ater to be brought
to him, in a basin of pale gold, and he searched, and it was shown to
him truly that it was Donn had killed the Steward's son between his two
knees. When Finn knew that, he said he would take the fine on himself;
but the Steward would not consent to that, but forced him to tell who
was it had done him the wrong. And when he knew it was Donn had killed
the child, he said: "There is no man in the house it is easier to get
satisfaction from than from him, for his own son is here, and I have but
to put him between my two knees, and if I let him go from me safe, I
will forgive the death of my son." Angus was vexed at what the Steward
said, and as to Donn, he thought to strike his head off till Finn put
him back from him. Then the Steward came again, having a Druid rod with
him, and he struck his own son with the rod, and he made of him a wild
boar, without bristle or ear or tail, and he said: "I put you under
bonds to bring Diarmuid, grandson of Duibhne, to his death; and your
own life will be no longer than his life," he said. With that the wild
boar rose up and ran out of the open door; and he was called afterwards
the Boar of Slieve Guillion, and it was by him Diarmuid came to his
death at the last.

And when Diarmuid came to his full strength he was given a place among
the Fianna of Ireland; and all women loved him, and he did many great
deeds, fighting with the enemies of the Fianna and of Ireland; and one
time he fought a wild ox through the length of seven days and seven
nights on the top of the Mountain of Happiness.

CHAPTER II. HOW DIARMUID GOT HIS LOVE-SPOT

Diarmuid and Conan and Goll and Osgar went one day hunting, and they
went so far they could not get home in the evening, and they spent the
first part of the night walking through the woods and pulling berries
and eating them. And when it was about midnight they saw a light, and
they went towards it, and they found a little house before them, and the
light shining from it. They went in then, and they saw an old man there,
and he bade them welcome, and he called them all by their names. And
they saw no one in the house but the old man and a young girl and a cat.
And the old man bade the girl to make food ready for the Fianna of
Ireland, for there was great hunger on them.

And when the food was ready and put on the table, there came a great
wether that was fastened up in the back of the house, and he rose up on
the table where the