And now Keelta looking up perceived a tall youth coming swiftly towards them, who, when he approached, seemed even bigger than was the maiden.  He wore a rough hairy cape over his shoulder and beneath that a green cloak fastened by a golden brooch; his tunic was of royal satin, and he bore a red shield slung over his shoulders, and a spear with a shaft as thick as a man’s leg was in his hand; a gold-hilted sword hung by his side.  And his face, which was smooth-shaven, was comelier than that of any of the sons of men.

When he came near, seeing among the Fians a stir of alarm at this apparition, Finn said, “Keep every one of you his place, let neither warrior nor gillie address him.  Know any of you this champion?” “I know him,” said the maiden; “that is even he to escape from whom I am come to thee, O Finn.”  And she sat down between Finn and Goll.  But the stranger drew near, and spake never a word, but before any one could tell what he would be at he thrust fiercely and suddenly with his spear at the girl, and the shaft stood out a hand’s breadth at her back.  And she fell gasping, but the young man drew his weapon out and passed rapidly through the crowd and away.

[Illustration:  “They ran him by hill and plain”]

Then Finn cried, red with wrath, “Ye have seen!  Avenge this wicked deed, or none of you aspire to Fianship again.”  And the whole company sprang to their feet and gave chase to that murderer, save only Finn and Goll, who stayed by the dying maiden.  And they ran him by hill and plain to the great Bay of Tralee and down to the Tribute Point, where the traders from oversea were wont to pay their dues, and there he set his face to the West and took the water.  By this time four of the Fianna had outstripped the rest, namely, Keelta, and Dermot, and Glas, and Oscar, son of Oisin.  Of these Keelta was first, and just as the giant was mid-leg in the waves he hurled his spear and it severed the thong of the giant’s shield so that it fell off in the water.  And as the giant paused, Keelta seized his spear and tore it from him.  But the giant waded on, and soon the Fians were floundering in deep water while the huge form, thigh deep, was seen striding towards the setting sun.  And a great ship seemed to draw near, and it received him, and then departed into the light, but the Fians returned in the grey evening, bearing the spear and the great shield to Finn.  There they found the maiden at point of death, and they laid the weapons before her.  “Goodly indeed are these arms,” she said, “for that is the Thunder Spear of the King Oversea and the shield is the Red Branch Shield,” for it was covered with red arabesques.  Then she bestowed her bracelets on Finn’s three harpers, the dwarf Cnu, and Blanit his wife, and the harper Daira.  And she bade Finn care for her burial, that it should be done becomingly, “for under thy honour and protection I got my death, and it was to thee I came into Ireland.”  So they buried her and lamented her, and made a great far-seen mound over her grave, which is called the Ridge of the Dead Woman, and set up a pillar stone upon it with her name and lineage carved in Ogham-crave.[23]