It’s been said that Finn McCool, while still a young man, went to live next to the river Boyne with Finegas, an elder Irish poet and druid. Finegas lived there in order to catch the Salmon of Knowledge, as it was said that he who caught the Salmon of Knowledge and ate it would receive all the knowledge of the world. One day Finegas caught the Salmon, and asked Finn to cook it while he, Finegas, went to fetch more wood for the fire. While Finegas was gone, Finn went to move the fish on the spit and burnt his thumb when he touched the fish. Instinctively, Finn quickly put  his thumb in his mouth. At that moment all the Salmon’s knowledge went to him. When Finegas returned, he noticed a change in Finn’s expression and behavior. He asked Finn if he had eaten any of the Salmon. Finn replied that he only burnt his thumb while moving the fish on the spit, but put his thumb in his mouth to soothe the burn. “Eat the rest of it,” replied Finegas. “You, not I, must be the Fin that was professed to receive the Salmon’s knowledge.” From that point forward, when Finn needed to know the future or consider a difficult decision, all he need do was put his thumb to his lips and the answer would come to him.