Cairbre, whom Irish historians treat as distinct from Cairbre Musc, in order to enable the reader to see that they are mistaken, and that the two Cairbres were originally one and the same character. There are several important reasons for giving the story as there related:[1] it is part of a longer tract concerning an Irish triad of men said to have spoken as soon as they were born. The one here in point was called Morann son of Cairbre Cinnchait. The following is the reason why he spoke: all the offspring of the privileged classes in Erinn were killed by the Cairbre alluded to; for he belonged to the Peasant Tribes, and he seized the sovereignty of Erinn by force. And his reign was bad; for the corn would have only one grain in each ear, the holly but one berry, and the oak but one acorn in his time. Three sons were born to this Cairbre, and they [or rather two of them] were drowned together by his orders; for it appeared that they were monsters, because they were born helmeted. The same thing was attempted in the case of the third son: two of the king's men were charged to go with him to throw him into the billow's mouths. But as soon as they cast the boy from them into the sea, the billow broke his helmet, so that they beheld his face on its ridge. It is then he spoke, saying, 'Rough is wave.' They hastened to him and lifted him up. 'Do not lift me,' said he: 'Cold is wind.' 'What shall we do with the boy?' said one of the men. 'We shall do thus,' said the other: 'we shall leave him in a box on the top of the stone of the smith's door—that is
- ↑ Bk. of Leinster, 126b; see also Prof. Atkinson's analysis of the tale in the Introduction, p. 31.
