The Thumb of Knowledge
A STORY FROM THE FENIAN CYCLE
Many centuries ago, there lived in Ireland a great warrior chieftain named Finn macCual, whose exploits made him a hero of legend and song. Long before Saint Patrick brought the Christian faith to Ireland, Finn was the leader of a loyal band of forest-dwelling troops called the Fianna. They were stouthearted young men, freeborn sons of aristocratic families, carefully selected for their strength and courage.
They lived for most of the year in the wild, hunting game, training in the martial arts, raiding nearby rivals, and serving local rulers as soldiers for hire. More than mere fighting men, the Fianna were also educated and cultured men of high character, following a strict Honor Code and well-versed in poetry, music, history, and the genealogies of Ireland’s kings.
The story of the Thumb of Knowledge truly begins thousands of years before the time of Finn macCual and the Fianna, when the first people arrived in Ireland, 40 days before the Biblical flood. Led by a courageous woman named Cesair, who was a granddaughter of Noah, they sailed into Bantry Bay in three ships.
When they attempted to land, however, two of the ships were dashed upon the rocks and lost. Nearly all the men were drowned. The only survivors were Cesair and fifty of the women, along with but three men: her aging father, Bith, her husband, Fintan macBórcha, and Ladra, the pilot of their ship.
Bith and Ladra soon died, leaving Fintan alone with all the women. The work of keeping all those women happy was too much for one man, and Fintan quickly found himself overwhelmed. So he turned himself into a salmon and jumped into the sea, which had the added benefit of allowing him to survive when the devastating flood consumed mankind.
After the floodwaters finally receded, Fintan swam up the Boyne River, until he found a quiet pool at its source, called the Well of Segais, where he could rest and regain his strength. As it was, around that pool grew nine enchanted hazel trees, upon which grew nine mystical hazelnuts, filled with all the knowledge of the world.
When autumn came, the hazelnuts matured and fell into the quiet pool, one by one. As each nut struck the water, Fintan mac Bórcha rose and devoured it. Soon, all the wisdom of the world had passed into Fintan, and he became known as An Bradán Feasa (ahn BRAH dun FAH shah), the Salmon of Knowledge.
Fintan lived for over five thousand years, during which time people returned to Ireland. Many of them heard the legend of the Salmon of Knowledge. Some even saw him swimming in the Boyne River. But no one was ever able to capture him.
In due time, a wise old druid named Finegas came into the Boyne valley and settled near the river where Fintan had lived peacefully for those many years. It was Finegas’ greatest desire to one day capture the Salmon of Knowledge and make a meal of it, for it was believed by many that whoever was the first to eat the Salmon of Knowledge would acquire all the wisdom it possessed.
Now at that time, Finn MacCual was but a small boy, and for reasons the telling of which is best left to another day, he was placed in the care of Finegas and sent to the druid’s settlement on the banks of the Boyne. Finegas taught Finn the arts of the druid and the poet, and Finn was a diligent student. But Finegas never lost his desire to catch the Salmon of Knowledge, casting his line every day into the Boyne, in hope of hooking the magical fish.
One day, as he was fishing, Finegas felt a strong tug, and saw an enormous salmon, as big as a man, on the end of his line. He knew at once he had finally captured the elusive Salmon of Knowledge. Shouting and singing with joy, Finegas struggled to pull the salmon out of the water.
He called out to Finn for help, and between the two of them, they landed the fish on the riverbank. The old druid set Finn to the tasks of building a fire and cooking their catch. He sternly warned the boy not to eat any of it, and Finn gave his word.
Finn placed the salmon over the fire, and cooked it to a turn. When it was ready, Finn called out to Finegas to come for his supper. Before removing the fish from the fire, Finn placed his thumb upon it to check its temperature, and in so doing was burned by the fat. Instinctively, Finn placed his thumb in his mouth, as any child might do in a similar situation.
At that moment, all the knowledge of the world, held within that salmon for over five thousand years, began to flow into young Finn. When told of the mishap, Finegas realized it was not his destiny to possess the wisdom of the whole world, but that of Finn macCual instead, and he gave the fish to the boy. Finn ate the salmon, whereupon all of the world’s knowledge was given to him.
And so, from that day forward, whenever the valiant and battle-hardened Finn macCual was faced with a challenge that required wisdom rather than strength or courage, the mighty hero could be seen sucking upon his thumb, the Thumb of Knowledge, like a small child. And it never failed to provide Finn with the insight and understanding the situation required.
They lived for most of the year in the wild, hunting game, training in the martial arts, raiding nearby rivals, and serving local rulers as soldiers for hire. More than mere fighting men, the Fianna were also educated and cultured men of high character, following a strict Honor Code and well-versed in poetry, music, history, and the genealogies of Ireland’s kings.
The story of the Thumb of Knowledge truly begins thousands of years before the time of Finn macCual and the Fianna, when the first people arrived in Ireland, 40 days before the Biblical flood. Led by a courageous woman named Cesair, who was a granddaughter of Noah, they sailed into Bantry Bay in three ships.
When they attempted to land, however, two of the ships were dashed upon the rocks and lost. Nearly all the men were drowned. The only survivors were Cesair and fifty of the women, along with but three men: her aging father, Bith, her husband, Fintan macBórcha, and Ladra, the pilot of their ship.
Bith and Ladra soon died, leaving Fintan alone with all the women. The work of keeping all those women happy was too much for one man, and Fintan quickly found himself overwhelmed. So he turned himself into a salmon and jumped into the sea, which had the added benefit of allowing him to survive when the devastating flood consumed mankind.
After the floodwaters finally receded, Fintan swam up the Boyne River, until he found a quiet pool at its source, called the Well of Segais, where he could rest and regain his strength. As it was, around that pool grew nine enchanted hazel trees, upon which grew nine mystical hazelnuts, filled with all the knowledge of the world.
When autumn came, the hazelnuts matured and fell into the quiet pool, one by one. As each nut struck the water, Fintan mac Bórcha rose and devoured it. Soon, all the wisdom of the world had passed into Fintan, and he became known as An Bradán Feasa (ahn BRAH dun FAH shah), the Salmon of Knowledge.
Fintan lived for over five thousand years, during which time people returned to Ireland. Many of them heard the legend of the Salmon of Knowledge. Some even saw him swimming in the Boyne River. But no one was ever able to capture him.
In due time, a wise old druid named Finegas came into the Boyne valley and settled near the river where Fintan had lived peacefully for those many years. It was Finegas’ greatest desire to one day capture the Salmon of Knowledge and make a meal of it, for it was believed by many that whoever was the first to eat the Salmon of Knowledge would acquire all the wisdom it possessed.
Now at that time, Finn MacCual was but a small boy, and for reasons the telling of which is best left to another day, he was placed in the care of Finegas and sent to the druid’s settlement on the banks of the Boyne. Finegas taught Finn the arts of the druid and the poet, and Finn was a diligent student. But Finegas never lost his desire to catch the Salmon of Knowledge, casting his line every day into the Boyne, in hope of hooking the magical fish.
One day, as he was fishing, Finegas felt a strong tug, and saw an enormous salmon, as big as a man, on the end of his line. He knew at once he had finally captured the elusive Salmon of Knowledge. Shouting and singing with joy, Finegas struggled to pull the salmon out of the water.
He called out to Finn for help, and between the two of them, they landed the fish on the riverbank. The old druid set Finn to the tasks of building a fire and cooking their catch. He sternly warned the boy not to eat any of it, and Finn gave his word.
Finn placed the salmon over the fire, and cooked it to a turn. When it was ready, Finn called out to Finegas to come for his supper. Before removing the fish from the fire, Finn placed his thumb upon it to check its temperature, and in so doing was burned by the fat. Instinctively, Finn placed his thumb in his mouth, as any child might do in a similar situation.
At that moment, all the knowledge of the world, held within that salmon for over five thousand years, began to flow into young Finn. When told of the mishap, Finegas realized it was not his destiny to possess the wisdom of the whole world, but that of Finn macCual instead, and he gave the fish to the boy. Finn ate the salmon, whereupon all of the world’s knowledge was given to him.
And so, from that day forward, whenever the valiant and battle-hardened Finn macCual was faced with a challenge that required wisdom rather than strength or courage, the mighty hero could be seen sucking upon his thumb, the Thumb of Knowledge, like a small child. And it never failed to provide Finn with the insight and understanding the situation required.
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