“My master, the King of the Big Men, has heard much of Fin MacCool, and invites him to come to his castle. The king lost two children. Some one came in the night and stole them. Though guarded with wonderful strictness, the children were carried away. The king fears to lose a third child soon, unless Fin MacCool comes to advise and assist him.”
“I will give that message to Fin MacCool,” said Fin.
The big man left good health with Fin, then turned and went forward, going deeper till his head disappeared under water.
A few days later Fin was walking in the same place where he had met the messenger from the King of the Big Men, and he saw some very small men playing hurley on the strand. He went to them, and spoke. They answered, and called him King of the Fenians.
“You seem to know me,” said Fin.
“We do indeed, and we know you very well,” said the small men.
“Who are you?” asked Fin, “or what can you do?”
“Oh, we have many virtues,” replied they.
“What virtue have you?” asked Fin, turning to the biggest of the small men.
“Well, whenever I sit down in any place I stay in it as long as I like; no man can lift me; no power can take me out of it.”