And there was one pig out in front of the rest was
blacker than a smith's coal, and the bristles on its head were like a
thicket of thorn-trees.
Then Caoilte let out Adhnuall, and she was the first to kill a pig of
the herd. And then Bran made away from the leash that Finn was holding,
and the pigs ran their best, but she came up with them, and took hold of
a pig of them. And at that Angus said: "O Bran, fosterling of
fair-haired Fergus, it is not a right thing you are doing, to kill my
own son." But when Bran heard that, her ways changed and it was like an
enemy she took hold of the pig, and did not let it go, and held her
breath back and kept it for the Fianna.
And it was over Slieve Cua the hunt went, and Slieve Crot, and from Magh
Cobha to Cruachan, and to Fionnabraic and to Finnias. And at evening
when the hunt was over, there was not one pig of the whole herd without
a hurt, and there were but a hundred and ten pigs left living. But if
the hunt brought destruction on Angus, it brought losses on the Fianna
as well, for there were ten hundred of their men missing besides
serving-lads and dogs.
"Let us go to Brugh na Boinne and get satisfaction for our people," said
Oisin then. "That is the advice of a man without sense," said Finn; "for
if we leave these pigs the way they are, they will come to life again.
And let us burn them," he said, "and throw their ashes in the sea."
Then the seven battalions of the Fianna made seven fires to every
battalion; but for all they could do, they could not set fire to one
pig.
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