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Further, I swear that were any other prince in the world to have done this to Diarmid, we would have seen whose hand was strongest and who should bring him a drink. 'I know no well upon this mountain, answered Fionn. 'That is not true, replied Diarmid, 'for nine paces from this is the best well of pure water in the world.
He had long, beautiful hair, and he was naked. He was not daunted by the terrible combat and clamour of the hounds. He did not look at the hounds, but he stared like a young prince at Fionn and the champions as they rushed towards him scattering the pack with the butts of their spears. When the fight was over, Bran and Sceo'lan ran whining to the little boy and licked his hands.
'Then you will not listen to word of marriage from me? asked Grania. 'I will not, answered Ossian, 'for I must not lay my hand on what Fionn has looked on. Then Grania turned her face to Diarmid Dowd and what she said was, 'Will you receive courtship from me, O Son of Dowd, since Ossian will not receive it?
For not only did he beat them at swimming, he beat their best at running and jumping, and when the sport degenerated into violence, as it was bound to, the roughness of Fionn would be ten times as rough as the roughness of the roughest rough they could put forward. Bravery is pride when one is young, and Fionn was proud.
It was to an Ulster gentleman, Iollan Eachtach, that she gave her love, and this chief stated his rights and qualities and asked for her in marriage. Now Fionn did not dislike the man of Ulster, but either he did not know them well or else he knew them too well, for he made a curious stipulation before consenting to the marriage.
After the death of Fionn Mac Cumhaill, the Fenians were commanded by his son Oisin or Ossian, the celebrated warrior and bard; and at the time of the battle of Gaura, Osgar, another famous champion, the son of Oisin, commanded the Fenian forces. Denmark and Norway, came over and fought on the side of the Fenians at Gaura.
But that did not prevent Goll from killing Fionn's brother Cairell later on, nor did it prevent Fionn from killing Goll later on again, and the last did not prevent Goll from rescuing Fionn out of hell when the Fianna-Finn were sent there under the new God.
And when his turn came, when they were all dead, and the grim, red-handed man trod at him, Fionn may have shivered, but he would have shown his teeth and laid roundly on the monster with his hands. Perhaps he did that, and perhaps for that he was spared. "Who are you?" roared the staring black-mouth with the red tongue squirming in it like a frisky fish.
It was at that terrible moment that Fionn stood up. "What," said he, "will be given to the man who undertakes this defence?" "All that can be rightly asked will be royally bestowed," was the king's answer. "Who are the sureties?" said Fionn. "The kings of Ireland, and Red Cith with his magicians." "I will undertake the defence," said Fionn.
'What berries are those that Fionn wants? asked Grania, 'and why cannot they be got for him? Then Diarmid told her the story, and how the country round was laid waste. 'But when Fionn put me under his ban, continued he, 'the giant gave me leave to hunt there if I would, but forbade me to touch the berries. And now, O children of Moirna, will you fight me or seek the berries?
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