Ossian Collection > Waifs and strays of Celtic tradition > Volume 4

OssiciJi after the Fians. 89
observed in the offing ; as it came nearer it proved — at
least so the poet tells us — to be a coracle, or small boat,
coming to land. When it came near, it was seen
to contain a solitary woman. It came into the
customary harbour; and when the woman landed, she
was observed to be one of supreme beauty and dignity,
so much so that all the heroes held their peace in her
presence. Fionn himself came to the shore ; she
addressed him in tones of great respect, appealed to him
for succour, and told him who she was herself, and the
cause of her coming ; that she was flying from the
advances of one whom she could not tolerate, and who
was coming after her. The king of the warrior' band
gallantly undertook to protect her against anyone that
would come. They had scarcely finished speaking when
the sea came in rising waves, angry and violent, as if agi-
tated by a storm, and another of very warlike appearance
came after her on a horse. A person from whom this tale
was heard, said he could not understand how the prince
could have come on a horse, but it is not difficult to
understand how the rising waves could be represented
as a steed of great speed and strength, " when the
blackening waves are edged with white," and their
onslaught threatens to overpower all who may try
to stand against them. The strongest heroes of the
warrior band stand between the wave and the princess ;
but the wave breaks in violence on the shore, and
threatens to take her away. A battle royal ensues, and
at last the stormy prince is subdued and is buried with
regal honours. The name of the prince was BaoigJire
Borb {'' A ¥\erce. Ruffian^'). 1 arbh Baoighre, in some
places, is the name of the magic water-bull from which,
it is said, all calves that are crop-eared {corc-cJiluasacli)
come, and, generally, the word baoigJire means a wild,
senseless individual. The g or gh in the middle of the
word, which in English is expressed by ^^'■, furnishes a