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Gregory, Lady, 1852-1932

"Gods and Fighting Men"


About that time there came seven men of poetry belonging to the people
of Cithruadh, asking the fee for a poem, three times fifty ounces of
gold and the same of silver to bring back to Cithruadh at Teamhair.
"Whatever way we get it, we must find some way to get that," said a man
of the Fianna. Then the three young men from Iruath said: "Well, men of
learning," they said, "would you sooner get the fee for your poem
to-night or to-morrow?" "To-morrow will be time enough," said they.
And the three young men went to the place where the hound had his bed a
little way off from the rath, and the hound threw out of his mouth
before them the three times fifty ounces of gold and three times fifty
of silver, and they gave them to the men of poetry, and they went away.
Another time Finn said: "What can the three battalions of the Fianna do
to-night, having no water?" And one of the men of Iruath said: "How many
drinking-horns are with you?" "Three hundred and twelve," said Caoilte.
"Give me the horns into my hand," said the young man, "and whatever you
will find in them after that, you may drink it." He filled the horns
then with beer and they drank it, and he did that a second and a third
time; and with the third time of filling they were talkative and their
wits confused. "This is a wonderful mending of the feast," said Finn.
And they gave the place where all that happened the name of the Little
Rath of Wonders.
And one time after that again there came to Finn three bald red clowns,
holding three red hounds in their hands, and three deadly spears.


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