That Which is Eternal

Once upon a time, in the legendary land of Munster, where mountain meets sea and sea parts reluctantly from land, leaving wee Skellig Islands in the Bay, there lived a wise woman called Maura. Not far from her hermitage, there was a crannog ruled by another woman called Shaelagh. Now Shaelagh was an acquisitive woman; having much, she desired more; gaining more, she desired yet more. And she wanted what she possessed to go with her on her journey through the Otherworld.
It seemed though, that Shaelagh had acquired just about everything she could ... How was she to gain yet more? She decided to take herself yonder to the hermitage of Maura the Wise.

Shaelagh went alone on her journey, riding a fine horse with dark flanks and red fiery nostrils. And she found Maura in a beehive hut, perched on the rocky sides of the Ring of Kerry, overlooking the sea.
Maura had seen and heard Shaelagh's approach and met her on the summit of that windy mountain, greeting her with a bowl of cool spring water.
'Drink and slake your thirst. There's a wee stream nearby where your horse can drink and graze,' said Maura. 'Now come into the hut with me, and let me be hearing why you've bothered to come from your pomp and your finery below.'
Shaelagh would never have thought of grazing her horse, but she did as she was told and then followed the Wise Woman into the beehive hut.
'I want that which is eternal, something to take with me into the Afterlife,' said Shaelagh greedily. 'I have no wish to leave behind that which I have worked for. Now, I want the eternal treasure.'
'And that you shall have, once you have given all that you possess away,' said Maura kindly.
Shaelagh had no interest in hearing this advice.
'What? GIVE it away? You surely are mocking me. I have fought and striven for all I have. I'll not be giving it away! Have you no other advice for me? For this is not wisdom, but folly!'

Maura knew Shaelagh's thoughts and merely smiled. 'There is something I can give you which will contain all you have strived for, all you have worked for, all you can dream of, all you could amass. Hold out to me your hand, and I will place it in your fist; but you must never release it; hold it fast, as you do all your treasures, and one day you will see the true value of all you own.'
Maura opened Shaelagh's fist and pressed something into it. Shaelagh closed her fist tightly, knowing that in her hand she held all she had worked for, dreamed of, hoped for, and ever desired. She bade Maura farewell, leaving no offering -- Shaelagh was no giver -- and departed for her crannog.

Many remarked from that day onwards about the closed fist of Shaelagh's right hand; but Shaelagh would only smile. The crannog grew richer and richer; enemies were defeated and the crops grew wild; the gold overflowed the treasure chests. And then came the day when Daghda Samildanac called Shaelagh into the Afterworld.
'What gift have you brought to do homage to your God and King?' asked the Daghda in a voice full of thunder.
'All I have worked for, all I have fought for, all I have lived for, all I have dreamed of, is in my hand,' said Shaelagh confidently.
'Then open your hand, for in this world there is no keeping but only sharing of all good things,' said the Daghda.
Try as she might, Shaelagh could not open her hand.
In all his power and glory, the Daghda approached her and with his swift right hand, opened her fist ...
And Shaelagh stared down at what it held ...
All she had strived for, all she had worked for, all she had acquired, all she desired and hoped for was there ...

NOTHING. Her hand was empty.
Sadly, the Daghda shook his head. 'Only what you give is counted for here,' he told her. 'Now I send you hence, back to your world, to put this lesson into practice. And again we shall meet here, and again you will open your hand.
'Next time, let it be filled.'