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038 - A Legend of Knockmany · Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry

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  Speaker 1: Section thirty seven of Fairy and Folk Tales of the
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  Speaker 1: Irish Peasantry. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
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  Speaker 1: are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
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  Speaker 1: please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Beth Thomas. Fairy
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  Speaker 1: and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry, edited and selected
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  Speaker 1: by W. H. Yeats, Section thirty seven, A Legend of
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  Speaker 1: Knockmany by William Carlton. What Irish man, woman or child
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  Speaker 1: has not heard of our renowned Hibernian hercules, the great
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  Speaker 1: and glorious Finn mc cool, not one from Cape Clear
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  Speaker 1: to the Giant's Causeway, nor from that back again to
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  Speaker 1: Cape Clear. And by the way, speaking of the Giant's
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  Speaker 1: Causeway brings me at once to the beginning of my story. Well,
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  Speaker 1: it so happened that Finn and his gigantic relatives were
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  Speaker 1: all working at the causeway in order to make a bridge,
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  Speaker 1: or what was still better, a good stout pad road
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  Speaker 1: across to Scotland. When Finn, who was very fond of
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  Speaker 1: his wife Una, took it into his head that he
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  Speaker 1: would go home and see how the poor woman got
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  Speaker 1: on in his absence, to be sure Finn was a
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  Speaker 1: true irishman, and so the sorrow thing in life brought
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  Speaker 1: him back only to see that she was snug and comfortable,
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  Speaker 1: and above all things, that she got her rest well
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  Speaker 1: at night. For he knew that the poor woman, when
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  Speaker 1: he was with her, used to be subject to knightly
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  Speaker 1: qualms and configurations that kept him very anxious, decent man,
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  Speaker 1: striving to keep her up to the good spirits and
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  Speaker 1: health that she had when they were first married. So
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  Speaker 1: accordingly he pulled up a fir tree, and after lopping
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  Speaker 1: off the roots and branches, made a walking stick of it,
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  Speaker 1: and set out on his way to Una Una. Or rather,
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  Speaker 1: Finn lived at this time on the very tip top
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  Speaker 1: of Knockmany Hill, which faces a cousin of its own
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  Speaker 1: called Collamore, that rises up half hill half mountain on
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  Speaker 1: the opposite side east east by south. As the sailors
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  Speaker 1: say when they wished to puzzle a landsman. Now the
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  Speaker 1: truth is, for it must come out that honest Finn's
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  Speaker 1: affection for his wife, though cordial enough in itself, was
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  Speaker 1: by no man means the real cause of his journey home.
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  Speaker 1: There was at that time another giant named Kircullen, Some
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  Speaker 1: say he was Irish, and some say he was Scotch.
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  Speaker 1: But whether Scotch or Irish, sorrowed doubt of it, but
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  Speaker 1: that he was a targer. No other giant of the
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  Speaker 1: day could stand before him, And such was his strength that,
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  Speaker 1: when well vexed, he could give a stamp that shook
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  Speaker 1: the country about him. The fame and name of him
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  Speaker 1: went far and near, and nothing in the shape of
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  Speaker 1: a man, it was said, had any chance with him
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  Speaker 1: in a fight. Whether the story is true or not,
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  Speaker 1: I cannot say. But the report went that by one
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  Speaker 1: blow of his fists he flattened a thunderbolt and kept
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  Speaker 1: it in his pocket in the shape of a pancake,
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  Speaker 1: to show all his enemies when they were about to
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  Speaker 1: fight him. Undoubtedly he had given every giant in Ireland
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  Speaker 1: a considerable beating, barring finnmccool himself, and he swore, by
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  Speaker 1: the solemn contents of Moulkelly's primer, that he would never
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  Speaker 1: rest night or day, winter or summer till he would
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  Speaker 1: serve Finn with the same sort if he could catch him. Finn, however,
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  Speaker 1: who no doubt was the cock of the walk. On
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  Speaker 1: his own, Dunghill had a strong disinclination to meet a
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  Speaker 1: giant who could make a young earthquake or flatten a
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  Speaker 1: thunderbolt when he was angry. So he accordingly kept dodging
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  Speaker 1: about from place to place, not much to his credit
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  Speaker 1: as a trojan, to be sure, whenever he happened to
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  Speaker 1: get the hard word that cou Cullen was on the
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  Speaker 1: scent of him. This then was the marrow of the
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  Speaker 1: whole movement. Although he put it on his anxiety to
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  Speaker 1: see Una, and I am not saying but that there
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  Speaker 1: was some truth in that too. However, the long and
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  Speaker 1: short of it was with reverence. Be it spoken that
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  Speaker 1: he heard cu Cullen was coming to the Causeway to
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  Speaker 1: have a trial of strength with him, and he was
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  Speaker 1: naturally enough seized in consequence with a very warm and
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  Speaker 1: sudden set of affection for his wife, poor woman, who
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  Speaker 1: was delicate in her health and leading besides a very lonely,
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  Speaker 1: uncomfortable life of it, he assured them. In his absence,
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  Speaker 1: He accordingly pulled up the fir tree, as I said before,
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  Speaker 1: and having snedded it into a walking stick, set out
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  Speaker 1: on his affectionate travels to see his darling Una on
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  Speaker 1: the top of Knockmany by the way, in truth to
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  Speaker 1: state the suspicions of the country at the time. The
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  Speaker 1: people wondered very much why it was that Finn selected
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  Speaker 1: such a windy spot for his dwelling house, and they
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  Speaker 1: even went so far as to tell him as much,
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  Speaker 1: What can you mean, mister mc cool, said they by
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  Speaker 1: pitching your tent upon the top of Nockmeny, where you
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  Speaker 1: never are without a breeze day or night, winter or summer,
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  Speaker 1: and where you're often forced to take your night cap
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  Speaker 1: without either going to bed or turning up your little finger. Aye,
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  Speaker 1: And where beside this there's the sorrow's own want of water?
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  Speaker 1: Why said Finn? Ever, since I was the height of
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  Speaker 1: a round tower, I was known to be fond of
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  Speaker 1: having a good prospect of my own. And where the
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  Speaker 1: Dickens neighbors could I find a better spot for a
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  Speaker 1: good prospect than the top of Knockmeny. As for water,
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  Speaker 1: I am sinking a pump and plays goodness, as soon
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  Speaker 1: as the causeways made I intend to finish it. Now
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  Speaker 1: this was more of Finn's philosophy, for the real state
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  Speaker 1: of the case was that he pitched upon the top
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  Speaker 1: of Knockmany in order that he might be able to
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  Speaker 1: see cou Cullen coming towards the house, and of course
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  Speaker 1: that he himself might go to look after his distant
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  Speaker 1: transactions in other parts of the country rather than But
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  Speaker 1: no matter, we do not wish to be too hard
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  Speaker 1: on Finn. All we have to say is that if
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  Speaker 1: he wanted a spot from which to keep a sharp
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  Speaker 1: look out and between ourselves, he did want it grievously,
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  Speaker 1: barring sleeve Krube or sleeved Honnard or its own cousin Cullamore.
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  Speaker 1: He could not find a neater or more convenient situation
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  Speaker 1: for it than the sweet and sagacious province of Ulster.
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  Speaker 1: God save all. Here, said Finn good humoredly, on putting
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  Speaker 1: his honest face through his own door. Musha finn a
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  Speaker 1: vic and your welcome home to your own Una, you
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  Speaker 1: darling bully. Here followed a smack that is said to
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  Speaker 1: have made the waters of the lake at the bottom
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  Speaker 1: of the hill curl, as it were. With kindness and sympathy,
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  Speaker 1: faith said Finn beautiful, and how are you Una? And
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  Speaker 1: how did you sport your figure during my absence? My
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  Speaker 1: bilbery never a merrier as bouncing a grass widow as
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  Speaker 1: ever there was in sweet tyrone among the bushes. Finn
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  Speaker 1: gave a short, good humored cough, and laughed most heartily
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  Speaker 1: to show her how much he was delighted that she
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  Speaker 1: made herself happy in his absence. And what brought you
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  Speaker 1: home so soon? Finn said? She? Why of vornn, said Finn,
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  Speaker 1: putting his answer in the proper way, never the thing,
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  Speaker 1: but the purest of love and affection for yourself. Sure
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  Speaker 1: you know that's truth. Anyhow, Una, Finn spent two or
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  Speaker 1: three happy days with Una, and felt himself very comfortable,
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  Speaker 1: considering the dread he had of Coukullen. This, however, grew
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  Speaker 1: upon him so much that his wife could not but
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  Speaker 1: perceive something lay on his mind, which she kept altogether
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  Speaker 1: to himself. Let a woman alone in the meantime for
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  Speaker 1: ferreting or wheedling a secret out of her good man
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  Speaker 1: when she wishes Finn was a proof of this. It's
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  Speaker 1: this cook, Cullen said, he that's troubling me. When the
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  Speaker 1: fellow gets angry and begins to stamp, he'll shake you
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  Speaker 1: the whole townland. And it's well known that he can
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  Speaker 1: stop at thunderbolt, for he always carries one about him
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  Speaker 1: in the shape of a pancake, to show to any
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  Speaker 1: one that might misdoubt it. As he spoke, he clapped
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  Speaker 1: his thumb in his mouth, which he always did when
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  Speaker 1: he wanted to prophesy or to know anything that happened
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  Speaker 1: in his absence, And the wife, who knew what he
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  Speaker 1: did it for, said very sweetly, Finn, darling, I hope
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  Speaker 1: you don't bite your thumb at me. Dear, No, said Finn,
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  Speaker 1: But I bite my thumb. Mc cushler said he yes, jewel,
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  Speaker 1: but take care and don't draw blood, said she Ah. Finn, don't,
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  Speaker 1: my bully, don't he's coming, said Finn. I see him below, Dungannon,
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  Speaker 1: Thank goodness, dear, and who is it? A vic glory
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  Speaker 1: be to God that based cook Cullen, replied Finn. And
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  Speaker 1: how to manage? I don't don't know If I run away,
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  Speaker 1: I am disgraced, and I know that sooner or later
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  Speaker 1: I must meet him, for my thumb tells me. So
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  Speaker 1: when will he be here? Said she Atum Morrow about
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  Speaker 1: two o'clock, replied Finn, with a groan. Well, my bully,
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  Speaker 1: don't be cast down, said Una. Depend on me, and
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  Speaker 1: maybe I'll bring you better out of this scrape than
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  Speaker 1: you ever could bring yourself by your rule of thumb.
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  Speaker 1: This quieted Finn's heart very much, for he knew that
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  Speaker 1: Una was hand and glove with the fairies, and indeed,
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  Speaker 1: to tell the truth, she was supposed to be a
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  Speaker 1: fairy herself. If she was, however, she must have been
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  Speaker 1: a very kind hearted one, for by all accounts she
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  Speaker 1: never did anything but good in the neighborhood. Now it
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  Speaker 1: so happened that Una had a sister named Grannois, living
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  Speaker 1: opposite them on the very top of Cullamore, which I
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  Speaker 1: have mentioned already, And this Grannois was quite as powerful
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  Speaker 1: as herself. The beautiful valley that lies between them is
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  Speaker 1: not more than about three or fourles broad, so that
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  Speaker 1: of a summer's evening, Grandois and Una were able to
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  Speaker 1: hold many an agreeable conversation across it, from the one
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  Speaker 1: hilltop to the other. Upon this occasion, Una resolved to
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  Speaker 1: consult her sister as to what was best to be
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  Speaker 1: done in the difficulty that surrounded them. Granois said, she
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  Speaker 1: are you at home? No, said the other, I'm picking bilberries,
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  Speaker 1: an atheled one in English, the Devil's glen, well, said Una,
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  Speaker 1: get up, to the top of Culor Moore, look about you,
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  Speaker 1: and then tell us what you see. Very well, replied Grandois.
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  Speaker 1: After a few minutes, I'm there now, what do you see?
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  Speaker 1: Asked the other? Goodness be about us, exclaimed Granois I
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  Speaker 1: see the biggest giant that ever was known coming up
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  Speaker 1: from dungannon Aye said Una, there's our difficulty. That giant
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  Speaker 1: is the great Kokullen, and now he's coming up to
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  Speaker 1: leather Finn. What's to be done? I'll call to him,
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  Speaker 1: she replied, to come up to cullor Moore and refresh himself,
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  Speaker 1: and maybe that will give you and Fin time to
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  Speaker 1: think of some plan to get yourselves out of the scrape.
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  Speaker 1: But she proceeded, I'm short of butter, having in the
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  Speaker 1: house only half a dozen ferkins, and as I'm to
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  Speaker 1: have a few giants and giantesses to spend the evening
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  Speaker 1: with me, I'd feel thankful, Una, if you'd throw me
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  Speaker 1: up fifteen or sixteen tubs or the largest miscon you've got,
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  Speaker 1: and you'd oblige me very much. I'll do that with
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  Speaker 1: a heart and a huff, replied Una. And indeed, Grandois,
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  Speaker 1: I feel myself under great obligations to you for your
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  Speaker 1: kindness in keeping him off of us till we see
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  Speaker 1: what can be done for what would become of us
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  Speaker 1: all if anything happened to Finn poor man. She accordingly
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  Speaker 1: got the largest mistkone of butter she had, which might
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  Speaker 1: be about the weight of a couple of dozen millstones,
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  Speaker 1: so that you may easily judge of its size, and
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  Speaker 1: calling up to her sister Granois said she are you ready,
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  Speaker 1: I'm going to throw you up a miscon, so be
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  Speaker 1: prepared to catch it. I will, said the other, A
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  Speaker 1: good throw now, and take care, just no fall short.
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  Speaker 1: Una threw it, but in consequence of her anxiety about
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  Speaker 1: Finn and corec Cullen, she forgot to say the charm
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  Speaker 1: that was to send it up, so that, instead of
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  Speaker 1: reaching Cullamore as she expected, it fell about half way
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  Speaker 1: between the two hills, at the edge of the broad
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  Speaker 1: bog near all her. My curse upon you, she exclaimed,
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  Speaker 1: you've disgraced me. I now change you into a gray stone.
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  Speaker 1: Lie there as a testimony of what has happened, And
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  Speaker 1: may evil betide the first living man that will ever
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  Speaker 1: attempt to remove or injure you. And sure enough there
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  Speaker 1: it lies to this day with the mark of the
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  Speaker 1: four fingers and thumb imprinted in it, exactly as it
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  Speaker 1: came out of her hand. Never mind, said Granois, I
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  Speaker 1: must only do the best I can with Coo Cullen.
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  Speaker 1: If all fail, I'll give him a cast of heather
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  Speaker 1: broth to keep the wind out of his stomach, or
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  Speaker 1: a panada of oak bark to draw it in a bit.
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  Speaker 1: But above all things, think of some plan to get
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  Speaker 1: Finn out of the scrape he's in. Otherwise he's a
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  Speaker 1: lost man. You know, you used to be sharp and
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  Speaker 1: ready witted. And my own opinion owner is that it
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  Speaker 1: will go hard with you, or you'll outdo Kuk Cullen.
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  Speaker 1: Yet she then made a high smoke on the top
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  Speaker 1: of the hill, after which she put her finger in
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  Speaker 1: her mouth and gave three whistles. And by that kir
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  Speaker 1: Cullen knew he was invited to culor more. For this
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  Speaker 1: was the way that the Irish long ago gave a
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  Speaker 1: sign to all strangers and travelers to let them know
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  Speaker 1: they were welcome to come and take a share of
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  Speaker 1: whatever was going. In the meantime, Finn was very melancholy
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  Speaker 1: and did not know what to do. Or how to
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  Speaker 1: act at all. Ku Cullen was an ugly customer, no
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  Speaker 1: doubt to meet with. And moreover, the idea of the
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  Speaker 1: confounded cake, aforesaid, flattened the very heart within him. What
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  Speaker 1: chance could he have? Strong and brave though he was,
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  Speaker 1: with a man who could, when put in a passion,
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  Speaker 1: walk the country into earthquakes and knock thunderbolts into pancakes.
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  Speaker 1: The thing was impossible, and Finn knew not on what
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  Speaker 1: hand to turn him right or left, backward or forward?
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  Speaker 1: Where to go? He could no guess whatsoever, Una said,
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  Speaker 1: he can you do nothing for me? Where's all your invention?
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  Speaker 1: Am I to be skivered like a rabbit before your eyes?
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  Speaker 1: And to have my name disgraced for ever in the
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  Speaker 1: sight of all my tribe, and me the best man
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  Speaker 1: among them? How am I to fight this man mountain,
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  Speaker 1: this huge cross between an earthquake and a thunderbolt with
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  Speaker 1: a pancake in his pocket? That was once be easy?
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  Speaker 1: Finn replied, Una, troth, I'm ashamed of you. Keep your
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  Speaker 1: toe in your pump, will you talking of pancakes? Maybe
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  Speaker 1: we'll give him as good as any he brings with him,
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  Speaker 1: thunderbolt or otherwise, if I don't treat him to as
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  Speaker 1: smart feeding as he's got this many a day, never
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  Speaker 1: trust Una again, leave him to me and do just
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  Speaker 1: as I bid you. This relieved Finn very much, for
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  Speaker 1: after all, he had great confidence in his wife, knowing
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  Speaker 1: as he did that she had got him out of
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  Speaker 1: many a quandary before the present, however, was the greatest
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  Speaker 1: of all. But still he began to get courage and
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  Speaker 1: was able to eat his victuals as usual. Una then
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  Speaker 1: drew the nine woolen threads of different colors, which she
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  Speaker 1: always did to find out the best way of succeeding
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  Speaker 1: in anything of importance she went about. She then platted
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  Speaker 1: them into three plaits with three colors each, putting one
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  Speaker 1: on her right arm, one round her heart, and the
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  Speaker 1: third round her right ankle. For then she knew that
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  Speaker 1: nothing could fail with her that she undertook. Having everything
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  Speaker 1: now prepared, she sent round to the neighbors and borrowed
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  Speaker 1: one and twenty iron griddles, which she took and kneaded
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  Speaker 1: into the hearts of one and twenty cakes of bread,
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  Speaker 1: and these she baked on the fire in the usual way,
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  Speaker 1: setting them aside in the cupboard according as they were done.
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  Speaker 1: She then put down a large pot of new milk,
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  Speaker 1: which she made into curds and whey, and gave Finn
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  Speaker 1: due instructions how to use the koords when Koklan should come.
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  Speaker 1: Having done all this, she sat down quite contented, waiting
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  Speaker 1: for his arrival on the next day, about two o'clock,
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  Speaker 1: that being the hour at which he was expected. For
• 14:57
  Speaker 1: Finn knew as much by the sucking of his thumb. Now,
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  Speaker 1: this was a curious property that Finn's thumb had, But
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  Speaker 1: notwithstanding all the wisdom and logic he used to suck
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  Speaker 1: out of it, it never could have stood to him
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  Speaker 1: here were it not for the wit of his wife
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  Speaker 1: in this very thing. Moreover, he was very much resembled
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  Speaker 1: by his great folk a Cullen, for it was well
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  Speaker 1: known that the huge strength he possessed all lay in
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  Speaker 1: the middle finger of his right hand, and that if
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  Speaker 1: he happened, by any mischance to lose it, he was
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  Speaker 1: no more, notwithstanding his bulk, than a common man. At length,
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  Speaker 1: the next day he was seen coming across the valley,
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  Speaker 1: and unar knew that it was time to commence operations.
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  Speaker 1: She immediately made the cradle and desired Finn to lie
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  Speaker 1: down in it and cover himself up with the clothes.
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  Speaker 1: You must pass for your own child, said she. So
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  Speaker 1: just lie there, snug and say nothing, but be guided
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  Speaker 1: by me. This, to be sure, was wormwood to Finn.
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  Speaker 1: I mean going into the cradle in such a cowardly manner.
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  Speaker 1: But he knew Una well, and, finding that he had
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  Speaker 1: nothing else for it, with a very rueful face, he
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  Speaker 1: gathered himself into it and lay snug as she had
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  Speaker 1: desired him. About two o'clock, as he had been expected,
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  Speaker 1: kirk Cullen came in. God save all here, said he.
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  Speaker 1: Is this where the great Finn mac cool lives. Indeed
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  Speaker 1: it is, honest, man, replied Una, God save you kindly.
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  Speaker 1: Won't you be sitting? Thank you, ma'am, says he sitting down.
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  Speaker 1: You're missus mc cool. I suppose i am, said she,
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  Speaker 1: and I have no reason I hope to be ashamed
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  Speaker 1: of my husband. No, said the other. He has the
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  Speaker 1: name of being the strongest and bravest man in Ireland.
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  Speaker 1: But for all that, there's a man not far from
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  Speaker 1: you that's very desirous of taking a shake with him.
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  Speaker 1: Is he at home? Why they're no, she replied, If
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  Speaker 1: ever a man left his house in a fury. He did.
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  Speaker 1: It appears that some one told him of a big
• 16:51
  Speaker 1: bustoon of a giant called Kirk Cullen being down, that
• 16:53
  Speaker 1: the cause wait to look for him. So he set
• 16:55
  Speaker 1: out there to try if he could catch him. Troth,
• 16:58
  Speaker 1: I hope, for the poor giant's sake won't meet with him,
• 17:01
  Speaker 1: for if he does, Finn will make paste of him.
• 17:03
  Speaker 1: At once, well said the other, I am Cook Cullen,
• 17:08
  Speaker 1: and I have been seeking him these twelve months, but
• 17:11
  Speaker 1: he always kept clear of me. And I will never
• 17:13
  Speaker 1: rest night nor day till I lay my hands on him.
• 17:17
  Speaker 1: At this Una set up a loud laugh of great contempt,
• 17:20
  Speaker 1: by the way, and looked at him as if he
• 17:22
  Speaker 1: was only a mere handful of a man. Did you
• 17:25
  Speaker 1: ever see Finn, said she, changing her manner all at once.
• 17:30
  Speaker 1: How could I said he? He always took care to
• 17:33
  Speaker 1: keep his distance, I thought so, she replied, I judged
• 17:38
  Speaker 1: as much. And if you take my advice, you poor
• 17:40
  Speaker 1: looking creature, you'll pray night and day that you may
• 17:43
  Speaker 1: never see him, For I tell you it will be
• 17:45
  Speaker 1: a black day for you when you do. But in
• 17:48
  Speaker 1: the meantime you perceive that the wind's on the door,
• 17:50
  Speaker 1: and as Finn himself is from home, maybe you'd be
• 17:53
  Speaker 1: civil enough to turn the house, for it's always what
• 17:55
  Speaker 1: Finn does when he's here. This was a startler even
• 17:58
  Speaker 1: to cook Cullen. But he got up, however, and after
• 18:01
  Speaker 1: pulling the middle finger on his right hand until it
• 18:03
  Speaker 1: cracked three times, he went outside, and getting his arms
• 18:06
  Speaker 1: about the house, completely turned it as she had wished.
• 18:10
  Speaker 1: When Finn saw this, he felt a certain description of moisture,
• 18:13
  Speaker 1: which shall be nameless, oozing out through every pore of
• 18:16
  Speaker 1: his skin. But una, depending upon her woman's wit, felt
• 18:20
  Speaker 1: not a whit. Daunted Ah then said she, as you
• 18:25
  Speaker 1: are so civil, maybe you'd do another obliging turn for us,
• 18:28
  Speaker 1: as Fin's not here to do it himself. You see,
• 18:31
  Speaker 1: after this long stretch of dry weather we've had, we
• 18:33
  Speaker 1: feel very badly off for want of water. Now, Finn
• 18:37
  Speaker 1: says there's a fine spring well somewhere under the rocks
• 18:39
  Speaker 1: behind the hill here below, and it was his intention
• 18:42
  Speaker 1: to pull them asunder, But having heard of you, he
• 18:44
  Speaker 1: left the place in such a fury that he never
• 18:46
  Speaker 1: thought of it. Now, if you try to find it, Droth,
• 18:50
  Speaker 1: I'd feel it a kindness She then brought Cocullum down
• 18:53
  Speaker 1: to see the place, which was then all one solid rock,
• 18:56
  Speaker 1: and after looking at it for some time, he cracked
• 18:59
  Speaker 1: his right middle finger nine times, and, stooping down, tore
• 19:02
  Speaker 1: a cleft about four hundred feet deep and a quarter
• 19:06
  Speaker 1: of a mile in length, which has since been christened
• 19:08
  Speaker 1: by the name of Lumford's Glen. This feat nearly threw
• 19:11
  Speaker 1: Una off her guard. But what won't a woman's sagacity
• 19:15
  Speaker 1: and presence of mind accomplish. You'll now come in, said she,
• 19:19
  Speaker 1: and eat a bit of such humble fare as we
• 19:21
  Speaker 1: can give you. Finn, even though he and you are enemies,
• 19:24
  Speaker 1: would scorn not to treat you kindly in his own house,
• 19:27
  Speaker 1: and indeed, if I didn't do it, even in his absence,
• 19:30
  Speaker 1: he would not be pleased with me. She accordingly brought
• 19:33
  Speaker 1: him in, and, placing half a dozen of the cakes
• 19:36
  Speaker 1: we spoke of before him, together with a can or
• 19:38
  Speaker 1: two of butter, a side of boiled bacon, and a
• 19:41
  Speaker 1: stack of cabbage, she desired him to help himself. For
• 19:44
  Speaker 1: this be it known, was long before the invention of potatoes.
• 19:48
  Speaker 1: Cook Cullen, who by the way, was a glutton as
• 19:50
  Speaker 1: well as a hero put one of the cakes in
• 19:52
  Speaker 1: his mouth to take a huge whack out of it.
• 19:54
  Speaker 1: When both Finn and Una were stunned with a noise
• 19:57
  Speaker 1: that assembled something between a growl and a yell blood
• 20:01
  Speaker 1: and fury, he shouted, how is this? Here are two
• 20:05
  Speaker 1: of my teeth out? What kind of bread is this
• 20:08
  Speaker 1: you gave me? What's the matter? Said Una? Coolly, matter
• 20:14
  Speaker 1: shouted the other again? Why here are the two best
• 20:18
  Speaker 1: teeth in my head? Gone? Why? Said she? That's Fin's bread,
• 20:23
  Speaker 1: the only bread he ever eats when at home. But indeed,
• 20:26
  Speaker 1: I forgot to tell you that nobody can eat it
• 20:28
  Speaker 1: but himself and that child in the cradle there. I thought, however,
• 20:32
  Speaker 1: that as you were reported to be a rather stout
• 20:34
  Speaker 1: little fellow of your size, you might be able to
• 20:36
  Speaker 1: manage it. And I did not wish to affront a
• 20:38
  Speaker 1: man that thinks himself able to fight Finn. Here's another cake.
• 20:42
  Speaker 1: Maybe it's not so hard as that. Cocullan at the moment,
• 20:45
  Speaker 1: was not only hungry but ravenous, so he accordingly made
• 20:49
  Speaker 1: a fresh set at the second cake, and immediately another
• 20:52
  Speaker 1: yell was heard twice as loud as the first thunder,
• 20:56
  Speaker 1: and giblets he roared, take your bread out of this,
• 21:01
  Speaker 1: or I will not have a tooth in my head.
• 21:03
  Speaker 1: There's another pair of them gone well, honest man replied Una.
• 21:09
  Speaker 1: If you are not able to eat the bread, say
• 21:11
  Speaker 1: so quietly, and don't be wakening the child in the cradle.
• 21:14
  Speaker 1: There there, now he's awake upon me. Finn now gave
• 21:18
  Speaker 1: a skirl that startled the giant, as coming from such
• 21:21
  Speaker 1: a youngster as he was represented to be. Mother said he,
• 21:26
  Speaker 1: I'm hungry, Get me something to eat. Una went over
• 21:31
  Speaker 1: and putting into his hand a cake that had no
• 21:33
  Speaker 1: griddle in it. Finn, whose appetite in the meantime was
• 21:36
  Speaker 1: sharpened by what he saw going forward, soon made it disappear.
• 21:40
  Speaker 1: Core Cullen was thunderstruck and secretly thanked his stars that
• 21:43
  Speaker 1: he had the good fortune to miss meeting Fin, For,
• 21:46
  Speaker 1: as he said to himself, I'd have no chance with
• 21:49
  Speaker 1: the man who could eat such bread as that, when
• 21:51
  Speaker 1: even his son that's but in his cradle can munch
• 21:53
  Speaker 1: before my eyes. I'd like to take a glimpse at
• 21:57
  Speaker 1: the lad in the cradle, said he to Una, for
• 22:00
  Speaker 1: I can tell you that the infant who can manage
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: that nutriment is no joke to look at or to
• 22:04
  Speaker 1: feed of a scarce summer. With all the veins of
• 22:07
  Speaker 1: my heart, replied Una, get up a cushler and show
• 22:11
  Speaker 1: this decent little man something that won't be unworthy of
• 22:14
  Speaker 1: your father, Finn mc cool. Finn, who was dressed for
• 22:17
  Speaker 1: the occasion as much like a boy as possible, got
• 22:20
  Speaker 1: up and bringing Cook Cullen out. Are you strong? Said he?
• 22:25
  Speaker 1: Thunder and zounds exclaimed the other. What a voice in
• 22:28
  Speaker 1: so small a chap? Are you strong? Said Finnegin? Are
• 22:33
  Speaker 1: you able to squeeze water out of that white stone?
• 22:36
  Speaker 1: He asked, putting one into Kirk Cullen's hand. The latter
• 22:40
  Speaker 1: squeezed and squeezed the stone, but to no purpose. He
• 22:43
  Speaker 1: might pull the rocks of Lumford's Glennis under and flatten
• 22:46
  Speaker 1: a thunderbolt, but to squeeze water out of a white
• 22:48
  Speaker 1: stone was beyond his strength. Finn eyed him with great
• 22:52
  Speaker 1: contempt as he kept straining and squeezing, and squeezing and
• 22:56
  Speaker 1: straining till he got black in the face with his efforts.
• 22:59
  Speaker 1: Oh you're a poor creature, said Finn, You a giant.
• 23:03
  Speaker 1: Give me the stone here, and when I show what
• 23:05
  Speaker 1: Fin's little sun can do. You may then judge of
• 23:07
  Speaker 1: what my daddy himself is. Finn then took the stone,
• 23:11
  Speaker 1: and slyly, exchanging it for the koords, he squeezed the
• 23:15
  Speaker 1: latter until the way as clear as water oozed out
• 23:18
  Speaker 1: in a little shower from his hand. I'll now go in,
• 23:21
  Speaker 1: said he to my cradle, for I scorn to lose
• 23:24
  Speaker 1: my time with any one that's not able to eat
• 23:26
  Speaker 1: my daddy's bread or squeeze water out of a stone.
• 23:29
  Speaker 1: Be Dad, you'd better be off out of this before
• 23:32
  Speaker 1: he comes back, for if he catches you, it's inflommery.
• 23:35
  Speaker 1: He'd have you in two minutes. Courcullen, seeing what he
• 23:38
  Speaker 1: had seen, was of the same opinion himself. His knees
• 23:41
  Speaker 1: knocked together with the terror of Finn's return, and he
• 23:44
  Speaker 1: accordingly hastened in to bid Una farewell and to assure
• 23:47
  Speaker 1: her that from that day out he never wished to
• 23:49
  Speaker 1: hear of much less to see her husband. I admit
• 23:53
  Speaker 1: fairly that I'm not a match for him, said he
• 23:57
  Speaker 1: strong as I am. Tell him I will avoid him
• 23:59
  Speaker 1: as I would the play, and that I will make
• 24:01
  Speaker 1: myself scarce in this part of the country while I
• 24:03
  Speaker 1: live Finn, in the meantime, had gone into the cradle,
• 24:07
  Speaker 1: where he lay very quietly, his heart in his mouth,
• 24:09
  Speaker 1: with delight that kok Cullen was about to take his
• 24:11
  Speaker 1: departure without discovering the tricks that had been played off
• 24:14
  Speaker 1: on him. It's well for you, said Una, that he
• 24:19
  Speaker 1: doesn't happen to be here, for it's nothing but hawksmme.
• 24:21
  Speaker 1: Hea'd hit make of you. I know that, says kirk Cullen.
• 24:25
  Speaker 1: Divil a thing else he'd make of me. But before
• 24:28
  Speaker 1: I go, will you let me feel what kind of
• 24:30
  Speaker 1: teeth they are that can eat griddle bread like that?
• 24:33
  Speaker 1: And he pointed to it as he spoke with all
• 24:36
  Speaker 1: pleasure in life, said she, only as they're far back
• 24:40
  Speaker 1: in his head. You must put your longest finger a
• 24:43
  Speaker 1: good way in. Kok Cullen was surprised to find such
• 24:46
  Speaker 1: a powerful set of grinders in one so young, but
• 24:49
  Speaker 1: he was still much more so on finding, when he
• 24:51
  Speaker 1: took his hand from Finn's mouth, that he had left
• 24:54
  Speaker 1: the very finger upon which his whole strength depended behind him.
• 24:59
  Speaker 1: He gave one loud, had grown and fell down at
• 25:01
  Speaker 1: once with terror and weakness. This was all Finn wanted,
• 25:05
  Speaker 1: who now knew that his most powerful and bitterest enemy
• 25:08
  Speaker 1: was completely at his mercy. He instantly started out of
• 25:12
  Speaker 1: the cradle, and in a few minutes the great Cookullen,
• 25:15
  Speaker 1: that was for such a length of time the terror
• 25:17
  Speaker 1: of him and all his followers, lay a corpse before him.
• 25:21
  Speaker 1: Thus did Finn, through the wit and invention of Una,
• 25:24
  Speaker 1: his wife, succeed in overcoming his enemy by stratagem, which
• 25:27
  Speaker 1: he could never have done by force. And thus also
• 25:30
  Speaker 1: as it proved, that the women, if they bring us
• 25:33
  Speaker 1: into many an unpleasant scrape, can sometimes succeed in getting
• 25:36
  Speaker 1: us out of others that Arera's bad. End of Section
• 25:41
  Speaker 1: thirty seven,