Page:Origin and Growth of Religion (Rhys).djvu/332

were gone. The matrons tried to persuade their ward that it was but a dream; but the fair Ethnea knew better, and in due time she gave birth to three boys together. Balor was furious on finding this out, and had the three boys wrapped in a sheet and sent out to be drowned in a certain whirlpool which he indicated; but before the boat had reached the spot, the pin fell out of the sheet, and the eldest-born baby tumbled into the sea. The two others were taken to the whirlpool, while the previous one was picked up by the banshee and taken to its father Mac Kineely, and he gave it to his brother Gavida to foster and bring up a smith, a great profession in those days. Balor, finding out that Mac Kineely was the father of his grandchildren, who, he was pleased to think, were all three at the bottom of the sea, crossed with a party of his followers to the mainland, and took Mac Kineely out to a large white stone, and thereon chopped his head off. The warm blood gushed forth and penetrated the white stone to its very centre; and there it remains to speak of the cruel deed and to give its name of Cloch Chinnfhaolaidh, 'Kineely's Stone,' to a district comprising two parishes. Balor pursued his life of depredation more boldly than before; but in the course of years, Lug, for that was the name of the son of Mac Kineely and Ethnea, grew up to be a most excellent smith and to learn his own history: he was observed to gaze frequently at the blood-red veins in the white stone, and to be subject to fits of sullenness and gloom. He bided his opportunity, for Balor was again in the habit of frequenting Gavida's forge; and one day, when Lug's uncle was absent, Balor came and was foolish enough to boast of his victory over Mac Kineely years before. Lug