|
Finn Maccumhail
Fin and Bran went on till they came to a great cave, in which they found a herd of goats. At the further end of the cave was a smoldering fire. The two lay down to rest. A couple of hours later, in came a giant with a salmon in his hand. This giant was of awful height, he had but one eye, and that in the middle of his forehead, as large as the sun in heaven. When he saw Fin, he called out: "Here, take this salmon and roast it: but be careful, for if you raise a single blister on it I’ll cut the head off you. I’ve followed this salmon for three days and three nights without stopping, and I never let it out of my sight, for it is the most wonderful salmon in the world."
The giant lay down to sleep in the middle of the cave. Fin spitted the salmon, and held it over the fire. The minute the giant closed the one eye in his head, he began to snore. Every time he drew breath into his body, he dragged Fin, the spit, the salmon, Bran, and all the goats to his mouth; and every time he drove a breath out of himself, he threw them back to the places they were in before. Fin was drawn time after time to the mouth of the giant with such force, that he was in dread of going down his throat.
When partly cooked, a blister rose on the salmon, Fin pressed the place with his thumb, to know could he bread the blister, and hide from the giant the harm that was done. But he burned his thumb, and , to ease the pain, put it between his teeth, and gnawed the skin to the flesh, the flesh to the bone, the bone to the marrow; and having tasted the marrow, he received the knowledge of all things. Next moment, he was drawn by the breath of the giant right up to his face, and knowing from his thumb what to do, he plunged the hot spit into the sleeping eye of the giant and destroyed it. That instant the giant with a single bound was at the low entrance of the cave, and , standing with his back to the wall and a foot on each side of the opening, roared out: " You’ll not leave this place alive."
Celtic Heart:The Birth of Finn Macchumhail
Encyclopedia of the Celts: An excellent source-see this site for more information on the Dagda!!!
|