Folk Tales of Scotland (24 page)

‘There’s a stranger coming this way,’ he said.

The stranger greeted Finn and Finn greeted the stranger.

‘Who are you,’ asked Finn, ‘and what do you want?’

‘I’m seeking a master,’ said the big lad.

‘I need a servant,’ said Finn. ‘If we can agree on your wages, I’ll engage you.’

‘I’d not do that if I were you, Finn,’ said Conan, one of the Feinne. ‘I thought you were tired of these wandering lads.’

‘Never mind that, Conan,’ said Finn, and he turned to the big lad. ‘I like the look of you. What wage do you want?’

‘I want you to promise that, after a year and a day’s service, you and your men will go with me to a great feast.’

‘There’s no reason why I shouldn’t agree to that,’ said Finn. ‘We’ll be together, all the Feinne. There should be no danger in it.’

So the big lad became Finn’s servant. At the end of a year and a day, Finn and his men discussed how they should follow the big lad to the feast, as they promised.

‘He looks a swift mover,’ said Finn, ‘so Caoilte shall follow him and
keep him in sight. Cuchulainn shall go next, and the rest of us will follow.’
And so they did.

The big lad set off, bare-headed, bare-footed and unprepared for battle. Swiftly he went from hilltop to glen, from glen to strath, and Caoilte had to move fast to keep him in sight. Cuchulainn
followed at the same distance, then Finn and his men. They went in that order until they reached the Yellow Field.

The big lad waited for them at the house where the feast was to be. He opened the door and invited them in. Finn went in first and his men followed.

‘Be seated,’ said the big lad before he left them.

They all got seats against the wall except Conan. He was the last to go in and, because all the places were filled, he had no choice but to stretch out on the hearthstone.

Finn and his men were so tired after their long journey, they were content to sit and rest, but after a while they grew impatient. They were hungry and still there was no sign of the feast.

‘Go and see if anyone is coming with the food,’ said Finn.

One of his men tried to get up out of his seat, but he could not. He was stuck fast. So were all the others.

‘Didn’t I warn you about wandering lads?’ cried Conan, whose back and hair were stuck fast to the hearthstone.

Finn did not reply, he was too worried about the plight they were in. He remembered his wisdom tooth, so he put his finger under it. Then he understood that only the blood of the King of Insh
Tilly’s three sons, filtered through silver rings into gold cups, could release them. He wondered who would be able to fetch the blood, then he remembered that two of his men, Lohary and
Oscar, were not with him that day, but they would come if he called them.

Now, Finn had a wooden whistle, which he never used unless he was in great trouble. It was a magic whistle, and when he blew it, the sound travelled the seven borders of the earth to the
Uttermost World. He knew
that Oscar and Lohary would hear it, so he blew the wooden whistle, and before the sun had set, they were outside. But they were unable to get in.

‘Are you there?’ cried Oscar. ‘Tell us what you want us to do.’

‘We’re prisoner!’ said Finn. ‘We’re unable to move from the place where we’re sitting. Our backs and legs are stuck fast, and only the blood of the King of
Insh Tilly’s three sons, filtered through silver rings into gold cups, can save us.’

‘Where can we find these three princes?’ asked Oscar.

‘At sunset, they’ll be by the ford of the river,’ said Finn. ‘But first, you must find food for us. We’re very hungry.’ And he added: ‘Oscar, remember
to take your dart!’

So Lohary and Oscar went in search of food. At last they came to a house. They looked in through a window and saw a fierce hero lifting venison out of a pot. But when they went into the kitchen,
the fierce hero had gone. In his place was a buzzard with outstretched wings, ready to pounce on them. Oscar aimed his dart and the buzzard fell to the ground, dead.

There was no one to stop them, so they carried off the venison and took it to Finn.

They returned to the house where the Feinne were imprisoned. As they could not enter, they made a hole in the stone wall, and passed the food through to Finn and his men. They all had a share
except Conan. He lay on the hearthstone, stuck fast to it by his back and hair. So they made a hole in the roof and dropped food down to him that way.

Before the sun set, Oscar asked Finn how they should approach the three princes when they met at the ford of the river.

‘They’ll be surrounded by an army of soldiers,’ said Finn, ‘but they will be dressed in green, that’s how you’ll know them.’

Oscar and Lohary went to the ford. They saw an army of soldiers coming towards them. Although they were only two against many, they defeated the soldiers, and no one was left to tell the tale.
But there was no sign of the three sons of the King of Insh Tilly.

‘They’ll come in good time,’ said Finn when he was told. ‘Rest now, and in the morning you must both go and find food for us. We’ve eaten all
you brought us.’

Next morning they set out and Finn told Oscar to take his two-edged sword and shield. He took them and they reached the house. Through a window they saw a man with four hands lifting venison out
of a pot. They went into the kitchen but the man had gone. In his place was an eagle ready for attack. Before Oscar could draw his sword, Lohary lifted the pot and poured the boiling broth over the
eagle. She let out a terrible shriek and vanished.

Then they took the venison to Finn and his men and gave each of them a share.

At sunset they went to the ford. They saw an army of soldiers there and, although they were only two against many, they defeated the soldiers and not one of them was left to tell the tale. But
there was no sign of the three sons of the King of Insh Tilly.

‘They’ll come in the end,’ said Finn, ‘but now you must rest. In the morning you shall go and fetch food for us.’

Next day they set out, and as they left, Finn reminded Oscar to take his long spear.

‘When your spear is tipped with the blood of the Winged Dragon of Shiel,’ said Finn, ‘the King of Insh Tilly will surely lose his three sons.’

Again they reached the house and there, through a window, they saw a huge man with two heads and four hands lifting venison out of a pot. They went into the kitchen but the man was not there. In
his place was the Winged Dragon of Shiel with two serpent heads.

‘You take care of the venison, while I tackle the dragon,’ said Oscar.

He raised his long spear and drove it into one of the dragon’s heads, and half-way into its second head. The Winged Dragon fought hard but it was badly wounded, and when Oscar drew out his
spear to make another thrust, the dragon vanished completely.

Then they took the venison to Finn and his men.

‘Is your spear tipped with the Winged Dragon’s blood?’ asked Finn.

‘It is,’ said Oscar.

‘Then it is now time to take the silver filter rings and the gold cups and fetch the blood that will release us,’ said Finn.

As soon as the sun had set, they went to the ford, but this time they went farther across the river than they had ever been before. They saw the army of soldiers coming and there, in their
midst, were the three sons of the King of Insh Tilly dressed in green.

‘You fight the three princes, while I tackle the soldiers,’ said Oscar, and although he was only one against so many, he defeated them, and there was not one left to tell the
tale.

Meanwhile Lohary had the three princes on their knees, and as soon as Oscar saw their blood flowing, he took the silver rings, filtered it into the gold cups, and took it to Finn.

‘Rub it into the soles of your feet and into every part of you that will touch this house. Only then can you cross the threshold.’

They did this and passed easily into the enchanted house of the Yellow Field. They rubbed every part of Finn and his men that was stuck to the walls, the seats and the floor, until they were all
released except Conan. He was the last to be rubbed with the blood from the gold cups, and because there was not enough left to be rubbed into every hair at the back of his head, some of it
remained stuck to the hearthstone. But when he saw his companions leaving, he pulled his head up with all his strength, leaving some of his hair stuck fast to the stone. It never grew again, and he
became known as Bald Conan because of it.

The Feinne returned home and Finn never again engaged a wandering lad to work for them.

NE
day, the son of the King of Erin met a bonny lass called Green Kirtle. No one knew
where she had come from nor where she was going.

‘Let’s play a game of cards,’ she said to the Prince.

So they sat, facing each other, played a game and the Prince won.

‘As I lost that game,’ said Green Kirtle, ‘what forfeit must I pay you?’

‘You’ve nothing I want,’ said the Prince.

‘Let us meet here tomorrow,’ said Green Kirtle.

‘I’ll be here,’ said the Prince.

Next day they met at the same place. Again they played a game of cards but, this time, Green Kirtle won.

‘As I lost this game,’ said the Prince, ‘what forfeit must I pay you?’

‘I lay a spell on you,’ said Green Kirtle. ‘You’ll not rest till you find me again under the four brown quarters of the earth.’

The Prince went home, put his elbows on the table, his hand under his cheek, and sighed.

‘Whatever is the matter with you?’ asked the King. ‘Are you under a spell? If so, I can remove it. I’ve a smiddy for making swords, spears and arrow-heads. I’ve
ships too. As long as I’ve gold and silver, I’ll pay your debts.’

‘None of these will help me to lift the spell,’ said the Prince. ‘I must do that myself.’

So, next day, the Prince set off without servant or dog.

He walked on and on till his shoes burned his feet and the soles were worn through. For days he saw neither cottage nor house. For days he had nothing to eat or drink. At
last he saw a castle. He found it had no doors nor windows, not even a little hole in the walls to peep through. So he turned away.

‘Come back, Son of the King of Erin!’ called a girl from the castle. ‘There’s a feast waiting for you.’

The Prince turned and went back. He found the castle had a door for each day of the year, and a window for each day of the year, where none had been before. Inside the castle, music played and
there was a table laden with food. He sat down at the table with the girl and a fine company of men and women.

That night, a servant bathed his feet in warm water and prepared a soft bed for him. The day that followed was as delightful as the night before, and so it was, day after day, till one morning
the girl of the castle said:

‘Son of Erin’s King, how long is it since you came here?’

‘A week, I should think,’ said the Prince.

‘It is exactly a quarter of a year,’ said the girl, ‘but you may stay as long as you like.’

So the Prince stayed and time passed so happily he forgot about it until the girl asked him again:

‘Son of Erin’s King, how long have you been here?’

‘About a month,’ said the Prince.

‘Today,’ she said, ‘you have been here for two years.’

But this did not worry the Prince, he felt so well he began to boast:

‘I feel strong,’ said he, ‘and if my arms were long enough I’d lift the peak of that mountain and put it on top of this one. I don’t believe there’s a man on
earth as strong as I am.’

‘Don’t be daft,’ said the girl. ‘There’s a little band of men called the Feinne. No man can beat them.’

‘I’ll not eat nor drink nor sleep till I find these men and know them,’ said the Prince.

‘I’ll tell you where you can find them,’ said the girl. ‘The Feinne are by the river with a net, fishing for trout. Alone, on the other side of the river, is Finn. Go to
him and bless him. In return he will bless you. But when you ask him for work, he’ll say there’s no place for you. He’ll ask your name, and you must tell him you are the son of
the King of Erin. Then Finn will reply: “Though I don’t need a man, there is surely a place for the son of your father.” And take this cloth. Give it to Finn and tell him to wrap
you in it, alive or dead, if ever it is necessary.’

The Prince set off and soon reached the place where the Feinne were fishing for trout, and Finn sitting on the other side of the river. The Prince went to Finn and blessed him, and Finn blessed
the Prince.

‘I heard there were such men as you, and I came to offer my service to you,’ said the Prince.

‘Just now I’ve no need of a man,’ said Finn. ‘What is your name?’

‘I’m the son of the King of Erin.’

‘To whom should I give service but to the son of your father?’ said Finn. ‘Come, catch the end of this net and drag it along with us.’

So the Prince dragged the net along with Finn and the Feinne. Then he looked up and saw a stag run past.

‘Wouldn’t young men, strong and swift as you are, rather hunt the stag, than fish for trout in this river?’ said he. ‘A mouthful of trout won’t satisfy your hunger
as well as a meal of venison, surely.’