{"id":222,"date":"2013-01-11T17:20:01","date_gmt":"2013-01-11T17:20:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/?p=222"},"modified":"2014-08-11T17:22:33","modified_gmt":"2014-08-11T17:22:33","slug":"king-congals-grief","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/king-congals-grief\/","title":{"rendered":"King Congal\u2019s Grief"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"

\nKing Congal was an ancient semi-legendry king of Irelands north Lenster area known at the time as Taffia, afterwards Annally and todaystraddles the modern counties of Longford and Westmeath.
\nThis poem tells of the loss of his wife, how he found a new wife, and its eerie parralless with King Edward of England and Wallis Simpson!
<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\nCongal, the proud king, his wife a prince bore
\nAlas, in giving to her son his life
\nShe lost hers, tragic the tale for telling
\nA son the King gained but he lost his wife.
\nWhat to him the tragedy brought, asked he:
\nReason to him the reason could not tell –
\nOn reflection to mind the Chief Druid came
\nCould the Druid on his wife have cast a spell?<\/p>\n

Malignant spells he knew, he cast before
\nOn other men, mortals, also on kings
\nMaybe on his pregnant wife a spell was cast
\nThey were known to happen, such evil things.
\nThe Druid, accused, his innocence protested
\nTo no avail, judging him the king decreed
\nA year hence from here, the Druid he would die
\nThe Kings revenge for such the evil deed.<\/p>\n

For that year, the king resolved in his grief
\nHe\u2019d retire to a private hidden place
\nTo be left to think of she who he loved
\nFrom affairs of the world to hide his face.
\nHis people they were worried, a leader they had
\nBut grieving could not lead, for a year whole
\nIn times of danger, who\u2019d give counsel
\nAs the bereaved king nursed his grieving soul?<\/p>\n

The Druid, innocent, awaited fate with grace
\nDeath, it comes to all mankind in time
\nHe would meet it with a smile on that day
\nThough innocent was of the causing crime.
\nNothing could be done, no spells cast could be
\nTo heal the kings mind, make him think again
\nHis time now was nigh, he soon was to be
\nAmng those who havve lived before living men.<\/p>\n

His daughter, a picture in her own right
\nShe who caused from men admiring glances
\nPleaded with her father she to the king speak
\nTo save his life, she would take her chances.
\nIt was forbade, for death must come to all
\nAnd though Druid was he, he was but a man
\nSubject to death from birth, and will of Gods
\nHe had resigned that he\u2019d done all one can.<\/p>\n

Persisted again, permission to obtain
\nHid daughter did, using reason and guile
\nHe wished not to anger the king further
\nLest he could kill her in similar style.
\nAt last she succeeded as a woman can
\nReluctant the father gave permission
\nAdvice to be wary, protection too
\nThat today\u2019s derided as superstition.<\/p>\n

She arrived in due time at the royal court
\nSome work as a servant girl she there found
\nNone knowing her, this was easy to do
\nAnd she for a few days she hung around
\nWhere the king he lay, face covered grieving
\nOnly calling when something he himself did need
\nSo he called her one day, she to him ran
\nAnd she done for him quick the requested deed.<\/p>\n

She brought him water, as requested, so pure
\nAs he her for her fast service did thank
\nShe in subjection to the ground she fell
\nExplained herself, her fathers name and rank
\nHis fate and woe, how he was innocent
\nHow the king would not listen to his plea
\nOf innocence, for innocent he was
\nTo die, and would make an orphan of she.<\/p>\n

\u201cTwelve days\u201d, said the king, \u201cbring me water
\nAs pure, with as pure intent as today
\nYour request Ill consider in that time
\nGrant pardon I dont guarentee, but may.\u201d
\nTwelvedays she brought him the water
\nFrom a well, that was dark, was deep and pure
\nEach day he looked at her eyes of truth
\nAnd he understood she spoke true and sure.<\/p>\n

For where reason fails, beauty it succeeds
\nNot of the skin, but of mere flesh that is
\nAs deep, but of the heart, understanding
\nKnowledge of this true fact as king was his.
\nSo on the twelfth day, she again spoke clear
\nHer story true to each word as before
\nHer father he was pardoned by the king
\nHe need fear deaths dark cold hand now no more.<\/p>\n

As the Druids daughter she went him to leave
\nThe king he asked her to please wait a while
\nHe had one but more request for to ask
\nHe said, taking both her hands with a smile.
\nMy wife tragically giving birth died
\nNo one more fair in Leinster could their be
\nFair of face, of flesh, more so fair of heart
\nOf grieving her death you have set me free.<\/p>\n

Your love for your father shows purity
\nDedication, your life you risked it too
\nWhat bravery, honesty, rare to find
\nA thing some men would fear even to do.
\nIts not good for a king like me to be
\nThough he be widowed, to live on his own
\nI wish you as my new wife please to be
\nI know she\u2019d approve of you on her throne.<\/p>\n

The news it soon spread: \u201cThe king he was cured
\nOf his sombre widowed grieving malady
\nClever druid, some powerful spell he cast
\nTo capture the kings heart, set himself free
\nHis daughter, a commoner, to be queen!
\nNo matter how good the king was and proud
\nThe people, Bards, Judges, Druids and Ollamhs spoke
\nIt could not in law ever be allowed.<\/p>\n

A man, his heart it speaks plain, true to him
\nA clever one listens, wise man obeys
\nThe throne he gave up to his infant son
\nWhen he had reached maturity of days.
\nMarried were they, and all they were happy there
\nPeople and lawmakers had no objection
\nShe was no queen, but could not happier be
\nWho received the kings sudden affection!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Congal, the proud king, his wife a prince bore Alas, in giving to her son his life She lost hers, tragic the tale for telling A son the King gained but he lost his wife. What to him the tragedy brought, asked he: Reason to him the reason could not …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[267,76,169,23],"tags":[344,345,346,347,173,348,349,42,18,350],"class_list":["post-222","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-celts-and-celtic-heritage","category-folklore-and-legend","category-myths-and-tales","category-north-longford","tag-annally","tag-childbirth-death","tag-congal","tag-greif","tag-irish-legend-2","tag-king-congal","tag-legend-of-ireland","tag-longford","tag-love-poem","tag-taffia","column","twocol"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7EI4f-3A","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":144,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/in-the-shadow-of-cairn-hill\/","url_meta":{"origin":222,"position":0},"title":"In the Shadow of Cairn Hill","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"13th July 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Are they true the old tales, that he who slay Queen Maeve, Neath one of these cairns in death enjoys sleep? 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