If I am put under a third weight,
I will be a son of Mull next year.”
(“Bu mhac suinn mi an uiridh,
Ach mac mulaid mi ’m bliadhna;
Ma chuireas iad orm tuille treise,
’S mac Muileach mi air an ath-bhliadhna.”)
“MacLeod’s own lands are not yet exhausted,” MacLeod said, and he restored him to his former place and privileges, and he never had to go to Mull or anywhere else for land.
During this time Finlay kept looking for his wife’s appearance, and whenever he saw her in the doorway he called out to her, “Poor woman! what has brought you here? It must be some pressing need that made you come among the nobles of the Clan Leod to-night. Tell your story, and sure am I they will one and all be willing to give you help, and that they will not let you away as empty-handed as you have come.” She said she was a poor woman who was bringing herself through life honestly as she best could, with help from those who took notice of her poverty and gave her charity, and that she came to the nobles of the Clan Leod, as they were gathered at this time, to try if they would help her. “Let your countrymen do as they like,” Finlay said, “I will give you a calving cow (mart-laoigh).” MacLean looked at him in astonishment, and it was no wonder, when he heard him give away the only cow the poor woman in Balemartin had to the northern wife (do ’n chaillich thuathaich). Everyone of the nobles present gave her a similar gift, till she had the nine cows. When the company left, and MacLean had an opportunity of speaking to Finlay, he said to him, “What made you give the only cow you had to the northern wife?” “Do you know who the wife is?” Finlay said. “What do I care what wife she is or was,” MacLean said. “It was just my own wife who was there and got all the cows, and you need not give her yours till you return home,” Finlay said. “And how did you bring her here?” MacLean asked. “Ods! MacLean,” he said, “just in the big hogshead at your feet in the galley.” “No death will ever happen to you but to be hanged for your quirks” (cha tig bàs ortsa ’m feasd ach do chrochadh le d’ raoitean), MacLean said, and he advised him to send the cattle to Mull, till they could be ferried to Tiree. Finlay took the advice, and sent his wife and the cows to MacLean’s place at Benmolach, on the north-west side of Mull, and she got them to Balemartin, where MacLean on his return home sent her his own gift.
Finlay began his work and went on diligently with it that he might be ready at the end of the year to return home, and MacLeod came frequently where he was, more to hear what he had to say than to see the progress he was making with his work. One day, happening to find him at his breakfast, and observing that Finlay began at the back with a shape of butter (measgan-ìme) that was set before him, MacLeod asked him when he had finished, why he did not begin at the front of it. “I took it just from back to front as was wont at MacLean’s table, where the measures were round (far nach biodh na measgain ’n am bloidhean)” On another occasion MacLeod found him paring a remnant of cheese (cùl càise), and asked him when he had learned to pare cheese. “Since I came to MacLeod’s Castle,” he said: “it was not the custom to put a remnant on the inviting, merry, bountiful table in MacLean’s house (air bòrd fiughaireach, aighearach, fialaidh Mhic’illeathain).”
When the year had expired, MacLean, as had been agreed on, went to bring Finlay home. He was cordially received by MacLeod and was enjoying, after his journey, the usual hospitalities prepared for guests of his rank, when he heard the sound of Finlay’s hammer: “My loss! (mo chreach!),” he said, “I have too long delayed going where Finlay is.” When he reached him, he said, “Excuse me, Finlay, I have been rather a long time of coming where you are.” “I know that, MacLean,” he said,