Story

transcribed at

Story  [duchas:4595234]

A witch captured Finn Mac Cúl in a cave at the back of Túr and she told him that she would give him pardon if he would bring her Craithe na Gaise's head.  He started off travelling the mountains and he brought a lad with him. He was travelling for a long time when he met a little red man and a bow and arrow at him. He cocked the bow and arrow and shot Finn Mac Cú's companion. Finn said to him why did you shoot the only good friend I had. The little man said I'll be a better friend to you, you are a bad friend at first to do that. He asked Finn where was he going Finn was very slow in telling him. I know well said the little red man. Its as well for you to tell me go up on my shoulders. If I'll go up on your shoulders wouldint I bring you into the ground said Finn. See would you Finn went up on his shoulders, catch a good hold now said the little red man. The little red man gave a

Story  [duchas:4595235]

jump and landed at Craithe na Gaise's door.
He told Finn to wait there and he'd knock at the hall door. He went up and knocked at the hall door and Craithe na Gaise said who's there. The servant came out and asked the little red man who was he. I am Finn McCúl's boy from Ireland, he said, what do you want said the servant. I want lodging for the night said the little red man. I've no lodging for you but there's a house down there in the wood and there are beagles in it and if he's able to put up a man then he can have it. The little red man went down to the house and looked over the door, and the beagles were trying to take a bite out of him.
He caught one of them by the two hind legs, and he was slashing the other ones with him and every one of them he'd strike he'd kill her. When he had them all killed, he looked at the one he had the hold off and he had half of her worn. He said we'll have thing to ate now and he went back and he knocked at the hall door again. Craithe was

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very cross this time, and he asked what he wanted. The servant said he wanted something to eat. I've nothing to eat for him, he said, but there's a big cross bull out there in the wood and if he can kill him he can have him. The little red man went to the wall and looked in.
The bull thought to kill the little red man and the little red man cocked up his bow and arrow and shot him. He cut off his head. He told Finn to carry the head and Finn tried, but he could not stir it. All the little red man did was to put in his small finger and lifted it on his small finger and carried it off. When he went to the house he threw the bull off his shoulder and he went back again to the hall door. Craithe na Gaise was very cross this time, and he said what do you want now. I want fire to roast the bull. I have no fire for him, but there are big blocks of timber out there in the yard and if he's able to knock fire out of them he can have it. The little red man came to where the blocks of timber were, and he looked at them

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Finn said to him how will you ever get to the top of them. All the little red man did was to put his shoulder to them, and knocked down the whole lot of them. He knocked fire out of them, and he threw the bull into the middle of the fire, and roasted him. Old Craithe na Gaise wanted to know how was he getting on and he gathered an army, and he sent one of them to see how Finn and the little red man were getting on.
When the little red man saw him coming he caught his bow and arrow and shot him. Craithe na Gaise said is he coming yet with his own story or any body's elses story. He sent another to see why the first soldier was not coming back. As fast as they were coming, the little red man was shooting them, till he had the last one shot. Craithe na Gaise had no one to send now but a blind man. The little red man saw the blind man coming, and he stuck a cipin in the fire, and when he was coming near,he ran toward him and stuck the cipin in his good eye, and he

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had no eye at all the. In the morning Craithe na Gaise had an army gathered to kill Finn and the little red man. The little red man went hiding and he started shooting them. till he had th elast one of them shot and they did not know where the shooting was coming from. He went into Craithe na Gaise was giving him a sword and he said there isn't a better sword in the world now than this sword. Where will I try it, said the little red man. There's a big block of timber out there in the yard and try it on it. He struck Craithe na Gaise with the sword, and and cut the head off him.
The head thought to jump up on the body again and it said If I got up on the body again all the world would not knock me down. The little red man struck the head and knocked it down again. He put his small finger under it and carried it off. He told Finn then to go up on his shoulders and he made a jump and he landed where Finn's Companion was hot. He pulled the bullet out of his head, and he came to life again. The witch saw them coming and the little red man carrying the

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head. The little red man fired the head at the witch, and killed her dead.