The Celtic Riddle

Amairgen, in making the very first judgment in Ireland, said the land would belong to the Tuatha de Da-naan until the Sons of Mil returned to take it by force, and, so that the Tuatha de would not be taken by surprise, that the Milesians would sail nine waves away from the shores before returning.

The ships sailed away the nine waves, magic waves they were, and the Tuatha de called upon their druids to cast a spell. A mighty storm overtook the invaders' vessels, and there were many losses, but Amairgen thought it was a druidic storm and not a real one. He sent a man up the mast to see if the storm was higher than the mast of their ships. It was not, but the man died in the telling of it. Then Amairgen made a spell of his own, for the poets in those times were druids, you see, and the sea became calm. At last Amairgen stepped again on Ireland's shores. "I am the sea-swell, I am a furious wave," he said, casting a spell on this isle. Then the Milesians, the Celts as we now know them, made their way to the Slieve Mish Mountains, right here in the Dingle, where a mighty battle was fought with the Tuatha de Danaan; then another battle at Tailtiu, where the three kings of Ireland, and the three goddesses, Banba, Fotla, and Eriu died. And from that time till the Christian era, and some say long after, Ireland belonged to the Celts.

We picked our way carefully across the fields and stone walls heading down toward the sea and the road along the coast. It was very late, but at last we came upon a farmhouse. "I'll go to the door," Rob said. "You hide well back, just in case we've picked the wrong place." But it was all right. The farmer and his wife, once roused, called the local gardai station, and within a few minutes we were on our way back to town. We made statements to the police, and then they dropped me at the Inn, while Rob said he was going to take the police back to try to find the clochan we'd been thrown in.

Wearily I climbed the stairs to my room. It was almost dawn now, and I was very tired. I carefully unlocked the door to the room I shared with Jennifer in order not to wake her. She was not in her bed. On the desk was an envelope with my name on it.

Paddy and I think we can find the treasure, the note read. We're taking his bike. Don't worry, I'll call you tomorrow. I left Dad a note too. Hope he isn 't too mad. Love, Jen.

I went straight to the restaurant. It was closed, but I could see a light at the back in the kitchen. Breeta wasn't there. I begged to know where she lived. "I shouldn't tell you," the cook said. "But you seem to be very upset. She's two doors down, the blue door, second floor."

But Breeta, when she saw me, tried to slam the door in my face. I was ready for her, and I was desperate. I shoved the door open and pushed past her into the room. She was thinner now, and the bulge in her tummy more prominent. "Okay, Breeta," I said almost yelling. "Enough is enough. I know this has been a very bad time for you. I know that losing your father was bad enough, but then Michael, in such a violent way. Well, it has been terrible. But you have had long enough. From now on, you're just wallowing in it. Talk to me." She said absolutely nothing, and kept her eyes averted from my face.