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 Fionn and the Fians laughed and shouted with delight at sight of those thirteen men hanging closely on behind Conan; but he, perceiving that he could not dismount, screamed and called to the Fians to stop that demon of a horse, and not let them be carried away by that hideous and terrible man, of whom they had no knowledge.

"O Fionn," he cried, "may all ill happen to you by sea and by land; may some one who is worse than you—if that be possible—deprive you of life and cut off your head, if you do not follow us to whatever part of the world that man shall take us, and bring us safely back to Ireland again."

"I will do that," said Fionn, and he and his men immediately set out, following the Gilla Decair and his horse over hills, through valleys, and across rivers until they came to the sea; then just as the horse was dashing into the water after its master one of the Fians, called Liagan Luath, caught up to it and held it by the tail, thinking that would stop its flight. Still the horse continued its journey into the sea, pulling Liagan after it;