And with the dawn fell calm.
Swift as her tired wings would bear her, Finola sailed to the rocky isle,
where she hoped to find her brothers. But alas! no sign was there of one
of them. Then to the highest summit of the rocks she flew. North, south,
east, and west did she look, yet nought saw she save a watery wilderness.
Now did her heart fail her, and she sang the saddest song she had yet
sung.
As the last notes died Finola raised her eyes, and lo! Conn came slowly
swimming towards her with drenched plumage and head that drooped. And as
she looked, behold! Fiacra appeared, but it was as though his strength
failed. Then did Finola swim toward her fainting brother and lend him her
aid, and soon the twins were safe on the sunlit rock, nestling for warmth
beneath their sister's wings.
Yet Finola's heart still beat with alarm as she sheltered her younger
brothers, for Aed came not, and she feared lest he were lost for ever.
But, at noon, sailing he came over the breast of the blue waters, with
head erect and plumage sunlit. And under the feathers of her breast did
Finola draw him, for Conn and Fiacra still cradled beneath her wings.
'Rest here, while ye may, dear brothers,' she said.
And she sang to them a lullaby so surpassing sweet that the sea-birds
hushed their cries and flocked to listen to the sad, slow music. And when
Aed and Fiacra and Conn were lulled to sleep, Finola's notes grew more and
more faint and her head drooped, and soon she too slept peacefully in the
warm sunlight.
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