r said to his people, "It
is best for us to unyoke the chariots now, and to look for some place
where we can spend the night."

Then Fergus went forward to look for some place, and what he came to was
a very small poor-looking house. A man and a woman were in it, and when
they saw him they said, "Bring your companions here along with you, and
they will be welcome." Fergus went back to his companions and told them
what he had seen. But Bricriu said: "Where is the use of going into a
house like that, with neither room nor provisions nor coverings in it;
it is not worth our while to be going there."

Then Bricriu went on himself to the place where the house was. But when
he came to it, what he saw was a grand, new, well-lighted house; and at
the door there was a young man wearing armour, very tall and handsome
and shining. And he said, "Come into the house, Bricriu; why are you
looking about you?" And there was a young woman beside him, fine and
noble, and with curled hair, and she said, "Surely there is a welcome
before you from me." "Why does she welcome me?" said Bricriu. "It is on
account of her that I myself welcome you," said the young man. "And is
there no one missing from you at Emain?" he said. "There is, surely,"
said Bricriu. "We are missing fifty young girls for the length of a
year." "Would you know them again if you saw them?" said the young man.
"If I would not know them," said Bricriu, "it is because a year might
make a change in them, so that I would not be sure." "Try and know them
again," said the man, "for the fifty young girls are in this house, and
this woman beside me is their mistress, Dechtire. It was they
themselves, changed into birds, that went to Emain Macha to bring you
here." Then Dechtire gave Bricriu a purple cloak with gold fringes; and
he went back to find his companions. But while he was going he thought
to himself, "Conchubar would give great treasure to find these fifty
young girls again, and his sister along with them. I will not tell him I
have found them. I will only say I have found a house with beautiful
women in it, and no more than that."

When Conchubar saw Bricriu he asked news of him.

"What news do you bring back with you, Bricriu?" he said. "I came to a
fine well-lighted house," said Bricriu; "I saw a queen, noble, kind,
with royal looks, with curled hair; I saw a troop of women, beautiful,
well dressed; I saw the man of the house, tall and open-handed and
shining." "Le