The Scottish Celtic review

—130 The Muileartach.laughing-stock of it. She bade the Ocean Smith go behind ahillock at the back of the wind and in front of the sun, where hecould see everybody and nobody could see him." He did this,and she went on. Unfortunately, the Fians were sleeping on theirarms, and twenty-four of them were on their breasts. She beganto kill them with the iron loop." She killed twenty-four of the Fians,Alvinn himself foremostFell by the hand of the great Conflict,Before the warriors came to close quarters."Then commenced the Fians and the Carlin wife, and were thrashingand slashing and working away at one another. She was interceptingthem like a flame down and up. She was tall. Oscarasked to be sent himself against her, and she was heavilybuffetting him, and driving him backwards ; and Fin's courage fell.He told them to take spades and cut below her, and drive herbackwards to get a chance of engaging and striking her. Theymade a hole and drove her back, until she fell in. She was stillintercepting them like a flame; but for all the evils and tossings theygot, they killed the old woman before they stopped.It was thenthey raised a battle-.shout for joy ; and then twenty-four of theFians, who were in Corry Glen, when they heard it, knew thatsome trouble had come on the Fians. They rushed over, and oneof them said to a companion, " King ! wilt thou not thyself tell mehow she was when she was on her legs i"" I am not able to tell that to any but to one who saw her."[This is the proper place for the lay of the Muileartach.]A day we were on Eastern hillock.Looking on Erin all around.There came upon us over a slimy heavy sea,A spectre" heavy and not grey;Two teeth protruding westward from her gaping mouth.And four fathoms from around her lower part.Twenty-four of the Fians,And Alvin himself foremost,Fell by the hand of the great BrawlerBefore the people closed.''Then spoke Goll,The hero who wa.s never behind