I overheard her telling that she never had but one lover, and that he was the only man who overcame her in battle. There were some who thought him one of the Riders of the Sidhe, because the child was great of limb and strong beyond others. The child was begotten over the mountains; but come nearer and I will tell you something. BARACH. You have thought something? FINTAIN. When I hear the young girls talking about the colour of Cuchullain's eyes, & how they have seven colours, I have thought about it. That young man has Aoife's face and hair, but he has Cuchullain's eyes. BARACH. How can he have Cuchullain's eyes? FINTAIN. He is Cuchullain's son. BARACH. And his mother has sent him hither to fight his father. FINTAIN. It is all quite plain. Cuchullain went into Aoife's country when he was a young man that he might learn skill in arms, and there he became Aoife's lover. BARACH. And now she hates him because he went away, and has sent the son to kill the father. I knew she was a goddess. FINTAIN. And she never told him who his father was, that he might do it. I have thought it all out, fool. I know a great many things because I listen when nobody is noticing and I keep my wits awake. What ails you now? BARACH. I have remembered that I am hungry. FINTAIN. Well, forget it again, and I will tell you about Aoife's country. It is full of wonders. There are a great many Queens there who can change themselves into wolves and into swine and into white hares, and when they are in their own shapes they are stronger than almost any man; and there are young men there who have cat's eyes and if a bird chirrup or a mouse squeak they cannot keep them shut even though it is bedtime and they sleepy; and listen, for this is a great wonder, a very great wonder, there is a long narrow bridge, and when anybody goes to cross it, that the Queens do not like, it flies up as this bench would if you were to sit on the end of it. Everybody who goes there to learn skill in arms has to cross it. It was in that country too that Cuchullain got his spear made out of dragon bones. There were two dragons fighting in the foam of the sea, & their grandam was the moon, and six Queens came along the shore. BARACH. I won't listen to your story. FINTAIN. It is a very wonderful story. Wait till you hear what the six Queens did. Their right hands were all made of silver. BARACH. No, I will have my dinner first. You have eaten the fowl I left in front of the fire. The last time you sent me to steal something you made me forget all about it till you had eaten it up. FINTAIN. No, there is plenty for us both. BARACH. Come with me where it is. FINTAIN. (Who is being led towards the door at the back by Barach.) O, it is all right, it is in a safe place. BARACH. It is a fine fowl. It was the biggest in the yard. FINTAIN.