Then Finn said he would send a challenge himself to Daire Bonn, the King of the Great World.  But Caoilte asked leave to do that day’s fighting himself.  And Finn said he would agree to that if he could find enough of men to go with him.  And he himself gave him a hundred men, and Oisin did the same, and so on with the rest.  And he gave out his challenge, and it was the son of the King of the Great Plain that answered it.  And while they were in the heat of the fight, a fleet of ships came into the harbour, and Finn thought they were come to help the foreigners.  But Oisin looked at them, and he said:  “It is seldom your knowledge fails you, Finn, but those are friends of our own:  Fiachra, son of the King of the Fianna of the Bretons, and Duaban Donn, son of the King of Tuathmumain with his own people.”

And when those that were in the ships came on shore, they saw Caoilte’s banner going down before the son of the King of the Great Plain.  And they all went hurrying on to his help, and between them they made an end of the king’s son and of all his people.

“Who will keep watch to-night?” said Finn then.  “We will,” said the nine Garbhs of the Fianna, of Slieve Mis, and Slieve Cua, and Slieve Clair, and Slieve Crot, and Slieve Muice, and Slieve Fuad, and Slieve Atha Moir, and Dun Sobairce and Dundealgan.

And they were not long watching till they saw the King of the Men of Dregan coming towards them, and they fought a fierce battle; and at the end of the night there were left standing but three of the Garbhs, and the King of the Men of Dregan.  And they fought till their wits were gone from them; and those four fell together, sole against sole, and lip against lip.

And the fight went on from day to day, and from week to week, and there were great losses on both sides.  And when Fergus of the Sweet Lips saw that so many of the Fianna were fallen, he asked no leave but went to Teamhair of the Kings, where the High King of Ireland was, and he told him the way it was with Finn and his people.  “That is good,” said the High King, “Finn to be in that strait; for there is no labouring man dares touch a pig or a deer or a salmon if he finds it dead before him on account of the Fianna; and there is no man but is in dread to go from one place to another without leave from Finn, or to take a wife till he knows if she has a sweetheart among the Fianna of Ireland.  And it is often Finn has given bad judgments against us,” he said, “and it would be better for us the foreigners to gain the day than himself.”

Then Fergus went out to the lawn where the High King’s son was playing at ball.  “It is no good help you are giving to Ireland,” said Fergus then, “to be playing a game without lasting profit, and strangers taking away your country from you.”  And he was urging him and blaming him, and great shame came on the young man, and he threw away the stick and went through the people of Teamhair and brought