The Hard Servant: Part 3

Conan leaped onto the horses' back and struck his heels hard into its sides, but with all that, the horse would not move.
"I know what the problem is," said Finn after a few failed atempts. "He will not budge until he has the weight of his master on him."
Following Finn's orders, thirteen men of the Fianna got up behind Conan.
"I think you are mocking my horse and me," called the big man, "and it would be a pity for me to spent a year with you, after all the humbugging I saw in you today, Finn. And I know now that all the things I heard about you are lies and there is no cause for the great name you have throughout the world. I'm leaving now."
With that He headed off at the same slow pace that he arrived, until he was out of the Fianna's sight. Then he ran with the swiftness of a deer. When the horse saw his master leaving him, he took off after him at full gallop, even with his heavy load. Finn and the Fianna saw the thirteen men and Conan being carried away and followed, shouting and mocking them.
Conan soon realized that he could not get off the horse, yelled to them not to let him be carried away by the big man they knew nothing of. He cursed and reproached them.
"A cloud of death over water on you, Finn," he said, "and that some son of a slave or robber of the bad blood may take your life, unless you follow us and bring us back to Ireland from whatever place the big man might take us."
Finn and the Fianna rose up and followed the Gilla Decair over every bald hill, through every valley and every river. The big man was up on the horse with Conan and the thirteen men and he turned the horse's head toward the deep sea.
Liagan Luath of Luachar took hold of the horse's tail with both his hands, thinking of draging it back by the hair on it; but the horse gave a great tug, and away with him over the sea, and Liagan along with them holding on to the horses' tail.

Even if Finn had not been under bonds to bring back the fourteen men who had been taken from him, it would have caused him great worry until they had been brought back.
"What should we do now?" Oisin asked Finn.
"What can we do, but follow our people to whatever place the big man has taken them to and bring them back to Ireland."
"How are we to do that with no boat?"
" The de Danaan left a gift to the children of the Gael," said Finn. "Whoever wanted to leave Ireland had but to go to Beinn  Edair, and they would find a ship that could carry them all.

To Be Continued...