He was so fair and noble to look on that no woman could refuse
him love, and it was said that he never knew weariness, but his step
was as light at the end of the longest day of battle or the chase as
it was at the beginning. Between him and Finn there was great love
until the day when Finn, then an old man, was to wed Grania, daughter
of Cormac the High King; but Grania bound Dermot by the sacred
ordinances of the Fian chivalry to fly with her on her wedding night,
which thing, sorely against his will, he did, and thereby got his
death. But Grania went back to Finn, and when the Fianna saw her they
laughed through all the camp in bitter mockery, for they would not
have given one of the dead man's fingers for twenty such as Grania.
Others of the chief men that Finn had were Keelta mac Ronan, who was
one of his house-stewards and a strong warrior as well as a
golden-tongued reciter of tales and poems. And there was Oisin, the
son of Finn, the greatest poet of the Gael, of whom more shall be told
hereafter. And Oisin had a son Oscar, who was the fiercest fighter in
battle among all the Fians. He slew in his maiden battle three kings,
and in his fury he also slew by mischance his own friend and
condisciple Linne. His wife was the fair Aideen, who died of grief
after Oscar's death in the battle of Gowra, and Oisin buried her on
Ben Edar (Howth), and raised over her the great cromlech which is
there to this day.
Pages:
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194