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You are here: Home / Mythology / How Did Finn MacCool Grow Wise In Celtic Mythology and How Did Finn Receive the Tooth of Knowledge?

How Did Finn MacCool Grow Wise In Celtic Mythology and How Did Finn Receive the Tooth of Knowledge?

April 19, 2020 by Karen Hill

Finn MacCool was the greatest leader of the Fianna in Celtic mythology.

As a young boy, Finn was taught by the druid Finegas.

One day, Finegas caught the Salmon of Knowledge. Whoever ate the magical salmon would receive incredible knowledge and wisdom.

Delighted with his catch, Finegas gave the salmon to Finn and ordered him to cook it.

Finn let the fish sit over the fire for several minutes. To see if it was done, Finn ran his thumb over the skin.

The heat burned his thumb, and he stuck it into his mouth to cool it off. Suddenly, the fish’s knowledge and wisdom passed into Finn.

From then on, Finn could answer any question by simply placing his thumb in his mouth.

The answer would instantly appear in his head.

He called this gift “the tooth of knowledge.”

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Filed Under: Mythology

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « Who Were the Fianna In Irish Mythology and How Did Men Become a Member of the Fianna?
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