Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition

The Metrical Dindshenchas (Author: [unknown])

poem 38

Tond Clidna I

1. Clidna Cendfind, lasting her exploit,
   at this wave came her death;
   cause for her mother to die
   was the matter whence arose the ancient name.
2. 5] When the gathering was held yonder;
   by the people of the Land of Promise,
   'twas he carried off the woman by deceit —
   Ciaban son of Eochu Imderg.
3. The queen of the gathering yonder in sooth,
   10] the maiden whose name was Clidna,
   Ciaban the curly-haired bore with him,
   over the wide ship-ridden sea.
4. He left her on the wave,
   he went from her on a giddy venture,
   15] to seek a chase, — fair deed!
   he went forward under the tangled wood.
5. The wave came after he was gone:
   to Ciaban it was no lucky sound:
   a great event, — we grieved thereat —
   20] was the drowning of Clidna Cendfind.
6. The Wave of Dun Teite of the chiefs,
   that was its name before in your land,
   till there was drowned in the wave in sooth
   a woman whose name was Clidna.

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p.209

7. 25] The grave of Teite and her strand are northward;
   she was slain amid her great host:
   the grave of Clidna and her strand are southward,
   south-east of Dorn Buide's Mound.
8. The locks of Dorn Buide are wetted
   30] in the waves of the mighty flood:
   though it cause displeasure,
   it is Clidna that it drowns.
9. Ildathach and his two sons
   were drowned all three on their wooing:
   35] woe to them that stuck to the ship,
   that protected them not against a single wave!
10. Fifty ships went over sea,
    the folk of the household of Manannan;
    That was no band without spears:
    40] they were drowned in the waves of Clidna.

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