Matheson Collection > Fianaigecht

THE CHASE OF SID NA MEAN FINN 61
with golden . . . hair in slender plaits upon him. A . . . eye in
his head and a . . ." *' That man is the leader of the Connaught
/flwa," said Finn ; " he is steadfast towards friends, kind and gentle
towards . . ., fierce, firm, steadfast at the hour of hattle, firm
against reavers, his is a hand against which neither hattle nor contest
nor comhat has ever heen upheld — even Goll son of Moma, son of
Cormac, son of Neman, son of Moma the Great," said Finn. " Good
indeed," said the churl ; " what is yonder other great company that is
more than fiity high-spirited, martial warriors strong . . ., with the
terror of hattle and strife upon him ? " " The leader of that host is a
man with . . . and with delightfulness and prowess and cheerful-
ness . . ., even the red-handed . . . MacLughach.' Said the churl :
" Whose is the proud, conspicuous, numerous host, with garments of
every colour . . ., manly, fair and ruddy, masterful, truly hold, with
the strength of a lion and with the fierceness of a robber,
more than three thousand strong. . . . ? ' ' Not hard to tell. He
is a sea . . .," said Finn, "and a lion for fierceness and a bear
for ferocity, and a springtide wave for the rush of his onset, and a
bear cub for wildness, and a champion who cannot be beaten, and
a man who cannot be resisted when he engages in battle or contest.
The leader of that band is the valiant and mighty Oscar, son of Oisin."
9. ' From east and west the mountain was filled with hounds and
men around the fierce warlike Oscar,' said Finn, and then he made
these quatrains : —
' Moma's son, the ready, noble warrior, Goll the bloody, red-bladed,
against him from morning till eventide no bloody battle can stand.
' Mac Kethe yonder upon the mountain and his/«n from the west
around him, — though a man should beat him (?), his valour is none
the less.
' Mac Lughach is next to them ; though a hundred warriors should
come against him, from the moment they stand face to face 'tis a
short while till he subdues them.
' I see Oscar coming behind them, often he is embroiled in strife ;
his spirits are higher than the sea once it has come to blows.
' They have all speckled the mountain both east and west, so that
it is full of stout bands around Oscar, my great son.'
10. ' Thereupon Goll came to us,' said Finn, 'and the churl put
the drinking-horn into his hand, and he drank out of it. Then came