rs, and we can do
nothing against them, and they go back into the cave again. And it will
be a good friend that will rid us of them," he said. "Well, Cascorach,"
said Caoilte, "do you know what are the three wolves that are robbing
this man?" "I know well," said Cascorach, "they are the three daughters
of Airetach, of the last of the people of oppression of the Cave of
Cruachan, and it is easier for them to do their robbery as wolves than
as women." "And will they come near to any one?" said Caoilte. "They
will only come near to one sort," said Cascorach; "if they see the
world's men having harps for music, they will come near to them." "And
how would it be for me," he said, "to go to-morrow to the cairn beyond,
and to bring my harp with me?"

So in the morning he rose up and went to the cairn and stopped on it,
playing his harp till the coming of the mists of the evening. And while
he was there he saw the three wolves coming towards him, and they lay
down before him, listening to the music. But Cascerach found no way to
make an attack on them, and they went back into the cave at the end of
the day.

Cascorach went back then to Caoilte and told him what had happened. "Go
up to-morrow to the same place," said Caoilte, "and say to them it would
be better for them to be in the shape of women for listening to music
than in the shape of wolves."

So on the morrow Cascorach went out to the same cairn, and set his
people about it, and the wolves came there and stretched themselves to
listen to the music. And Cascorach was saying to them: "If you were ever
women," he said, "it would be better for you to be listening to the
music as women than as wolves." And they heard that, and they threw off
the dark trailing coverings that were about them, for they liked well
the sweet music of the Sidhe.

And when Caoilte saw them there side by side, and elbow by elbow, he
made a cast of his spear, and it went through the three women, that they
were like a skein of thread drawn together on the spear. And that is the
way he made an end of the strange, unknown three. And that place got the
name of the Valley of the Shapes of the Wolves.

CHAPTER IX. THE WEDDING AT CEANN SLIEVE

Finn and the Fianna made a great hunting one time on the hill of Torc
that is over Loch Lein and Feara Mor. And they went on with their
hunting till they came to pleasant green Slieve Echtge, and from that it
spread over other green-topped hills, and throu