Heroes of the dawn . Mornas knowledge that a son ofCumall still lived, and far and near they soughtfor him to kill him. The wise Druidesses hadforeknowledge of this, and long before theClan Morna searched the Slieve Bloommountains Fionn had been hurried south andhidden safely away in the Galtees ; but whenthe Clan Morna gave up the search andreturned to Tara this small child, who washunted so relentlessly by his enemies, wascarried back again by the Druidesses to hismountain home. Though very young, Fionn already showedsigns of that bravery and undaunted couragefor which he became so famous in
Heroes of the dawn . Mornas knowledge that a son ofCumall still lived, and far and near they soughtfor him to kill him. The wise Druidesses hadforeknowledge of this, and long before theClan Morna searched the Slieve Bloommountains Fionn had been hurried south andhidden safely away in the Galtees ; but whenthe Clan Morna gave up the search andreturned to Tara this small child, who washunted so relentlessly by his enemies, wascarried back again by the Druidesses to hismountain home. Though very young, Fionn already showedsigns of that bravery and undaunted couragefor which he became so famous in after years,and fear was unknown to him. As a child hewould go hunting by himself through forestand over mountain, and return to the Druid-esses laden with hares or wild fowl; when hegrew older he would hunt and run down theswift deer on foot, and stand up unafraidbefore the fiercest boar. Year after year passed by, and when theDruidesses had taught Fionn aU their ancientwisdom—had taught him also to be noble and. THEY FOUND HIM LYING PEACEFULLY ASLEEP ON HIS BED OFSKINS AND RUSHES FIONN 15 courteous in deed and speech—he left themand wandered hither and thither throughthe land, serving the kings and chiefs of what-ever province he chanced to be in. Duringthis period he had many adventures, and gainedgreat fame as a warrior, though he was stiU alad in years, and unknown as the son of he came to the old poet Finnegas, tolearn the art of poetry and all that was knownof the past history of his country. For seven years Finnegas had Hved on theBoyne, watching for an old prophecy to befulfilled ; and this prophecy was that one daythere would appear up the Boyne a mysteriousfish known as the Salmon of Knowledge,and that whoever caught and partook of thatfish first would know all things, both past andpresent. It was furthermore predicted thatone named Fionn should capture this fish, andthe old poet, believing that to him theprophecy applied, waited patiently year af
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidcu3192, booksubjectlegends
