep. To their surprise, me grandkids were still wide awake. Even Beacha, who always fell asleep as soon as the stories began, were awake.
'Is somethin' the matter?' asked Ériu. 'Why is it so quiet?'
'I noticed the same thing,' said Banba.
'As did I,' added Fódla.
'We're just bored is all,' said Diolun. 'All this kissy talk!' he harumphed.
'I don't know,' said Dooli with a grin. 'I'm beginnin' to like it!'
Daibhidh gestured that he thought cousin Dooli were mad.
Darowva, however, smiled at her older brother.
'Dooli lad, are ye all right?' Ériu asked. Her sisters laughed.
'Off to bed with ye,' I said.
'Good night, Granda,' they said as they were bein' led out of the room.
