Irish Folk Tales (65 page)

They went against Insin then and he gave them a great battle. Insin was destroying and slaying till the hundred had fallen. The Greek now fought furiously, and Insin was full of wounds and wearied, so he fell by the Greek.

“I will go for more men,” said the champion to himself, “and then I will take the head of Finn Mac Cumhail to the High King.”

On the way to the island he met Fia, the son of Finn.

“From what place are you coming?” asked Fia.

“I went from the island for the head of Finn Mac Cumhail, and I met a great champion in arms at the brink of the ford and he killed one hundred strong men of mine before I was able to slay him.”

“I wonder greatly that yourself did not fall like the others,” said Fia.

“Only strength and valor saved me, and he fell by me,” said the Greek.

“If he fell by you, you have something of his to prove the deed.”

“I brought his head, and think that the best token.”

“Show me the head.”

The Greek showed it.

“That head was beautiful this morning,” said Fia, kissing it. “Do you know to whom you have given the head?”

“I do not,” said the Greek, “and I care not. You are one of the High King’s men, I suppose.”

“I am not,” answered Fia, “and you will not be his man long.”

They turned at each other full of wrath and anger, and fought like two venomous wild beasts till Fia swept the head off his enemy. He went to the house, and spoke at the door.

“This is the voice of Fia,” said Finn. “And who made the great noise and shouting at the ford?”

“Your foster son made most of it,” replied Fia.

“How is my foster son after the combat?”

“He is dead,” said Fia.

“Did you see them killing him?”

“If I had seen them I should have saved him if I could.”

“And were you able to harm those who killed him?”

“I took the head off the man who slew him and brought it with me.”

“I give you my blessing,” said Finn. “It is a great deed that you have done. We have no one between us and death now but you, and keep the ford till the Fenians come.”

Now another knight spoke up on the island, and his name was Cairbre Cathmhíle.

“My brothers went,” said he, “for Finn’s head, and I will go after them myself, for I am in dread that the poison of the Fenians will harm them.”

He went on then and four hundred men with him. They came to the ford and saw Fia standing there.

“Who are you?” asked Cairbre.

“One of Finn Mac Cumhail’s men,” said Fia.

“Tell me who made the great noise at the ford a while since?” inquired Cairbre.

“ ’Tis a bad question you ask, and I will not answer it.”

“Cross the ford and bring me the head of that champion,” said Cairbre to his men.

Fia met them boldly and furiously; he fought proudly and with great strength. The battle lasted a long time, but the end of it was that Cairbre fell, and the four hundred fell with him. Fia sat down on the brink of the ford, full of wounds and blood from that cruel battle.

“Those men did badly to go without me,” said Míogach, son of the King of Lochlann. “I will go myself now with five hundred prime warriors and take food for three hundred, because among the Fenians is a man called Conán, and there is not another in the world who cares so much for his belly as that man. When people will be eating before him he will go mad at sight of food, and he not able to taste it.”

Míogach took five hundred men, the best warriors. On coming to the ford they saw Fia at the brink.

“Is that Fia?” asked Míogach.

“It is, indeed,” said Fia.

“It is a good man that is there,” said Míogach. “I was fourteen years with Finn. You never beat a hound or a dog of mine.”

“Still there is not among the Fenians a man whom you love less than me,” said Fia. “You should wish well to the Fenians after what has been done for you.”

“It is not sweet to me that men slew my father and two brothers. I will not let that go with the Fenians. I must have vengeance.”

“Take care,” said Fia, “that it is not on yourself the vengeance will turn.”

“Leave the ford,” said Míogach, quickly.

“It is with trouble for you that I am here,” replied Fia, “if you come against me; but I am without malice to every man who will keep away from this ford. Sorry am I that I did not meet you before my body was wounded and weary.”

Now Míogach moved forward like a hound full of hunger, rushing with open mouth after sheep, and his men were just like him. A fierce battle followed without gain to either side. When Fia had cut down three hundred men Míogach closed with him.

Said Oisíin to those who stood with him at Sliabh na mBan: “I think it is too long that we are without an account of Finn and the men who are with him.”

“I suppose it is a good dinner that is before them and they unwilling to leave it,” said one of the men.

“It is not eating but defending themselves they are, as it seems to me,” said Diarmuid. “I will go for tidings.”

“I will go with you,” said Fatha Conán.

The two went with great speed till they came near the ford and heard shouting of men.

“I hear shouting very near the house and the voice of Fia, I think. Let us hurry to help him,” said Diarmuid.

The two went on swiftly to where they heard the cries, and they came up to Fia. All his weapons were gone except what he held in his two hands, and Míogach going to strike the head off him.

“Diarmuid,” said Fatha Conán, “save his life for the son of Finn Mac Cumhail. Were I to wait till I cross the ford I should not find him alive, and if I cast a spear I know not which of the two I may hit. You never missed with a spear, and see what you can do now.”

Then Diarmuid settled himself, and sent his spear through the middle of Míogach’s side.

“A pity,” said the son of the King of Lochlann, “for the man who set the cast of that spear, and it is the spear of Diarmuid that struck me.”

“It is, indeed,” said Diarmuid, “and to keep Fia from death.”

“I will take his head from him,” said Míogach, “for what he did to my people.”

With that he struck the head from Fia’s body.

Diarmuid rushed up then and closed with Míogach. There was a fierce battle, and fought without gain to either side, till at last Diarmuid’s spirit
rose, and he slew the son of the King of Lochlann. Next he went at the two hundred of the five hundred, and did not leave one without killing to give an account of the battle. Then Diarmuid and Fatha Conán brought the head of the son of the King of Lochlann, and spoke at the door of the house.

“Is that Diarmuid?” asked Finn.

“It is,” said Diarmuid.

“Who made that dreadful shouting outside?” asked Finn.

“Your son made most of it, and he felled three hundred strong champions.”

“How is my son now?” asked Finn.

“He is killed,” replied Diarmuid. “Fatha Conán and I slew the two hundred more who were against your son.”

“Did you see his enemy killing my son?”

“I did,” said Diarmuid, “but he was killed before I could go to him.”

“Who killed my son?”

“Míogach Mac Colgáin.”

“Did you see Míogach go away after killing my son?”

“He did not go away, for I took the head off him.”

“My blessing on you,” said Finn. “We are here under your protection, and we have never been in peril but you released us.”

“I will protect you till morning,” said Diarmuid.

“Do you and Fatha Conán defend the ford till my son Oisín and the others come.”

“Is it going you are, Diarmuid?” asked Conán.

“It is, indeed,” said Diarmuid.

“I don’t like that,” said Conán, “because the clay that is under me is colder than the coldest snow in the morning. Though I think what I am suffering from hunger and thirst is far worse than the cold. The best of food and drink that Míogach had is saved for his men and the foreigners. Do you bring some of it hither.”

“It is a pity to ask that of me, and the best men of the world coming to destroy us and nobody watching but Fatha Conán and myself.”

“Ah, Diarmuid of the Women,” said Conán. “If it was a young beauty who asked, you would bring her the food, but you do not care to bring it to me or any man here.”

“Conán,” said Diarmuid, “you took four women from me in your time, and you would take more if you could. Vex me no further, and I will bring you food if I find it.”

The two went to the ford.

“Fatha Conán,” said Diarmuid, “it was prophesied that you would bind the whole world. If you do not begin well you will do well at the end of the night. Watch the ford till I get food for Conán.”

“You have never found food so easily as you will now,” said Fatha Conán, “because there is food for three hundred men at the brink of the ford, and they did not eat it. They had not time.”

“If I were to carry that to Conán he would dispraise it, call it the food of dead men, but I will take it to him in any case.”

Diarmuid went to Conán and called through the door: “I have brought food, and know not how to give it to you.”

“It was a mistake in you, Diarmuid, to bring me the food of dead men. Provoke me no further.”

“If it causes my death I will go,” said Diarmuid. “And, Fatha Conán, do you watch the ford while I go to the house on the island.”

Diarmuid went and found Borb Mac Sinnsior with his men and they eating supper outside. Diarmuid saw the King drinking out of vessels of gold, and every man there had a beautiful vessel. Diarmuid went past Borb and seized the goblet that had been in his hand. He went next to the High King of the World, struck him in the pit of the stomach, and knocked him to the floor.

“If there were men looking on I would take your head,” cried Diarmuid, seizing the dish from before the King, and it full of food.

Diarmuid departed so quickly that there was no man inside or outside who could stop him. He escaped without blood or wound, and stopped not nor halted till he went to the ford. Fatha Conán was fast asleep among the dead bodies.

When Diarmuid saw Fatha sleeping he said:

“There must be something against you to be sleeping tonight. I wish not to leave you, and if I stop to rouse you, Conán will dispraise me. I will take the food first.”

Diarmuid went to the house and said: “I have food for you now, but I know not how I can place it before you.”

“I am just opposite the door. You have never yet failed in making a cast,” said Conán.

Diarmuid threw the dish to where Conán was, struck him between breast and mouth, so that his face was covered with the food on the plate.

“I am afraid I have soiled you!” said Diarmuid.

“That is all one to me,” said Conán. “A hound never runs from a bone.”

“I have a goblet of drink here. How am I to take that to you?”

“You must go to the housetop,” said Conán. “There is no enchantment outside. Make a hole in the roof and pour the drink into my mouth.”

Diarmuid rose with one leap to the housetop, made a hole, and spilled most of the drink on both sides of Conán’s mouth.

“Ah, Diarmuid,” said Conán, “if it was a young woman that was in it,
in place of me, you would put the drink in her mouth, but you care not to put it in mine.”

When Diarmuid heard this he grew in dread of Coán’s talk, poured the rest of the drink into his mouth, sprang down, and went to guard the ford.

Now the three kings of the Island of the Flood spoke, and this is what they said: “It is bad that anyone went to Quicken Fort before us.”

After that they rose up and said: “We must get liberty to go and strike their heads off the Fenians.”

The kings took six hundred stout warriors and went to the ford. There they saw Diarmuid.

“Is that Diarmuid we see?”

“It is,” said Diarmuid.

Then the kings spoke to one another, but in Diarmuid’s hearing.

“We love Diarmuid,” said they, “because we are nearly related to him, and the man is a hero. Never have we been in any place learning deeds of valor, but Diarmuid was with us.”

“Give us liberty, O Diarmuid, for friendship’s sake, to cross the ford.”

“If you will give me liberty to go to the King of the World and bring his head with me I will let you cross the ford.”

“We will not do that,” replied they, “because we wish not mishap to our lord.”

“Neither do I wish mishap to my lord.”

“Leave the ford to us,” said the kings, and they moved against Diarmuid. He fell on them furiously, and great heavy blows were exchanged, so that bodies were full of wounds and many men fell by Diarmuid in the battle, and Fatha Conán fast asleep. Then Fatha Conán rose up and was frightened at the shouting of men, the breaking of shields, and the sighing and groaning of champions and heroes who had fallen by the hand of Diarmuid. He seized his weapons, rushed forward, and thought to put his spear through Diarmuid for not waking him. Diarmuid dodged the blow and said:

“There is not a second man on earth from whom I would suffer such conduct.”

Fatha Conán then met the kings’ forces, and felled every man that he met. Diarmuid closed with the three kings, and he and the three fought against one another, and that was a dangerous and terrible battle for Diarmuid, he giving each king a blow and each king giving him a blow, but after a while he rose in courage in the way that he took the three heads off the kings.

The remnant of the six hundred fell by the hand of Fatha Conán.

Diarmuid and Fatha Conán took the three heads to the house then,
and rubbed the blood of the kings on Finn and the men. All were freed except Conán. The blood was gone when they came to him.

“Is it here you will leave me?” asked Conán.

“It is not, indeed,” said Diarmuid, giving a great pull to Conán, but he could not tear him free.

“Fatha,” said Diarmuid, “help me to raise this man and take him forth.”

Then Diarmuid and Fatha put their hands under Conán, and hardly were they able to take him from the ground, and if they did he left behind him the skin and the hair of his poll, the skin of his two shoulders, and the skin of the lower part of his body, and it is from that he was called “Conán, the cursed bald son of Mórna.”