of the berry that Fergus had let
fall, but as yet there were no berries on its branches.

Mananaun, when he saw the tree said, "No mortal may take a berry that
grows on it. Hear my sentence now. Fergus will have to guard this tree
until he gets one who will guard it for him. And he may not see nor keep
company with Aine' his bride until he finds one who will guard it better
than he can guard it himself." Then Mananaun wrapped his daughter in his
cloak and strode away in a mist. The Fairy Host went in one direction
and the Fianna in another, and Fergus was left standing sorrowfully by
the Fairy Rowan Tree.

Next day (said Morag), when the King's Councillor was feeding the birds
and I was sifting the corn, he told me the rest of the history of the
Fairy Rowan Tree. Fergus thought and thought how he might leave off
watching it and be with Aine', his bride. At last he bethought him of
a Giant who lived on a rocky island with only a flock of goats for his
possessions. This Giant had begged Finn, the Chief of the Fianna, for
a strip of the land of Ireland, even if it were only the breadth of a
bull's hide. Finn had refused him. But now Fergus sent to Finn and asked
him to bring the Giant to be the guardian of the Fairy Rowan Tree and to
give him the land around it. "I mislike letting this giant Crom Duv have
any portion of the land of Ireland," said Finn, "nevertheless we cannot
refuse Fergus."

So Finn sent some of the Fianna to the Giant and they found him
living on a bare rock of an island with only a flock of goats for his
possessions. Crom Duv lay on his back and laughed when he heard what
message the men of the Fianna brought to him. Then he put them and his
flock of goats into his big boat and rowed them over to Ireland.

Crom Duv swore by his flock of goats he would guard the Fairy Rowan Tree
until the red berries ceased to come on its branches. Fergus left his
place at the tree then and went to Aine', and it may be that she and he
are still together.

Well did Crom Duv guard the tree, never going far from it and sleeping
at night in its branches. And one year a heifer came and fed with his
flock of goats and another year a bullock came. And these were the
beginning of his great herd of cattle. He has become more and more
greedy for cattle, said the King's Councillor, and now he takes them
away to far pastures. But still the Fairy Rowan Tree is well guarded.
The Bull that is called the Bull of the Mound is on