until the day was over. However, this turned him into a fine young man, fair of appearance, supple of limb and skilled to boot. So, after spending some time with a troupe of poets being taught the way of words, he was put out on his own and went to seek his living in the service of a king.
Eventually, he came to the king who had taken his mother for his wife and fine service he gave. All was well until one day he was playing chess with the king and won seven games in a row. It was then that the king questioned this fine young man's origins and discovered that he was the son of Cumhal. This displeased him greatly and Finn, who was then called Deimne to conceal his lineage, was asked to leave. He then decided to go into Connaught to seek out his father's brother, Crimall. He was on his way there when a magical meeting took place. He came across a woman crying tears of blood. Finn asked her why she cried so and the woman answered that her only son had just been killed by a champion. Finn vowed that after seeing such a sight that he would follow the champion and slay him. Such sorrow he had not seen before. So he killed the man and it was the same man who had given his father his first wound in the battle that was to be his last.
The champion had on his person a treasure bag made of craneskin that had previously belonged to Finn's father. The bag was full of magical items that could only be used at full tide. The original owners of the bag were Manannan MacLir, god of the sea, and Lugh of the Long Hand, god of the sun. It was a precious find, marking another stage in the boy's oncoming adulthood. Finn found Crimall, now an old man, living in a lonely place with some of the other old men of the Fianna. They exchanged stories and conversation and it was here that Finn left the craneskin bag. Finn then went on to learn wisdom and poetry from a man named Finnegas who lived by the river Boyne. It is by the side of water that poets gain inspiration. The border between land and sea, neither one world or the other. It is where the goddess of poetry may be sought.
For seven years Finnegas had watched for the white, red speckled salmon of knowledge. For in eating this fish a man may have all knowledge. At last the fish did arrive and Finnegas, rejoicing, gave the fish to Finn to roast but told him not to eat any of it. However, during the cooking of the salmon, Finn noticed a blister appearing on its skin and put his thumb onto it to make it disappear. Needless to say, Finn's thumb got badly burnt and he thrust it into his mouth and onto his wisdom tooth. The boy then gave Finnegas the fish and after looking at it for a while
he said to Finn: "What is your name, boy?" "It is Deimne". Finn replied. "No, it is not", said Finnegas. "It is Finn that is your name and the prophesy that someone named Finn will gain the knowledge from the salmon has been fulfilled." The boy then confessed to having inadvertently tasted the fish. From that time on Finn had the knowledge from the nuts of the nine hazels that grew beneath the sea. This is how the boy then fulfilled his destiny and became the man who would be leader of the Fianna of Eire.