The Irish abroad and at home Author:Andrew O'Reilly Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: Fionn Mac Cumhal as it has been traditionally handed down, and under its original title "A Giant Refreshed." CHAPTER II. Wise in council—brave in fight.... more » Ulyesea. rpHE first Patriot of whom I heard mention made was Fionn | Mac Cumhal, whose contemporaries used to say that " None but bimself could be hia parallel." In after times, however, that is, in the progress of the dispute between the Greeks and Trojans, there appeared in the ranks of the former a man, who, if he did not rival Fionn " entirely," approached him nearer in physical and mental qualities than any who had figured since his day, though ages upon ages had passed in the interval. Struck with its admirable appropriateness to herald in my hero, Fionn, I have chosen a line from the well-known tragedy bearing for its title the name of this remarkable person, for the motto of this my second chapter. Fionn Mac Cumhal (pronounced by the Firbolgs and their successors Finn Mac Cool) was the head of a family and sept of giants, and renowned equally for stature, strength, craft, and wisdom. Unfortunately my memory is refractory respecting him and his exploits, two only of which live in it; but even these suffice to give the measure of the man. It appears, from the tradition still tingling in my ears, that the fame of Fionn had travelled far, and provoked the jealousy of a contemporary chief and giant, who resolved on seeing the redoubted Fionn, conquering him, and making him his tributary or slave. With these amiable intentions, the rival swell arrived at Fionn's house early one fine morning, and by accident encountered him on his threshold. Fionn had cither been informed of the proposed visit from the big 'un, or his tact and prevision enabled him at once to discover the quality of his visiter, and to ...« less