The High Deeds of Finn MacCool Read Online Free PDF Page B

Young Hero to greet them, and flung his arms about Finn’s shoulders.
    â€˜So you are come!’
    â€˜I was hungry and thirsty, also presently I shall wish to sleep,’ said Finn, with the laughter hooking up the corners of his mouth.
    â€˜Eat and drink now,’ said the Young Hero. ‘Sleep must wait a while.’
    And with his arm still across Finn’s shoulders, he led them into his hall, and sat them down to the noble supper which his people brought in on chargers as broad as so many war shields and set before them. And while they ate roast boar and salmon, and drank heather-tasting yellow mead, he told Finn why he had brought him there.
    â€˜Seven years ago, I paid the bride-price for a maiden who my heart sang to, and brought her home from her father’s hearth to mine. A year later to the day, she bore me a son, and I thought myself the most happy man on earth, until that same night a great hand came down through the chimney-hole, and snatched the babe from his mother’s side. Three years ago this very night, my wife bore me another son, but again the hand came down through the chimney-hole, a great black hand gnarled like a tree root, and snatched that babe from us also. And now tonight my wife lies in the women’s quarters, with her time come to bear a third. That is the reason that I came seeking your aid, and laid you under geise to follow me before you should eat or drink or sleep.’
    â€˜This is an ill story,’ said Finn, ‘but if it can be done, I and my men will surely save the third babe for you. Take me now to the women’s quarters, and let my men sleep close outside.’
    So the Young Hero led them to the women’s quarters behind the hall, where his wife lay under a coverlidof fine embroidered crimson cloth, with all the women of the household busy about her.
    And Finn went in and sat himself down by the hearth to watch, while his men lay close outside. And whenever he felt sleep drawing near, he drove his hand against the sharp edge of the iron bar from which the cauldron hung, and so kept wakeful with his wits about him.
    At midnight the child was born, and hardly had the women helpers cried out that it was a son, than a great black hand, gnarled as a tree root, came down through the chimney-hole, and reached out to snatch the tiny squalling thing.
    Then Finn called to the Gripper, and the Gripper seized hold of the hand and wrestled with it. He was shaken to and fro as a rat is shaken by a dog, but his grip never slackened, until a howl of rage and agony burst upon them from overhead, and down through the chimney-hole crashed the great black arm, torn out by the roots from its owner’s shoulder. But quick as the strike of a snake, the other hand came down after it and snatched up the babe and was gone.
    Grief and wailing rose in the Young Hero’s house, and all his people looked at Finn as men look on one who has failed them.
    Then Finn swore a great oath. ‘Before dawn myself and my men will be on the trail of this hand, and if we do not bring your son safe back to you, may none of us ever return to our own hearths again!’
    They went down to the shore once more, and ran their ship down into the shallows and sprang on board. And once again Finn went to the stern and took the steering oar, and the Tracker went to the bow andstood there sniffing like a hound, and said, ‘This way, and no other, the track runs through the water.’
    And Finn steered as the Tracker bade him.
    All that day they followed the wave-trail as the Tracker sniffed it out, and just at sunset they saw far ahead of them a dark speck on the water that was too small for an island and too large for a gull. As they drew nearer, they saw by the last rays of the sun and the first rays of the moon that it was a tower rising sheer out of the water, and the roof of it shining darkly silver over all.
    They rowed towards it until the galley touched against the