Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race - Knowledge Rush

CHAPTER VI: TALES OF THE OSSIANIC CYCLE 219Morna for the leadership of the Fianna, and was overthrown andslain by these at the battle of Knock. 178Among the Clan Morna was a man named Lia, the lord ofLuachar in Connacht, who was Treasurer of the Fianna, and whokept the Treasure Bag, a bag made of crane's skin and having init magic weapons and jewels of great price that had come downfrom the days of the Danaans. And he became Treasurer to theClan Morna and still kept the bag at Rath Luachar.Murna, after the defeat and death of Cumhal, took refuge inthe forests of Slieve Bloom, 179 and there she bore a man-childwhom she named Demna. For fear that the Clan Morna would [256]find him out and slay him, she gave him to be nurtured in thewildwood by two aged women, and she herself became wife tothe King of Kerry. But Demna, when he grew up to be a lad,was called “Finn,” or the Fair One, on account of the whitenessof his skin and his golden hair, and by this name he was alwaysknown thereafter. His first deed was to slay Lia, who had theTreasure Bag of the Fianna, which he took from him. He thensought out his uncle Crimmal, who, with a few other old men,survivors of the chiefs of Clan Bascna, had escaped the sword atCastleknock, and were living in much penury and affliction inthe recesses of the forests of Connacht. These he furnished witha retinue and guard from among a body of youths who followedhis fortunes, and gave them the Treasure Bag. He himself went tolearn the accomplishments of poetry and science from an ancientsage and Druid named Finegas, who dwelt on the river Boyne.Here, in a pool of this river, under boughs of hazel from whichdropped the Nuts of Knowledge on the stream, lived Fintan theSalmon of Knowledge, which whoso ate of him would enjoy allthe wisdom of the ages. Finegas had sought many a time to catchthis salmon, but failed until Finn had come to be his pupil. Thenone day he caught it, and gave it to Finn to cook, bidding him eat178 Now Castleknock, near Dublin.179 In the King's County.