Setanta played along the sand and by the frothing waves of the
sea-shore under the dun. He had a ball and an ashen hurle shod
with bronze; joyfully he used to drive his ball along the hard
sand, shouting among his small playmates. The captain of the guard
gave him a sheaf of toy javelins and taught him how to cast, and
made for him a sword of lath and a painted shield. They made for
him a high chair. In the great hall of the dun, when supper was
served, he used to sit beside the champion of that small realm, at
the south end of the table over against the king. Ever as evening
drew on and the candles were lit, and the instruments of festivity
and the armour and trophies on the walls and pillars shone in the
cheerful light, and the people of Sualtam sat down rejoicing,
there too duly appeared Setanta over against his father by the
side of the champion, very fair and pure, yellow-haired, in his
scarlet bratta fastened with a little brooch of silver, serene and
grave beyond his years, shining there like a very bright star on
the edge of a thunder-cloud, so that men often smiled to see them
together.

While Sualtam and his people feasted, the harper harped and
trained singers sang. Every day the floor was strewn with fresh
rushes or dried moss or leaves. Every night at a certain hour the
bed-makers went round spreading couches for the people of Sualtam.
Sometimes the king slept with his people in the great hall. Then
one warrior sat awake through the night at his pillow having his
sword drawn, and another warrior sat at his feet having his sword
drawn. The fire-place was in the midst of the hall. In winter a
slave appointed for that purpose from time to time during the
night laid on fresh logs. Rude plenty never failed in the dun of
Sualtam. In such wise were royal households ordered in the age of