the blindfold.â
Goll circled the flames, chanting just as the druid had done, and when he pulled off the blindfold a squirrel darted up a tree in front of him.
âAn animal rising â good health,â cried Goll, sounding relieved.
Everybody cheered.
âNext.â Faelán nodded, and Goll handed the blindfold to Maura.
Bran began to giggle.
âShe doesnât look much like a druid,â he said.
âShe does so,â said Nessa.
Silently, Ket agreed with Bran. Maura had a figure like a bulging grey sack tied round the middle with string. As she bustled around the fire, she didnât look very majestic.
âHey.â Lorccán jabbed Ket with his elbow. âYouâre taking up too much room. I canât see.â
Angrily, Ket butted him back.
âYou sillies, we donât have to stay in here anyway,â said Nessa. âItâs daylight now!â
She crawled out of the tree just as Maura pulled off her blindfold. There was a loud hiss from the anruth, and Maura looked aghast.
âA red-haired girl â ill fortune,â said Faelán sternly.
The crowd murmured angrily. Nessa stumbled to her feet, scarlet with embarrassment.
âSorry!â she muttered.
âOooh, Nessa,â said Riona, biting her finger. The fosterlings all hurried to Nessaâs side.
âShe didnât mean it,â said Ket.
âDo not despair!â cried Faelán, turning to the people of the tuath, âYou can yet invoke the good will of the spirits. To ensure the health and prosperity of your families for the coming year, cast your offerings on the sacrificial fire. Lead forth your beasts for saining.â
He beckoned to the fosterlings. âEach of you take a branch of bog pine, and follow what the anruth do. This year, you can help with the saining.â
Trembling with excitement, Ket took his branch of pine and stepped forward. The heat was so intense he felt as if he was walking into the flames. He dabbed his torch at the balefire, and the ancient bog pine immediately blazed up in a bright white flare. Ket jumped back, terrified and exhilarated.
Morgor the Chieftain turned to the crowd, ostentatiously displaying a lime-coated shield with a shining boss. He cast it into the fire to gasps of approval and wonder.
âThat boss looked like real gold,â said Lorccán in a hushed voice.
Morgorâs herdboy was struggling to bring a fine brindled cow to the fire, but the creature dug in her hind legs, the bell around her neck making an agitated clanking noise.
âIâll make her come,â offered Lorccán, but before he could move, someone in the crowd gave the cow an impatient kick.
Next moment everyone was pressing forward, waving their offerings and clamouring with excitement. Ket found himself surrounded by a crush of surging bodies.
Carved wooden statues, broken swords, armbands, and dead chickens were flung over his head into the balefire. The stench of singed feathers and flesh mingled with the scent of burning pine wood as the towering flames devoured them all.
âSpirit of Fire, protect and purify!â The voice of the druid rose above the din.
There was laughter and shouting, lowings and bellowings as each reluctant cow, head tossing, eyes rolling, was prodded or dragged towards the flames.
Fleet-foot and nimble with happiness, Ket skipped between the crowds, his burning branch held aloft, circling and purifying the cows. He heard a howl behind him and turned to see a man being doused with a bucket of water, smoke billowing from his léine. Nath-à was backing away, his face white with dismay.
âOooh, poor Nath-Ã must have set that man alight!â thought Ket.
Ossian beamed with pride when Ket circled his small, docile cow, the heat of the saining fire shimmering between them. Ket could see his father mouthing words, but couldnât hear his voice above the roar of the crowd. Then Ossian reached to
Goll circled the flames, chanting just as the druid had done, and when he pulled off the blindfold a squirrel darted up a tree in front of him.
âAn animal rising â good health,â cried Goll, sounding relieved.
Everybody cheered.
âNext.â Faelán nodded, and Goll handed the blindfold to Maura.
Bran began to giggle.
âShe doesnât look much like a druid,â he said.
âShe does so,â said Nessa.
Silently, Ket agreed with Bran. Maura had a figure like a bulging grey sack tied round the middle with string. As she bustled around the fire, she didnât look very majestic.
âHey.â Lorccán jabbed Ket with his elbow. âYouâre taking up too much room. I canât see.â
Angrily, Ket butted him back.
âYou sillies, we donât have to stay in here anyway,â said Nessa. âItâs daylight now!â
She crawled out of the tree just as Maura pulled off her blindfold. There was a loud hiss from the anruth, and Maura looked aghast.
âA red-haired girl â ill fortune,â said Faelán sternly.
The crowd murmured angrily. Nessa stumbled to her feet, scarlet with embarrassment.
âSorry!â she muttered.
âOooh, Nessa,â said Riona, biting her finger. The fosterlings all hurried to Nessaâs side.
âShe didnât mean it,â said Ket.
âDo not despair!â cried Faelán, turning to the people of the tuath, âYou can yet invoke the good will of the spirits. To ensure the health and prosperity of your families for the coming year, cast your offerings on the sacrificial fire. Lead forth your beasts for saining.â
He beckoned to the fosterlings. âEach of you take a branch of bog pine, and follow what the anruth do. This year, you can help with the saining.â
Trembling with excitement, Ket took his branch of pine and stepped forward. The heat was so intense he felt as if he was walking into the flames. He dabbed his torch at the balefire, and the ancient bog pine immediately blazed up in a bright white flare. Ket jumped back, terrified and exhilarated.
Morgor the Chieftain turned to the crowd, ostentatiously displaying a lime-coated shield with a shining boss. He cast it into the fire to gasps of approval and wonder.
âThat boss looked like real gold,â said Lorccán in a hushed voice.
Morgorâs herdboy was struggling to bring a fine brindled cow to the fire, but the creature dug in her hind legs, the bell around her neck making an agitated clanking noise.
âIâll make her come,â offered Lorccán, but before he could move, someone in the crowd gave the cow an impatient kick.
Next moment everyone was pressing forward, waving their offerings and clamouring with excitement. Ket found himself surrounded by a crush of surging bodies.
Carved wooden statues, broken swords, armbands, and dead chickens were flung over his head into the balefire. The stench of singed feathers and flesh mingled with the scent of burning pine wood as the towering flames devoured them all.
âSpirit of Fire, protect and purify!â The voice of the druid rose above the din.
There was laughter and shouting, lowings and bellowings as each reluctant cow, head tossing, eyes rolling, was prodded or dragged towards the flames.
Fleet-foot and nimble with happiness, Ket skipped between the crowds, his burning branch held aloft, circling and purifying the cows. He heard a howl behind him and turned to see a man being doused with a bucket of water, smoke billowing from his léine. Nath-à was backing away, his face white with dismay.
âOooh, poor Nath-Ã must have set that man alight!â thought Ket.
Ossian beamed with pride when Ket circled his small, docile cow, the heat of the saining fire shimmering between them. Ket could see his father mouthing words, but couldnât hear his voice above the roar of the crowd. Then Ossian reached to
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