Matheson Collection > Fianaigecht

THE QUARREL BETWEEN FINN AND OISIN 27
Finn : ' The man who . . . with his spear to encounter the
young man, — I know what will come of it: the young man's nose
will be split.'
Oisiu : * When palsy lias consumed eveiy bone, the spear from his
hand is not bitter. The young man is in the heyday of his strength,*
the old man's spring-time is past.'*
Finn : ' When they shall be together upon the stone-dyke of fierce
slaughter, he does not love to meet sword-edges, sips of milk . . .'
Oisin : ' It is one of the habits of the grey-head to talk from under
the cover of his shield ; showers of sword-edges . . .' his old legs
cannot stir.'
Finn : ' I have not . . . from a royal host a maniac upon trees
in a wilderness ; in the battle . . . young men are wont to be upon
the point of a branch.'
Oisin : ' The maniac who is running here westward is not a
young man, it is a grey-head ; the . . . which is upon such a one,
'tis that which is upon the old man.'
Finn [making himself known] : * Verily, my son, what you utter
is not good ; though you deceive me it does not hurt ; 'tis time that
we should be more trustful.'
Oisin : ' Oh ancient hero, you are not wont to be among youths ;
I had no desire to harm you if you had not been boastful against
warriors.'
Finn : ' Taking all these things together, none is any the worse*
ior it, if we are on the same level, since we have settled our dispute.'*
Then their own people came to Finn and Oisin.
nomera fl «omtfruo M ^* qmo« N cumun M 36 hairfsiu N
36 didignais H dodignais N Aght na hogl* do gnais M 37 ocbodaib H
ocbuthau N occbath* M 38 accubrass H acobrus N acoprus M
39 minubaig H manebaig N munabaigh M 39a oclachaibh H
*" ina huili H dia rauamb uile malle M *^ bai H bad N *• neussa H
*3 damem H dambem N dambeamp M ** comortus M ** uascommortmar M
hoascommartmar N ** Should we read fflé for derb in the first stanza ? *' tanuicc
amuir (gic) co Fint 7 co hOisin iaramh M Both H and N omit this sentence.
I Literally, ' the young man (is) on the well of flood.' ^ Literally, ' it is not
the spring of the old man.' 3 ieg_ rasegat ' reach him ' (?) .* Literally, ' they
are none the worse.' * Literally, ' since we have beaten out our settlement.'