He struck the third giant a blow, and knocked him to his knees; but not a drop of blood came.
“Such a blow as that,” said the giant, “I never got from any man before. Now, how are you to know that water will not drown us?”
“There is a place which I will show you,” said Fin. “If ye sleep in it to-night, and rise up in the morning before me, I shall know that water does not drown you.”
Fin showed a place where the water was twenty fathoms deep. The three lay down together under the water to stay till next morning. Fin hurried home then, gathered the Fenians together, and said,—
“I am in dread that these are the right giants. I knocked one trial out of them; swords will not cut them. They are sleeping to-night under twenty fathoms of water; but I am full sure that they will rise from it healthy and sound in the morning. Now, be ready, all of you, to scatter and go here and there throughout Erin. To-morrow, I am to try will fire burn them; when I know that, I will tell you what to do.”
The following morning, Fin went to where the giants had spent the night, and whistled. The three rose up to him at once, and came to land.
“Now,” said the eldest, as he looked around and saw the cattle, “a bite to eat would not harm us.”
With that he faced one of the bullocks, and caught the beast by one horn.
“Leave him,” said Fin; “you have no call to that bullock.”
Fin caught the bullock by the other horn. The giant pulled, and Fin held his own. One pulled, the other pulled, till between them they split the bullock from his muzzle to the tip of his tail, and made two equal parts of him.