Legendary fictions of the Irish Celts

Ossianic and other Early Legends. 2 1
Eogan gather the Leinster and Munster troops to the
waning fight ; and when all hope was lost they retired in
close array, and still kept their furious foemen in check.
Thus ended the memorable fight of Cnucha, in the account
of which no mention is made of sling, arrow, bow,
mace, or battle-axe. The bronze leaf-shaped, doubleedged
glaive, and the spears and javelins flung over
hand, were the same as those sung by Homer as doing
the work of death on the plain before Troy.
THE YOUTH OF FION.
The faithful Boghmin lovingly executed her trust, and,
assisted by the sage woman Fiecal, reared up the son of
Cumhail in a cavern on the side of Slieve Bloom {Blama).
She called him Deimne, and he gave evidence of his
noble race at an early age. When a youth, his fostermother
ventured with him as far as Tara, at the celebration
of games by youths not yet qualified for the rank of
Curai. He so distinguished himself, that the King cried
out in admiration, " What is the name of this Pausiha
Fion (fine youth)?" " I thank you, O Con of the Hundred
Fights," answered his nurse, " for having conferred
a name on him. Fion he is, and Fion he shall remain."
" By your royal hand," said one of the Conacht laochs,
" that is the son of Cumhail, son of Trenmor ; let him be
secured." But the word was too late. Boghmin, seizing
her boy, and flinging him on her shoulders, had jDassed
through the assembly before anything could be done,
and the fleet runner, not yet having lost the cunning of
her limbs, soon put sufiicient distance between her charge
and his enemies.
The next exploit performed by our youth was the
acquisition of supernatural knowledge, by tasting the
salmon that was intended for the Druid Fion.
This sage, not content with his own acquired wisdom,
was determined on securing the " salmon of knowledge "
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