But at the last Diarmuid
raised up Dubh-chosach on his shoulder and threw his body to the ground,
and bound him fast and firm on the spot. And Fionn-chosach and
Treun-chosach came one after the other to fight with him then, and he
put the same binding on them; and he said he would strike the heads off
them, only he thought it a worse punishment to leave them in those
bonds. "For there is no one can free you," he said. And he left them
there, worn out and sorrowful.
The next morning after that, Diarmuid told Grania the whole story of the
strangers from beginning to end, and of all he had done to them, and how
on the fifth day he had put their kings in bonds. "And they have three
fierce hounds in a chain ready to hunt me," he said. "Did you take the
heads off those three kings?" said Grania, "I did not," said Diarmuid,
"for there is no man of the heroes of Ireland can loosen those bonds but
four only, Oisin, son of Finn, and Osgar, son of Oisin, and Lugaidh's
Son of the Strong Hand, and Conan, son of Morna; and I know well," he
said, "none of those four will do it. But all the same, it is short till
Finn will get news of them, and it is best for us to be going from this
cave, or Finn and the three hounds might come on us."
After that they left the cave, and they went on till they came to the
bog of Finnliath. Grania began to fall behind them, and Muadhan put her
on his back and carried her till they came to the great Slieve Luachra.
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