Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 18, 1907.djvu/57

 The European Sky -God. 29

beside the pillar-stone, fully armed as before and more wrathful than ever. He charged Dermat with killing some of his speckled deer, and at once proceeded to take vengeance on the trespasser. All day long they fought together, and, when the dusk began to fall, the wizard-champion again leaped into his well and vanished. The self-same thing happened on the third day, and on the fourth. But when, on the evening of the fourth day, the wizard-champion was about to spring into the well, Dermat clasped him tightly and together they sank to the bottom passed through a passage in the side of the spring. Here Dermat found a lovely country with flowery plains and woods of red yew trees. Right before him lay a glittering city with a royal palace, into which the wizard-champion passed through a whole array of knights in armour. Dermat slew the knights till he was weary of slaying, and then fell asleep before the very door of the castle. He was awakened and rescued from his dangerous plight by a princely warrior, who carried him off to a splendid house at some distance and there entertained him most courteously for the night. On the morrow [after hospitality lasting for three days and three nights], in answer to Dermat's questions, his host replied : ' This country is Tir-fa-tonn \tir fd thuinn, ' terra sub unda '] ; the champion who fought with you is called the Knight of the Fountain, and that very champion is king of this land. I am the brother of the king, and my name is the Knight of Valour. Good reason indeed have I to be kind to you, Dermat O'Djma, for, though you do not remember me, I spent a year and a day [a year] in the house- hold of Finn the son of Cumal.' He further explained that the Knight of the Fountain had seized on his patrimony the Knight of Valour being the rightful king and begged Dermat to help him to recover it. Dermat did so, slew the Knight of the Fountain, and established the Knight of Valour as king in his stead.

Meantime Finn and his men had met with somewhat similar adventures. Feradach and Foltlebar had made a long rope of the ship's cordage, had scaled the cliff, and had drawn up the Fianna. Following Dermat's track they too had reached the great fruit-tree. Plere they were joined by a king on horseback, who welcomed them to his country and escorted them across the plain to his palace. That night he entertained them, and on the evening of the next day made them a great feast. His royal hospitality was continued for three days and three nights. Then, in answer to Finn's questions, he told them that his country was called Sorca that he was the King of Sordch, ' Light '. A messenger now arrived to tell the king that a foreign fleet, some said the King of the World and his host the High King of the World [the king of the Greeks in prosecution of his conquests all the world over], had made a descent upon his shores. Finn volunteered his aid, and the Fianna together with the men of Sorca successfully attacked the invaders. [Oscar slew the king of Franks' son, who was in the Greek army. Feradach and Foltlebar slew the king of Afric's son. Finn himself slew the king of Greeks' son ; whose sister