him. "It is a
pity not to follow the advice of a good woman," said Diarmuid, "for
Grania bade me this morning to bring the Mor-alltach and the Gae Dearg
with me." Then he put his finger into the silken string of the Gae
Buidhe, and took a straight aim at the boar and hit him full in the
face; but if he did, the spear did not so much as give him a scratch.
Diarmuid was discouraged by that, but he drew the Beag-alltach, and made
a full stroke at the back of the boar, but neither did that make a wound
on him, but it made two halves of the sword. Then the boar made a brave
charge at Diarmuid, that cut the sod from under his feet and brought him
down; but Diarmuid caught hold of the boar on rising, and held on to
him, having one of his legs on each side of him, and his face to his
hinder parts. And the boar made away headlong down the hill, but he
could not rid himself of Diarmuid; and he went on after that to Ess
Ruadh, and when he came to the red stream he gave three high leaps over
it, backwards and forwards, but he could not put him from his back, and
he went back by the same path till he went up the height of the
mountain again. And at last on the top of the mountain he freed himself,
and Diarmuid fell on the ground. And then the boar made a rush at him,
and ripped him open, that his bowels came out about his feet. But if he
did, Diarmuid made a cast at him with the hilt of his sword that was in
his hand yet, and dashed out his brains, so that he fell dead there and
then. And Rath na h-Amhrann, the Rath of the Sword Hilt, is the name of
that place to this day.

It was not long till Finn and the Fianna of Ireland came to the place,
and the pains of death were coming on Diarmuid at that time. "It is well
pleased I am to see you that way, Diarmuid," said Finn; "and it is a
pity all the women of Ireland not to be looking at you now, for your
great beauty is turned to ugliness, and your comely shape to
uncomeliness." "For all that, you have power to heal me, Finn," said
Diarmuid, "if you had a mind to do it." "What way could I heal you?"
said Finn. "Easy enough," said Diarmuid, "for the time you were given
the great gift of knowledge at the Boinn, you got this gift with it,
that any one you would give a drink to out of the palms of your hands
would be young and well again from any sickness after it." "You are not
deserving of that drink from me," said Finn. "That is not true," said
Diarmuid; "it is well I deserve it from yo