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It was not long before Finn and some men of the Fianna came back up the mountain and saw that the bowels of Diarmuid were hanging out of him and death was very close.

'Now it pleases me well,' said Finn to Diarmuid, 'to see you in this way. Only I wish that the women of Ireland might see you also, with your handsome looks befouled and your proud body in a broken heap.'

'Those are ignoble words,' said Diarmuid. 'And it lies within your power to heal me, if you wished.'

'How so?' said Finn.

'When you received the gift of foreknowledge at the Boyne, it was granted to you also that you could heal all those who drank from out of your hand.'

'You are not deserving of this healing power,' replied Finn. 'At Tara, secretly you stole Grainne from me, though you were then under orders to guard her.'

'Blame me not for that, Finn. Grainne put the heavy bonds of a geasa upon me, and this I could not break through on my life or all the world. But remember the goodness of all my past service to you and the Fianna. From the day I was first admitted among the Fianna, I did save you in many deadly straits. Always I put myself in the worst place of danger and wagered my body on behalf of your safety. Good men have died for you, and yet there is no end to death. I see a day coming for the overthrow and slaughter of the Fianna, and few of their seed will be left after them. Then you would cry for my help, O Finn. But I grieve not for you, old man. My sorrow is for my dear companions of the Fianna, and for Oscar, and for Oisin who shall be lamenting after the Fianna during many long years.'

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