Short Stories

Wedding Song

for a

Lady in Black

(An Irish Ballad of the Dark Ages)

Once upon a time, there was a brave knight named Finn Mac Cumhail, who lived a short but full lifetime in a far green country ruled by many wild Gods and fierce Lords. He was a blue-eyed, tall and sturdy warrior, merciless to his Lord's foes, since he had become an equerry in his last boyhood. Year after year he fought victoriously more than a thousand fights against men, devils and saints, never leaving either the battlefield first, or a virgin's bed before dawn.

But everything on Earth comes to an end at last, when the "time of the dream" inexorably expires, and there is no more time left even for a further breath of life.

It was a frozen winter morning, many but many years ago, when Finn was riding back to his master's strong castle in Castlerea. It was still almost dark and a faint reddish light fell on the ground from a strange thick purple sky. Finn was very sad and weary for, the day before, he had lost many knights friends of his in a hard battle against the Black Prince's brigands.

The sun was just rising when he reached the dale where Lock Glynn, all covered with a thick sheet of ice, lay. His horse suddenly stopped, shaking nervously the noble head, while the air blown from his shuddering nostrils became white frozen smoke.

"What's the matter with you, Fachan?" Asked gently the knight, stroking his old faithful steed's neck. Then he whispered sadly: "You're much more tired than I am, I know my friend. We're maybe both old enough to rest a while, aren't we? You're certainly dreaming about the summer's sweet-smelling hay which is waiting for you at the warm stable, as I wish I could sip a good tankard of stout ale, nodding peacefully by a hot fireplace...".

Finn dismounted the horse which was now trembling with fear, while the sun was rising higher beyond the rounded hills. At that right moment Finn Mac Cumhail knew for sure that his last day on Earth had come.

An unintentional deep sight escaped from his ample chest, then he fiercely raised his head, and stared into distance, trying to see through the mist. He then threw away his plumed headpiece and drove his sword, by strength of arm, into the frozen soil.

"I know, I know you're coming... dear fucking bitch. Hurry up then! I'm just fed up with cold and fights, with life's hard bites..." I'm ready, old lover, this is a fine day for death!".

The knight stood firmly, facing the mighty rising sun's eternal globe, while shivering because of the biting northern wind which was blowing and whistling around him, leaning wearily the hands upon the guard of his by then useless shining sword, hammered in the frozen ground.

Meanwhile, the drum's sound of hundreds drums was getting louder and louder, rumbling relentlessly through the hills.

Then, a beautiful pale Lady dressed in a long black dress went suddenly out of the still misty hills, stepping downwards him with a faint smile on her violaceous lips.

Finn's long gray hair were whirling and dancing in the wind which had begun to blow even harder than before, lashing his leathered dark face. He fixed his eyes in the black lady's ones while she was getting nearer and nearer him, and he started singing his last song as a human being, in a stentorian firm voice:

She came to me one morning

One frozen winter morning

Along with shadows

From a deep high purple sky.

I know my time is over

There aren't more lies to cover

Would I've been exchanged

For a tiny slice of time.

Beautiful Lady

Why did you wait so long?

Beautiful Lady,

This is my wedding song.

I heard your voice was calling

My name to steal my core,

I knew your eyes were shining

For me a long time before.

She strides forward while laughin'

There is for sure just nothin'

Betwixt sky and Earth

But the truth to catch the wind.

I'll bring with me no sorrows

'Cause there are no tomorrows

Regretting only

For the maids I never knew.