n the meadow; there are sounds in the green
fields, there is in them a clear rushing stream.

"There is a hot desire on you for the racing of horses; twisted holly
makes a leash for the hound; a bright spear has been shot into the
earth, and the flag-flower is golden under it.

"A weak lasting little bird is singing at the top of his voice; the lark
is singing clear tidings; May without fault, of beautiful colours.

"I have another story for you; the ox is lowing, the winter is creeping
in, the summer is gone. High and cold the wind, low the sun, cries are
about us; the sea is quarrelling.

"The ferns are reddened and their shape is hidden; the cry of the wild
goose is heard; the cold has caught the wings of the birds; it is the
time of ice-frost, hard, unhappy."

And after that, Finn being but a young lad yet, made himself ready and
went up at Samhain time to the gathering of the High King at Teamhair.
And it was the law at that gathering, no one to raise a quarrel or
bring out any grudge against another through the whole of the time it
lasted. And the king and his chief men, and Goll, son of Morna, that was
now Head of the Fianna, and Caoilte, son of Ronan, and Conan, son of
Morna, of the sharp words, were sitting at a feast in the great house of
the Middle Court; and the young lad came in and took his place among
them, and none of them knew who he was.

The High King looked at him then, and the horn of meetings was brought
to him, and he put it into the boy's hand, and asked him who was he.

"I am Finn, son of Cumhal," he said, "son of the man that used to be
head over the Fianna, and king of Ireland; and I am come now to get your
friendship, and to give you my service."

"You are son of a friend, boy," said the king, "and son of a man I
trusted."

Then Finn rose up and made his agreement of service and of faithfulness
to the king; and the king took him by the hand and put him sitting
beside his own son, and they gave themselves to drinking and to pleasure
for a while.

Every year, now, at Samhain time, for nine years, there had come a man
of the Tuatha de Danaan out of Sidhe Finnachaidh in the north, and had
burned up Teamhair. Aillen, son of Midhna, his name was, and it is the
way he used to come, playing music of the Sidhe, and all the people that
heard it would fall asleep. And when they were all in their sleep, he
would let a flame of fire out of his mouth, and would blow the flame
till all Teamhair