The king had proceeded only a little way, when suddenly the white feathery robes faded and disappeared; and the swans regained their human shape, Finola being transformed into an extremely old woman, and the three sons into three feeble old men, white-haired and bony and wrinkled.
When the king saw this, he started with affright, and instantly left the place without speaking one word.
As to the children of Lir, they turned towards Kemoc; and Finola spoke--
"Come, holy cleric, and baptise us without delay, for our death is near. You will grieve after us, O Kemoc; but in truth you are not more sorrowful at parting from us than we are at parting from you. Make our grave here and bury us together; and as I often sheltered my brothers when we were swans, so let us be placed in the grave--Conn standing near me at my right side, Ficra at my left, and Aed before my face."[43-1]
Come, holy priest, with book and prayer Baptise and bless us here: Haste, cleric, haste, for the hour has come And death at last is near!
Dig our grave--a deep, deep grave, Near the church we loved so well; This little church, where first we heard The voice of the Christian bell.
As oft in life my brothers dear Were sooth'd by me to rest-- Ficra and Conn beneath my wings, And Aed before my breast;
So place the two on either hand-- Close, like the love that bound me; Place Aed as close before my face, And twine their arms around me
Thus shall we rest for evermore, My brothers dear and I; Haste, cleric, haste, baptise and bless, For death at last is nigh!
[43-1] In Ireland, in old times, the dead were often buried standing up in the grave. It was in this way Finola and her brothers were buried.
[Illustration: An Ogham stone. See note, next page.]
[Illustration: Bronze spear-head. A long handle was fixed in the socket and fastened by a rivet.]
[Illustration: Bronze sword. A hilt was fixed on by rivets.]
Then the children of Lir were baptised, and they died immediately. And when they died, Kemoc looked up; and lo, he saw a vision of four lovely children, with light, silvery wings, and faces all radiant with joy. They gazed on him for a moment; but even as they gazed, they vanished upwards, and he saw them no more. And he was filled with gladness, for he knew they had gone to heaven; but when he looked down on the four bodies lying before him, he became sad and wept.