And Fionn trembled when he heard those words, and brought back the
water, but as he came to his side the life went out of Diarmid. And
the company of the Fenians raised three exceeding great cries; while
Oscar looked fiercely at Fionn, and told him it had been better for
the Fenians had Fionn himself died, and not Diarmid. Then Fionn left
the top of the mountain, leading Diarmid's hound, and his Fenians came
after. But Ossian and Oscar and two others returned and laid their
four mantles over Diarmid, and when they had done that they went their
ways after Fionn.
Now Grania was standing on the ramparts of her house when she saw
Fionn and the Fenians approaching. She said to herself that if Diarmid
were alive it was not Fionn who would lead his hound, and at this
thought she swooned and fell heavily over the battlements. Ossian's
heart was full of pity, and he bade Fionn and the Fenians to go, and
ran himself to help her, but she lifted her head and begged that Fionn
would leave her the hound of Diarmid. Fionn said No, he would not; but
Ossian took the stag-hound from Fionn's hand and put it into Grania's,
and then followed after the Fenians.
When they had gone, Grania uttered a loud and grievous cry that was
heard far round, so that the people came to her and asked her what was
the matter, and when she told them that Diarmid was dead they sat down
and wailed also. After that Grania sent five hundred men to bring her
the body of Diarmid.
That night it was shown to Angus in a dream that Diarmid was dead on
Ben Gulbain; and he was carried by the wind, and reached the place at
the same moment as Grania's men, who knew him, and held out the
insides of their shields to him in token of peace. And they sent up
three exceeding great cries, which were heard even at the gates of
heaven.
Then Angus spoke: 'There has not been one night since I took you, an
infant of nine months old, to the Boyne that I have not watched over
you, O Diarmid, until last night, when Fionn did you basely to death,
for all you were at peace with him.' And he told Grania's men he
himself would bear Diarmid's body to the Boyne. So the dead man was
placed on a gilded bier with his javelins over him pointed upwards,
and the men of Grania returned to their mistress, and said as Angus
had bade them.
The first thing she did was to send messengers to her sons, who lived
each in his own house, and bade them come with their followings to the
house of Grania, for that their father Diarmid had been foully slain
by Fionn. They all came forthwith, and after they had eaten and drunk
she pointed to the weapons and arms of Diarmid, and said they were
theirs, and by them they should learn all arts of brave men, till they
should reach their full strength, and after that they should avenge
themselves on Fionn.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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