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

jyS The Fians
grey grass. He went up, and a Big Wayfarer met him.
Fin asked who he was. " I am," he said, " the Red-haired
Coward of the King of the Big Men ; and," said he to
Fin, " you are the one I am in quest of Great is my
esteem and respect towards you ; you are the best maiden
I have ever seen ; you will yourself make a dwarf for
the King, and your dog (this was Bran) a lapdog. It
is long since the King has been in want of a dwarf and
a lapdog." He took with him Fin ; but another Big
Man came, and was going to take Fin from him. The
two fought ; but when they had torn each other's clothes,
they left it to Fin to judge. He chose the first one. He
took Fin with him to the palace of the King, whose
worthies and high nobles assembled to see the little
man. The King lifted him upon the palm of his hand,
and went three times round the town with Fin upon one
palm and Bran upon the other. He made a sleeping-
place for him at the end of his own bed. Fin was
waiting, watching, and observing everything that was
going on about the house. He observed that the King,
as soon as night came, rose and went out, and returned
no more till morning. This caused him much wonder,
and at last he asked the King why he went away every
night and left the Queen by herself. " Why," said the
King, " do you ask ?" " For satisfaction to myself," said
Fin ; " for it is causing me much wonder." Now the
King had a great liking for Fin ; he never saw anything
that gave him more pleasure than he did ; and at last
he told him. " There is," he said, " a great Monster who
wants my daughter in marriage, and to have half my
kingdom to himself; and there is not another man in the
kingdom who can meet him but myself ; and I must go
every night to hold combat with him." " Is there,'^ said
Fin, "no man to combat with him but yourself?"
" There is not," said the King, " one who will war with
him for a single night." " It is a pity," said Fin, "that