Finn and Lomna the Fool

Cormac's glossary

Trans. Whitley Stokes

rc, moreover, a name for a salmon, whence said the head of Lomna the fool, after it had been cut off, to wit, Orc brecc bronnfind etc. It was thus that this happened, i. e. Find grandson of Baiscne — his fool was Lomna the fool. Find went one day on a hunting expedition. Lomna remained at home. There was a woman of the Luigni with Find, for (as to) every mountain(?) and every forest that Find frequented with his Fenians (fiann), there was a certain woman before him in every district, and they were female hospitalers and were good to support the Fiann, for their, the Fiann's, people spread through the districts, so that no one dared (to do) evil to them. Find came once into Tebtha with his Fenians, and went on a hunting expedition, and Lomna was with them, or he remained at home. As he was walking outside he saw Coirpre, a champion of Luigne, lying with Find's wife clandestinely. The woman besought Lomna to conceal it. It was painful to him to be treacherous to Find. Then came Find, and Lomna cut an ogham on a four-square rod, and this is what was on it, i. e. Cuaille fernai etc. Find then knew the (his ?) story, and loathed the woman. Then the woman was aware that it was from Lomna he knew (it), and a message went from her to Coirpre, that he should come and kill the fool. Coirpre came and cut off his head from him, and Coirpre carried it off with him. Then came Find to the booth at the close of the day, and saw the body without a head. "A body here without a head! Let it be known to us," said the Fenians, whose is it?" Find then put his thumb into his mouth, and sang through his teinm loida ("illumination of song"*?), and he said Ni conruba etc. "This (is) Lomna's body," said Find. "Enemies have taken his head from it. Let slip the dogs, and they will find out the track." Find went upon the track of the soldiers, and he found Coirpre in an empty house, cooking fish on a gridiron, and Lomna's head was on a spit by the fire. The first set (of fish) that was cooked on the gridiron Coirpre distributed to three enneads; and of this there came not a morsel into the mouth of the head. This was prohibited to the Fenians, and (the head) said then Orc brecc bronnfind etc. The second set, then, Coirpre divided as before, and again said the head Rorannais rand etc. "Put out the head," said Coirpre, "though it be a bad word for us." Said the head from the outside (?) Romechutar etc.

Sources : Whitley Stokes, Tthree Irish Glossaries