e may bring away the pigs in spite of you." "If that is to be the
end of it," said the king, "it would be a pity to bring my people into a
battle." "It would be a pity indeed," said Brian.

Then the king whispered and took advice with his people about the
matter, and it is what they agreed, to give up the pigs of their own
free will to the sons of Tuireann, since they could not see that any one
had been able to stand against them up to that time.

Then the sons of Tuireann gave their thanks to Easal, and there was
wonder on them to have got the pigs like that, when they had to fight
for every other part of the fine. And more than that, they had left a
share of their blood in every other place till then.

Easal brought them to his own house that night, and they were served
with food, and drink, and good beds, and all they could wish for. And
they rose up on the morrow and came into the king's presence, and the
pigs were given to them. "It is well you have done by us, giving us
these pigs," said Brian, "for we did not get any share of the fine
without fighting but these alone." And he made a poem for the king then,
praising him, and putting a great name on him for what he had done.

"What journey are you going to make now, sons of Tuireann?" said Easal.
"We are going," they said, "to the country of Ioruaidh, on account of a
whelp that is there." "Give me one request," said Easal, "and that is to
bring me with you to the King of Ioruaidh, for a daughter of mine is his
wife, and I would wish to persuade him to give you the whelp without a
battle." "That will please us well," they said.

So the king's ship was made ready, and we have no knowledge of what
happened till they came to the delightful, wonderful coast of Ioruaidh.
The people and the armies were watching the harbours and landing-places
before them, and they knew them at once and shouted at them.

Then Easal went on shore peaceably, and he went to where his son-in-law,
the king, was, and told him the story of the sons of Tuireann from
beginning to end. "What has brought them to this country?" said the King
of Ioruaidh. "To ask for the hound you have," said Easal. "It was a bad
thought you had coming with them to ask it," said the king, "for the
gods have not given that much luck to any three champions in the world,
that they would get my hound by force or by good-will." "It would be
better for you to let them have the hound," said Easal, "since they have
put do