en between them. And as to his generosity it used to be said, he
never denied any man as long as he had a mouth to eat with, and legs to
bring away what he gave him; and he left no woman without her
bride-price, and no man without his pay; and he never promised at night
what he would not fulfil on the morrow, and he never promised in the day
what he would not fulfil at night, and he never forsook his right-hand
friend. And if he was quiet in peace he was angry in battle, and Oisin
his son and Osgar his son's son followed him in that. There was a young
man of Ulster came and claimed kinship with them one time, saying they
were of the one blood. "If that is so," said Oisin, "it is from the men
of Ulster we took the madness and the angry heart we have in battle."
"That is so indeed," said Finn.

CHAPTER II. FINN'S HOUSEHOLD

And the number of the Fianna of Ireland at that time was seven score and
ten chief men, every one of them having three times nine righting men
under him. And every man of them was bound to three things, to take no
cattle by oppression, not to refuse any man, as to cattle or riches; no
one of them to fall back before nine fighting men. And there was no man
taken into the Fianna until his tribe and his kindred would give
securities for him, that even if they themselves were all killed he
would not look for satisfaction for their death. But if he himself would
harm others, that harm was not to be avenged on his people. And there
was no man taken into the Fianna till he knew the twelve books of
poetry. And before any man was taken, he would be put into a deep hole
in the ground up to his middle, and he having his shield and a hazel rod
in his hand. And nine men would go the length of ten furrows from him
and would cast their spears at him at the one time. And if he got a
wound from one of them, he was not thought fit to join with the Fianna.
And after that again, his hair would be fastened up, and he put to run
through the woods of Ireland, and the Fianna following after him to try
could they wound him, and only the length of a branch between themselves
and himself when they started. And if they came up with him and wounded
him, he was not let join them; or if his spears had trembled in his
hand, or if a branch of a tree had undone the plaiting of his hair, or
if he had cracked a dry stick under his foot, and he running. And they
would not take him among them till he had made a leap over a stick th