[99] Pronounced "Foo-a." A weird shape, phantom, or spectre.
Says the Fuath to his people, "Wait ye there and I'll go talk to yon man who is alone, and since I took up with a life of plundering and stealing I never felt a desire to protect any man except that one only." He gripped his sword and went over to meet Taircheal.
He said to Taircheal, "Whence have you come from, you eater of beastings?"
"Whence have you come from yourself, you black burnt gruagach[100]?" said the young man.
[100] Literally, "long-haired one." It is a term for a wizard or warlock.
"I'll take your bags off you, and your head too, unless you listen to me," said the Fuath.
"By my father's hand you won't unless I wish it myself," said Taircheal.
"By the hand of him who taught me, but I'll ply my weapon on you," said the Fuath.
"I'd think it easier to put you down than boiled meat," said Taircheal.
"Listen or I'll stick this point in through the middle of your heart," said the Fuath.
"I swear," said the young man, "that I'll strike you on the head with this stick, it is the crozier of my master and tutor, and he promised that it should never be broken in single combat."
Then fear possessed the Fuath, and he called to his people to come and help him. The other Fuaths came. Then it was plain to Taircheal that he had no way of escape or of withdrawing.
"We'll kill you now, brown Taircheal," said the Fuath's hag, "I'll thrust you through with my knife, and you'll get death and violent dissolution."
"Let me go to the other side of that ditch, and give three steps in the path of the King of Heaven and Earth," said he.
The Fuaths laughed. "That's all you want?" said they. "That's all," said he.
"Have it then," said the hag, "for you won't go from us, for we are as swift as the deer of the hill, and this hound of ours is as swift as the wind."
Then Taircheal walked to the ditch, and gave his three leaps. He went so far, of the first leap, that they thought he was no bigger [when he landed] than a crow on top of the hill. The second leap he gave they did not see him at all, and they did not see whether it was to heaven or earth he had gone. Of the third leap he landed upon the wall of his tutor's church.
"That way he's gone," said the Fuath's hag. Then they rose up and ran, both hound and person, so that their cry and yell was heard a mile overhead in the upper air. The hounds and populace of the village came out each one of them to protect the youth, for it was plain to them that he was being pursued by the Fuaths. But he leapt down off the wall and ran into the church, and began returning thanks to God in presence of his tutor.