The Death of Finn Mac Cumaill

Aided Find
Laud 610 & Egerton 92

ed. and trans. Kuno Meyer

(Laud 610)

fter old age had come to Finn the grandson of Baiscne, his men noticed it on him, and he did not dissemble. "Why does he not stay", said they, "near the king of Erin, and we should gather to thee." "I am well pleased", said he. Nine remain with Finn. On the morrow one of them went with the fiann. Then another went, and so on until only one man was left with Finn. "'Tis true then", said he, "it is old age the men notice on me. I shall know that by my running and leaping, for it is in the east my 'Leap' is, even on the Boyne, and I shall go to its brink". So he set out from the west on the high-road of Gowran into Mullaghmast. There in Mullaghmast he found a woman making curds [***]

(Egerton 92)

[***]

up to this," said Finn [***] said she [***] prophecy [***] "that he would die when he should drink

[***]

poison out of a horn". "True, O hag", said he. "Here is my brooch for thee." Then he went along the Boyne eastward until he reached his 'Leap'. Thereupon he fell between two rocks, so that his forehead struck against the rock and his brains were dashed about him, and he died between the two rocks. Fishermen of the Boyne found him. They were four, viz. the three sons of Urgriu, and Aiclech the son of Dubdriu. These found him, and Aiclech cut off his head. And the sons of Urgriu slew him i. e. Aiclech. They took his i. e. Finn's head with them into an empty house, and boiled their fish, and divided it in two. His head was over against the fire. "Give it a morsel", said a black evil-jesting man, "since Aiclech is no more(?)". Three times the fish was divided in two, and still there were three portions. "What is this?" said one of them. Then said the head from before the fire:

1. 'Tis this that causes the third division
with you, without any flattery,
That my bit be given me
by you at the meal
[***]

[***] as the historian says:

1. Finn was slain,
'Twas by spears, without a hero's(?) wound:
Aiclech son of Duibdriu took off
His head from the glorious son of Muin.

création : 28/10/2009

Sources : Kuno Meyer, Zeitschrift für Celtische Philologie 1