Once, in long ago ireland, there was born a girlchild by the name of Dierdre.  It was foretold that she would be both the most beautiful woman in the world when grown, and that she would bring catastrophe upon the entire Island of
Eire.<p>
The high king Conor, disregarding the grimmer part of the prophecy, had a small wicker dwelling built in the deep woods for the infant.  He intended to have her for his wife when she was grown, and wished her to know no other man
but he.<p>

Unfortunately, things didn't work out.  (This is high tragedy, after all.)
One winter's morning Dierdre looked out of the window of the small house she shared with her old nursemaid and saw the body of a slaughtered calf, it's blood steaming in the snow.  A raven stood on its head, pecking at its eyes.
The sight came suddenly upon Dierdre, and she said:  "The man I love will have
skin as white as this snow, lips as red as this blood, and hair as black as this raven."<p>

Sure enough, the predicted lover showed up.  He and his brothers carried Dierdre off, royally screwing their father's alliances with Conor and the Irish political situation as a whole, and ended up causing civil war. Noisiu, Dierdre's beloved, was killed by Conor.  Later, Dierdre killed herself by throwing herself underneath King Conor's chariot.