"I have by no means the power to give it," says the daughter, "what
thou mayest like do it in regard to me." "I swear to the god to whom
my people swear, thy lips shall be pale (literally, shall perish)
unless thou returnest it from thee," says Ailill. "It is why it is
asked of thee, because it is impossible; for I know that until the
people who have died from the beginning of the world. Come, it comes
not out of the spot in which it was flung." "It shall not come for a
treasure which is not appreciated,"[FN#33] says the daughter, "the ring
that is asked for here, I go that I may bring it to thee, since it is
keenly it is asked." "Thou shalt not go," says Ailill; "but let one go
from thee to bring it."
[FN#33] This is Windisch's rendering (Irische Texte, I. p. 677: s.v.
main).
The daughter sends her maid to bring it.
"I swear to the god to whom my territories swear, if it shall be found,
I shall by no means be under thy power any longer though I should be at
great drinking continually." (?)[FN#34] "I shall by no means prevent
you from doing that, namely even if it were to the groom thou shouldst
go if the ring is found," says Ailill. The maid then brought the dish
into the palace, and the broiled salmon on it, and it dressed under
honey which was well made by the daughter; and the ring of gold was on
the salmon from above.
[FN#34] "dian dumroib for sar-ol mogreis." Meyer gives "if there is
any one to protect me." The above is Crowe's rendering.
Ailill and Medb view it. After that Fraech looks at it, and looks at
his purse. "It seems to me it was for proof that I left my girdle,"
says Fraech. "On the truth of the sovereignty," says Fraech, "say what
thou did'st about the ring." "This shall not be concealed from thee,"
says Ailill; "mine is the ring which was in thy purse, and I knew it is
Find-abair gave it to thee. It is therefore I flung it into the Dark
Pool. On the truth of thine honour and of thy soul, O Fraech, declare
thou what way the bringing of it out happened."
"It shall not be concealed on thee," says Fraech. "The first day I
found the ring in front of the outer court, and I knew it was a lovely
gem. It is for that reason I put it up industriously in my purse. I
heard, the day I went to the water, the maiden who had lost it
a-looking for it. I said to her: 'What reward shall I have at thy
hands for the finding of it?' She said to me that she would give a
year's love to me.
"It happened I did not leave it about me; I had left it in the house
behind me. We met not until we met at the giving of the sword into my
hand in the river. After that I saw the time thou open'st the purse
and flungest the ring into the water: I saw the salmon which leaped for
it, so that it took it into its mouth. I then caught the salmon, took
it up in the cloak, put it into the hand of the daughter. It is that
salmon accordingly which is on the dish."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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