not with you I
arranged the combat, but with the Fenians.' I replied that the Fenians
were not perfect, except I myself were with them. We had not remained
long thus when Liagan Luaimneach, from Luachar Deaghaidh, came to us. He
was followed by Caoilte Mac Ronan, together with the swiftest of the
Fenians. Each of them couched his javelin, intending to drive it through
the giant and kill him in my arms, but I protected him from their
attacks. Soon after this the main body of the Fenians arrived; they
enquired what was the cause of the delay that the giant had not been
slain. 'That is bad counsel,' said the giant, 'for a better man than I
am would be slain in my eric.' We bound the giant strongly on that
occasion; and soon after Bran Beag O'Buadhchan came to invite me to a
feast, and all the Fenians of Eire, who had been present, accompanied
him to his house. The banqueting hall had been prepared for our
reception at that time, and the giant was dragged into the middle of the
house, and was there placed in the sight of all present. They asked him
who he was. 'Roc, son of Diocan, is my name,' replied he, 'that is, I am
son to the Legislator of Aengus of the Brugh in the south. My betrothed
poured a current of surprising affection and a torrent of deep love upon
Sgiath Breac, son of Dathcaoin yonder, who is your foster son, O Fionn;
it hurt my feelings severely to hear her boast of the swiftness and
bravery of her lover in particular, and of the Fenians in general, and I
declared that I would challenge him and all the Fenians of Eire to run a
race with me; but she sneered at me. I then went to my beloved friend,
Aengus of the Brugh, to bemoan my fate; and he metamorphosed me thus,
and bestowed on me the swiftness of a druidical wind, as you have seen.
This is my history for you; and you ought to be well satisfied with all
the hurt and injury you have inflicted upon me already.'

"Then I repented me of the indignity put upon the giant, and I released
him from his bonds and I bade Liagan Luaimneach companion him to the
presence of his betrothed one and testify to her on my behalf of his
prowess in the race, wherein he had outstripped all the Fenians of Eire,
save only myself. So the two went forth together in friendly amity, and
Roc, for the champion feat reported of him by Liagan Luaimneach,
recovered the affection of his betrothed, and straightway took her to
wife. From that adventure, indeed, arose the proverb, 'As Roc came