But Diarmuid plucked a load of the berries for them, and they gave him great thanks for all he had done; and they went back to where Finn was with the Fianna.  And Diarmuid and Grania went up into the top of the tree where the bed of the Surly One was.  And the berries below were but bitter berries beside the ones above in the tree.  And when the two young men came to Finn, he asked news of them.  “We have killed the Surly One of Lochlann,” they said; “and we have brought you berries from the quicken-tree of Dubhros, in satisfaction for your father, that we may get peace from you.”  They gave the berries then into Finn’s hand, and he knew them, and he said to the young men:  “I give you my word,” he said, “it was Diarmuid himself plucked those berries, for I know the smell of his hand on them; and I know well it was he killed the Surly One, and I will go now and see is he himself alive at the quicken-tree.”

After that he called for the seven battalions of the Fianna, and he set out and went forward to Dubhros.  And they followed the track of Diarmuid to the foot of the quicken-tree, and they found the berries without protection, so they ate their fill of them.  And the great heat of the day came on them, and Finn said they would stop where they were till the heat would be past; “for I know well,” he said, “Diarmuid is up in the quicken-tree.”  “It is a great sign of jealousy in you, Finn,” said Oisin, “to think that Diarmuid would stop there up in the quicken-tree and he knowing you are wanting to kill him.”

Finn asked for a chess-board after that, and he said to Oisin:  “I will play a game with you now on this.”  They sat down then, Oisin and Osgar and Lugaidh’s Son and Diorraing on the one side of the board, and Finn on the other side.

And they were playing that game with great skill and knowledge, and Finn pressed Oisin so hard that he had no move to make but the one, and Finn said:  “There is one move would win the game for you, Oisin, and I defy all that are with you to show you that move.”  Then Diarmuid said up in the tree where he was, and no one heard him but Grania:  “It is a pity you be in straits, and without myself to show you that move.”  “It is worse off you are yourself,” said Grania, “to be in the bed of the Surly One of Lochlann in the top of the quicken-tree, and the seven battalions of the Fianna round about it to take your life.”

But Diarmuid took a berry of the tree, and aimed at the one of the chessmen that ought to be moved, and Oisin moved it and turned the game against Finn by that move.  It was not long before the game was going against Oisin the second time, and when Diarmuid saw that he threw another berry at the chessman it was right to move, and Oisin moved it and turned the game against Finn in the same way.  And the third time Finn was getting the game from Oisin, and Diarmuid threw the third berry on the man that would give the game to Oisin, and the Fianna gave a great shout when