"[22]
[22] I have in the main borrowed Standish Hayes O'Grady's vivid
and racy translation of these adages of the Fianna. (SILVA
GADELICA, Engl. transl., p. 115.)
And the son of Luga, it is written, heeded these counsels and gave up
his bad ways, and he became one of the best of Finn's men.
Such-like things also Finn taught to all his followers, and the best
of them became like himself in valour and gentleness and generosity.
Each of them loved the repute of his comrades more than his own, and
each would say that for all noble qualities there was no man in the
breadth of the world worthy to be thought of beside Finn.
It was said of him that "he gave away gold as if it were the leaves of
the woodland, and silver as if it were the foam of the sea," and that
whatever he had bestowed upon any man, if he fell out with him
afterwards, he was never known to bring it against him.
Sang the poet Oisin of him once to St Patrick:--
"These are the things that were dear to Finn--
The din of battle, the banquet's glee,
The bay of his hounds through the rough glen ringing.
And the blackbird singing in Letter Lee,
"The shingle grinding along the shore
When they dragged his war-boats down to sea,
The dawn-wind whistling his spears among,
And the magic song of his minstrels three.
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