The Fingalians In The Rowan Mansion
The Fingalians In The Rowan Mansion
Once the Fingalians were invited to a big feast in the fairy Rowan Mansion. When they arrived, the food was on the table before them. When they sat down at the table, their feet stuck to the floor and their backsides stuck to their seats. They were unable to move. This was a plan that had been made to put an end to the Fingalians.
Diarmaid was not with them. They heard him coming. Fionn mac Cumhail found out - he had the power of divination - that nothing could loosen them but the blood of three children of a king. He called to Diarmaid to stay outside, and go and see if he could catch the three children of a king and kill them and bring their blood, which was the only thing that would loosen them. He was to rub some on his own feet first before he came in.
Diarmaid went and caught the three children of a king, and killed them, and brought their blood with him. He went in and first freed Fionn. Then he started on the others, and freed them all until he came to Conan, who was the worst of all the Fingalians. By then, the blood was used up, and Diarmaid could only leave Conan as he was. When Conan saw he was going to be left, he said to Diarmaid: "Oh yellow-haired, generous Diarmaid, if I were a big plump female, you would not leave me".
"Do you say that?" said Diarmaid. He came back and caught Conan under his armpits and plucked him up, leaving the skin of his backside on his seat and the skin of the soles of his feet on the floor! Diarmaid lifted him up in his arms, and put him down on a mound outside. "Go and walk now" he said. This was the greatest danger the Fingalians were ever in while they were together.
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