we stood up, perchance she might hear
us."

So they all rose to their feet, but the giantess, on that, rose up
too. "Maiden," said Finn, "if thou have aught to say to us or to hear
from us, sit down and lean thine elbow on the hill-side." So she lay
down and Finn bade her say whence she came and what was her will with
them. "Out of the World Oversea where the sun sets am I come," she
said, "to seek thy protection, O mighty Finn." "And what is thy name?"
"My name is Vivionn of the Fair Hair, and my father Treon is called
King of the Land of Lasses, for he has but three sons and nine and
seven score daughters, and near him is a King who hath one daughter
and eight score sons. To one of these, AEda, was I given in marriage
sorely against my will. Three times now have I fled from him. And this
time it was fishermen whom the wind blew to us from off this land who
told us of a mighty lord here, named Finn, son of Cumhal, who would
let none be wronged or oppressed, but he would be their friend and
champion. And if thou be he, to thee am I come." Then she laid her
hand in Finn's, and he bade her do the same with Goll mac Morna, who
was second in the Fian leadership, and she did so.

Then the maiden took from her head a jewelled golden helmet, and
immediately her hair flowed out in seven score tresses, fair, curly
and golden, at the abundance of which all stood amazed; and Finn said,
"By the Immortals that we adore, but King Cormac and the poetess Ethne
and the fair women-folk of the Fianna would deem it a marvel to see
this girl. Tell us now, maiden, what portion wilt thou have of meat
and drink? will that of a hundred of us suffice thee?" The girl then
saw Cnu, the dwarf harper of Finn, who had just been playing to them,
and she said, "Whatever thou givest to yon little man that bears the
harp, be it much or little, the same, O Finn, will suffice for me."

Then she begged a drink from them, and Finn called his gillie,
Saltran, and bade him fetch the full of a certain great goblet with
water from the ford; now this goblet was of wood, and it held as much
as nine of the Fianna could drink. The maiden poured some of the water
into her right hand and drank three sips of it, and scattered the rest
over the Fianna, and she and they burst out laughing. Finn said, "On
thy conscience, girl, what ailed thee not to drink out of the goblet?"
"Never," she replied, "have I drunk out of any vessel but there was a
rim of gold to it, or at