And Fergus of the True Lips rose up and sang before Finn the songs and the good poems of his forefathers; and Finn and Oisin and Lugaidh’s Son rewarded him with every good thing.  And then he went on to Goll, son of Morna, and told the fights and the destructions and the cattle-drivings and the courtings of his fathers; and it is well-pleased and high-minded the sons of Morna were, listening to that.

And Goll said then:  “Where is my woman-messenger?” “I am here, King of the Fianna,” said she.  “Have you brought me my hand-tribute from the men of Lochlann?” “I have brought it surely,” said she.  And with that she rose up and laid on the floor of the hall before Goll a load of pure gold, the size of a good pig, and that would be a heavy load for a strong man.  And Goll loosened the covering that was about it, and he gave Fergus a good reward from it as he was used to do; for there never was a wise, sharp-worded poet, or a sweet harp-player, or any learned man of Ireland or of Alban, but Goll would give him gold or silver or some good thing.

And when Finn saw that, he said:  “How long is it, Goll, you have this rent on the men of Lochlann, and my own rent being on them always with it, and one of my own men, Ciaran son of Latharne, and ten hundred men of his household, guarding it and guarding my right of hunting?” And Goll saw there was anger on Finn, and he said:  “It is a long time, Finn, I have that rent on the men of Lochlann, from the time your father put war and quarrels on me, and the King of Ireland joined with him, and I was made to quit Ireland by them.  And I went into Britain,” he said, “and I took the country and killed the king himself and did destruction on his people, but Cumhal put me out of it; and from that I went to Fionnlochlann, and the king fell by me, and his household, and Cumhal put me out of it; and I went from that to the country of the Saxons, and the king and his household fell by me, and Cumhal put me out of it.  But I came back then to Ireland, and I fought a battle against your father, and he fell by me there.  And it was at that time I put this rent upon the men of Lochlann.  And, Finn,” he said, “it is not a rent of the strong hand you have put on them, but it is a tribute for having the protection of the Fianna of Ireland, and I do not lessen that.  And you need not begrudge that tribute to me,” he said, “for if I had more than that again, it is to you and to the men of Ireland I would give it.”

There was great anger on Finn then, and he said:  “You tell me, Goll,” he said, “by your own story, that you came from the city of Beirbhe to fight against my father, and that you killed him in the battle; and it is a bold thing you to tell that to me.”  “By your own hand,” said Goll, “if you were to give me the same treatment your father gave me, I would pay you the same way as I paid him.”  “It would be hard for you to do that,” said Finn, “for there are a hundred men in my household against every man there is in your household.”  “That was the same with your father,” said Goll, “and I avenged my disgrace on him; and I would do the same on yourself if you earned it,” he said.