in their coming and their going both gave and took away
continually.

In summer the boy sat often with the chief bard under the thatched
eaves of the dun, while the crying swallows above came and went,
asking many questions concerning his forefathers back the
ascending line up to Rury, and again downwards through the
ramifications of that mighty stem, and concerning famous marches
and forays, and battles and single combats, and who was worthy and
lived and died well, and who not. More than all else he delighted
to hear about Fergus Mac Roy, who seemed to him the greatest and
best of all the Red Branch. In winter, cradled in strong arms, he
listened to the reminiscences and conversation of the men of war
as they sat and talked round the blazing logs in the hall, while
the light flickered upon warlike faces, and those who drew drink
went round bearing mead and ale.

Upon his seventh birthday early in the morning he ran to his
mother and cried, "Mother, send me now to Emain Macha, to my
uncle."

Dectera grew pale when she heard that word and her knees smote
together with loving fear. For answer she withdrew him from the
society of the men and kept him by herself in the women's quarter,
which was called grianan. The grianan was in the north end of the
palace behind the king's throne. In the hall men could see above
them the rafters which upheld the roof and the joining of the
great central pillar with the same. From the upper storey of the
grianan a door opened upon the great hall directly above the
throne of the king, and before that door was a railed gallery.