Page:Heroes of the dawn.djvu/95

 Fionn and his men walked over the hill with the strangers, and soon they came to a house which the Fians thought even more beautiful than the kingly dun at Tara. The roof and door-posts were fashioned of silver, and glittered in the sunset; the door was made of bronze, inset with crystals and amethysts. But the interior was still more beautiful, the walls were hung with silks of many colours, and couches of carved red yew and gold were placed on every side. In the middle of the dun a glimmering pool of water shone like silver in the dusk; not a ripple disturbed its quietness, and as the Fians looked they imagined that pictures came and went in it. Before they had time to observe more their host struck a bronze gong, and men came in bearing great bowls of ale, and dishes of meat and fruit.

When supper was ended Fionn said:

"Perhaps you will tell us your story now, for with the rising of the moon we must go on our way."

"I am a son of Bove Derg, king of the southern Sidhe," began the man, "and the maiden here is my daughter, Scathach of the