he 'Pillars of Tara' are broken, and
the might of the Fians is as nought before the power of this man."

"What shall be my reward if I kill this man and save Tara?" asked Finn.

"Thy inheritance," answered the King, "be it great or small, and whether
it lies in Ireland or beyond Ireland; and for securities I give you my
son Art and Gaul mac Morna and the Chief of the Fians."

Gaul and the captains of the Fianna consented to that arrangement,
though reluctantly, for their minds misgave them as to who the great
youth might be.

After that all arose and armed themselves and ringed Tara round with
horse and foot, and thrice Conn the Hundred-Fighter raised his awful
regal voice, enjoining vigilance upon his people, and thrice Gaul mac
Morna did the same, addressing the Fians, and after that they filled
their ears with wax and wool, and kept a stern and fierce watch, and
many of them thrust the points of their swords into their flesh.

Now Finn was alone in the banqueting chamber after the rest had gone
out, and he washed his face and his hands in pure water, and he took
from the bag that was at his girdle the instruments of divination and
magic, which had been his father's, and what use he made of them is not
known; but ere long a man stood before him, holding a spear in one hand
and a blue mantle in the other. There were twenty nails of gold of
Arabia in the spear. The nails glittered like stars, and twinkled with
live light as stars do in a frosty night, and the blade of it quivered
like a tongue of white fire. From haft to blade-point that spear was
alive. There were voices in it too, and the war-tunes of the enchanted
races of Erin, whom they called the Tuatha De Danan, sounded from it.
The mantle, too, was a wonder, for innumerable stars twinkled in the
blue, and the likeness of clouds passed through it. The man gave these
things to Finn, and when he had instructed him in their use, he was not
seen.

Then Finn arose and armed himself, and took the magic spear and mantle
and went out. There was a ring of flame round Tara that night, for the
Fians and the warriors of Conn had torches in their hands, and all the
royal buildings of Tara showed clear in the light, and also the dark
serpentine course of the Boyne, which flowed past Tara on the north; and
there, standing silent and alert, were the innumerable warriors of all
Erin, with spear and shield, keeping watch and ward against the son of
Midna, also the Four Pilla