The
Fair Giantess
Again
we are with Finn and his warriors, in this tale of The Fair and
Giantess.
One
day Finn and his warriors, while resting from the chase were
having their
midday meal, saw something coming towards them in a towering shape...
It
proved to be a young giant maiden, who gave her
name
as Vivionn daughter of Treon, from the Land of Maidens.
The
gold rings on her fingers were as thick as ans ox's yoke, and her
beauty was dazzling. When she took off her gilded helmet,
all bejewelled,
her fair, curling golden hair broke out in seven score
tresses,
and Finn cried out " Great Gods whom we adore, a huge marvel
Cormac and Ethne' and the women of the Fianna would esteem
it to see Vivionn, the blooming daughter of Treon."
The
maiden explained that she had been betrothed against her will to a
suitor named AEda, son of a neighbouring king; and that hearing from
a fisherman, who had been blown to her shores, of the power and
nobleness of Finn, she had come to seek his protection....
While
she was speaking, suddenly Fianna was aware of another giant
close coming close toward them. It was a young man, smooth-
featured and of surpassing beauty, who bore a red shield
and a huge spear.
Without
a word he drew near, and before the
wondering
Finn could accost him he Thrust his spear through the body of
the maiden
Vivionn and then went on his way...
Finn,
enraged at this violation of his protection, called on his chief
warriors to
pursue and slay the murderer; called AEda. Keelta and the others
chased
AEda
to the sea-shore, and followed him into the surf, but he strode out
to sea and
was met by another great galley of giants, which bore him away to
unknown regions.
Finn
upon returning from the sea and trying to avenge the young giant
maiden that was killed, they found the girl yet she was dying.
She distributed
her gold and jewels among the warriors and Finn and sat with her
until she died so her would not die alone..
When
she did died, Finn and his warriors
buried her under a great mound and raised a pillar stone over her
with her
name in Ogham letters, in the place they called " the Ridge of
the Dead Women."
Rather
odd name to name a young woman burial place I think...Wendy
