Heroes of the dawn . ugh for you, O Fionn, hesaid, that you have put my hfe in dangermany times before ? And now you have doneit again. Though the poets sing of you asa doer of great deeds, and say you know whathas happened in the past and will happen inthe future, I think they lie, for surely onewho had so much wisdom would not getinto the trouble you do. But if youll takeoff these old witches enchanted bonds, and letme escape from them, I shall believe there issome truth in what the bards say about you. Be silent, Conan, said Fionn, and ifyour last hour is near, as possibly it is, donot spen


Heroes of the dawn . ugh for you, O Fionn, hesaid, that you have put my hfe in dangermany times before ? And now you have doneit again. Though the poets sing of you asa doer of great deeds, and say you know whathas happened in the past and will happen inthe future, I think they lie, for surely onewho had so much wisdom would not getinto the trouble you do. But if youll takeoff these old witches enchanted bonds, and letme escape from them, I shall believe there issome truth in what the bards say about you. Be silent, Conan, said Fionn, and ifyour last hour is near, as possibly it is, donot spend it in reviling, but in thinking noblethoughts, as befits one of the Fianna struggle against Fate, or rebel becauseDeath draws near ? When this life is over weshall go to the Happy Isles, where the Ever-Living Ones dwell, and where only the nobleand wise have place. Conan continued muttering to himself, butFionn, wrapped in his own thoughts, paid noheed to him. It was not long till some of the Fians came. THEY SEIZED THE HEROES AND BOUND THEM FAST THE ENCHANTED CAVE 145 up the hillside looking for their chief. Whenthey saw the dreadful-looking hags inside thecave they stopped, and viewed them withastonishment; then they caught sight ofFionn and Conan, bound and powerless, andwild with indignation and anger stepped overthe barrier to free them. But helplessness fellon them too, and though they struggled withwhat remnant of strength they still possessed,the witches easily overcame them. The day passed on, and one group afteranother of the Fians came up the hiUside, andseeing the plight their comrades were inattempted to rescue them ; but the same fatebefeU them as the others. At last, late in theafternoon, Oscur and Caeilt^ and mac Lugach,with a great number of the Clan Basna andClan Morna, attracted by the baying of houndsat the cave mouth — for they would notfollow their masters into the cave—ascendedthe hill to see what was happening. Theytoo were overcome by


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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidcu3192, booksubjectlegends