THERE was another young man came and served Finn
for a while; out of Connacht he came, and he was very daring, and the Red
Ridge was the name they gave him. And he all but went from Finn one time,
because of his wages that were too long in coming to him.
And the three battalions of the Fianna
came trying to quiet him, but he would not stay for them. And at the last Finn
himself came, for it is a power he had, if he would make but three verses he
would quiet any one.
And it is what he said: "Daring Red
Ridge," he said, "good in battle, if you go from me to-day with your
great name it is a good parting for us. But once at Rath Cro," he said,
"I gave you three times fifty ounces in the one day; and at Carn Ruidhe I
gave you the full of my cup of silver and of yellow gold.
And do you remember," he said, "the time
we were at Rath Ai, when we found the two women, and when we ate nuts, myself
and yourself were there together,"
And after that the young man said no more about going
from him.
And another helper came to Finn one time he was fighting
at a ford, and all his weapons were used or worn with the dint of the fight.
And there came to him a daughter of Mongan of the Sidhe,
bringing him a flat stone having a chain of gold to it. And he took the
stone and did great deeds with it. And after the fight the stone fell into the
ford, that got the name of Ath Liag Finn.
And that stone will never be found till the Woman of the
Waves will find it, and will bring it to land on a Sunday morning; and on that
day seven years the world will come to an end.
Source: Lady Gregory - Gods
and Fighting Men, first published 1904.
republished by Colin Smythe Ltd. 1970.
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