Page:Heroes of the dawn.djvu/97

 roam the earth in that shape for hundreds of years, until she was conquered by an enchanted hound. Many, many times she has been hunted, and a great number of hounds she has killed, but never until to-day was she conquered." He paused for a moment, then continued: "Whatever you ask of me, O Fionn, that I will do, for you have been the means by which the wicked spell is taken from my daughter."

"It is a grief to me that I did not meet that Fomorian," said Fionn, and his blue eyes gleamed with the battle-light. "It would have pleased me greatly to kill him myself. Now I see the moonbeams shining over the bog below, and before I leave you I would ask one other question. Why do you call your daughter 'Scathach of the Shadows'?"

"Through her men see the shadows of many things," said the son of Derg. "If you will stay with us a little longer she shall play to you, and you will understand."

Scathach took her harp, which had a golden frame carved with birds and beasts and serpents, that moved as she played. Only