This thou must learn for thyself, from life itself; yet somewhat of it
I can impart unto thee, and it will keep thee in the path of safety,
which is not easily trodden by those who are in the counsels of great
kings. Mark now these four precepts, and obey them, and thou wilt
avoid many of the pit-falls in thy way:--
"Take not a king's son in fosterage,[31]
Impart no dangerous secret to thy wife,
Raise not the son of a serf to a high position,
Commit not thy purse or treasure to a sister's keeping."
[31] The institution of fosterage, by which the children of
kings and lords were given to trusted persons among their
friends or followers to bring up and educate, was a marked
feature of social life in ancient Ireland, and the bonds of
affection and loyalty between such foster-parents and their
children were held peculiarly sacred.
Having said this Fithel died, and Flahari became chief brehon in his
stead.
After a time Flahari thought to himself, "I am minded to test my
father's wisdom of life and to see if it be true wisdom or but
wise-seeming babble. For knowledge is no knowledge until it be tried
by life."
So he went before the King and said, "If thou art willing, Cormac, I
would gladly have one of thy sons in fosterage." At this Cormac was
well pleased, and a young child of the sons of Cormac was given to
Flahari to bring up, and Flahari took the child to his own Dun, and
there began to nurture and to train him as it was fitting.
Pages:
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260