ll before it, and the riders of it having no horses but plants
and branches. "I understand that," said Finn, "it was an army of bees
you saw, that was gathering riches from the flowers as it went." And
another verse Miodac made was about a woman in Ireland that was swifter
than the swiftest horse. "I know that," said Finn, "that woman is the
River Boinn; and if she goes slow itself, she is swifter in the end than
the swiftest horse, for her going never stops." And other verses he made
about Angus' house at Brugh na Boinn, but Finn made them all out.

And after that he said he had a feast ready for them, and he bade them
go into his House of the Quicken Trees till he would bring it. And they
did that, and went in, and it was a beautiful house, having walls of
every colour, and foreign coverings of every colour on the floor, and a
fire that gave out a very pleasant smoke. And they sat down there, and
after a while Finn said: "It is a wonder such a beautiful house to be
here." "There is a greater wonder than that," said Goll; "that fire that
was so pleasant when we came in is giving out now the worst stench in
the world." "There is a greater wonder than that," said Glas; "the walls
that were of all colours are now but rough boards joined together."
"There is a greater wonder than that," said Fiacha; "where there were
seven high doors to the house there is now but one little door, and it
shut." "Indeed, there is a more wonderful thing than that," said Conan;
"for we sat down on beautiful coverings, and now there is nothing
between us and the bare ground, and it as cold as the snow of one
night." And he tried to rise up, but he could not stir, or any of the
rest of them, for there was enchantment that kept them where they were.

And it was the treachery of Miodac, and the spells of the Three Kings of
the Island of the Floods that had brought them into that danger. And
Finn knew by his divination that their enemies were gathering to make an
end of them, and he said to his people there was no use in making
complaints, but to sound the music of the Dord Fiann.

And some of the Fianna that were waiting for him not far off heard that
sorrowful music, and came fighting against Miodac and his armies, and
they fought well, but they could not stand against them. And at the last
it was Diarmuid, grandson of Duibhne, that made an end of Miodac that
was so treacherous, and of the Three Kings of the Island of the Floods,
and took the en