nd thither
on the blast till chance blew thee into the fairy palace of Angus my
kinsman, by the waters of the Boyne. But Angus knew thee, for the
Fairy Folk may not disguise themselves from each other, and he built
for thee a magical sunny bower with open windows, through which thou
mightest pass, and about it were all manner of blossoming herbs and
shrubs, and on the odour and honey of these thou didst live and grow
fair and well nourished. But in the end Fuamnach got tidings of thee,
and again the druid tempest descended and blew thee forth for another
seven years of wandering and woe. Then it chanced that thou wert blown
through the roof-window of the Dun of Etar by the Bay of Cichmany, and
fell into the goblet from which his wife was drinking, and thee she
drank down with that draught of ale. And in due time thou wast born
again in the guise of a mortal maid and daughter to Etar the Warrior.
But thou art no mortal, nor of mortal kin, for it is one thousand and
twelve years from the time when thou wast born in Fairy Land till
Etar's wife bore thee as a child on earth."

Then Etain was bewildered, and her mind ran back on many a
half-forgotten thing and she gazed as into a gulf of visions, full of
dim shapes, strange and glorious. And Midir as she looked at him again
seemed transfigured, taller and mightier than before, and a light
flame flickered from his helmet's crest and moved like wings about his
shoulders.

But at last she said, "I know not what thou sayest if it be truth or
not, but this I know, that I am the wife of the High King and I will
not break my troth." "It were broken already," said Midir, "but for
me, for I it was who laid a druidic sleep on Ailill, and it was I who
came to thee in his shape that thy honour might not be stained." Etain
said, "I learned then that honour is more than life." "But if Eochy
the High King consent to let thee go," said Midir, "wilt thou then
come with me to my land and thine?" "In that case," said Etain "I
will go."

And the time went by, and Etain abode in Tara, and the High King did
justice and made war and held the great Assembly as he was used. But
one day in summer Eochy arose very early to breathe the morning air,
and he stood by himself leaning on the rampart of his great Dun, and
looking over the flowery plain of Bregia. And as he thus gazed he was
aware of a young warrior standing by his side. Grey-eyed the youth
was, and golden-haired, and he was splendidly ar