ppeal, sent an
army against him. Cumal was slain; Muirne fled to his sister, and gave
birth to Demni, afterwards known as Fionn. Perhaps in accordance with
old matriarchal usage, Fionn's descent through his mother is emphasised,
while he is related to the ancient gods, Tadg being son of Nuada. This
at once points to the mythical aspect of the saga. Cumal may be
identical with the god Camulos. In a short time, Fionn, now a marauder
and an outlaw, appeared at Conn's Court, and that same night slew one of
the Tuatha Dea, who came yearly and destroyed the palace. For this he
received his rightful heritage--the leadership of the Fians, formerly
commanded by Cumal.[508] Another incident of Fionn's youth tells how he
obtained his "thumb of knowledge." The eating of certain "salmon of
knowledge" was believed to give inspiration, an idea perhaps derived
from earlier totemistic beliefs. The bard Finneces, having caught one of
the coveted salmon, set his pupil Fionn to cook it, forbidding him to
taste it. But as he was turning the fish Fionn burnt his thumb and
thrust it into his mouth, thus receiving the gift of inspiration.
Hereafter he had only to suck his thumb in order to obtain secret
information.[509] In another story the inspiration is already in his
thumb, as Samson's strength was in his hair, but the power is also
partly in his tooth, under which, after ritual preparation, he has to
place his thumb and chew it.[510]

Fionn had many wives and sweethearts, one of them, Saar, being mother of
Oisin. Saar was turned into a fawn by a Druid, and fled from Fionn's
house. Long after he found a beast-child in the forest and recognised
him as his son. He nourished him until his beast nature disappeared, and
called him Oisin, "little fawn." Round this birth legend many stories
sprang up--a sure sign of its popularity.[511] Oisin's fame as a poet
far excelled that of Fionn, and he became the ideal bard of the Gaels.

By far the most passionate and tragic story of the saga is that of
Diarmaid and Grainne, to whom Fionn was betrothed. Grainne put _geasa_
upon Diarmaid to elope with her, and these he could not break. They
fled, and for many days were pursued by Fionn, who at last overtook
them, but was forced by the Fians to pardon the beloved hero. Meanwhile
Fionn waited for his revenge. Knowing that it was one of Diarmaid's
_geasa_ never to hunt a wild boar, he invited him to the chase of the
boar of Gulban. Diarmaid slew it, and Fio