They saw something, at the ninth hour on the morrow he comes, and fifty
women around him, and he quite whole, without stain and without
blemish; of equal age (the women), of equal form, of equal beauty, of
equal fairness, of equal symmetry, of equal stature, with the dress of
women of the fairies about them so that there was no means of knowing
of one beyond the other of them. Little but men were suffocated around
them. They separate in front of the Liss.[FN#31] They give forth their
lament on going from him, so that they troubled[FN#32] the men who were
in the Liss excessively. It is from it is the Lament-cry of the Women
of the Fairies with the musicians of Erin.
[FN#31] The Liss is the outer court of the palace.
[FN#32] "Oo corastar tar cend," "so that they upset, or put beside
themselves." Meyer takes literally, "so that they fell on their backs"
(?)
He then goes into the dun. All the hosts rise before him, and bid
welcome to him, as if it were from another world he were coming.
Ailill and Medb arise, and do penance to him for the attack they had
made at him, and they make peace. Feasting commenced with them then at
once. Fraech calls a servant of his suite:
"Go off," he says, "to the spot at which I went into the water. A
salmon I left there--bring it to Find-abair, and let herself take
charge over it; and let the salmon be well broiled by her, and the ring
is in the centre of the salmon. I expect it will be asked of her
to-night." Inebriety seizes them, and music and amusement delight
them. Ailill then said: "Bring ye all my gems to me." They were
brought to him then, so that the were before him. "Wonderful,
wonderful," says every one. "Call ye Find-abair to me," he says.
Find-abair goes to him, and fifty maidens around her. "O daughter,"
says Ailill, "the ring I gave to thee last year, does it remain with
thee? Bring it to me that the warriors may see it. Thou shalt have it
afterwards." "I do not know," she says, "what has been done about it."
"Ascertain then," says Ailill, "it must be sought, or thy soul must
depart from thy body."
"It is by no means worth," say the warriors, "there is much of value
there, without that." "There is naught of my jewels that will not go
for the maid," says Fraech, "because she brought me the sword for
pledge of my soul."
"There is not with thee anything of gems that should aid her unless she
returns the ring from her," says Ailill.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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