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But perhaps it was suppressed out of delicacy for Fionn, for if Goll could be accused of ostentation, Fionn was open to the uglier charge of jealousy. It was, nevertheless, Goll's forward and impish temper which commenced the brawl, and the verdict of time must be to exonerate Fionn and to let the blame go where it is merited.
"You are no such son," said the indignant monarch, "but you are the son that Muirne my wife bore to Uall mac Balscne." And at that Fionn had no more to say; but his eyes may have flown to his mother and stayed there. "You cannot remain here," his step-father continued. "I do not want you killed under my protection," he explained, or complained.
One can imagine Goll's merry stare taking in all that could be seen; Cona'n's grim eye raking the women's faces while his tongue raked them again; the Rough mac Morna shouldering here and there in the house and about it, with maybe a hatchet in his hand, and Art Og coursing further afield and vowing that if the cub was there he would find him. But Fionn was gone.
"Oisi'n, my heart, kill me this honourable hag." But for the only time in his life Oisi'n shrank from a combat. "I cannot do it," he said, "I feel too weak." Fionn was astounded. "Oscar," he said, "will you kill me this great hag?" Oscar stammered miserably. "I would not be able to," he said.
On the morrow Diarmid and Oscar rose, and put on their armour and went their way to the place of combat, where they bound the rims of their shields together, so that they might not be parted in the fight. Next they proclaimed battle against Fionn, and the Scots said they would land and fight them first.
It is seldom indeed that a subject can beat a king at chess, and this monarch was properly amazed. "Who are you at all?" he cried, starting back from the chessboard and staring on Fionn. "I am the son of a countryman of the Luigne of Tara," said Fionn.
I did not like the look of that blister, and I pressed it down with my thumb. That burned my thumb, so I popped it in my mouth to heal the smart. If your salmon tastes as nice as my thumb did," he laughed, "it will taste very nice." "What did you say your name was, dear heart?" the poet asked. "I said my name was Deimne." "Your name is not Deimne," said the mild man, "your name is Fionn."
Then Diarmid bade them farewell, and went to the top of the Fort, and put the shafts of his two javelins under him, and rose like a bird into the air, and found himself on the plain where Grania met him. 'I trow, O Grania, said he, 'this is an evil course upon which you are come, for I know not to which corner of Erin I can take you. Return to the town, and Fionn will never harm you.
All this while the friends of Diarmid took counsel together, and they dreaded lest Bran had not found them, and they resolved to give them another warning. So they bade the henchman Feargus to give three shouts, for every shout could be heard over three counties. And Diarmid heard them, and awoke Grania, and told her that it was a warning they had sent him of Fionn.
'We know not who the man was, answered they, 'but his hair was black and curly, and his countenance ruddy. And he has bound our three chiefs, so that we cannot loose them. 'It was Diarmid himself, said she; 'so loosen your hounds on his track, and I will send Fionn and his Fenians to help you.
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