Bile Tortan
The Metrical Dindsenchas

Ultan. Fallen is the Tree of Tortu, whose skirts conquered many a storm: . . . even so would they disperse.

Mochuma. The Tree of Tortu looks down on strife: name ye among the wise him who writes of it! here it stands from the time that it was green till the season of its decay.

Mochua. Sad are all the men of Tortu, mourning for that single tree; dearer to them is the thing they see than all things that are gone from us.

Coin Galma. When the men of Tortu used to meet together round the huge conspicuous tree, the pelting of the storms did not reach them, until the day when it was decayed.

Colum Cille. Though it is withered now, it had not an early end: long has it been on earth: the King who created its form has brought it low again.

Ultan of Tech Tua. Fifty cubits is the thickness of the tree that overpowered the array of the forest: three hundred cubits, famous count, was the full height of its timber.

Mochuma. Three landmarks of Erin, thou seest, are shorn of their strength, the Tree of Ross, the mighty Tree of Mugna, and the red-sided Tree of Tortu.

Mochua. Deep was the sound of the Tree of Tortu in the storm's fierce torment: the moaning of the wind on winter nights has torn from it here many a swarm of leaves.

Utan. It found an abode over strong Tortu from the time of the sons of mighty Mil, until its colour faded and it fell, in the time of the sons of Aed Slane.

Croin Galma. A wind laid the Tree low--none that is not hard of heart can bear the loss--and it crushed thrice fifty victims of the Conaille, at their fair.

Sinche. Beldame, though thou breakest faggots from its bole on thy hearth, there was many a fair youth that has slept under its bright branches.

Ultan of Tech Tua. The woman who loosed their fair locks, many a trim sandal hath she loosed: gleefully she laughed at the felling of Tortu's Tree.

Croin Galma. All that meet the eye must fall: they joined in stubborn conflict: the wind withdrew not its hand until it brought down the Tree's pride.

Mochua. To all things comes decay: all men in the world go toward death: they are but red earth and lifeless clay, all folk that gathered round the Tree.

Ultan. The plain of Tortu is a plain without a ruler since it lost its noble tree: two parts of its prosperity are gone since the Tree fell.

Torannan. Adam's transgression of old hath undone the children of the free people: such is the lot in store for us since their mighty Tree withered.

Colum Cille. Deserted is Ochann, and noble Tlachtga, since Ailill, son of Nathi, is gone, the chief of strong troops, that rode through Meath: a death not like that of any other Tree.

Mochua. I am Mochua: I bid Croin not to grieve excessively: from the roots of the illustrious Tree many a tree might spring.

Colum Cille. On a certain summer's day I was in the wood of tufted leafage, having an errand to perform: the crown of Tortu's Tree gave me shelter.

Mochuma. No comfort have I, though the winds stir the treetops of the wood to laughter: to-day a solitary housewife breaks faggots from the Tree of Tortu.

Ultan. Though the wind made rough sport with it, it could not break the Tree while it was young; but it brings to the ground all that is old: this I know by the Tree of Tortu.