There is
probably as large a bulk of primitive mythology to be found in the Finn
legend as in that of the Red Branch itself. The story of the Fenians was
a kind of nucleus to which a vast amount of the flotsam and jetsam of a
far older period attached itself, and has thus been preserved."
As I found it impossible to give that historical date to the stories, I,
while not adding in anything to support my theory, left out such names
as those of Cormac and Art, and such more or less historical personages,
substituting "the High King." And in the "Battle of the White Strand," I
left out the name of Caelur, Tadg's wife, because I had already followed
another chronicler in giving him Ethlinn for a wife. In the earlier part
I have given back to Angus Og the name of "The Disturber," which had, as
I believe, strayed from him to the Saint of the same name.
III. THE AUTHORITIES
The following is a list of the authorities I have been chiefly helped by
in putting these stories together and in translation of the text. But I
cannot make it quite accurate, for I have sometimes transferred a mere
phrase, sometimes a whole passage from one story to another, where it
seemed to fit better. I have sometimes, in the second part of the book,
used stories preserved in the Scottish Gaelic, as will be seen by my
references. I am obliged to write these notes away from libraries, and
cannot verify them, but I think they are fairly correct.
PART ONE.
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