Page:The Mythology of All Races Vol 3 (Celtic and Slavic).djvu/276

174 folk of Elysium occur In the Colloquy with the Ancients. The Féinn pursued a hind into a síd whose people were Donn and other children of Midir. When their uncle Bodb Dearg was lord of the Tuatha Dé Danann, he required hostages from MIdir's children, but these they refused, and to prevent Bodb's vengeance on Midir, they sought a secluded síd. Here, however, the Tuatha Dé Danann came yearly and slew their men until only twenty-eight were left, when, to obtain Fionn's help, one of their women as a fawn had lured him to the síd, as the boar led Pryderl into the enchanted castle.$45$ The Féinn assisted Midir's sons in next day's fight against a host of the gods, including Bodb, Dagda, Oengus, Ler, and Morrígan's children, when many of the host were slain; and three other battles were fought during that year, the Féinn remaining to assist. Oscar and Diarmaid were wounded, and by Donn's advice, Fionn captured the gods' physician and caused him to heal their wounds, after which hostages were taken of the Tuatha De Danann, so that MIdir's sons might live in peace.$46$ Caoilte told this to St. Patrick centuries after, and he had scarce finished, when Donn himself appeared and did homage to the saint. The old gods were still a mysterious people to the compilers or transmitters of such tales, but they were capable of being beaten by heroes and might be on good terms with saints. Even In St. Patrick's time the síde or Tuatha Dé Danann were harassed by mortal foes; but old and worn as he was, Caoilte assisted them and for reward was cured of his ailments.$47$ Long before, moreover, he had killed the supernatural bird of the god Ler, which wrought nightly destruction on the'síd, and when Ler came to avenge this, he was slain by Caollte.$48$ Thus were the gods envisaged in Christian times as capable of being killed, not only by each other but by heroes.

Sometimes, however, they helped the Féinn, nor Is this unnatural, considering Fionn's divine descent. Diarmaid was a pupil and protégé of Manannan and Oengus and was aided