Giant Malediction

Conall's second tale described

An encounter with a giant

After falling into a cleft

The giant had lost the use of one eye

And the hero claimed to be a healer but

His true goal was to blind the monster

To bide his time and save his life

The giant cursed and roared in rage

When tricked out of his remaining sight

Promising to boil the warrior alive

After darkness came

The giant began to doze

Giving conall time to climb

Out of the hole

Goats were pinned at the top of the cliff

And the champion devised a plan

He slaughtered the buck and

Quickly donned its skin

The bleating of the goats

Awakened the giant who realized

Conall had entered the pen

But being blind, the giant felt

Only the buck's skin

As the hero crawled away

'You have bested me boy

Victory is yours

Take my ring as your prize!'

Conall was flushed with pride

And placed the fine silver ring

Upon his smallest finger

Once placed, try as he may

The ring would not be removed

The giant roared,

'Where are you ring?'

And the ring spoke aloud,

'Here am I!'

Running toward the sound of the ring

The giant sought his meal

Conall thought quickly

Removed his knife,

Severed the finger with the ring,

And tossed the ring over the cliff.

The giant went running after

His screams trailing behind

You see my king

That adventure was surely more dire

Than the loss of my sons

The tale was considered,

And another one of the sons was released