' i am come by the powers of the agility of my arm and leg , ' responded he , ' having heard there is not one man in the world more liberal in bestowing gifts than you , o fionn . therefore , i am come to solicit wealth and valuable gifts from you . ' i replied that were all the wealth of the world mine i would give him neither little nor much . he then declared ' they were all liars who asserted that i never gave a refusal to any person . ' i replied that if he were a man i would not give him a refusal . ' well , then , ' said the giant , ' let me have that haunch you have in your hand , and i will say good - bye to the fenians , provided that you allow me the length of the haunch as a distance , and that i am not seized upon until i make my first hop . ' upon hearing this i gave the haunch into the giant 's hand , and he hopped over the lofty stockades of the town . he then made use of the utmost swiftness of his one leg to outstrip all the rest of the fenians . when the fenian chiefs saw that , they started in pursuit of the giant , while i and the band of minstrels of the town went to the top of the dun to watch their proceedings . when i saw that the giant had outstripped them a considerable distance , i put on my running habiliments , and , taking no weapon but mac an loin in my hand , i started after the others . i overtook the hindmost division on sliabh an righ , the middle ( next ) division at limerick , and the chiefs of the fenians at ath bo , which is called ath - luain ( athlone ) , and those first in the pursuit at rinn - an - ruaigh , to the right - hand side of cruachan of connacht , where he ( the giant ) was distant less than a javelin 's cast from me .
they started in pursuit of the giant .
what did the fenian chiefs do when they saw the giant outstrip the other fenians ?
what did the fenian chiefs do when they saw the giant outstrip the other fenians ?