How Finn Found Bran

By Robert Ingpen and Barbara Hayes from ‘Folk Tales and Fables of Europe’

Ireland was never conquered by the Roman legions and its Celtic traditions survived intact. The Irish have always been good story-tellers. Finn was a great hero and there are many stories about his battles and daring deeds.


Long, long ago, in the days when Corm MacArt was King of Ireland, there was a band of soldiers known as the Feni of Erin. They were tall and bold and so fearless that no enemy could stand against them; even their friends were afraid of them.

The captain of these fearless men was Finn, the son of Cumhal, whose castle stood of the Hill of Allen. This hill is quite close to Kildare, that lies to the south-west of Dublin. Finn was the bravest of the brave. He was an awesome sight when he was in the middle of a fight, waving his magic sword, with his long hair streaming down his back.

If people were afraid of Finn, they were terrified of his faithful dog. Bran was huge and tireless and had long, snapping teeth. He had one claw that was much sharper than the rest and it was poisonous. A scratch from the claw never healed but festered until the unfortunate victim dies.

Mostly Finn kept a golden shoe tied over this lethal claw but when he found himself in danger he would call Bran and take off the shoe. Bran would fly at his master’s enemies and very few had the courage to stand and face him. Some people wondered where such a dog came from but the old ones knew that Finn had stolen him from Faeryland. This is how it happened.


Times had been peaceful, which was unusual, and one day Finn decided to go walking, alone and unattended. He had not gone far when he met a man whose face was unfamiliar. This was strange, because Finn knew all the men who lived on his land.

“Who are you to be walking here?” asked Finn.

“I am a clever man in search of work,” replied the stranger.

“In what way are you clever?” asked Finn.

“I never sleep,” replied the man. “A master must have a use for a man who is always awake.”

“That is true,” smiled Finn. “Follow me and I will employ you.”

Hardly had Finn taken another step, when he was confronted by a second stranger. “Who are you who walks so boldly over my land?” asked Finn.

“I am a clever man in search of work,” replied the stranger.

“In what way are you clever?” asked Finn.

“I can hear the slightest sound,” replied the man. “I can even hear the grass growing from the ground.”

“Can you indeed?” smiled Finn. “Then you had better follow me and I will employ you.” He did not immediately see the use of such a talent but thought it better for the man to be working for him than for an enemy.

Scarcely a hundred yards further along the road, Finn met a third stranger. Again he asked the man what he was doing and again received the same reply- that he was a clever man looking for work. This stranger claimed that he was so strong that once he gripped something, no one could make him let go.

“In that case, join these other men and work for me,” said Finn.

Finn met four more men whom like the others, were invited to work for him. One was an expert thief, the next was a skilled climber, the third claimed he could throw a stone that would turn into a wall upon landing and the fourth said he was such a fine marksman that he never missed a shot.

Now Finn was no fool and with such unusual things happening to him one after the other, he rightly concluded that the faeries were at work and perhaps to his advantage. So he strode onwards to see what the rest of the day would bring.

Looking around, it seemed to Finn that the landscape suddenly changed. He found himself close by a palace that was quite unknown to him. As night was falling, Finn knocked at the palace gate and asked for shelter for himself and his men. He was allowed into the palace and there he found the King and Queen in the deepest sorrow.

“Our first two sons were stolen by faeries or demons or some such creatures,” wept the King. “Now another lovely baby has been born to us and we are afraid that this child will be stolen too.”

Then Finn thought he understood why he had met the seven strangers and why their steps had led them to this palace.

“My men and I will guard your new baby,” he smiled. “Have no more fear.”

Finn sent for the man who never slept and told him to watch the baby in its chamber. He told the man who could hear the grass growing to sit in the ante-chamber and listen for anyone coming. Finally, he told the man with the strong grip to sit by the baby’s cradle.

“Whatever approaches,” said Finn, “be it demon, monster or faery, seize it and never let it go.”
The King’s household settled down for the night and at first everything was peaceful. Then, as midnight struck, the man sitting in the ante-chamber said, “I feel so drowsy.”

“So do we,” yawned the courtiers who also sat in the ante-chamber. They were inquisitive to see what would happen.

The man who could hear grass growing cocked his head and said, “I can hear sweet music far off in the distance. It is coming nearer and nearer. Do you know what it can be?”

The courtiers’ faces turned white with fear. “It is the Master Harper,” they cried. “His playing puts everyone to sleep long before he arrives. How can we guard the baby’s chamber if we are asleep?”

The man sitting in the baby’s chamber laughed and said, “Nothing ever puts me to sleep. I will keep you all awake.” Getting to his feet, the man walked continually round the palace, shaking the guards and the courtiers so that no one slept.

This left the man with the strong grip sitting at the side of the cradle. Suddenly he saw a long, skinny arm come right through the wall and reach over to where the baby lay. “Steal the child, would you?” roared the man. “Well, you will be unlucky this time!”

Leaping to his feet he seized the mysterious hand. A terrible struggle followed in which the arm was thrown all over the room. But he did not relax his grip and finally, with one mighty heave, he pulled the hand and arm from the unseen body.

The courtiers rushed forward to look at the weird trophy. In the excitement and jostling, no one noticed a second hand push through the wall and snatch up the baby. The baby cried with fright, but by then it was too late. Bu the time the courtiers realised what was happening the child was disappearing through the wall. Everyone rushed outside and searched in the darkness, but without success. The King and Queen were heartbroken.

No one was more distressed than Finn, who had failed to guard the baby as he had promised. He swore to the King that he would not rest until he had found the child again. Calling his seven men, he strode out of the palace and back to his home.

Near Finn’s home, lying on the seashore, was a boat that had taken seven years and seven days to build. Taking his seven new servants with him, Finn launched the boat and they sailed until they reached a rocky shore. Pulling the boat well up the beach, Finn and his men walked inland until they came to a lonely house. Its walls were high and covered with slippery eel skins.

Finn called the man who was an expert climber. “Climb to the top of that house. Put your eye to the chimney and tell me what you see,” he ordered.

The man had not boasted in vain. He climbed easily over the slippery eel skins and peered down the chimney. When he returned, he reported to Finn that a one-eyed giant, whose arm had been torn from his body, was sitting inside the house. In his remaining hand the giant held a baby. Two handsome boys were playing on the floor.

Finn knew he had found the stolen children. Turning to the man who had boasted of being an expert thief, Finn told him to go into the house and steal all three children.

Silently the thief lifted the latch of the door and crept into the house. Without a sound he picked up the two boys. Then gently, so that the giant did not realize what was happening, he took the baby from the enormous hand.

He turned to go but on the way to the door, he saw three puppies playing among the rushes on the floor. Being a thief, he could not resist taking the little dogs as well. Thus laden, he tiptoed out to rejoin Finn and the others.

Carrying the children, the eight men turned and ran for the shore. They had not gone far before they heard loud barking. Looking back, they saw a huge tawny hound, with eyes glowing like lamps, bounding after them. It was the puppies’ mother.

“Now it is your turn to work,” said Finn, turning to the man who had boasted he could throw a stone that would turn into a wall as soon as it hit the ground.

As the men ran hard for the shore, the stone-thrower picked up stone after stone and threw them behind him. As each stone struck the ground, a wall rose up, but this did not stop the mother dog. She bounded on after her puppies.

“Throw down a puppy for her,” shouted Finn. For a moment the dog paused to sniff happily at the little creature. But then she bounded on in pursuit.

“Throw down another,” panted Finn and this time the mother was satisfied because she stayed behind with her two puppies.

Finn and his men reached their boat and thankfully dragged it into the sea. They rowed for many hours. When they were within sight of the shores of Ireland, they thought themselves safe at last and rested on their oars. But when they looked back they saw a terrifying sight. A ball of light flashed and darted in the water. All around it, the sea foamed and frothed as it someone were beating it into a fury.

One of the servants called, “It is the giant. I can see his great face with one eye glaring.”

Finn turned to the man who was a fine marksman and said,” Now is the time to show us how good you are with a bow.”

The man pulled the bowstring back to his ear and sent an arrow flying straight and true into the terrible eye. The giant threw his remaining arm high into the air, crashed back into the sea and disappeared from sight. He was never heard of again.

Finn and his men hurried to the King’s palace and restored the children to their delighted parents.

“What can I give you as a reward?” the King asked Finn.

“I want no reward,” smiled Finn, “but I will keep the puppy, for I believe he has come from an enchanted land and will be a good friend to me in times of danger.”

So Finn set off to walk to his own home. On the way, strange to say, his seven servants went missing, but the puppy remained. So who can doubt that what the old people say is true and that the dog, which Finn called Bran, did come from Faeryland?