And if that seems a bit fresh the story is believed to have been written in the 8th or 9th Century. The number of, "Countries", that have experienced one or more millennia are fortunate not only to have ancient tales, but also someone who can bring them to modern readers. Randy Lee Eickoff is such a scholar, and he has translated ancient texts from Ireland many times. This is the first work of his I have read, however I certainly intend to search out his previous efforts.
"Togail Bruidne Da Durga", or, "The Destruction Of The Inn", is a tale of Kings, Queens, their Heirs, deceptions, and battles fought by Knights of mythic stature and powers. It includes the Druidic Priests said to cast spells, not unlike Merlin of Arthurian fame, to effect the outcome of battles. This tale of a King who was warned never to take certain steps, travel a given route, or have contact with various characters is the center of the tale. There is no way to know whether this story was unique when written, or as is more likely, derived from stories told for centuries prior to this version being committed to vellum. And in the reading it really is not an issue, the experience of being able to hear a tale that was related over one millennia ago, a tale that is said to have appeared centuries before Gutenberg's Press, that is what makes this a wonderful read.
Apart from the story the Author explains how these old tales took the form they did. How even in their written form, they maintained a structure that would help the stories to be passed verbally with as little change as possible. He is candid about the difficulties in translation, and leaves footnoted blanks rather than attempt to divine a word. The notes are extensive, and it is here among a great deal of material that he offers possible words that may reasonably have filled these spaces. The omissions are very few, I do not want to leave the impression that this is a fragmented read it is quite the opposite.
There were aspects of the tale that sadly exist to this day. I believe them to be a comment on human nature as a whole, and not restricted to those people and nations represented in this book. The fact that the battle involved Irish fighting Irish and that of the British fighting Irish brings the reader up short. It is not only sad, it is a reminder of how old grievances can be, and how they seem to be among the few human actions that are truly perpetual. It is not an issue of repeating the past, rather the question of how long it will persist.
An unqualified recommended read.
- Amazon Business : For business-only pricing, quantity discounts and FREE Shipping. Register a free business account
