r,' answered Diarmid; 'if I be alive this evening I will
follow you. If not, send Grania to her father at Tara.' And with that
Angus bade farewell to Diarmid, and flung his magic mantle over
himself and Grania, and they passed out and no man knew aught of them
till they reached the river Boyne.

When they were safely gone, Diarmid, son of O'Dowd, spoke from the top
of the tree. 'I will go down to you, O Fionn, and to the Fenians, and
will deal slaughter and discomfiture upon you and your people, seeing
that I know your wish is to allow me no escape, but to work my death
after some manner. Moreover, I have no friend who will help or protect
me, since full often have I wrought havoc among the warriors of the
world, for love of you. For there never came on you battle or strait,
but I would plunge into it for your sake, and for that of the Fenians.
Therefore I swear, O Fionn, that thou shalt not get me for nothing.'

'Diarmid speaks truth,' said Oscar. 'Grant him, I pray you, mercy and
forgiveness.'

[Illustration: Diarmid & Grania in the Quicken Tree]

'I will not,' answered Fionn, 'till he has paid for every slight put
upon me.'

'It is a foul shame in thee to say that,' said Oscar, 'and I pledge
the word of a soldier that unless the heavens fall upon me or the
earth opens under my feet, I will not suffer you nor your Fenians to
strike him a single blow, and I will take him under my protection, and
keep him safe in spite of you all. Therefore, O Diarmid, come down out
of the tree, since Fionn will not grant you mercy. 'I will pledge that
no evil will come to you to-day.'

So Diarmid rose, and stood upon the topmost bough of the tree, and
leapt light and birdlike, by the shafts of his spears, and passed out
far beyond Fionn and the Fenians of Erin. And he and Oscar went their
way, and no tidings were heard of them till they reached Grania and
Angus on the banks of the Boyne.

After Diarmid and Oscar had departed, Fionn ordered a ship to be made
ready, and as soon as it was done he marched on board with a thousand
of his warriors and set sail for the north of Scotland. When he
arrived at the harbour nearest the King's palace, he moored his ship
and took the path to the palace, where the King received him kindly,
and gave him food and drink. Then Fionn told the King why he was come.
'And truly you should give me a host,' said he, 'for Diarmid it was
who slew your father and two brothers and many of your men besides.'