Fionn

**Fionn** (also known as **Fionn and the Fianna**) is an animated short that is adapted from a tale from Ireland. It is an episode part of the anthology series "*Animated Tales of the World*."

## Summary

On the day before Fionn was born, his father fought a mighty battle with Clan Morna. He fought bravely only to be defeated by Cúldubh. Fionn's father suddenly passed away during the battle while his mother is about to give birth. Fionn's mother must find shelter, because Clan Morna is searching for her. Fionn's family suddenly escaped for shelter after the death of his father. That night, Fionn was born. The next day, Muirne entrusts her newborn son to two dear friends Lia Luachra and Bodball to take care of Fionn as a baby to raise him as a warrior like his father as Clan Morna is searching for the family and the baby.

Moments later, Fionn begins growing into a brave warrior just like his father. Suddenly, it was time to leave and Fionn sets off one day to fellow his destiny. On his way, Fionn encounters a woman fighting against Cúldubh and was able to save her. The woman then tells Fionn to go to the cave on the top of the mountain and show the treasure bag from Cúldubh to her clan the Clan Baiscne. Upon arriving to the cave on the top of the mountain, Fionn quickly learns that he is a warrior of the clan of his father's clan. Fionn then explains to one of the clan members Crimhaill that he was raised in the mountains by two women named Bodball and Lia Luachra. It is then explained that Fionn is his father's son in which Fionn's father Comhaill (pronounced roughly "Coo-al" or "Cool") was killed by Cúldubh, the man who stole the bag of treasure and it is explained that Cúldubh is a member of Clan Morna who is also an enemy of Clain Baiscne.

It is then explained that Fionn's father was the past leader of the High King's warriors known as the Fianna. Fionn decides to lead the Fianna warriors just like his father did before he died. Determined to claim the title of his father, Fionn decides to go to the High King to take his father's place in which Crimhaill gives him a bag full of magic weapons and other wonders that opens only when the tide is high. Fiacha, a member of Clan Baiscne, tells Fionn to learn all things a warrior must know: play chess, know magic, and sing and write poems. He then makes a suggestion to go to the river Boyne and find a man named Finnegas and ask him to be his teacher.

Fionn asks Fiacha to know if he would like to come with him to Tara when it's time, but Fiacha tells him that he will do better on his own. Fionn decides to seek for Finnegas by the river Boyne. Meanwhile at the river Boyne, Fionn encounters a man named Finnegas who then transforms into a powerful wizard. He then explains that the things a warrior must know would take most people about seven years. It is then explained that Fionn lived with Finnegas for a year who taught him all he promised to catch a very special salmon. Fionn captures the salmon of knowledge. It is then explained that a wise man who eats the salmon will gain all wisdom and knowledge. He suddenly warns Fionn not to eat the salmon. However, he accidentally tastes the salmon in which the salmon's spirit imparts Fionn with all of its knowledge. Finnegas is enraged that Fionn broke his promise, but the salmon's spirit says that Fionn has done nothing wrong.

Finnegas explains that Fionn must go to the hills of Tara in which the court is full of his father's enemies which is explained that it is safe to go until Clan Morna will have no man until midnight. Fionn then receives a winged helmet to help him fly to the hills of Tara from the bag of treasure. Fionn arrives to the hills of Tara in which Fiacha arrives to the spot where he asked him to come with him. Fiacha explains to him that he should avoid Goll (the big man who wears an eye patch) when he enters the Great Hall. Fiacha tells Fionn to go straight to the High King while Fiacha waits for him outside. Fionn suddenly arrives in the Great Hall who encounters the High King of Tara who demands his birthright as leader of the Fianna. Fionn then prepares to take his father's place, but the High King explains that it is not midnight yet.

The High King explains that no one has beaten him during a game of chess as Fionn decides to challenge the High King. Fionn suddenly wins the game against the High King in which he explains that Fionn is the son of Comhaill. The High King then explains that the hills of Tara is set on fire each year by a dragon's spirit in which a warrior has not defeated the dragon spirit yet. He then gives Fionn a challenge to destroy the dragon spirit to be leader of the Fianna warriors. Fionn accepts his challenge and prepares to destroy the dragon.

Fionn suddenly returns to Fiacha in which he explains that his mission is to destroy the dragon spirit. It is then explained that it is now midnight as he explains that the dragon spirit is now at the hills of Tara. Fionn found out that he is too weak to destroy the dragon in which he and Fiacha are about to be put to sleep by the dragon. The salmon's spirit then tells him that the dragon spirit must be sent to a doorway and can only be destroyed by the spear. Fionn was able to lure the dragon to the doorway in which Fionn manages to kill the dragon with his spear in his warrior skill. Upon killing the dragon, Fionn finished the challenge as he becomes the leader of the Fianna. As a result, Fionn puts an end to the feud between Clan Morna and Clan Boiscne as he becomes the new leader of the Fianna.

## Voice Cast

* Victor Burke - Fionn MacCoul

* Hilary Cahill - Bodball

* Nuala Hayes - Lia Luachra / the Salmon Spirit

* Eammon Hunt - Crimhaill / Conn the High King / the Dragon Spirit

* David Kelly - Finnegas

* Deirdre Molloy - Muirne

* Art O'Brain - Cúldubh

* Maurice O'Donoghue - Comhaill / Fiacha / Goll