Kian, the father of Luga of the Long Arms, who was grandson
of Balor of the Evil Eye. Luga imposed an extraordinary eric fine on
the sons of Turenn, part of which was "the cooking-spit of the women
of Fincara." For a quarter of a year Brian and his brothers sailed
hither and thither over the wide ocean, landing on many shores,
seeking tidings of the Island of Fincara. At last they met a very old
man, who told them that the island lay deep down in the waters, having
been sunk beneath the waves by a spell in times long past.

Then Brian put on his water-dress, with his helmet of transparent
crystal on his head, telling his brothers to wait his return. He
leaped over the side of the ship, and sank at once out of sight. He
walked about for a fortnight down in the green salt sea, seeking for
the Island of Fincara, and at last he found it.

His brothers waited for him in the same spot the whole time, and when
he came not they began to fear he would return no more. At last they
were about to leave the place, when they saw the glitter of his
crystal helmet deep down in the water, and immediately after he came
to the surface with the cooking-spit in his hand.--"Old Celtic
Romances" (Joyce), p. 87.

IV.

_The Palace of the Little Cat._

The description of the rows of jewels ranged round the wall of the
palace of the Little Cat is taken from "The Voyage of Maildun."--See
Note I.

V.

_Liban the Mermaid._

Liban was the daughter of Ecca, son of Mario, King of Munster. Ecca,
having conquered the lordship of the half of Ulster, settled down with
his people in the plain of the Grey Copse, which is now covered by the
waters of Lough Necca, now Lough Neagh. A magic well had sprung up in
the plain, and not being properly looked after by the woman in charge
of it, its waters burst forth over the plain, drowning Ecca and nearly
all his family. Liban, although swept away like the others, was not
drowned. She lived for a whole year, with her lap-dog, in a chamber
beneath the lake, and God protected her from the water. At the end of
that time she was weary, and when she saw the speckled salmon swimming
and playing all round her, she prayed to be changed into a salmon that
she might swim with the others through the green, salt sea. Her prayer
was granted; she took the shape of a salmon, except her face and
breast, which did not change. And her lap-dog was changed into an
otter, and attended her afterwards whithersoever she went