The heathens in siege have the town essayed
And the shattered Christians invoke thine aid."
Fain would Karl such task decline.
"God! what a life of toil is mine!"
He wept; his hoary beard he wrung.

* * * * *

So ends the lay Turoldus sung.




THE DESTRUCTION OF DÁ DERGA'S HOSTEL

TRANSLATED BY

WHITLEY STOKES, D.C.L.



INTRODUCTORY NOTE

_The vast and interesting epic literature of Ireland remained
practically inaccessible to English readers till within the last sixty
years. In 1853, Nicholas O'Kearney published the Irish text and an
English translation of "The Battle of Gabra," and since that date the
volume of printed texts and English versions has steadily increased,
until now there lies open to the ordinary reader a very considerable
mass of material illustrating the imaginative life of medieval Ireland.