One of the most splendid heroes of the Fenians was Dermot. His name is
second only to that of Finn in the stories of valiant deeds. He was
younger than his chief by many years, even younger than Ossian, Finn’s
son. Dermot was the fleetest man of them all, and also the one with the
keenest eyes. In many of the stories he is chosen for deeds of valor
rather than Finn himself. This happens, however, when Finn is an old
man, and his wisdom and leadership are of more value than his strength.
This young hero was the son of a god. In those days, however, gods could
be wounded and could die. They lived on earth and needed food to live
on, just the same as other men. The distinction between the Irish gods
and heroes like Finn is very slight in the old stories. Dermot did have
one gift no other Fenian possessed. His foster-father, the god Angus,
had granted him a body that no weapon could wound. There was but one
thing that could harm him. That was the tusks of a wild boar. His
foster-father warned him never to hunt the boar unless it was absolutely
necessary, and then to exercise every care so as not to be wounded by
the tusks.
Dermot was a handsome man, with curling fair hair and blue eyes like
those of his leader. He was Finn’s closest companion and greatly loved
by him. His was the soul of honor. If he got into trouble it was from
doing some task his honor demanded. His courage and strength were
unquestioned. The Fenians always fought with more bravery if they knew
Dermot was with them.
Such a handsome man could not help being very popular with the maidens
of Erin. They liked him because of his strength and his handsome face.
But it was the Love Spot on his forehead which made it impossible for
any girl to look at him and not fall in love with him. You shall have to
hear how he received this gift.
One day he was out hunting with Conan, Oscar and Gaul of Morna. As often
happened in those days, the chase led them far from their camp. With the
coming of darkness they began to look for a shelter for the night. They
wandered around until they came upon a little house in the forest. When
they knocked, a gray-haired man came to the door and inquired their
errand.
“We ask for thy hospitality,” said Dermot.
“That you shall have,” declared the old man, throwing wide the door.
“Come right in, and thousand welcomes to you.”
Inside they found a queer household waiting for them. At the table sat a
beautiful young girl; before the fire was a large gray cat; while lying
at one side of the fireplace was a big sheep with a fleece of long,
shaggy wool.
The old man went into the kitchen of the house and prepared a splendid
meal, which he placed before the heroes. All ate heartily, but, as
usual, Conan was still eating after all the others had finished.
He was interrupted by the sheep, which climbed to the table and
commenced eating of the food that was left. Conan pushed the animal’s
nose out of the food time and time again and tried to go on with his
eating. It was of no use. Before he could get a bite, the old sheep
would thrust its nose into the plate.
“I call it a strange house where a sheep is allowed to eat from the
table,” declared Conan.
“I did not put him there,” answered the old man. “If you do not like his
company, put him off.”
Conan grasped the sheep in his two arms, intending to lift it from the
table. To his surprise he could not move it. He tugged and strained
without avail. At last the sheep, with a quick toss of his head, threw
Conan into the center of the room.
How the other men roared with laughter! It was always amusing to see
Conan get the worst of anything. As for Conan, he picked himself up
sulkily.
“You laugh loudly,” he growled. “I’ll wager there is not one of you who
can move it.”
The idea was ridiculous. To think of anyone claiming to be a hero and
unable to lift an ordinary sheep! Oscar, with a laugh, started to brush
the animal away with one hand. Soon he had the sheep in both arms and
was tugging and straining in an attempt to move it. Then he, too, found
himself thrown lightly away from the table.
Now it ceased to be a joke. Dermot tried to remove the animal with no
better success. Gaul, it is true, got the sheep off the table for a
moment, but the animal soon turned this hero on his back and stood upon
him. Then it jumped back to the table.
During all this time the old man had been looking on in amusement. Now
he spoke to the cat, which was lazily basking itself before the fire.
“Take him away,” ordered the old man.
The cat got up slowly and climbed to the table. Then, taking the sheep
by the long hair of its throat, the cat led it down and out of the room.
The four heroes looked at one another in surprise and astonishment.
Dermot picked up his shield and his weapons. “Come,” he said to his
companions. “We shall not stay under a roof where a host makes game of
his guests.”
“Sit down,” said the old man. “You have been testing your strength in an
impossible feat. You will not feel badly over your failure when I tell
you that the sheep you tried to move was the World, itself. To lift it
is a task no man can accomplish. The cat could master the animal easily,
because the cat was Old Age, and even the world cannot withstand its
force. Come, let me show you to your beds.”
The heroes were somewhat soothed by the explanations and followed the
host into another room, where they found their beds prepared for them.
Later, the young girl came to the door and looked from one to the other
of the men.
“I have a gift,” she said. “It goes to but one of you.”
“Let me have it,” said Conan. “If ever a man needed a gift, it is I.”
“Give it to me,” said Oscar. “I am the strongest.”
Gaul and Dermot said nothing. These men were wise. They knew that they
were in an enchanted house, and that the girl would give the gift to
whom she chose.
“Not to you, or you, or you,” she said pointing in turn to Conan, Oscar
and Gaul. “My gift cannot go to any of you. I am Youth and youth has
left you all.”
She approached the couch of Dermot. “You can never grow old,” she said,
“so I shall always be with you. To you I shall give the gift that Youth
can bestow.”
She raised her wand and touched him lightly on the forehead.
“I give to you the Love Spot, Dermot,” she said. “Who wears it will win
the love of all women. No maiden will be able to look upon you without
loving you. Treat my gift with honor and with wisdom.”
Then the maiden left the room, and the heroes went to sleep.
That is the way in which Dermot received the Love Spot. It made him
beloved by all women, but in the end, this gift caused him great sorrow.
You shall see in the story of “Dermot and Grainne” that the gifts of the
fairies do not always bring happiness.