Scotland's Storybook: stories in English (1.1 - Education Scotland

their great grey hounds, but in the winter the Kings of Ireland supplied them
with food in return for their protection.
There was once a time when two mighty clan chieftains claimed to be the
leader of the Fianna; one was called Urgriu Mac Lugaid Corr and the other was
Fionn’s father, Cumhail Mac Trenmor. The two warring clans clashed in battle at
Cnucha and many fine warriors met their death that day, including Cumhail Mac
Trenmor himself. His wife, Muirne, was carrying the unborn Fionn in her womb
and she knew that if her child was to fall into the hands of her husband’s
enemies then he could expect no mercy from them. When the child was born
Muirne took him to a powerful druidess called Bodhmal (some say it was the
boy’s grandmother or aunt) and she raised him in secret in a forest. He was
given the name Demne, and soon grew to be both strong and intelligent; he was
tall and handsome with blond hair and was quick to learn everything that the
druidess could teach him. As he grew older Demne started to wander away from
the forest and was seen by local boys, who were no match for him at ball games.
When they returned home the boys told their family about the strange boy who
had beaten them all at games. When the lord of the land came to hear of the
boy he asked what he looked like and was told that he was very fair and good
looking, so he gave him the name Fionn, meaning the fair one, and he was called
by that name, as well as Demne.
One day he was in the forest with the druidess when they saw a herd of deer
grazing in the distance and she said that they would eat well if only they had one
of those deer to roast. Demne said that he would catch one, and ran so fast that
he caught and killed a deer and carried it back to the druidess. She said that he
had proved that it was time for him to leave and to make his own way in the
world. He travelled from one place to another taking up military service with
kings, but his strength and royal bearing was starting to become obvious to
them and he was urged to keep moving in case his father’s enemies should
capture him.
He was told about an old man who lived by the side of the River Boyne and
who processed great wisdom, and it was advised that he should seek him out
and learn from him. He found the old man by the side of a pool and told him
that his name was Demne and that he wanted to be his servant and to learn
from him. The old man, whose name was Fionn, agreed to this and so they both
lived quietly by the side of the pool. Old Fionn told the young man that he had
spent the last seven years sitting by the side of Fec’s Pool trying to catch the
Salmon of Knowledge that was supposed to live in this pool. This salmon was
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