er save a gentle hind with whom he
lived in a most green and pleasant valley shut in on every side by
towering cliffs that could not be scaled, or by deep chasms in the
earth. In the summer he lived on fruits and such-like, and in the
winter, store of provisions was laid for him in a cave. And there came
to them sometimes a tall dark-visaged man, who spoke to his mother,
now tenderly, and now in loud menace, but she always shrunk away in
fear, and the man departed in anger. At last there came a day when the
Dark Man spoke very long with his mother in all tones of entreaty and
of tenderness and of rage, but she would still keep aloof and give no
sign save of fear and abhorrence. Then at length the Dark Man drew
near and smote her with a hazel wand; and with that he turned and went
his way, but she, this time, followed him, still looking back at her
son and piteously complaining. And he, when he strove to follow, found
himself unable to move a limb; and crying out with rage and desolation
he fell to the earth and his senses left him. When he came to himself
he was on the mountain side, on Ben Gulban, where he remained some
days, searching for that green and hidden valley, which he never found
again. And after a while the dogs found him; but of the hind his
mother and of the Dark Druid, there is no man knows the end.

Finn called his name Oisin, and he became a warrior of fame, but far
more famous for the songs and tales that he made; so that of all
things to this day that are told of the Fianna of Erinn, men are wont
to say, "So sang the bard, Oisin, son of Finn."

CHAPTER XV

Oisin in the Land of Youth

It happened that on a misty summer morning as Finn and Oisin with many
companions were hunting on the shores of Loch Lena they saw coming
towards them a maiden, beautiful exceedingly, riding on a snow-white
steed. She wore the garb of a queen; a crown of gold was on her head,
and a dark brown mantle of silk, set with stars of red gold, fell
around her and trailed on the ground. Silver shoes were on her horse's
hoofs, and a crest of gold nodded on his head. When she came near she
said to Finn, "From very far away I have come, and now at last I have
found thee, Finn, son of Cumhal."

Then Finn said, "What is thy land and race, maiden, and what dost thou
seek from me?"

"My name," she said, "is Niam of the Golden Hair. I am the daughter of
the King of the Land of Youth, and that which has brought me here is
t