himself, 'for
Grania bade me take my best hound and my red javelin.' Then he aimed
carefully at the boar's head, and smote him in the middle of his
forehead; but he did not so much as cut one of his bristles, far less
pierce his skin. At that Diarmid felt his heart quail like those of
weaker men, and he drew his sword and dealt the boar a stout blow, but
the sword broke in two; and the beast stood unharmed. With a spring he
threw himself upon Diarmid, so that he tripped and fell, and somehow
when he rose up he was sitting astride the back of the boar, with his
face looking towards the tail. The boar tried to fling him off but
could not, though he rushed down the hill and jumped three times
backwards and forwards out of the river at the foot; but Diarmid never
stirred, and at last the boar dashed up the hill again, and Diarmid
fell from his back. Then the boar sprang upon Diarmid with a mighty
spring, and wounded him mortally; but Diarmid swung his broken
sword about his head as he lay, and hit the boar such a blow on his
head that where he stood there he fell dead.

[Illustration: The Death of Diarmid]

Not long after that Fionn and his Fenians came up and watched Diarmid,
who was dying fast. 'It pleases me well to see you in that plight, O
Diarmid,' said Fionn, 'and I grieve that all the fair women of Erin
cannot see you also.'

'If you wished you could still heal me, O Fionn,' answered Diarmid.

'How could I heal you, O Diarmid?'

'Easily,' answered Diarmid. 'Was it not given to you that whoever
should drink from the palms of your hands should become young and
whole again?'

'You have not deserved that I should give you that drink,' said Fionn.

'That is not true, O Fionn, well have I deserved it of you. Was it not
I who avenged you and slew fifty of your enemies who tried to set on
fire the house wherein you were holding your great feast? Had I asked
you for such a drink then, you would have given it to me, and now I
deserve it no less.'

'Not so,' answered Fionn; 'you have deserved ill at my hands since
that time, and little reason have I to give you drinks or any good
thing. For did you not bear away Grania from me before all the men of
Erin the night you were set as guard over her in Tara?'

'The guilt of that was not mine, O Fionn, but Grania besought me, else
I would not have failed to keep my charge for all the bonds in the
world. And well do I deserve you should give me a drink, for many is
the day