Now the stories of Finn and his
generosity and great deeds had reached her since she was a child, and
she had set her love on him, though she had never seen his face till
now.
When the hosts were met, the King of the Greeks said, "Who of my men
will stand forth and challenge the best of these men of Erinn to
single combat that their metal may be proved, for to us it is unknown
what manner of men they be." The son of the King of the Greeks said,
"I will go."
So on the side of Finn, Oscar, son of Oisin, was chosen to match the
son of the Greek King, and the two hosts sat down peacefully together
to watch the weapon-play. And Tasha the princess sat by Finn, son of
Cumhal.
Then Oscar and the King's son stepped into their fighting place, and
fierce was the combat that arose between them, as when two roaring
surges of the sea dash against each other in a fissure of the rocks,
and the spray-cloud bursts from them high into the air. Long they
fought, and many red wounds did each of them give and receive, till at
last Oscar beat the Greek prince to the earth and smote off his head.
Then one host groaned for woe and discouragement, while the other
shouted for joy of victory, and so they parted for the night, each to
their own camp.
And in the camp of the folk of Sorca they found Conan the Bald and the
fourteen men that had gone with him on the mare's back.
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