He bade his people to search
again through the three battalions of the Fianna, but search as they
would, the hounds were not to be found.
Then Finn sent for a long-shaped basin of pale gold, and water in it,
and he put his face in the water, and his hand over his face, and it was
showed him what had happened, and he said: "The King of Britain's son
has brought away the hound. And let nine men be chosen out to follow
after them," he said. So nine men were chosen out, Diarmuid, grandson of
Duibhne; Goll, son of Morna; Oisin, son of Finn; Faolan, the friend of
the hounds, son of a woman that had come over the sea to give her love
to Finn; Ferdoman, son of Bodb Dearg; two sons of Finn, Raighne Wide Eye
and Cainche the Crimson-Red; Glas, son of Enchered Bera, with Caoilte
and Lugaidh's Son. And their nine put their helmets on their heads, and
took their long spears in their hands, and they felt sure they were a
match for any four hundred men from the east to the west of the world.
They set out then, till they came to the mountain of Lodan, son of Lir;
and they were not long there till they heard talk of men that were
hunting in that place.
Arthur of Britain and his people were sitting on a hunting mound just at
that time, and the nine men of the Fianna made an attack on them and
killed all of them but Arthur, that Goll, son of Morna, put his two arms
about and saved from death. Then they turned to go back to Ireland,
bringing Arthur with them, and the three hounds.
Pages:
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309