fair, and before
him the walls and towers of a royal city. Thither the champion, sorely
wounded, was now borne off, while a crowd of his people came round
Dermot, and beat and wounded him, leaving him on the ground for dead.

After night had fallen, when all the people of the city in the Land
Undersea had departed, a stalwart champion, well-armed and of bold
appearance, came upon Dermot and stirred him with his foot. Dermot
thereon awoke from his swoon and, warrior-like, reached out his hand
for his arms. But the champion said, "Wait awhile, my son, I have not
come to do thee hurt or harm. Thou hast chosen an ill place to rest
and slumber in, before the city of thine enemy. Rise and follow me,
and I shall bestow thee far better than that." Dermot then rose and
followed the champion, and long and far they journeyed until they came
to a high-towered fortress, wherein were thrice fifty valiant
men-at-arms and fair women; and the daughter of that champion, a
white-toothed, rosy-cheeked, smooth-handed, and black-eyebrowed maid,
received Dermot, kindly and welcomefully, and applied healing herbs to
his wounds, and in no long time he was made as good a man as ever. And
thus he remained, and was entertained most royally with the best of
viands and of liquors. The first part of every night those in that Dun
were wont to spend in feasting, and the second in recreation and
entertainment of the mind, with music and with poetry and bardic
tales, and the third part in sound and healthful slumber, till the sun
in his fiery journey rose over the heavy-clodded earth on the morrow
morn.

And the King of that country, who was the champion that had aroused
Dermot, told him this was the land of Sorca, and that he had showed
this kindness to Dermot for that he himself had once been on wage and
service with Finn, son of Cumhal "and a better master," said he, "man
never had."

Now the story turns to tell of what befell Finn and the remainder of
his companions when Dermot left them in the ship. After a while,
seeing that he did not return, and being assured that some mischief or
hindrance must have befallen him, they made an attempt to climb the
cliff after him, having noted which way he went. With much toil and
peril they accomplished this, and then journeying forward and
following on Dermot's track, they came at last to the well in the wild
wood, and saw near by the remains of the deer, and the ashes of the
fire that Dermot had kindled to