Coming of Finn," to the late Mrs. Ewing for "The Hill-man and the
House-wife," to Mrs. William Allingham for the use of two of her
husband's poems, to Mr. D. J. Donoghue for a poem by Mr. Thomas Boyd,
and Mr. Chesson for one of his wife's (Nora Hopper), to Mrs. Shorter
(Dora Sigerson) for a poem, and to Mr. Joseph Campbell for another, and
finally to Mr. W. B. Yeats for his two charming Fairy Poems, "The Stolen
Child" and "Faery Song."

ALFRED PERCEVAL GRAVES.

_Erinfa, Harlech, N. Wales,
July 12, 1909._

The Coming of Finn

It was the Eve of Samhain, which we Christians call All Hallows' Eve.

The King of Ireland, Conn, the Hundred-Fighter, sat at supper in his
palace at Tara. All his chiefs and mighty men were with him. On his
right hand was his only son, Art the Solitary, so called because he had
no brothers. The sons of Morna, who kept the boy Finn out of his rights
and were at the time trying to kill him if they could, were here too.
Chief amongst them was Gaul mac Morna, a huge and strong warrior, and
Captain of all the Fians ever since that battle in which Finn's father
had been killed.

And Gaul's men were with him. The great long table was spread for
supper. A thousand wax candles shed their light through the chamber, and
caused the vessels of gold, silver, and bronze to shine. Yet, though it
was a great feast, none of these warriors seemed to care about eating or
drinking; every face was sad, and there was little conversation, and no
music. It seemed as if they were expecting some calamity. Conn's
sceptre, which was a plain staff of silver, lay beside him on the table,
and there was a canopy of bright bronze over his head. Gaul mac Morna,
Captain of the Fians, sat at the other end of the long table. Every
warrior wore a bright banqueting mantle of silk or satin, scarlet or
crimson, blue, green, or purple, fastened on the breast either with a
great brooch or with a pin of gold or silver. Yet, though their raiment
was bright and gay, and though all the usual instruments of festivity
were there, and a thousand tall candles shed their light over the scene,
no one looked happy.

Then was heard a low sound like thunder, and the earth seemed to
tremble, and after that they distinctly heard a footfall like the slow,
deliberate tread of a giant. These footfalls sent a chill into every
heart, and every face, gloomy before, was now pale.

The Ki