the bottom of it sandy and
as bright as silver, and red-speckled salmon in it, and pleasant woods
with purple tree-tops edging the stream. "It is a beautiful country
this is," said Tadg, "and it would be happy for him that would be always
in it; and let you pull up the ship now," he said, "and dry it out."

A score of them went forward then into the country, and a score stopped
to mind the curragh. And for all the cold and discouragement and bad
weather they had gone through, they felt no wish at all for food or for
fire, but the sweet smell of the crimson branches in the place they were
come to satisfied them. They went on through the wood, and after a while
they came to an apple garden having red apples in it, and leafy
oak-trees, and hazels yellow with nuts. "It is a wonder to me," said
Tadg, "to find summer here, and it winter time in our own country."

It was a delightful place they were in, but they went on into another
wood, very sweet smelling, and round purple berries in it, every one of
them bigger than a man's head, and beautiful shining birds eating the
berries, strange birds they were, having white bodies and purple heads
and golden beaks. And while they were eating the berries they were
singing sweet music, that would have put sick men and wounded men into
their sleep.

Tadg and his men went farther on again till they came to a great smooth
flowery plain with a dew of honey over it, and three steep hills on the
plain, having a very strong dun on every one of them. And when they got
to the nearest hill they found a white-bodied woman, the best of the
women of the whole world, and it is what she said: "Your coming is
welcome, Tadg, son of Cian, and there will be food and provision for you
as you want it."

"I am glad of that welcome," said Tadg; "and tell me now, woman of sweet
words," he said, "what is that royal dun on the hill, having walls of
white marble around it?" "That is the dun of the royal line of the kings
of Ireland, from Heremon, son of Miled, to Conn of the Hundred Battles,
that was the last to go into it." "What is the name of this country?"
Tadg said then. "It is Inislocha, the Lake Island," she said, "and there
are two kings over it, Rudrach and Dergcroche, sons of Bodb." And then
she told Tadg the whole story of Ireland, to the time of the coming of
the Sons of the Gael. "That is well," said Tadg then, "and you have good
knowledge and learning. And tell me now," he said, "who is living