The Sleeping Giant
In Ireland, lived a gentle giant called Finn MacCool. At fifty-two feet six inches, he was a relatively small giant...But across the sea in Scotland there was a rival giant called Benandonner.The two Giants would holler across the sea of Moyle. Each demanding a trial of strength and honour. This was agreed, and the hospitable Finn offered to make the contest possible by building a rocky causeway between the two countries. But to do this he needed some helpers...Out of the woods and the glens of Antrim came the little people, to help carve the mighty causeway.
Finn and his helpers built a path across the sea from County Antrim to Benandonner's lair - Fingal's Cave on the island of Staffa, but the work was so laborious that Finn fell asleep from exhaustion...Oonagh was Finn's wife, a giantess; she woke up early one morning to find Finn sound asleep. Then she heard the sound of thunderous footsteps... and saw the mighty Benandonner approaching. He was truly gigantic. Finn would be no match against this Scottish giant.Oonagh called to Finn, but on he slept.Benandonner laughed. “Ready or not, I’m coming to get you.”
Oonagh tried again to wake the sleeping giant, but he was just so exhausted, he just groaned and slept on.The quick thinking Oonagh covered the sleeping Finn with a nightgown and bonnet...
"Where's Finn?” Benandonner hollered, “I’m here, come out and face me!”"Where is the coward hiding?"He peered down at the sleeping Finn.
"Be quiet," Oonagh warned Benandonner, "or you'll waken the bairn!"”The bairn!” said Benandonner, “this is the sleeping child of Finn”Benandonner panicked. If the child was this big, how much bigger might Finn be? He did not stay to find out... He hastily retreated across the causeway, destroying it in his wake...Finn’s laughter can still be heard, floating on the winds from the causeway to the Scottish Isle of Staffa.
I'm having difficulty finding the rest of the story on Google. Essentially Finn and Oonagh have a son, and a grand son he is too. One day their son meets a woman whome he thinks is the most beautiful woman in all the world. She tells him that she has come from the magical isle of Tir Na Nog. She asks him to return with her and they leap aboard her horse that from the cliff tops will race across the ocean.
It is only once they are settled on the isle that she reveals to him that he can never return to Ireland. On Tir Na Nog he will have eternal youth but should he return to Ireland he will age and surely die. He forgives her because they are in love and lives happily with her for a year. But he starts to pine for home and begs her to find some way to return and visit his family. She leads him to her horse and says that her stallion will carry him to Ireland. As long as he remains on the horse he will be safe but should he touch Irish soil than her magic will be broken.
He rides back over the sea and rides the length and breadth of Ireland but can find no trace of his folk or kin. The giant stops to speak with those he passes and discovers that for every day he spent in Tir Na Nog a year has passed in Ireland. The giants of Ireland are gone and he and his family only legend. He rides to visit his father's grave and on his return he passes two farmers struggling to move a mighty boulder from the field they are ploughing. He stops to speak with them and they are amazed by his tale. They beg him to help them with their task. He readily agrees and leans forward; with one hand he is able to scoop the boulder from the ground it clings to. But, in that moment, the leather strap of the saddle breaks and he falls onto Irish soil. The two farmers panic and cry out for help as they see him age before their eyes.
St Patrick at that time was passing by with his followers and heard their cries for help. He came forward and blessed the fallen giant. He helped them lift him onto the horse and slapping it on the rump sent him home to Tir Na Nog. But the fates were not kind and the son of Finn MaCool dies as th horse galloped across the seas. He lies now in the ocean as one seeming to sleep and his form may still be seen.
Finn and his helpers built a path across the sea from County Antrim to Benandonner's lair - Fingal's Cave on the island of Staffa, but the work was so laborious that Finn fell asleep from exhaustion...Oonagh was Finn's wife, a giantess; she woke up early one morning to find Finn sound asleep. Then she heard the sound of thunderous footsteps... and saw the mighty Benandonner approaching. He was truly gigantic. Finn would be no match against this Scottish giant.Oonagh called to Finn, but on he slept.Benandonner laughed. “Ready or not, I’m coming to get you.”
Oonagh tried again to wake the sleeping giant, but he was just so exhausted, he just groaned and slept on.The quick thinking Oonagh covered the sleeping Finn with a nightgown and bonnet...
"Where's Finn?” Benandonner hollered, “I’m here, come out and face me!”"Where is the coward hiding?"He peered down at the sleeping Finn.
"Be quiet," Oonagh warned Benandonner, "or you'll waken the bairn!"”The bairn!” said Benandonner, “this is the sleeping child of Finn”Benandonner panicked. If the child was this big, how much bigger might Finn be? He did not stay to find out... He hastily retreated across the causeway, destroying it in his wake...Finn’s laughter can still be heard, floating on the winds from the causeway to the Scottish Isle of Staffa.
I'm having difficulty finding the rest of the story on Google. Essentially Finn and Oonagh have a son, and a grand son he is too. One day their son meets a woman whome he thinks is the most beautiful woman in all the world. She tells him that she has come from the magical isle of Tir Na Nog. She asks him to return with her and they leap aboard her horse that from the cliff tops will race across the ocean.
It is only once they are settled on the isle that she reveals to him that he can never return to Ireland. On Tir Na Nog he will have eternal youth but should he return to Ireland he will age and surely die. He forgives her because they are in love and lives happily with her for a year. But he starts to pine for home and begs her to find some way to return and visit his family. She leads him to her horse and says that her stallion will carry him to Ireland. As long as he remains on the horse he will be safe but should he touch Irish soil than her magic will be broken.
He rides back over the sea and rides the length and breadth of Ireland but can find no trace of his folk or kin. The giant stops to speak with those he passes and discovers that for every day he spent in Tir Na Nog a year has passed in Ireland. The giants of Ireland are gone and he and his family only legend. He rides to visit his father's grave and on his return he passes two farmers struggling to move a mighty boulder from the field they are ploughing. He stops to speak with them and they are amazed by his tale. They beg him to help them with their task. He readily agrees and leans forward; with one hand he is able to scoop the boulder from the ground it clings to. But, in that moment, the leather strap of the saddle breaks and he falls onto Irish soil. The two farmers panic and cry out for help as they see him age before their eyes.
St Patrick at that time was passing by with his followers and heard their cries for help. He came forward and blessed the fallen giant. He helped them lift him onto the horse and slapping it on the rump sent him home to Tir Na Nog. But the fates were not kind and the son of Finn MaCool dies as th horse galloped across the seas. He lies now in the ocean as one seeming to sleep and his form may still be seen.
posted by Nixie! at 7:30 am
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