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 THE COMING OF THE CARLE

in the autumn following the fight at the House of the Phantoms Fionn went to Ben Edar—which, you remember, is now called Howth—and there he gathered round him many hundreds of the Fianna, for he wished to discuss with them the plans he had made for their disposal during the coming winter.

They had been a few days at Ben Edar when Fionn, with some of his chief captains in attendance, one morning walked across the hill to the edge of the cliff and looked over the eastern sea. As they gazed, there came into sight a fine big ship, with full-set sails that gleamed like a sea-gull's wings as it flies in the sunlight. Swiftly it sailed along, and when it drew near to the shore a handsome young man appeared on deck. A shining

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