Only two of the greater Fenian figures survived. One was Caoilte, whose swiftness of foot saved him at the end when all was lost. The famous story, called the “Dialogue of the Elders”, represents him discoursing to St. Patrick, centuries after, of the Fenians’ wonderful deeds. Having lost his friends of the heroic age, he is said to have cast in his lot with the Tuatha Dé Danann. He fought in a battle, with Ilbhreach son of Manannán, against Lêr himself, and killed the ancient sea-god with his own hand.[256] The tale represents him taking possession of Lêr’s fairy palace of Sídh Fionnechaidh, after which we know no more of him, except that he has taken rank in the minds of the Irish peasantry as one of, and a ruler among, the Sídhe. The other was Ossian, who did not fight at Gabhra, for, long before, he had taken the great journey which most heroes of mythology take, to that bourne from which no ordinary mortal ever returns. Like Cuchulainn, it was upon the invitation of a goddess that he went. The Fenians were hunting near Lake Killarney when a lady of more than human beauty came to them, and told them that her name was Niamh[257], daughter of the Son of the Sea. The Gaelic poet, Michael Comyn, who, in the eighteenth century, rewove the ancient story into his own words,[258] describes her in just the same way as one of the old bards would have done: “A royal crown was on her head; And a brown mantle of precious silk, Spangled with stars of red gold, Covering her shoes down to the grass. “A gold ring was hanging down From each yellow curl of her golden hair; Her eyes, blue, clear, and cloudless, Like a dew-drop on the top of the grass. “Redder were her cheeks than the rose, Fairer was her visage than the swan upon the wave, And more sweet was the taste of her balsam lips Than honey mingled thro’ red wine. “A garment, wide, long, and smooth Covered the white steed, There was a comely saddle of red gold, And her right hand held a bridle with a golden bit. “Four shoes well-shaped were under him, Of the yellow gold of the purest quality; A silver wreath was on the back of his head, And there was not in the world a steed better.” Such was Niamh of the Golden Hair, Manannán’s daughter; and it is small wonder that, when she chose Ossian from among the sons of men to be her lover, all Finn’s supplications could not keep him. He mounted behind her on her fairy horse, and they rode across the land to the sea-shore, and then over the tops of the waves. As they went, she described the country of the gods to him in just the same terms as Manannán himself had pictured it to Bran, son of Febal, as Mider had painted it to Etain, and as everyone that went there limned it to those that stayed at home on earth.