"
In the time of Finn no one was ever admitted to be one of the Fianna
of Erinn unless he could pass through many severe tests of his
worthiness. He must be versed in the Twelve Books of Poetry and must
himself be skilled to make verse in the rime and metre of the masters
of Gaelic poesy. Then he was buried to his middle in the earth, and
must, with a shield and a hazel stick, there defend himself against
nine warriors casting spears at him, and if he were wounded he was
not accepted. Then his hair was woven into braids and he was chased
through the forest by the Fians. If he were overtaken, or if a braid
of his hair were disturbed, or if a dry stick cracked under his foot,
he was not accepted. He must be able to leap over a lath level with
his brow and to run at full speed under level with his knee, and he
must be able while running to draw out a thorn from his foot and never
slacken speed. He must take no dowry with a wife.
It was said that one of the Fians, namely Keelta, lived on to a great
age, and saw St Patrick, by whom he was baptized into the faith of the
Christ, and to whom he told many tales of Finn and his men, which
Patrick's scribe wrote down. And once Patrick asked him how it was
that the Fianna became so mighty and so glorious that all Ireland sang
of their deeds, as Ireland has done ever since.
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