"What is the best
colour?" said Finn. "The colour of childhood," said she. "What is hotter
than fire?" "The face of a hospitable man when he sees a stranger coming
in, and the house empty." "What has a taste more bitter than poison?"
"The reproach of an enemy." "What is best for a champion?" "His doings
to be high, and his pride to be low." "What is the best of jewels?" "A
knife." "What is sharper than a sword?" "The wit of a woman between two
men." "What is quicker than the wind?" said Finn then. "A woman's mind,"
said Grania. And indeed she was telling no lie when she said that. And
for all their talk together she had no liking for Finn, and she felt the
blood in her heart to be rising against him.
And the wedding-feast was made ready then, and they all went into the
king's feasting-house in the Middle Court. And the king sat down to take
his share of drinking and pleasure, and his wife at his left side, and
Grania beside her again; and Finn, son of Cumhal, at the right hand of
the king, and Oisin at the other side, and every other one according to
his nobility and his birth.
Then Daire of the poems stood up before Grania, and sang the songs and
good poems of her fathers to her. And there was sitting near to Grania a
knowledgeable man, a Druid of Finn's people, and it was not long until
they began to talk together. "Tell me now," said Grania, "who is that
man on the right hand of Oisin?" "That is Goll, son of Morna," said the
Druid, "the ready fighter.
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