02 - The Four Treasures

“Come along, dear,” said Grandma Georgina.
She, of course, was speaking to Korrit, her little helper.
The two of them gathered salt and ice and fresh cream and vanilla beans and began making ice cream. Meanwhile, Grandpa Jack added several kindle-sticks and pine fronds to the fire. The fire crackled as flames ate everything in sight. The smell of fresh evergreen filled the air.
“While we wait for Grandma and Korrit,” said Grandpa Jack, “How about a folktale?”
Everyone gathered around the fireplace as Grandpa Jack pulled his rocking chair into position near the hearth.
“According to some, the story of the Tuatha de Danann is just a tall tale. To others, it is the absolute true history of Ireland.”
“What do you think, Grandpa?” asked little Chelsea.
“I think it is a little bit of both.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just listen and maybe you’ll see.”
Chelsea leaned against Grandpa Jack’s chest. His heavy wool jacket and his scratchy old beard rubbed on on her face. She nestled against him, listening to his words as they echoed deep in his belly.
“In Ireland’s youngest days, there was a race of giants who traveled from four islands. These were the Tuatha de Danann. The Tuatha were known for their skill with the magic arts.
Now, the Tuatha also brought with them four treasures. Each of these four treasures had four very special and very different powers.
They were the Sword of Victory, the Spear of Lugh, the Dagda’s Cauldron, and the Stone of Destiny.”
Grandpa Jack went to the coat rack and retrieved his shillelagh. The shillelagh was a small crooked walking stick made from the sturdy branch from an old oak tree. It had a fancy pewter handle that was fashion like the head of a Mallard duck.  He took the handle in his hand and wielded his shillelagh as if it were a broadsword.
“Duada, the first king of the Tuatha, owned one of the four treasures. It was his trusty Sword of Victory. He kept it at his side at all times and always carried it into battle. No one ever escaped from it once it was drawn from its sheath, and no one could resist it.”
Grandpa Jack swished and swashed the shillelagh back and forth as he danced in front of the fire.
“Be careful, silly old man!” said Grandma.
Grandpa Jack set his shillelagh aside and returned to his rocking chair.
“Duada and the Sword of Victory led the Tuatha across the sea to the Irish coast, then known as ‘Eire’. It was then inhabited by a race of men known as the Fir Bolg. Duada met the King of the Fir Bolgs and asked for half of the land. The Fir Bolg king resisted. The disagreement between the Fir Bolg and the Duatha brought them to war. It lasted for four days and four nights. On the fourth day, Sreng, the champion of the Fir Bolg, met with King Nuada. With a fierce blow of his own sword, Sreng lopped off the arm that carried Nuada’s sword. The King’s men rushed him and the Sword of Light away from the field of battle. Still, the Tuatha prevailed, winning the war with the Fir Bolg. As a tribute to the Fir Bolg’s courage, King Nuada awarded them one-fourth of the island.”
“What happened to the Tuatha?” askied Meg.
“The Tuatha continued to prosper. In fact, they even gained attention from others, including a young hero named Lugh.”
“Lugh? As in the Spear of Lugh?”
Grandpa Jack nodded.
“Lugh was not still a boy but not yet a man when he traveled to the Court of King Nuada. He wished to become one of the Tuatha de Danann.
When he arrived at the gates of the castle, the gatekeeper would not let him pass.”
“Young lad,” said the gatekeeper, “I cannot let you in to serve the King unless you have a special skill.”
Lugh thought for a moment, “I can forge metals.”
“Young lad, the king already has such a servant.”
“I am a fine swordsman,” said Lugh.
“Young lad, the king already has such a servant.”
“I am also a fine harpist.”
“Young lad, the king already has such a servant.”
“And so it went, on and on, as Lugh listed his endless skills and the gatekeeper refused him entry to the King’s Court. Finally, Lugh asked the gatekeeper if the king had such a servant who could not do just one of those things, but all of them. The gatekeeper thought for a moment. When he realized no servant in the King’s Court had such a collection of skills, he had no choice but to let Lugh in to see the King.
After he was granted court with the King, Lugh impressed him not only with the variety of skills he possessed, but also with the quality of his many skills.
When the Tuatha went to war with one of their greatest enemies, their greatest champion, Balor, slayed King Nuada. This angered Lugh so that he battled Balor. Like a lightning storm, the two battled for such a time until Lugh uses a sling-stone to slay the mighty Balor.”
 “Alright, Jack, that’s enough tale-telling for one night,” said Grandma Georgina, “Korrit and I have homemade ice cream for anyone who wants it.”
Everyone enthusiastically held out their hands as Korrit came by with bowls full of vanilla bean ice cream. After everyone ate, it was Grandma’s turn to tell tales.
“You know,” she said, “magical items from long, long ago are not Ireland’s only treasures. There’s those earthly treasures, like the ones you’re enjoying right now.”
The children looked into their bowls.
“All I see is melted ice cream,” said Chelsea.
“That is hardly just ice cream!” exclaimed Grandma, “it is a combination of Irish treasures, like fresh dairy cream that came straight from one of our Kerry cows. Also, our cows give us milk and cheese – and don’t forget that someday, our dear Connor will be the steak upon your plate.”
Chelsea gasped.
“Well,” said Grandpa Jack, “maybe we’ll keep Connor around as long as possible. After all, he is our prize bull.”
“I hope so,” said Chelsea.
Korrit grabbed a large spoon and began digging the last morsels of ice cream out of the bottom of the ice cream maker.
“That reminds me of another ancient folk tale,” said Grandpa.
He cleared a space on each knee for his two littlest grandchildren. Both Chelsea and Korrit quickly jumped up and awaited another of Grandpa’s stories while Meg and Sally sat on the corner of the hearth.
Grandpa Jack took the ice cream maker into one of his hands. He took the spoon into the other. He then took a bite of ice cream and smiled.
“Also in the time before written history, there is a tale of the Dagda. He was one of the mighty kings of the Tuatha de Danann. He owned a special cooking pot called a cauldron. The cauldron was large and round. It was also endless.”
Grandpa Jack dug the spoon into the ice cream maker and fed Chelsea. She swallowed the bit of ice cream whole.
“Once something was placed into the cauldron, there was enough to feed everyone.”
He took another scoop. This time, he fed Korrit.”
“Yum!” she said as her eyes sparkled and her mouth smiled.
“Can I have my bite of ice cream?” asked Sally.
“Let me see,” said Grandpa Jack. He peered down into the ice cream maker for a short bit as his arm stirred inside the cauldron. Finally, he produced another spoonful of ice cream.
“What do you know? It’s more ice cream!”
Meg, who was the most patient of the Cahill girls, still wanted ice cream, too.
“Where’s mine?” she asked.
Grandpa Jack looked into the bottom of the ice cream maker. There was, however, a bottom to the ice cream maker and after Sally got her bite of ice cream, there was none left.
“I’m sorry,” said Grandpa Jack.
He showed Meg the bottom of the cauldron. Meg looked inside. She let out the smallest of frowns when she noticed it was empty.
“Don’t worry Meg,” said Grandma Georgina, “Korrit and I can make some more.”
Korrit immediately jumped to her feet and ran to the kitchen. She dug out the vanilla beans and the ice and the salt and the milk and the cream. Then, she helped make ice cream for Meg.
“That’s okay,” said Grandpa Jack, “I have one more tale to tell. It is the tale of the Stone of Destiny. It was possibly the greatest of all the treasures.”
“Oh Jack,” groaned Grandma Georgina, “enough with all this hullabaloo.”
“It’s not hullabaloo, dear. It’s the history of dear old Ireland.”
Grandpa Jack turned his attention to the girls, which meant he also turned his attention to the Stone of Destiny.
“On a mound upon a hill named Tara that overlooks the valley of County Meath, there was placed a coronation stone. That stone, called the Lia Fail, still stands there today.”
“Yes, yes, old man, that may be true, but it is the only true treasure that exists today.”
“My dear wife,” said Grandpa Jack, “imagine, through the ages, how a cauldron, a spear, or a sword would’ve changed hands many times. With the Stone of Destiny, it is too big to move, so it has never gotten lost.”
“All right,” Lizbeth Cahill said to her girls, “say ‘good night to your Grandfather and then it’s off to bed with you.”
“Awww,” said the girls.
Mother looked at the clock. “It is way past your bedtimes. The sooner you get to bed, the sooner you’ll get to tomorrow.”
The girls kissed Grandpa and Grandpa and Father and Mother good-night and then headed to the big bedroom at the back of the house. It was equipped with two trundle beds. Each of the beds included a high mattress and a second mattress, encased in a small drawer-like cabinet. Whenever the girls came over to Tralee, they pulled out the extra beds so the two smaller girls had a place to sleep. As it was, Korrit slept next to Sally and Chelsea slept next to Meg.
While everyone found it easy to get to sleep, Chelsea’s mind often raced as she pondered over all the things her Grandpa said.
“Meg, do you believe in the four treasures?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t?”
“Grandpa obviously believes it – but he’s a tale-teller. Grandma always calls him silly.”
“I suppose it could be both.”
“I suppose it could, Chelsea, now get some sleep and we’ll talk about it tomorrow.”
Korrit and Sally, who remained quiet, were the first to sleep. It wasn’t long, however, until Meg got to sleep, too. With nobody to talk to, Chelsea found her way to sleep, too.
.