But an evil charm to produce a living thing in the body can also be made,
by pronouncing a certain magic and wicked spell over the food or drink
taken by any person that an enemy wishes to injure.
One should therefore he very cautious in accepting anything to eat from
a person of known malicious tongue and spiteful heart, or who has an ill
will against you, for poison lies in their glance and in the touch of their
hands; and an evil spell is in their very presence, and on all they do, say, or
touch.
Cathal, king of Munster, was the tallest and handsomest of all the kings
of Erin, and he fell deeply in love with the beautiful sister of Fergus, king of
Ulster; and the lovers were happy in, their love and resolved on marriage.
But Fergus, King of the North, had a mortal hatred to Cathal, King of the
South, and wished, in secret, to prevent the marriage. So he set a watch over
his sister, and by this means found out that she was sending a basket of the
choicest apples to her lover, by the hands of a trusty messenger. On this
Fergus managed to get hold of the basket of fruit from the messenger; and
he changed them secretly for another lot of apples, over which he worked
an evil spell. Furnished with these the messenger set out for Cathal, and
presented them to Cathal the king, who, delighted at this proof of love from
his princess, began at once to eat the apples. But the more he ate, the more
he longed for them, for a wicked spell was on every apple. When he had
eaten them all up, he sent round the country for more, and ate, and ate, until
there was not aim apple left in Cashel, nor in all the country round.
Then he bade his chieftains go forth and bring in food to appease his
appetite; and he ate up all the cattle and the grain and the fruit, and still
cried for more; and had the houses searched for food to bring to him. So the
people were in despair, for they had no more food, and starvation was over
the land.
Now a great and wise man, the chief poet of his tribe, happened to be
travelling through Munster at that time, and hearing of the king's state, he
greatly desired to see him, for he knew there was devil's work in te evil
spell. So they brought him to the king, and many strong invocations he
uttered over him, and many powerful incantations, for poets have a
knowledge of mysteries above all other men; until finally, after three days
had passed, he announced to the lords and chiefs that on that night, when
the moon rose, the spell would be broken, and time king restored to his
wonted health. So all the chiefs gathered round in the courtyard to watch;
but no one was allowed to enter the room where the king lay, save only the
poet. And he was to give the signal when the hour had come and the spell
was broken.
So as they watched, and just as the moon rose, a great cry was heard
from the king's room, and the poet, flinging open the door, bade the chiefs
enter; and there on the floor lay a huge dead wolf, who for a whole year had
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