With that the two young men made ready for the fight.  And it is what they chose, to fight with the strength of their hands alone.  And Diarmuid put them down and bound the two of them there and then.  “That is a good fight you made,” said Grania.  “But, by my word,” she said, “although the children of Morna do not go looking for those berries, I will not lie in a bed for ever till I get a share of them; and I will not live if I do not get them,” she said.  “Do not make me break my peace with the Surly One,” said Diarmuid, “for he will not let me take them.”  “Loose these tyings from us,” said the two young men, “and we will go with you, and we will give ourselves for your sake.”  “You must not come with me,” said Diarmuid; “for if you got the full of your eyes of that terrible one, you would be more likely to die than to live.”  “Well, do us this kindness,” they said then; “loosen these bonds on us, and give us time to go by ourselves and see the fight before you strike off our heads.”  So Diarmuid did that for them.

Then Diarmuid went to the Surly One, and he chanced to be asleep before him, and he gave him a stroke of his foot the way he lifted his head and looked up at him, and he said:  “Have you a mind to break our peace, Grandson of Duibhne?” “That is not what I want,” said Diarmuid; “but it is Grania, daughter of the High King,” he said, “has a desire to taste those berries, and it is to ask a handful of them I am come.”  “I give my word,” said he, “if she is to die for it, she will never taste a berry of those berries.”  “I would not do treachery on you,” said Diarmuid; “and so I tell you, willing or unwilling, I will take those berries from you.”

When the Surly One heard that, he rose up on his feet and lifted his club and struck three great blows on Diarmuid, that gave him some little hurt in spite of his shield.  But when Diarmuid saw him not minding himself, he threw down his weapons, and made a great leap and took hold of the club with his two hands.  And when he had a hold of the club he struck three great blows on him that put his brains out through his head.  And the two young men of the sons of Morna were looking at the whole fight; and when they saw the Surly One was killed they came out.  And Diarmuid sat down, for he was spent with the dint of the fight, and he bid the young men to bury the body under the thickets of the wood, the way Grania would not see it.  “And after that,” he said, “let you go back to her and bring her here.”  So they dragged away the body and buried it, and they went then for Grania and brought her to Diarmuid.

“There are the berries you were asking, Grania,” he said, “and you may take what you like of them now.”  “I give my word,” said Grania, “I will not taste a berry of those berries but the one your own hand will pluck, Diarmuid.”  Diarmuid rose up then and plucked the berries for Grania, and for the children of Morna, and they ate their fill of them.  And he said then to the young men:  “Take all you can of these berries, and bring them with you to Finn, and tell him it was yourselves made an end of the Surly One of Lochlann.”  “We give you our word,” said they, “we begrudge giving any of them to Finn.”