a small-headed, white-breasted
hound, having a collar of rubbed gold and a chain of old silver. And the
other of them," he said, "is brown and ruddy and white-toothed, and he
is leading a yellow-spotted hound by a chain of bright bronze." "It is
well you have made your report of them," said Conan, "and I know them by
it; for the man you spoke of first is Finn, son of Cumhal, Head of the
Fianna of Ireland, and Bran in his hand; and the other is Diorraing, and
Sceolan in his hand. And go now quickly and let them in," he said.

Finn and Diorraing were brought in then, and they got good attendance,
and their arms were taken from them, and a grand feast was made ready
that pleased them well. And the wife of Conan was at the one side of
Finn, and his daughter, Finndealbh, of the Fair Shape, was at his other
side. And they had a great deal of talk together, and at last, seeing
her so beautiful, the colour of gold on her curled hair, and her eyes as
blue as flowers, and a soft four-cornered cloak fastened at her breast
with a silver pin, he asked her of Conan for his wife. "Leave asking
that, Finn," said Conan, "for your own courage is not greater than the
courage of the man she is promised to." "Who is that?" said Finn. "He is
Fatha, son of the King of Ess Ruadh," said Conan. "Your wounds and your
danger on yourself," said Diorraing; "and it would be right," he said,
"that stammering tongue that gave out those words to be tied and to be
shortened for ever, and a drink of death to be given to you; for if the
whole of the Men of Dea," he said, "could be put into the one body, Finn
would be better than them all." "Leave off, Diorraing," said Finn, "for
it is not fighting I am here, but asking a wife, and I will get her
whether the Men of Dea think good or bad of it." "I will not be making a
quarrel with you," said Conan, "but I put you under bonds as a true
hero to answer me everything I am going to ask you." "I will do that,"
said Finn.

With that Conan put questions to Finn as to his birth and his rearing,
and the deeds he had done since he came to the Fianna, and Finn gave
full answers to them all. And at last he said: "Let us go on with this
no longer, but if you have musicians with you, let them be brought to us
now; for it is not my custom," he said, "to be for a single night
without music." "Tell me this first," said Conan, "who was it made the
Dord Fiann, the Mutterer of the Fianna, and when was it made?" "I will
tell yo