And an ounce of gold
was paid as a poll-tax for every man, and if any man would not or
could not pay, his nose was cut off. Under this tyranny the whole
country groaned, but they had none who was able to band them together
and to lead them in battle against their oppressors.
Now before this it happened that one of the lords of the Danaans named
Kian had married with Ethlinn, daughter of Balor, a princess of the
Fomorians. They had a son named Lugh Lamfada, or Lugh of the Long Arm,
who grew up into a youth of surpassing beauty and strength. And if his
body was noble and mighty, no less so was his mind, for lordship and
authority grew to him by the gift of the Immortals, and whatever he
purposed that would he perform, whatever it might cost in time or
toil, in tears or in blood. Now this Lugh was not brought up in Erinn
but in a far-off isle of the western sea, where the sea-god Mananan
and the other Immortals nurtured and taught him, and made him fit
alike for warfare or for sovranty, when his day should come to work
their will on earth. Hither in due time came the report of the
grievous and dishonouring oppression wrought by the Fomorians upon the
people of Dana, and that report was heard by Lugh. Then Lugh said to
his tutors "It were a worthy deed to rescue my father and the people
of Erinn from this tyranny; let me go thither and attempt it.
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