Translated by Kuno MeyerElectronic edition compiled by Beatrix FärberProof corrections by Beatrix Färber
Funded by The HEA via PRTLI 4
1. First draft, revised and corrected.
Extent of text: 1800 words
Distributed by CELT online at University College, Cork, Ireland.
Text ID Number: T303013
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The electronic text covers pages 242–243 and 246–247.
Text has been proof-read once.
The electronic text represents the edited text including footnotes. Text supplied by the editor is marked sup resp="KM"; footnoted editorial corrections take the form of corr sic="" resp="KM" Missing portions of text are indicated by gap.
Quotations are rendered q.
When a hyphenated word (hard or soft) crosses a page-break, the page-break is marked after the completion of the hyphenated word (and punctuation).
div0=both stories; div1=the individual story
Names of persons (given names) and places are not tagged.
This text uses the DIV1 element to represent the story.
Created: Translation by Kuno Meyer (1892)
Beatrix Färber (ed.)
Beatrix Färber (text capture)
Once Find O'Baiscne was at the Head of the Curragh. He had been without a wife for a long time. Then he went towards the Suir, and at Dún Iascaig
Now Cahir on Suir
on the Suir saw the daughter of a herdsman washing her head. Badamair was her name. And he took he with him, and she lived with him.Currech Lifi of Leinster, from whom Rath Cuirrig is named, it is he who had killed her foster-brother, namely Dub
- Currech Lifi with his splendour,
. . .king to whom he yielded,
His head was taken from him far
To the mountain above Badamair.
That Currech was a son of Fothad Canainne's mother. Now this Fothad was lying in wait for Finn, till at last they made peace, and Finn prepared an ale-feast for Fothad and then invited him to it. However, there was a gais on Fothad to drink ale without dead heads in his presence. That was difficult at the time. For there was Cormac's peace in Ireland to the end of seven years, that no man should be slain. "However, there are places where the slaying of a man is a vested right", saith Finn, namely, the highway of Midluachair1, and the Ford of Ferdiad2, the Ford of the Hurdles3, the Gowran Pass4, the Ford of Nó5, the Wood of Bones6, Conachlad, the two Paps of Anu in Luachair Dedad7
Then Finn went to the two Paps of Anu Finn, to compass the slaying of a man.
‘Let us go,’ said Teit, daughter of Mac Niad, sister of Fothad, ‘the ale-feast which Finn is preparing for my brother, shall be for us. Le t us go drink it’, said she to her husband, Finn Mac Regamain was his name. They go westward
It seemed to the man however that it was the woman who had wounded him, and he said‘ A cold blast the blast that has come to me from thee, o woman!’ etc. ‘Blindly thou chargest me,’ saith the woman, ‘O man, I shall die, for through me this has gone ...It is evident to me that Fothad lives not after the triumphs of Canann, for if the son of MacNiad were alive...’ From that hour forth they were both lying in wait for each other, as long as they were alive, to wit, Finn and Fothad Canainne.
Another time Finn was at the head of the Curragh. It is there he was wont to be. Every morning a man was told off to boil a pig for his day's food. Now once Oisine was told off to boil it. When he deemed it done, he passed it on the points of the fork over the litter into the hand of his comrade. Then something clutched at it. It passed out. He ran out after it across the Suir, to wit, at Ath Nemthenn8,
When the fian awoke, then Oisin came (back). ‘Where is the pig?’ said Finn. ‘Some other braver than I has taken it’, said Oisine.
On the next day Cailte took it. It is carried from him in the same manner. However, he came (back). ‘Where is the pig?’ said Finn. ‘I am not braver than he from whom it was taken yesterday,’ said Cailte.
‘Who is to go now to boil it?’ said Finn. ‘The younger thorn is always the sharper.’ He went himself to boil it, his spear hafts in his left hand, his other hand turning the pig on the points of the fork. Something clutched at it. Finn gave it a blow, but the point of his lance only reached its back. However, it left its load outside. It went into Ely, into Cell Ichtair Lethet [...] Seven times it jumped across the Suir [...] He made a thrust at it as it was going into the fairy-knoll so that thereby he broke its back. Finn stretched out his hand at the doorpost of the síd, so that the door was closed on his thumb. He put it into his mouth, and heard their wail. ‘What is that?’ they all said. ‘Cul Dub has been killed!’ ‘Who killed him?’ said they. ‘Finn O'Baiscne.’ They all wail. Then said he ‘Sweet, sweet’ etc. [...] He then carries his pig in his bosom back to his people.