A very VERY simple piece, but it was fun. It was inspired by an old painting in a repro book of Ancient Irish Tales. Macha was a woman sized fairy who condescended and married a rather foolish farmer (of which she apparently realized too late)- she told him she'd stay with him as long as he kept her origin a secret- apparently she knew once us Irishman get a pint or two in us there are NO secrets. One day whilst she was about 9 months pregnant her hubby gave away her identity at a pub, claiming she could also outrun any horse in Ulster.

Apparently the king got word of this and decided to see if it were true (at penalty of the farmer's death if he refused). Macha took some pity, and even though she would now leave the farmer, she went to town, sure enough beat the horses- even as she began labor and had twins at the races end; the site is known today as Emain Macha (the twins of Macha).

She then pronounced a curse that the men of this particular area would be overcome by pains of labor whenever battle drew near, and they would be all but helpless for several days; she thence returned to the Fairy Realms.