led the giant, as coming from such a
youngster as he was supposed to be.

"Mother," said he, "I'm hungry--get me something to eat." Oonagh went
over, and putting into his hand a cake that had no griddle in it, Fin,
whose appetite in the meantime had been sharpened by seeing eating
going forward, soon swallowed it. Cucullin was thunderstruck, and
secretly thanked his stars that he had the good fortune to miss meeting
Fin, for, as he said to himself, "I'd have no chance with a man who
could eat such bread as that, which even his son that's but in his
cradle can munch before my eyes."

"I'd like to take a glimpse at the lad in the cradle," said he to
Oonagh; "for I can tell you that the infant who can manage that
nutriment is no joke to look at, or to feed of a scarce summer."

"With all the veins of my heart," replied Oonagh; "get up, acushla, and
show this decent little man something that won't be unworthy of your
father, Fin M'Coul."

Fin, who was dressed for the occasion as much like a boy as possible,
got up, and bringing Cucullin out, "Are you strong?" said he.

"Thunder an' ounds!" exclaimed the other, "what a voice in so small a
chap!"

"Are you strong?" said Fin again; "are you able to squeeze water out of
that white stone?" he asked, putting one into Cucullin's hand. The
latter squeezed and squeezed the stone, but in vain.

"Ah, you're a poor creature!" said Fin. "You a giant! Give me the stone
here, and when I'll show what Fin's little son can do, you may then
judge of what my daddy himself is."

Fin then took the stone, and exchanging it for the curds, he squeezed
the latter until the whey, as clear as water, oozed out in a little
shower from his hand.

"I'll now go in," said he, "to my cradle; for I scorn to lose my time
with any one that's not able to eat my daddy's bread, or squeeze water
out of a stone. Bedad, you had better be off out of this before he
comes back; for if he catches you, it's in flummery he'd have you in
two minutes."

Cucullin, seeing what he had seen, was of the same opinion himself; his
knees knocked together with the terror of Fin's return, and he
accordingly hastened to bid Oonagh farewell, and to assure her, that
from that day out, he never wished to hear of, much less to see, her
husband. "I admit fairly that I'm not a match for him," said he,
"strong as I am; tell him I will avoid him as I would the plague, and
that I will make myself scarce in this part of the country