“Take it,” said Dyeermud.
Fin’s strength was trebled at sight of Dyeermud; and when he grasped the sword, he swore by it, saying, “I will cut off your head if you come a foot nearer.”
“You are not in your mind to speak thus to the man who has gone through so much for you.”
“I am in my mind,” said Fin; “but if we were to close our arms embracing each other in friendship, we could not open them for seven days and nights. Now, the woman who brought me from Ard na Conye, the bay which we love most in Erin, save Fintra, will be here soon. Though there was nothing on earth to please the King of the White Nation more than my head, there is another good man in the world, and the king wishes his head as greatly as mine. The daughter has gone, and is using her highest endeavor to bring that head to her father; so hasten on to the boat, Dyeermud, I will follow. If you find food, take it with you.”
Dyeermud hurried off. In passing through the king’s meadow he saw two fat bullocks grazing. He caught them, and, clapping one under each arm, ran off to the boat. When Fin came, he found both bullocks skinned and dressed there before him.
They weighed anchor now and raised sails for Erin, ploughing the weighty sea before them night and day. Once Fin said to Dyeermud, “Look behind.” Dyeermud looked, but saw nothing.
Three hours later, Fin said, “Look behind, and look keenly.”
Dyeermud looked, and cried, “I see behind us in the sky some bird like an eagle, and flashes of fire blazing out from her beak.”
“Oh, we are caught at last, and it’s a bad place we are in on the sea; we cannot fight here.”