Séadna 6: The Devil Defeated

This Chap. can be read alongside:

Séadna 6: an Fear Dubh sáraithe.

The people of the town noticed that Séadna was a lot quieter and less talkative than he used to be.

It was rare now to hear laughter in the workshop.

When the cobblers were working there was only the sounds of the hammers to be heard.

Things continued like that for some years. Then the rumour started that Séadna was about to marry. There were many opinions as to the woman. Some said it was Sadhbh, and that Tuesday was the day.

Séadna said nothing.

Sadhbh sent her father, Diarmaid, up to Séadna to ask him, because she had been in love with Séadna for many a day.

He did as she asked.

'I was expecting you, Séadna, but you didn't come near me.'

'Me!'? said Séadna.

'Yes, You! Isn't that the way. Everyone says that you and my Sadhbh are getting married next Tuesday!'

One of the cobblers butted in:

'You're mistaken, Diarmaid, It's not Sadhbh, but Máire, Seán Ceataigh's daughter that Séadna is going to marry.'

'You are both mistaken', said another cobbler. 'It's Babs down below, the tailors daughter, that he is marrying.'

Séadna looked from one person to the next. He was angry, but he kept it in check:

'Diarmaid, I'm sorry. I have no desire to marry now or in the future.'

Embarrassed, Diarmaid slid out

When the men went home Séadna ws sitting in his chair thinking of Sadhbh, a beautiful girl with whom he had been in love for many a day.

He said to himself: 'it would be better for her not to have a husband like me....if ahe had children and me gone with the Devil - I have only a short time...how can I tell her about the Devil ...about the purse...about the bargain.'

She would hate me.'

He spent a restless disturbed night.

Séadna got up at dawn and went out to the yard with a bucket of water. On his way back in he heard the caw of a crow that was sitting on a branch of the apple tree.

'Devil, Is it yourself that's there', said Séadna. 'I'm sure you must be very tired after coming from Hell. Why don't you come in and rest in my súgán chair, and chew some oatmeal at your ease by the fire?'

'Indeed and I won't. Do you think I'm a right eejit and don't remember the last time you played that trick on me. Now the time is up. Come with me now, there's no escape this time.'

The dirty crow tried to jump down from the tree. But if he did he failed. He tried again and again. In the end he was hanging upside down on the branch, screeching and cawing.

Séadna was in stitches.

In a break from laughing Séadna went indoors and got a handsaw and a ladder. He cut through the branch. The branch and the crow fell down into the bucket of holy water that Séadna himself had put under the tree.

Well, no one ever saw the likes of the smoke and steam and brimstone that came out of that bucket.

The crow leapt high in the air like a shot from a gun, flames coming out of his arse. Ina flash there was nothing of him to be seen.

Séadna was going slowly into the house when he heard something behind him. He looked over his shoulder.

What did he see but the barefoot woman, the beautiful child and the old man watching him and smiling.

'Séadna, it's you we have come for.'

'I was expecting you and waiting.'

Next day the neighbours found him sitting in his súgán chair looking as if he were asleep, a smile on his lips.