[The High Deeds of Finn and other Bardic Romances of Ancient Ireland by T. W. Rolleston]@TWC D-Link book
The High Deeds of Finn and other Bardic Romances of Ancient Ireland

CHAPTER II
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And thus ended the quest for the seventh portion of the eric of Kian.
After that their hopes revived a little, and they set sail for the land of Lochlann, in which was the Hill of Mochaen.

When they had arrived at the hill Mochaen came out to meet them with his three sons, Corc and Conn and Hugh; nor did the Sons of Turenn ever behold a band of grimmer and mightier warriors than those four.
"What seek ye here ?" asked Mochaen of them They told him that it had been laid upon them to give three shouts upon the hill.
"It hath been laid upon me," said Mochaen, "to prevent this thing." Then Brian and Mochaen drew sword and fell furiously upon each other, and their fighting was like that of two hungry lions or two wild bulls, until at last Brian drove his sword into the throat of Mochaen, and he died.
With that the Sons of Mochaen and the Sons of Turenn rushed fiercely upon each other.

Long and sore was the strife that they had, and the blood that fell made red the grassy place wherein they fought.

Not one of them but received wounds that pierced him through and through, and that heroes of less hardihood had died of a score of times.

But in the end the sons of Mochaen fell, and Brian, Iuchar, and Iucharba lay over them in a swoon like death.
After a while Brian's senses came back to him, and he said, "Do ye live, dear brothers, or how is it with you ?" "We are as good as dead," said they; "let us be." "Arise," then said Brian, "for truly I feel death coming swiftly upon us, and we have yet to give the three shouts upon the hill." "We cannot stir," said Iuchar and Iucharba.


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