Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race - Knowledge Rush

CHAPTER VI: TALES OF THE OSSIANIC CYCLE 253the same thing happened; on the third, however, Dermot, as theknight was about to take his leap, flung his arms round him, andboth went down together.The Rescue of FairylandDermot, after a moment of darkness and trance, now foundhimself in Fairyland. A man of noble appearance roused himand led him away to the castle of a great king, where he washospitably entertained. It was explained to him that the servicesof a champion like himself were needed to do combat against arival monarch of Faëry. It is the same motive which we find inthe adventures of Cuchulain with Fand, and which so frequentlyturns up in Celtic fairy lore. Finn and his companions, findingthat Dermot did not return to them, found their way up the cliffs,and, having traversed the forest, entered a great cavern whichultimately led them out to the same land as that in which Dermothad arrived. There too, they are informed, are the fourteen Fiannawho had been carried off on the mare of the Hard Gilly. He,of course, was the king who needed their services, and who hadtaken this method of decoying some thirty of the flower of Irishfighting men to his side. Finn and his men go into the battle withthe best of goodwill, and scatter the enemy like chaff; Oscar slays [295]the son of the rival king (who is called the King of “Greece”).Finn wins the love of his daughter, Tasha of the White Arms,and the story closes with a delightful mixture of gaiety andmystery. “What reward wilt thou have for thy good services?”asks the fairy king of Finn. “Thou wert once in service with me,”replies Finn, “and I mind not that I gave thee any recompense.Let one service stand against the other.” “Never shall I agreeto that,” cries Conan the Bald. “Shall I have nought for beingcarried off on thy wild mare and haled oversea?” “What wilt thouhave?” asks the fairy king. “None of thy gold or goods,” repliesConan, “but mine honour hath suffered, and let mine honour beappeased. Set thirteen of thy fairest womenfolk on the wild mare,O King, and thine own wife clinging to her tail, and let them be