by the fish-abounding rivers
with salmon and speckled trout; and countless numbers of peasants on
horseback and on foot, all wending their way to the great meeting-place
by the mound, which a thousand years before had been raised over the
grave of the great queen. For there the fair was to be held.

On the opening day the High King, attended by the four kings of Erin,
set out from the palace, and with them went the queen and the ladies of
the court in sparkling chariots. The princess rode in the chariot with
the High Queen, under an awning made of the wings of birds, to protect
them from the rays of the sun. Following the queen were the court ladies
in other chariots, under awnings of purple or of yellow silk. Then came
the brehons, the great judges of the land, and the chief bards of the
high court of Tara, and the Druids, crowned with oak leaves, and
carrying wands of divination in their hands.

When the royal party reached the ground it took its place in inclosures
right up against the monumental mound. The High King sat with the four
kings of Erin, all wearing their golden helmets, for they wore their
diadems in battle only. In an inclosure next the king's sat the queen
and the princess and all the ladies of the court. At either side of the
royal pavilions were others for the dames and ladies and nobles and
chiefs of different degrees, forming part of a circle on the plain, and
the stands and benches for the people were so arranged as to complete
the circle, and in the round green space within it, so that all might
hear and see, the contests were to take place.

At a signal from the king, who was greeted with a thunderous cheer, the
heralds rode round the circle, and having struck their sounding shields
three times with their swords, they made a solemn proclamation of peace.
Then was sung by all the assembled bards, to the accompaniment of their
harps, the chant in honor of the mighty dead. When this was ended, again
the heralds struck their shields, and the contests began. The first
contest was the contest of spear-throwing between the champions of the
seven battalions of the Feni. When the seven champions took their places
in front of the royal inclosure, everyone, even the proud princess, was
struck by the manly beauty and noble bearing of Fergus.

The champions poised their spears, and at a stroke from the heralds upon
their shields the seven spears sped flashing through the air. They all
struck the ground,