Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race - Knowledge Rush

224 Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race[262]went back to Finn, and when the Fianna saw her they laughedthrough all the camp in bitter mockery, for they would not havegiven one of the dead man's fingers for twenty such as Grania.Keelta mac Ronan and OisīnAnother of the chief men that Finn had was Keelta mac Ronan,who was one of his house-stewards, and a strong warrior as wellas a golden-tongued reciter of tales and poems. And there wasOisīn, the son of Finn, the greatest poet of the Gael, of whommore shall be told hereafter.OscarOisīn had a son, Oscar, who was the fiercest fighter in battleamong all the Fians. He slew in his maiden battle three kings,and in his fury he also slew by mischance his own friend andcondisciple Linné. His wife was the fair Aideen, who died ofgrief after Oscar's death in the battle of Gowra, and Oisīn buriedher on Ben Edar (Howth), and raised over her the great dolmenwhich is there to this day. Oscar appears in this literature as atype of hard strength, with a heart “like twisted horn sheathed insteel,” a character made as purely for war as a sword or spear.Geena mac LugaAnother good man that Finn had was Geena, the son of Luga;his mother was the warrior-daughter of Finn, and his father wasa near kinsman of hers. He was nurtured by a woman that borethe name of Fair Mane, who had brought up many of the Fiannato manhood. When his time to take arms was come he stoodbefore Finn and made his covenant of fealty, and Finn gavehim the captaincy of a band. But mac Luga proved slothfuland selfish, for ever vaunting himself and his weapon-skill, andnever training his men to the chase of deer or boar, and he usedto beat his hounds and his serving-men. At last the Fians underhim came with their whole company to Finn at Loch Lena, inKillarney, and there they laid their complaint against mac Luga,and said: “Choose now, O Finn, whether you will have us or theson of Luga by himself.”