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Neither may ye hope to fare better in your quest of the quicken-berries, for the surly giant Sharvan guards the tree. Fire will not burn him nor water drown, nor is there a weapon that hath power to wound him, save only his own club. Say, therefore, which ye will do battle for first, my head or the quicken-berries? And they answered, 'We will first do battle with thee.
"What is it to you what way I shouted?" said he. "You might give a civil answer to a civil question," said they; "but sure you were always Sharvan the Surly;" and they went away. When the giants were out of sight, Sharvan took Pinkeen out of his wallet. "Some more berries, you little thief I mean little Pinkeen," said he.
When the champion came to the foot of the quicken-tree he found Sharvan there, asleep. And he struck the giant a mighty blow to awake him. Then Sharvan raised his head, and, glaring at Dermat with his one red eye, said, 'There hath been peace betwixt us heretofore, wherefore should we now depart from it?
Then Sharvan and the fairy page set off for Dooros Wood, and it was not long until they came within view of the fairy tree. When Sharvan saw the berries glistening in the sun, he gave a shout so loud and strong that the wind of it blew the little fairy back to fairyland.
Then Sharvan and the fairy page set off for Dooros Wood, and it was not long until they came within view of the fairy tree. When Sharvan saw the berries glistening in the sun, he gave a shout so loud and strong that the wind of it blew the little fairy back to fairyland.
When the fairies heard this they tossed their little red caps in the air, and cheered so loudly that a bee who was clinging to a rose-bud fell senseless to the ground. Then the king ordered one of his pages to take a handful of berries, and to go to Sharvan and show him the way to Dooros Wood.
'In truth I dwell here with Grania in the hut that was built by Sharvan the giant. And they looked up, and through an opening in the branches they beheld Dermat kiss Grania three times, for the Princess was in great fear. Then was Finn exceeding wroth, and he bade his men surround the tree, each holding the hand of each so that Dermat might by no means escape.
The page, taking the berries with him, went off to Sharvan, whose roaring nearly frightened the poor little fellow to death. But as soon as the giant tasted the berries he got into good humor, and he asked the page if he could remove the spell of enchantment from him. "I can," said the page, "and I will if you promise me that you will not try to cross the borders of fairyland."
It was not long until he reached its borders, but when he tried to cross them his feet stuck to the ground and he could not move a step. Sharvan gave three loud shouts that were heard all over fairyland, and made the trees in the woods tremble, as if the wind of a storm was sweeping over them. "Oh, please, Mr. Giant, let me out," said Pinkeen.
And when Angus had left them, Dermat and Grania sorrowed after him, and it was not long until they journeyed forth. All that befell Dermat and Grania cannot be told in this book, but of Sharvan the giant and of the fairy quicken-tree you shall hear now. After many wanderings Dermat came with Grania to the wood where Sharvan guarded the quicken-tree.
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