How Fionn got more magic...

Where did I leave off?  Hmm, okay so Fionn was finally able to know where his uncle was, right?

Well, he went to his uncle and his uncle was living with the rest of the people who refused to live under the rule of the sons of Morda.  They were happy when Fionn arrived because they knew this was someone they could follow.  Fionn knew he still was not prepared to lead the men, so he went under the service of a poet Finegas.  Because Fionn wass hiding out from his enemies, he took on the alias of Deimne.  So even Finegas did not know the true identity of his apprentice.

Fionn worked for Finegas for seven years because he was hungry for the knowledge that Finegas could give him.  Finegas lived by a river because this river contained the Salmon of Knowledge.  There was a prophecy that Finegas would be the one to catch this fish, so he would fish the river every day with the hope that he would capture this fish.  After five years of fishing, Finegas finally caught the fish!  He gave the fish to his apprentice to cook, but warned him not to eat the fish for that honor belonged to Finegas.  As Fionn cooked the fish, he turned it in the pan and he accidently burnt his thumb.  Naturally, Fionn immediately put his thumb in his mouth to help ease the pain of the burn.

The salmon of knowledge from http://www.circleofancestors.org/2008/03/the-salmon-of-w.html

When Fionn brought the fish to Finegas, he was asked if he had eaten the fish.  Fionn told him that he had burnt his thumb and put it in his mouth to relieve the pain.  Finegas replied, "You name is not Deimne, it is Fionn and the full prophecy spoke of you eating the fish that I, Finegas, would catch."  Finegas then asked Fionn to eat the entire fish.  When Fionn ate the fish, he gained the knowledge of the nine hazels of wisdom from the Well of Wonder which lies beneath the sea.


From that moment on, Fionn only had to put his thumb in his mouth and he would know whatever knowledge he wished to know.   From that wisdom, Fionn knew he was ready to face his destiny.

Man, I wish I had thumbs.  Then I could put them in my mouth and see if I get smarter from it!