o escape from it."

"Long live he who should protect them!" says Lomna.

"Better were triumph of saving them than triumph of slaying them! They
should be spared were it only on account of that man. 'Twere meet to
give that man quarter," says Lomna Druth.

"Ye cannot," says Ingcel. "Clouds," etc. "And after that whom sawest
thou there?"

THE ROOM OF THE THREE CHAMPIONS FROM THE ELFMOUNDS

"There I beheld a room with a trio in it. Three red mantles they wore,
and three red shirts, and three red heads of hair were on them. Red were
they all together with their teeth. Three red shields above them. Three
red spears in their hands. Three red horses in their bridles in front of
the Hostel. Liken thou that, O Fer rogain!"

"Easily done. Three champions who wrought falsehood in the elfmounds.
This is the punishment inflicted upon them by the king of the elfmounds,
to be destroyed thrice by the King of Tara. Conaire son of Eterscel is
the last king by whom they are destroyed. Those men will escape from
you. To fulfil their own destruction, they have come. But they will not
be slain, nor will they slay anyone. And after that whom sawest thou?"

THE ROOM OF THE DOORWARDS

"There I beheld a trio in the midst of the house at the door. Three
holed maces in their hands. Swift as a hare was each of them round the
other towards the door. Aprons were on them, and they had gray and
speckled mantles. Liken thou that, O Fer rogain!"

"Easily done: Three doorwardens of Tara's King are those, namely Echur
('Key') and Tochur and Tecmang, three sons of Ersa ('Doorpost') and
Comla ('Valve'). Thrice their number will fall by them, and they will
share a man's triumph among them. They will chance to escape
though wounded."

"Woe to him that shall wreak!" etc., says Lomna Druth.

"Ye cannot," says Ingcel, etc. "And after that whom sawest thou?"

THE ROOM OF FER CAILLE

"There I beheld at the fire in front a man with black cropt hair, having
only one eye and one foot and one hand, having on the fire a pig bald,
black, singed, squealing continually, and in his company a great
big-mouthed woman. Liken thou that, O Fer rogain!"

"Easily done: Fer caille with his pig and his wife Cichuil. They (the
wife and the pig) are his proper instruments on the night that ye
destroy Conaire King of Erin. Alas for the guest who will run between
them! Fer caille with his pig is one of Conaire's tabus."

"Woe to him who shall wreak the Destruction!" sa