Ireland is a land of legends and one of the oldest and greatest is the legend of the Lia Fail. Called the speaking stone, because when the feet of the rightful kings rested on the stone it roared for joy. The stone is also known as the Tanist Stone, Jacob's Stone, Jacob's Pillow, the Stone of Destiny, and the Jewel of Destiny.

The legend began in time out of mind, before birds, insects, lizards, four legged creatures and finally humans came to walk upon the stone. Eons after the stone's creation, a man named Jacob, a second son, fleeing his brother's wrath, wandered into the clearing where the stone lay. Jacob used the stone as a pillow on which he laid his tired head.

As Jacob slept, he dreamed of a stairway to heaven where God called down from the top rung and blessed Jacob with the land on which he lay. God promised Jacob's descendents would be as plentiful as dust and they would spread to the four corners of the earth.

When Jacob awoke, he knew he had lain on the gateway to Heaven. Gently, he picked up the large stone, poured oil on it, and carried it with him as a holy relic.

Many years passed and Jacob wed; his wives and their handmaidens gave him sons. Before long he had grandsons and great grandsons. The stone came to be called Jacob's Pillow and it was passed down through his descendents. Eventually, the stone was taken into Egypt where it stayed until Moses freed the Israelites. Then it was carried into the Promised Land. But, the stone always stayed within the line of Jacob, from which descended the greatest of prophets and the greatest of kings.

The stone was taken to Jerusalem where it was used as the pedestal of the ark of the Ten Commandments in Solomon's temple until the Babylonians attacked the city. The walls of Jerusalem crumbled and the Babylonian King, Nebuchadnezzar, set the city aflame. The Israeli King, Zedekiah, had imprisoned the prophet Jeremiah for foretelling of this very doom. But Nebuchadnezzar set him free. Except for Jeremiah and Zedekiah's two daughters the people of Jerusalem were enslaved and taken to Babylon.

Jeremiah took Zedekiah's daughters and the holy relics with him. He hid the ark and tabernacle in a hollow cave in the same mountain on which Moses was given the commandments. Jeremiah needed the stone to rebuild the empire, so it would stand until the Messiah comes to gather the people. But the prophet couldn't build the kingdom in Judah for it lay in waste, and neither Babylon nor Egypt would offer protection. To fulfill God's will Jeremiah had to bring King Zedekiah's daughters (of Jacob's line through David) and the stone (now called the Stone of Destiny) to a new land.

After searching the far seas for a new homeland, he docked at Iberia, as it was a pleasant and fruitful place. There, Scotta the younger daughter of King Zedekiah was married to the king of Iberia. Then Jeremiah proclaimed it was time to go to the new Promised Land and with Zedekiah's older daughter, Tea Tephi, he cast off for a green isle in the shimmering sea. Erin.

It was there, on a green grassy hill called Tara, Princess Tea Tephi of Jerusalem and Prince Eochaidh of Erin were married and crowned King and Queen as they stood on the Stone of Destiny. The people of Erin were wise and spiritual. They knew the things of the earth which seemed to be the least to mankind lived far longer than men. So just as they learned the wisdom of the trees and used them in worship, they learned the power of the stones and used them in worship.

The stone stayed at the hill of Tara for many years. As the human
spirit is so potent it can even affect stone, the people of Erin gave the stone powers. It came to be known as the as the Lia Fail, (the speaking stone in the language of Erin) for the stone acquired the power to choose who would be king by roaring for the rightful sovereign.

Jacob's pillow was the coronation stone for 131 high kings of Erin, all crowned at Tara. Each coronation included blessing the king's future children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Exactly as was done on that long ago day when God blessed Jacob's descendants and promised they would be as plentiful as dust and they would spread to the four corners of the earth.

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Guest Columnist Cornelia Amiri