Deirdre The Feis Ceoil Prize cantata: Dublin 1897: The words by T. W. Rolleston: With an illustration by Althea Gyles, and initial letters, headpieces, and tailpieces by N. Baxter, Helen Hay, and John Duncan |
 |
|
| I. | Part I. |
| II. |
| III. |
 | Deirdre |  |
I. Part I.
CHORUS.
A blind hand sowed the seed of Fate—The black earth bred it,
The kind rains fed it;
And branch on branch and leaf on leaf
It flourished and waxed great.
Glory the fruit it bore, and Love, and Grief.
NARRATIVE.
Deep in the trackless forest
With one grey nurse to guard her,
Conor the High King fostered
Deirdre to be his bride.
With one grey nurse to guard her,
Conor the High King fostered
Deirdre to be his bride.
Fair in her starry childhood,
Fairer the stately maiden,
Tender and single-hearted,
Friend of the sylvan Powers.
Fairer the stately maiden,
Tender and single-hearted,
Friend of the sylvan Powers.
The Oak tree bade her be fearless,
The Pine tree bade her be faithful,
She played with the mountain streamlet,
She tamed the woodland fawn.
The Pine tree bade her be faithful,
She played with the mountain streamlet,
She tamed the woodland fawn.
And when in the summer evenings
She climbed to the Peak of Vision
That soared from the sea of woodland
And looked to the crimson West,
She climbed to the Peak of Vision
That soared from the sea of woodland
And looked to the crimson West,
8
Then, as the white stars glimmered,
Then, as the airs of evening
Waked in the dreaming woodland
Voices of vague desire,
Then, as the airs of evening
Waked in the dreaming woodland
Voices of vague desire,
Her young heart throbbed with longing,
Longing she could not utter,
And only the stars of heaven
Knew of her lonely pain.
Longing she could not utter,
And only the stars of heaven
Knew of her lonely pain.
NARRATIVE.
Who roams the wood with bow and spear?
With flying foot and eager eye?
'Tis Naisi, Chief of Usna's clan,
And flower of Uladh's chivalry.
With flying foot and eager eye?
'Tis Naisi, Chief of Usna's clan,
And flower of Uladh's chivalry.
Too fierce he followed and too far
The wild boar's track to that dim place
Where with her ancient warder grey
Fair Deirdre hid her ripening grace.
The wild boar's track to that dim place
Where with her ancient warder grey
Fair Deirdre hid her ripening grace.
Now bleeding from the deadly strife
He seeks her guarded gate to win,—
Two women's hearts grow soft in ruth,
They bear the sinking form within.
He seeks her guarded gate to win,—
Two women's hearts grow soft in ruth,
They bear the sinking form within.
Two young hearts, knit in interchange
Of gratitude and kindly aid,—
Soon, soon in Love's strong toil are ta'en
The princely youth, the lovely maid.
Of gratitude and kindly aid,—
Soon, soon in Love's strong toil are ta'en
The princely youth, the lovely maid.
Conor, a cry is in thy hall!
“King Conor, hark—thy bride is fled!
Far hence, beyond the tides of Moyle,
Fair Deirdre is with Naisi wed!”
“King Conor, hark—thy bride is fled!
Far hence, beyond the tides of Moyle,
Fair Deirdre is with Naisi wed!”
The youthful King with aged eyes,
He stared in silence for a while;
Then on his fixèd features grew
The shadow of a bitter smile.
He stared in silence for a while;
Then on his fixèd features grew
The shadow of a bitter smile.
9
“A jewel fell from Uladh's crown
When Deirdre with her lover fled—
The stolen splendour yet may sear
The brow that wears it,” Conor said.
When Deirdre with her lover fled—
The stolen splendour yet may sear
The brow that wears it,” Conor said.
CHORUS.
The seed of Fate, the seed of Fate—The bitter root
The tender shoot—
It grows, and through its branches run
Whispers of Wrath and Hate,
And kingdoms overthrown and mighty wars begun.
| Deirdre | |