Black Richard's Heart (The MacCulloughs #1) - Suzan Tisdale Page 0,55

settled in to tell them the story.

“Dagda had many children, but his most favored child was his wee daughter, Brigid. A beautiful child she was. Always polite and kind, but rather precocious. As a child, she did not always listen as she should. She often got into mischief, ye ken.

One bright, sunny day, Brigid was angry with her mum. ’Tis time for ye to rest, her mother told her. But Brigid did not want to rest. She wanted to be out of doors, enjoying the sun. She wanted to chase the birds and other animals, and to play. So when her mother put her to bed, and closed the fur, Brigid did not sleep. Instead, she snuck out of the small window.”

Colyne sat enraptured with the tale. Usually, he was the first to interrupt with one question or another. But not this night.

“She went off, chasing a rabbit, hoping to catch it, for she heard that to do so would bring her much luck. The rabbit ran and ran and ran, taking Brigid far from her home. Soon, she was in the deepest, darkest part of the woods. Och, the trees were so tall and thick, a body could not tell if it was day or night. Brigid began to cry, for she realized she was lost and far from home.”

Black Richard looked around the table. His men were just as mesmerized as his brothers. Whether it be the tale she told or the softness of her voice, he wasn’t certain.

“Well, it so happened there was a blacksmith — just a regular man ye ken, not a god — who happened to live in that part of the forest. When he heard the sound of the wee girl cryin’, he left his cottage to see what was the matter. His name was Raulf, and a big man was he. So big, he often frightened people. Hands like buckets, ye ken. And his arms and legs? As big as tree trunks they say. Well, Raulf found Brigid, sitting near a felled tree, her little arms wrapped around her legs, just a cryin’.” Lowering her voice, mimicking the sound of a large man, Aeschene said, “Who be ye, child? And why do ye cry?”

“Did she run away?” Colyne asked, his eyes wide with wonder.

“Nay, she did not run away,” Aeschene answered. “I be Brigid, the little girl told him. And I be verra lost. Well, Raulf, he had had a daughter of his own, ye see. But she was all grown and married now, with bairns of her own. Feeling sorry for her, he picked her up and said, I will help ye find yer way back home. So off they went, through the dark woods. Soon, Brigid fell asleep, for she was awfully tired from runnin’ and walkin’ and cryin’.

What Raulf did not ken was who the little girl belonged to. He also did not ken that Dagda had heard his daughter’s cries and was trying to find her. The sounds, ye ken, sound differently in the forest. Sometimes ye think a sound is comin’ from behind ye when it is really coming from ahead. Anyway, Dagda was running to the sound of his daughter’s cries when they stopped. Worried she had come to harm, he started to race through the woods. Raulf thought the sound was thunder, for Dagda’s footfalls were loud. Soon, they came upon one another.

“What are ye doin’” Dagda’s voice, so deep and loud caused all the birds to fly from the trees and all the animals to seek cover.

Raulf had never met a god before, but he was not afraid. Dagda was the all father, ye ken, the good god. But, och! Did he look furious!”

Aeschene leaned over the table, looking directly at Colyne. “I be Raulf, the blacksmith, Raulf told him. I found the little girl cryin’, he explained. She be lost and am tryin’ to get her home. Just then, Brigid woke up. At seeing her father, she began to cry again, but this time, because she was so happy. Father! She cried, holdin’ out her arms. I was lost and verra afraid! This kind man came upon me and helped me!”

Leaning back in her chair, Aeschene continued with her story. “Dagda took his daughter into his arms and thanked the blacksmith. Ask anything of me and ye shall have it, he told Raulf. Well, Raulf was a wise man, ye ken. He did not ask for gold or special powers. Instead, he asked