Matheson Collection > Fianaigecht

THE QUARREL BETWEEN FINN AND OISIN 25
Finn ua Báiscne was seeking his son Oisin throughout Ireland.
Oisin had been a year without anyone knowing his whereabouts.
He was angry with his father. Then Finn found him in a great
wilderness. Oisin was cooking a pig. Finn turns upon him and
deals him a blow. Oisin seized his weapons and his accoutrements.
He did not at once recognize him. Then Finn said it was foolish for
a young warrior to fight against a grey-headed man. Thereupon
they sing a lampoon.
Oisin dixit :
' 'Tis plain to me, though the grey -head attacks (?) me, the
points of his spear are no sharper, his shield is no broader.'
Finn : ' Though the points of his spear be no sharper, though his
shield be no broader, at the hour of wielding (them) in combat the
grey-head will prevail.'
Oisin : ' 'Tis clear, though his wrist is stronger and though the
rim of his shield is broader, he cannot . . .'
Finn: ' I am not like the . . , stirk; the grey-head knows how
to deal wounds and to receive them,^ ... so that he is riddled.'
Oisin : ' "When he has been wounded three times in battle where
far-reaching strokes are dealt, his scream of doom sounds ill as he faces
young warriors.'
Finn : * I am well acquainted with young men who carry . . . ,*
when they shall be ... , streams of blood run upon . . .'
Oisin : ' That is not what they do when they are^ in the heat
of the fight* : the youth (sings ?) a paean, the old warrior is struck to
the ground.'
^' arimfastu a crideo N arumfosda a cridiu H arumfafasdua a crithe M
*" ógg H *' rogon logonar N rauccon roconur M ^^ rodam N rodaimh M
*^ ragonar N rogounoar M rogonair H ** fua N ** andorir for sithigiu N"
sitligiu N indoirear four sie«s%tu M *8 e N *'' tráthai N t?«tha M
" hadich N ath- M *» oucbathu N ocbatha HM «o ocbith N ogbath M
5' beurtai H hertx N hertai M ^2 annurain nellaig H i«urai« nell- N
inurrain nella M ^^ sic M om. N ^* ma {or ina ?) cung ocon M
nicon retbid f uili HM ^= rethet fuileo N rethid f uili H reithit f uiele M
*6 forreimiutb M ^7 ^]^ m ss edhan H edan NM ^9 dogniaat N
dogni a ag H doucnieag M ^" ortabiat H ordabiath M orobiaat N
•'1 e fedmuim N a feadmuimb M ifetmainH ^-tathadN tatH taodhuit M
*3 ind oclaicb M intocl-M indocligN **nelichN nelaicH ealuigM "*=foN
1 Literally, ' can wound, can be wounded.' ^ in n-urain n-ellaig (?)
Literally, ' have been.' * Literally, ' in exertion.'