_Legends of the County Clare._--How Fuen-Vic-Couil (Fingall) obtained the
knowledge of future events.--Once upon a time, when Fuen-Vic-Couil was
young, he fell into the hands of a giant, and was compelled to serve him
for seven years, during which time the giant was fishing for the salmon
which had this property--that whoever ate the first bit of it he would
obtain the gift of prophecy; and during the seven years the only
nourishment which the giant could take was after this manner: a sheaf of
oats was placed to windward of him, and he held a needle before his mouth,
and lived on the nourishment that was blown from the sheaf of corn through
the eye of the needle. At length, when the seven years were passed, the
giant's perseverance was rewarded, and he caught the famous salmon and gave
it to Fuen-Vic-Couil to roast, with threats of instant destruction if he
allowed any accident to happen to it. Fuen-Vic-Couil hung the fish before
the fire by a string, but, like Alfred in a similar situation, being too
much occupied with his own reflections, forgot to turn the fish, so that a
blister rose on the side of it. Terrified at the probable consequences of
his carelessness, he attempted to press down the blister with his thumb,
and feeling the smart caused by the burning fish, by a natural action put
the injured member into his mouth. A morsel of the fish adhered to his
thumb, and immediately he received the knowledge for which the giant had
toiled so long in vain. Knowing that his master would kill him if he
remained, he fled, and was soon pursued by the giant breathing vengeance:
the chace was long, but whenever he was in danger of being caught, his
thumb used to pain him, and on putting it to his mouth he always obtained
knowledge how to escape, until at last he succeeded in putting out the
giant's eyes and killing him; and always afterwards, when in difficulty or
danger, his thumb used to pain him, and on putting it to his mouth he
obtained knowledge how to escape.
Compare this legend with the legend of Ceridwen, Hanes Taliessin,
_Mabinogion_, vol. iii. pp. 322, 323., the coincidence of which is very
curious. Where also did Shakspeare get the {265} speech he makes one of the
witches utter in _Macbeth_:
"By the _pricking of my thumbs_,
Something wicked this way comes."