[Transcriber's Note: The following synopsis originally appeared at thebeginning of the second installment.]
The scene is laid in Ireland during Cromwell's time, when the wholecountry was in arms for or against the various parties. Brian Buidh, orBrian of the Yellow Hair, himself The O'Neill, comes home from Spain,where he had been brought up to fight for his country. After amysterious warning from the Black Woman, an old hag, he wins forty menfrom O'Donnell More, the Black Master, by a trick, and wins thefriendship of Turlough Wolf and Cathbarr of the Ax. His intention is togather a storm of men and hold an independent place near Galway. Heforms an alliance with Nuala O'Malley, known as the Bird Daughterbecause of her carrier pigeons, for the purpose of recovering hercastle, Bertragh, which O'Donnell had won years before from her parentsby black treachery.