Fír Flathemon: The Ruler’s Truth

A belief in the power of the spoken word as a vehicle for truth was of IndoEuropean origin. It formed the basis of Early Irish kingship ideology. The tale Feis Tigi Becfholtaig ‘Sojourn in the House of Little Wealth’ concludes with the people’s response to a king’s public declaration of truth. The aim of his speech was to thank them for their past co-operation and to guarantee that he, in the interests of justice, would continue to reciprocate their services.…