was burned.

The king rose up at the feast after a while, and his smooth horn in his
hand, and it is what he said: "If I could find among you, men of
Ireland, any man that would keep Teamhair till the break of day
to-morrow without being burned by Aillen, son of Midhna, I would give
him whatever inheritance is right for him to have, whether it be much or
little."

But the men of Ireland made no answer, for they knew well that at the
sound of the sweet pitiful music made by that comely man of the Sidhe,
even women in their pains and men that were wounded would fall asleep.

It is then Finn rose up and spoke to the King of Ireland. "Who will be
your sureties that you will fulfil this?" he said. "The kings of the
provinces of Ireland," said the king, "and Cithruadh with his Druids."
So they gave their pledges, and Finn took in hand to keep Teamhair safe
till the breaking of day on the morrow.

Now there was a fighting man among the followers of the King of Ireland,
Fiacha, son of Conga, that Cumhal, Finn's father, used to have a great
liking for, and he said to Finn: "Well, boy," he said, "what reward
would you give me if I would bring you a deadly spear, that no false
cast was ever made with?" "What reward are you asking of me?" said Finn.
"Whatever your right hand wins at any time, the third of it to be mine,"
said Fiacha, "and a third of your trust and your friendship to be mine."
"I will give you that," said Finn. Then Fiacha brought him
the spear, unknown to the sons of Morna or to any other person, and he
said: "When you will hear the music of the Sidhe, let you strip the
covering off the head of the spear and put it to your forehead, and the
power of the spear will not let sleep come upon you."

Then Finn rose up before all the men of Ireland, and he made a round of
the whole of Teamhair. And it was not long till he heard the sorrowful
music, and he stripped the covering from the head of the spear, and he
held the power of it to his forehead. And Aillen went on playing his
little harp, till he had put every one in their sleep as he was used;
and then he let a flame of fire out from his mouth to burn Teamhair.
And Finn held up his fringed crimson cloak against the flame, and it
fell down through the air and went into the ground, bringing the
four-folded cloak with it deep into the earth.

And when Aillen saw his spells were destroyed, he went back to Sidhe
Finnachaidh on the top of Slieve Fuad; but Finn followe