How joy was found a fantasy
Oh! I feel strong enough to turn the moon
Right round upon his other face,
And I feel ready now to sup
The stars up with a spoon.
CLIMBER
[_In an awed whisper, gazing at Finn._]
I only know I am aware
Of God for ever, everywhere.
HERO
[_Who has still an arm round either, to Finn._]
It was the Gate of Heaven that you carried.
Now it is time that you and she were married.
Since I have found you strong enough to share
Her faith that I am more than quite all there,
Ask what you will, it shall be given you
As your reward. Tell me, what is your due?
FINN
[_In a whisper._]
I am beginning now to understand!
Lord, I beseech, help Thou mine other hand.
HERO
[_Leading the two forward to the table, he takes the
Climber’s hand and places it in Finn’s._]
It has spread breakfast in my house for two,
The other place was always meant for you;
I pray you, warm it at your hearth hereunder.
What I have joined let no man put asunder.
APPENDIX
_HOW FINN KEPT HIS CHILDREN FOR THE BIG YOUNG HERO OF THE SHIP AND HOW
BRAN WAS FOUND._
A day Finn and his men were in the Hunting-hill they killed a great
number of deer; and when they were wearied after the chase they sat down
on a pleasant green knoll, at the back of the wind and at the face of the
sun, where they could see everyone and no one at all could see them.
While they were sitting in that place Finn lifted his eyes towards the
sea, and saw a ship making straight for the haven beneath the spot on
which they were sitting. When the ship came to land, a Big Young Hero
leaped out of her on the shore, seized her by the bows and drew her
up, her own seven lengths, on the green grass, where the eldest son of
neither landowner nor of holder of large townland dared mock or gibe at
her. Then he ascended the hillside, leaping over the hollows and slanting
the knolls, till he reached the spot on which Finn and his men were
sitting.
He saluted Finn frankly, energetically, fluently; and Finn saluted him
with the equivalent of the same words. Finn then asked him whence did he
come or what was he wanting? He answered Finn that he had come through
night-watching and tempest of sea where he was, because he was losing his
children, and it had been told him that there was not a man in the world
who could keep his children for him but him, Finn, King of the Feinne.
And he said to Finn, “I lay on thee, as crosses and spells and seven
fairy fetters of travelling and straying, to be with me before thou shalt
eat food or drink a draught or close an eye in sleep.”
Having said this he turned away from them and descended the hillside
the way he ascended it. When he reached the ship he placed his shoulder
against her bow and put her out. He then leaped into her, and departed in
the direction he came until they lost sight of him.
Finn was now under great heaviness of mind, because the vows had been
laid on him, and he must fulfil them or travel onwards until he would
die. He knew not whither he should go, or what he should do. But he left
farewell with his men, and descended the hillside to the seaside. When he
reached that he could not go farther on the way in which he saw the Big
Young Hero depart. He therefore began to walk along the shore, but before
he had gone very far forward, he saw a company of seven men coming to
meet him.
When he reached the men he asked the first of them what was he good at?
The man answered that he was a good Carpenter. Finn asked him how good
was he at carpentry? The man said that, with three strokes of his axe
he could make a large, capacious, complete ship of the alder stock over
yonder. “Thou art good enough,” said Finn; “thou mayest pass by.”
He then asked of the second man what was he good at? The man said that he
was a good Tracker. “How good art thou?” said Finn. “I can track the wild
duck over the crests of the nine waves within nine days,” said the man.
“Thou art good enough,” said Finn; “thou mayest pass by.”
Then he said to the third man, “What art thou good at?” The man replied
that he was a good Gripper. “How good art thou?” “The hold I once get I
will not let go until my two arms come from my shoulders or until my
hold comes with me.” “Thou art good enough; thou mayest pass by.”
Then he said to the fourth man, “What art thou good at?” He answered that
he was a good Climber. “How good art thou?” “I can climb on a filament of
silk to the stars, although thou wert to tie it there.” “Thou art good
enough; thou mayest pass by.”
He then said to the fifth man, “What art thou good at?” He replied that
he was a good Thief. “How good art thou?” “I can steal the egg from the
heron while her two eyes are looking at me.” “Thou art good enough; thou
mayest pass by.”
He asked of the sixth man, “What art thou good at?” He answered that he
was a good Listener. “How good art thou?” He said that he could hear what
people were saying at the extremity of the Uttermost World (Domhan Tor).
“Thou art good enough; thou mayest pass by.”
Then he said to the seventh man, “What art thou good at?” He replied that
he was a good Marksman. “How good art thou?” “I could hit an egg as far
away in the sky as bowstring could send or bow could carry.” “Thou art
good enough; thou mayest pass by.”
All this gave Finn great encouragement. He turned round and said to the
Carpenter, “Prove thy skill.” The Carpenter went where the stock was, and
struck it with his axe thrice; and as he had said, the Ship was ready.
When Finn saw the Ship ready he ordered his men to put her out. They did
that and went on board of her.
Finn now ordered the Tracker to go to the bow and prove himself. At the
same time he told him that yesterday a Big Young Hero left yonder haven
in his ship and that he wanted to follow the Hero to the place in which
he now was. Finn himself went to steer the Ship and they departed. The
Tracker was telling him to keep her this way or to keep her that way.
They sailed a long time forward without seeing land, but they kept on
their course until evening was approaching. In the gloaming they noticed
that land was ahead of them, and they made straight for it. When they
reached the shore they leaped to land and drew up the Ship.
Then they noticed a large fine house in the glen above the beach. They
took their way up to the house; and when they were nearing it they saw
the Big Young Hero coming to meet them. He ran and placed his two arms
about Finn’s neck and said, “Darling of all men in the world, hast thou
come?” “If I had been thy darling of all men in the world, it is not as
thou didst leave me that thou wouldst have left me,” said Finn. “Oh, it
was not without a way of coming that I left thee,” said the Big Young
Hero. “Did I not send a company of seven men to meet thee?”
When they reached the house, the Big Young Hero told Finn and his men to
go in. They accepted the invitation and found abundance of meat and drink.
After they had quenched their hunger and thirst, the Big Young Hero came
in where they were, and said to Finn, “Six years from this night, my wife
was in childbed and a child was born to me. As soon as the child came
into the world, a large Hand came in at the chimney, and took the child
with it in the cap (or hollow) of the Hand. Three years from this night
the same thing happened. And to-night she is going to be in childbed
again. It was told me that thou wert the only man in the world who could
keep my children for me, and now I have courage since I have found thee.”
Finn and his men were tired and sleepy. Finn said to the men that they
were to stretch themselves on the floor and that he was going to keep
watch. They did as they were told and he remained sitting beside the
fire. At last sleep began to come on him; but he had a bar of iron in the
fire, and as often as his eyes would begin to close with sleep, he would
thrust the bar through the bone of his palm, and that was keeping him
awake. About midnight the woman was delivered, and as soon as the child
came into the world the Hand came in at the chimney. Finn called on the
Gripper to get up.
The Gripper sprang quickly to his feet and laid hold of the Hand. He gave
a pull on the Hand, and took it in to the two eyebrows at the chimney.
The Hand gave a pull on the Gripper, and took him out to the top of his
two shoulders. The Gripper gave another pull on the Hand, and brought it
in to the neck. The Hand gave a pull on the Gripper, and brought him out
to the very middle. The Gripper gave a pull on the Hand and took it in
over the two armpits. The Hand gave a pull on the Gripper and took him
out to the smalls of his two feet. Then the Gripper gave a brave pull on
the Hand, and it came out of the shoulder. And when it fell on the floor
the pulling of seven geldings was in it. But the big Giant outside put in
the other hand and took the child with him in the cap of the Hand.
They were all very sorry that they lost the child. But Finn said, “We
will not yield to this yet. I and my men will go away after the Hand
before a sun shall rise on a dwelling to-morrow.”
At break of dawn Finn and his men turned out, and reached the beach where
they had left the Ship.
They launched the Ship, and leaped on board of her. The Tracker went to
the bow, and Finn went to steer her. They departed, and now and again
the Tracker would cry to Finn to keep her in that direction, or to keep
her in this direction. They sailed onward a long distance without seeing
anything before them, except the great sea. At the going down of the sun,
Finn noticed a black spot in the ocean ahead of them. He thought it too
little for an island and too large for a bird, but he made straight for
it; and it was a rock, and a Castle thatched with eel-skins was on its
top.
They landed on the rock. They looked about the Castle but they saw
neither window nor door at which they could get in. At last they noticed
that it was on the roof the door was. They did not know how they could
get up, because the thatch was so slippery. But the Climber cried,
“Let me over and I will not be long in climbing it.” He sprang quickly
towards the Castle and in an instant was on its roof. He looked in at the
door, and after taking particular notice of everything that he saw, he
descended where the rest were waiting. Finn asked of him what did he see?
He said that he saw a big Giant lying on a bed, a silk covering over him
and a satin covering under him, and his hand stretched out and an infant
asleep in the cap of the Hand; that he saw two boys on the floor playing
with shinties of gold and a ball of silver; and that there was a very
large deer-hound bitch lying beside the fire, and two pups sucking her.
Then said Finn, “I do not know how we shall get them out.” The Thief
answered and said, “If I get in I will not be long putting them out.” The
Climber said, “Come on my back and I will take thee up to the door.” The
Thief did as he was told and got into the Castle.
Instantly he began to prove his skill. The first thing he put out was
the child that was in the cap of the Hand. He then put out the two boys
who were playing on the floor. He then stole the silk covering that was
over the Giant and the satin covering that was under him, and put them
out. Then he put out the shinties of gold and the ball of silver. He then
stole the two pups that were sucking the bitch beside the fire. These
were the most valuable things which he saw inside. He left the Giant
asleep and turned out.
They placed the things which the Thief stole in the Ship and departed.