第44章 THE ENCHANTED CAVE OF CESH CORRAN(4)

CHAPTER VI

As each man came out of the cave he gave a jump and a shout;the courage of the world went into him and he felt that he could fight twenty.But while they were talking over the adventure and explaining how it had happened,a vast figure strode over the side of the hill and descended among them.It was Conaran's fourth daughter.

If the other three had been terrible to look on,this one was more terrible than the three together.She was clad in iron plate,and she had a wicked sword by her side and a knobby club in her hand She halted by the bodies of her sisters,and bitter tears streamed down into her beard.

"Alas,my sweet ones,"said she,"I am too late."And then she stared fiercely at Fionn.

"I demand a combat,"she roared.

"It is your right,"said Fionn.He turned to his son.

"Oisi'n,my heart,kill me this honourable hag."But for the only time in his life Oisi'n shrank from a combat.

"I cannot do it"he said,"I feel too weak."

Fionn was astounded."Oscar,"he said,"will you kill me this great hag?"Oscar stammered miserably."I would not be able to,"he said.

Cona'n also refused,and so did Caelte mac Rona'n and mac Lugac,for there was no man there but was terrified by the sight of that mighty and valiant harridan.

Fionn rose to his feet."I will take this combat myself,"he said sternly.

And he swung his buckler forward and stretched his right hand to the sword.But at that terrible sight Goll mae Morna blushed deeply and leaped from the ground.

"No,no,"he cried;"no,my soul,Fionn,this would not be a proper combat for you.I take this fight.""You have done your share,Goll,"said the captain.

"I should finish the fight I began,"Goll continued,"for it was I who killed the two sisters of this valiant hag,and it is against me the feud lies.""That will do for me,"said the horrible daughter of Conaran."Iwill kill Goll mor mac Morna first,and after that I will kill Fionn,and after that I will kill every Fenian of the Fianna-Finn.""You may begin,Goll,"said Fionn,"and I give you my blessing."Goll then strode forward to the fight,and the hag moved against him with equal alacrity.In a moment the heavens rang to the clash of swords on bucklers.It was hard to with-stand the terrific blows of that mighty female,for her sword played with the quickness of lightning and smote like the heavy crashing of a storm.But into that din and encirclement Goll pressed and ventured,steady as a rock in water,agile as a creature of the sea,and when one of the combatants retreated it was the hag that gave backwards.As her foot moved a great shout of joy rose from the Fianna.A snarl went over the huge face of the monster and she leaped forward again,but she met Goll's point in the road;it went through her,and in another moment Goll took her head from its shoulders and swung it on high before Fionn.

As the Fianna turned homewards Fionn spoke to his great champion and enemy.

"Goll,"he said,"I have a daughter."

"A lovely girl,a blossom of the dawn,"said Goll.

"Would she please you as a wife?"the chief demanded.

"She would please me,"said Goll.

"She is your wife,"said Fionn.

But that did not prevent Goll from killing Fionn's brother Cairell later on,nor did it prevent Fionn from killing Goll later on again,and the last did not prevent Goll from rescuing Fionn out of hell when the Fianna-Finn were sent there under the new God.Nor is there any reason to complain or to be astonished at these things,for it is a mutual world we llve in,a give-and-take world,and there is no great harm in it.