But the moon didn’t stay out for too long, as it was soon covered again by clouds.
“It was a good thing Gran made us wear the hi-vis jackets and carry a torch,” said Sean, putting his hand into the pocket of his jacket to get the torch. There were lights from passing cars, and when each one passed they stood into the ditch, as there was no footpath. They passed the occasional house, with spooky pumpkin faces glowing inside windows and on gate-posts and doorsteps. They laughed and joked as they walked along; but they chatted less as a mist started swirling around them, and it became harder to see the way ahead.“This is getting a bit creepy,” said Niamh.“Don’t worry, Niamh, just keep close to me,” replied Sean, giving Niamh’s shoulder a friendly squeeze.“Remember we look scary too, Niamh,” added Conor.The mist kept thickening for a while, but then the air started to get damp.
“Oh no, it looks like it is going to turn to rain,” said Sean.“We better look for some shelter,” suggested Conor.They looked around and saw a brown sign for a local dolmen, pointing to a pathway running up a hill, alongside some fields.
“Let’s go up to the dolmen and we can shelter underneath,” said Sean, “Charlie took me up there once.”“I learnt about dolmens in school, but I’ve never actually seen one,” interrupted Niamh.“Come on, the rain is getting heavier,” urged Conor making for the pathway.“Wait Conor, I’ve got the torch, so I will go ahead,” called Sean. “You go last, behind Niamh.”
“Oh no, it looks like it is going to turn to rain,” said Sean.“We better look for some shelter,” suggested Conor.They looked around and saw a brown sign for a local dolmen, pointing to a pathway running up a hill, alongside some fields.
“Let’s go up to the dolmen and we can shelter underneath,” said Sean, “Charlie took me up there once.”“I learnt about dolmens in school, but I’ve never actually seen one,” interrupted Niamh.“Come on, the rain is getting heavier,” urged Conor making for the pathway.“Wait Conor, I’ve got the torch, so I will go ahead,” called Sean. “You go last, behind Niamh.”
“Alright,” replied Conor, pulling at his bandages that were beginning to come loose.
They made their way up the hill. The footpath was muddy and they had to be careful not to slip, which was quite hard with the darkness and just one torch between them. The rain was coming down hard now and the children were feeling wet, cold and tired. Eventually they reached the top and saw the big rocks of the dolmen. Sean shone the torch up at it. There were two huge standing stones with a large capstone lying on top of them. The gap between the two standing stones and below the capstone was like an entrance or doorway. The children ran in under the capstone that formed a roof over their heads, and kept the rain off them.
Ils gravirent la colline. Le sentier était boueux et ils durent faire attention pour ne pas glisser, ce qui fut assez difficile avec l'obscurité et juste une torche pour s'éclairer. La pluie tombait fort maintenant et les enfants étaient mouillés, froids et fatigués. Finalement, ils atteignirent le sommet et virent les gros rochers du dolmen que Sean éclaira avec sa torche. Il y avait deux énormes pierres dressées et surmontées d'une grande pierre angulaire. L'espace entre les deux pierres dressées et sous la pierre angulaire faisait comme une entrée ou une porte. Les enfants coururent sous la pierre angulaire qui formait un toit au-dessus de leurs têtes et les protégeait de la pluie.
“Dolmens are also known as portal tombs, and a portal is a doorway or gate,” said Conor.“You’ve been reading history books again,” laughed Sean.“Yes, history is fascinating,” answered Conor seriously.“Sean, try ringing Charlie again, Gran will be getting worried,” Niamh said, tapping Sean on his back.“Okay.” Sean pulled out his phone to ring, but his phone flickered and died. “Oh no, my battery is dead.”“What are we going to do?” demanded Niamh. “Best stay here until the rain stops and it gets lighter, and then go back to your Granny’s house,” said a voice behind them. “That sounds like…Tom O’Neill.” Sean turned and gasped, “It is Tom O’Neill!”“But…how could it be?” Conor turned too. Niamh turned around slowly and hid behind Sean.They found themselves facing Tom O’Neill and two other men. The children looked at the man beside Tom and realised they knew him too.
“Grandad!” exclaimed Conor and Niamh together.“And let me introduce you to your grand-uncle Paddy,” said their grandfather.“Granny’s brother?” asked Sean hesitantly.“The very same,” said Paddy.“But… you’re all dead,” blurted out Conor.“Are you…ghosts?” whispered Niamh.“Well, I suppose we are,” chuckled Grandad, “but you know tonight is a special night don’t you?”“Yes, it is Halloween,” replied Niamh. “The night when the dead can mingle with the living,” added Conor.“Yes, we have come to visit from the Otherworld,” said Grandad.“Cool!” said Sean.“Let’s light a fire,” Tom said. “It will warm you up and dry your clothes, and it is Halloween after all.”“But Gran said that people built bonfires to keep people from the Otherworld away,” said Conor.“Ah, but that’s to keep away the evil ones,” replied Paddy.“Yes, and Tom, Grandad and great uncle Paddy aren’t evil,” said Niamh.“Come on, let’s build a bonfire,” said Sean. He turned to go outside with the torch, to look for something to build a bonfire. He shone the torch on some growth to the left of the dolmen, which went up the bank of the field, beside the fence near the pathway. There were a lot of gorse bushes there that would burn well, but he had nothing to cut it with.He called to the others. “There is plenty of gorse bushes here but we need a knife to cut it.”“Where are we going to get a knife from?” asked Conor, trying to see the three men in the darkness.“Ah, maybe our friend Brian could help,” said Tom.“But, where is Brian?” inquired Niamh, “and who is he?”“Ah, you know him well,” chuckled her grandad. “You learnt about him at school.”“Come on out, Brian,” called Paddy.
“Grandad!” exclaimed Conor and Niamh together.“And let me introduce you to your grand-uncle Paddy,” said their grandfather.“Granny’s brother?” asked Sean hesitantly.“The very same,” said Paddy.“But… you’re all dead,” blurted out Conor.“Are you…ghosts?” whispered Niamh.“Well, I suppose we are,” chuckled Grandad, “but you know tonight is a special night don’t you?”“Yes, it is Halloween,” replied Niamh. “The night when the dead can mingle with the living,” added Conor.“Yes, we have come to visit from the Otherworld,” said Grandad.“Cool!” said Sean.“Let’s light a fire,” Tom said. “It will warm you up and dry your clothes, and it is Halloween after all.”“But Gran said that people built bonfires to keep people from the Otherworld away,” said Conor.“Ah, but that’s to keep away the evil ones,” replied Paddy.“Yes, and Tom, Grandad and great uncle Paddy aren’t evil,” said Niamh.“Come on, let’s build a bonfire,” said Sean. He turned to go outside with the torch, to look for something to build a bonfire. He shone the torch on some growth to the left of the dolmen, which went up the bank of the field, beside the fence near the pathway. There were a lot of gorse bushes there that would burn well, but he had nothing to cut it with.He called to the others. “There is plenty of gorse bushes here but we need a knife to cut it.”“Where are we going to get a knife from?” asked Conor, trying to see the three men in the darkness.“Ah, maybe our friend Brian could help,” said Tom.“But, where is Brian?” inquired Niamh, “and who is he?”“Ah, you know him well,” chuckled her grandad. “You learnt about him at school.”“Come on out, Brian,” called Paddy.
There was a sudden flash of light, which made Conor and Niamh cover their eyes. After a few minutes they dared to look. There stood a man surrounded by a glowing light. He had long red hair and a bushy red beard. On his head was a gold crown, and he wore a dark tunic with a leather belt. Around his shoulders hung a cloak fastened at the front by a large brooch. In his hands he held a long sword and a shield.
“Are you Brian Boru?” asked Conor, staring up at him.“Indeed, I am,” answered the warrior. “Wow! The last High King of Ireland,” gushed Conor.“What will I do?” called Sean from outside.“We have a very big knife for you,” shouted Conor. They all went outside to Sean. Sean gaped at Brian Boru with his mouth open.
“You may use my sword for cutting the gorse,” said Brian Boru, and handed it to Sean.“Th…Thank you,” stuttered Sean, and took the heavy sword. “Here, hold the torch for me Conor, while I cut the gorse,” ordered Sean. Sean swung the sword with both hands, in a sweeping movement, under the prickly canopy of a gorse bush towards the roots. The branches were cut and fell to the ground. Proud of his success, he continued moving on to bush after bush. “I think that is enough,” said Tom. “Brian, can we use your cloak to gather the branches as they are very prickly?” Brian Boru took off his cloak, and lay it over the prickly branches and wrapped the cloth around them to pick them up. He carried them into the dolmen and threw them onto the earth floor. He had to do this a few times until there was a pile of them ready to make a fire, and another pile to keep the fire going.“How are we going to make the fire?” inquired Niamh. “I will get Fionn to bring along Aillén Mac Midgna, the fire-breathing goblin,” answered Brian Boru. “Is that Fionn Mac Cumhaill, by any chance?” asked Conor.“Yes, the one and the same,” confirmed Brian Boru.“Wow!” gasped the three children.
“You may use my sword for cutting the gorse,” said Brian Boru, and handed it to Sean.“Th…Thank you,” stuttered Sean, and took the heavy sword. “Here, hold the torch for me Conor, while I cut the gorse,” ordered Sean. Sean swung the sword with both hands, in a sweeping movement, under the prickly canopy of a gorse bush towards the roots. The branches were cut and fell to the ground. Proud of his success, he continued moving on to bush after bush. “I think that is enough,” said Tom. “Brian, can we use your cloak to gather the branches as they are very prickly?” Brian Boru took off his cloak, and lay it over the prickly branches and wrapped the cloth around them to pick them up. He carried them into the dolmen and threw them onto the earth floor. He had to do this a few times until there was a pile of them ready to make a fire, and another pile to keep the fire going.“How are we going to make the fire?” inquired Niamh. “I will get Fionn to bring along Aillén Mac Midgna, the fire-breathing goblin,” answered Brian Boru. “Is that Fionn Mac Cumhaill, by any chance?” asked Conor.“Yes, the one and the same,” confirmed Brian Boru.“Wow!” gasped the three children.
There was an almighty whoosh, and there in front of them was, Fionn Mac Cumhaill, and Aillén, the fire-breathing goblin. Fionn Mac Cumhaill was dressed in a similar style to Brian Boru, but had long fair hair and a beard. The goblin looked quite frightening with its browny green skin, pointed long ears, pointy nose, bulging eyes, and long gnarly fingers and toes. The goblin looked very grumpy and carried a big wooden club. Niamh hid behind Sean.
“Don’t be afraid of Aillén,” said Fionn gently. “He was a real terror years ago but I got the better of him. Every year, on the eve of Samhain, Aillén would arrive at the hill of Tara and would play a harp until the music sent everyone to sleep. Then he would set fire to the great halls of Tara by breathing out fire. But, one year I killed him with the help of a magic poisoned spear. Since we met in the Otherworld he has become my faithful servant. Now everyone stand back. Aillén, set fire to the gorse!”
«N’ayez peur d'Aillén,» dit doucement Fionn. «C'était une véritable terreur il y a des années, mais j'ai eu raison de lui. Chaque année, à la veille du Samhain, Aillén arrivait sur la colline de Tara et jouait de la harpe jusqu'à ce que la musique endorme tout le monde. Puis il mettait le feu aux grands espaces de Tara en soufflant du feu. Mais, une année, je l'ai tué à l'aide d'une lance magique empoisonnée. Depuis que nous nous sommes rencontrés dans l'Autre Monde, il est devenu mon fidèle serviteur. Maintenant, tout le monde recule. Aillén, mets le feu aux ajoncs! »
Everyone stood well back and the goblin stepped forward, took a deep breath and blew out a stream of fire that spiralled and curled out towards the pile of gorse. The gorse quickly caught fire, and the dolmen was lit up, revealing the faces of them all. Niamh looked around and thought what an odd collection of beings they were. She suddenly realised she was the only female there.
Tout le monde se tenait bien à l’écart et le gobelin fit un pas en avant, prit une profonde inspiration et souffla une flamme qui tourbillonna et se recroquevilla vers le tas d'ajoncs. Les ajoncs prirent rapidement feu, et le dolmen s'éclaira, révélant leur visage à tous. Niamh regarda autour d’elle et pensa à l’étrange ensemble d'êtres qu’ils formaient. Soudain, elle réalisa qu’elle était la seule fille.
