Thumb

• "To bite one's thumb" - an indication of anger, vexation.

• When Finn mac Cumhail is in need of divine inspiration, he often 'chews his thumb', often at the urging of his dog Bran. During his youth, he was cooking the salmon of wisdom when he burnt his thumb. When he put his thumb into his mouth to cool it, he brought with it a bit of the fish's flesh, and when Finn ate it the fish's sublime wisdom was passed on to him.