most complete and coherent, forms the staple of the following summary, passages found in it alone being italicised.[1]
Summary of the Lay of the Great Fool.—(1) There was a great fool who subdued the world by strength of body; (2) He comes to the King of Lochlin to win a fair woman, learns she is guarded by seven score heroes, overthrows them, and carries her off; (C. and K. plunging at once in medias res, introduce the Great Fool and his lady love out walking) (3) The two enter a valley, are meet by a "Gruagach" (champion, sorcerer), in his hand a goblet with drink; (4) The Great Fool thirsts, and though warned by his lady love drinks deep of the proffered cup; the "Gruagach" departs and the Great Fool finds himself minus his two legs; (5) The two go onward, and ("swifter was he at his two knees than six at their swiftness of foot;" C.) A deer nears them followed by a white hound, the Great Fool slays the deer and seizes the hound; (6) whose owner coming up claims but finally yields it, and offers the Great Fool food and drink during life; (7) The three fare together (the glen they had passed through had ever been full of glamour) till they come to a fair city filled with the glitter of gold, dwelt in solely by the owner of the white hound and his wife, "whiter than very snow her form, gentle her eye, and her teeth like a flower"; (8) She asks concerning her husband's guests, and, learning the Great Fool's prowess, marvels he should have let himself be deprived of his legs;
- ↑ O'Daly's version consists of 158 quatrains; Campbell's of 63. The correspondence between them, generally very close (frequently verbal), is shown by the following table:—
O'D., 1, 2. C., 1, 2. O'D., 68, 69. C., 46, 47. — C., 3. O'D., 70. C., 49. O'D., 3. C.,4. O'D., 71. C., 48. O.D., 4-15. — — C., 50. O'D., 16. C., 4. O'D., 72. C., 52. O'D., 17-24. C., 5-12. O'D., 73. — O'D., 25. — O'D., 74. C., 53. — C., 13-15. O'D., 75. C., 54. O'D., 26-47. C., 16-36. O'D., 76-80. C., 55-59. O'D., 48-56. — O'D., 81-134. — O'D., 57-61. C., 37-40. O'D., 135, 136. C., 60, 61. O'D., 62. — — C., 62. O'D., 63-65. C., 41-43. O'D., 137. — O'D., 66. C., 45. O'D., 138. C., 63. O'D., 67. C., 44. O'D. 139-158. —
