He attempted to distance the heroes— The old boar of the bristling hide— Which the spear and the shaft of the quiver Of the hunter so often defied. In another version Finn is here represented as saying to Diarmad—“Son of Doon, dost thou wish to win honour?”—thus the king spoke wrathfully; and added—“Slay that boar by thyself, thou gay victor, which the heroes so long has defied.” Diarmad attempts the task. Then MacDoon of the keen-edged arms Comes up with the monster fierce, With his strong poisoned spear he tried The side of the boar to pierce. But his spear broke—shivered in three— On that tough and bristling hide; With his warm and blood-red hand That spear he vainly plied. Then from its sheath he drew His blade of renown—thin-leaved; And with it MacDoon slew the monster While no hurt he himself received. Finn is greatly disappointed at Diarmad’s success. He evidently calculated that in his struggle with the boar alone his nephew would receive his death-hurt. This was not the case, and— Then Finn of the Féinn grew sad, And sat on the side of the hill; It grieved him that brave MacDoon Escaped without wound or ill. From the first Finn cannot be said to have adopted a very magnanimous plan for punishing his nephew; but jealousy being cruel as the grave, he has formed now a cruel expedient for compassing his death:— After long silence he spoke— These evil words spoke he— “Diarmad, measure the boar from the snout, Tell how many feet long he be.” Finn he had never refused— Alas! him no more we meet— He measures the back of the boar— MacDoon of the lightsome feet. In the other versions it is told that Diarmad’s feet were bare, and that the length of the boar was sixteen feet. Finn denied that he was so long, and insisted on a second measuring. “Diarmad, measure with care again, The boar _against the hair_;” Mournful it was to see That deed of the hero fair. He went on that errand sad, And measured the boar again; But he trod on a poisonous bristle, And he felt in his heel a pain. The hero fell on the field— MacDoon that had no deceit; He lay there beside the boar:— Now, there is the tale complete.