ed they were after the loss of
so many of their comrades.

And they went hunting near the borders of Loch Lein, where the bushes
were in blossom and the birds were singing; and they were waking up the
deer that were as joyful as the leaves of a tree in summer-time.

And it was not long till they saw coming towards them from the west a
beautiful young woman, riding on a very fast slender white horse. A
queen's crown she had on her head, and a dark cloak of silk down to the
ground, having stars of red gold on it; and her eyes were blue and as
clear as the dew on the grass, and a gold ring hanging down from every
golden lock of her hair; and her cheeks redder than the rose, and her
skin whiter than the swan upon the wave, and her lips as sweet as honey
that is mixed through red wine.

And in her hand she was holding a bridle having a golden bit, and there
was a saddle worked with red gold under her. And as to the horse, he had
a wide smooth cloak over him, and a silver crown on the back of his
head, and he was shod with shining gold.

She came to where Finn was, and she spoke with a very kind, gentle
voice, and she said: "It is long my journey was, King of the Fianna."
And Finn asked who was she, and what was her country and the cause of
her coming. "Niamh of the Golden Head is my name," she said; "and I have
a name beyond all the women of the world, for I am the daughter of the
King of the Country of the Young." "What was it brought you to us from
over the sea, Queen?" said Finn then. "Is it that your husband is gone
from you, or what is the trouble that is on you?" "My husband is not gone
from me," she said, "for I never went yet to any man. But O King of the
Fianna," she said, "I have given my love and my affection to your own
son, Oisin of the strong hands." "Why did you give your love to him
beyond all the troops of high princes that are under the sun?" said
Finn. "It was by reason of his great name, and of the report I heard of
his bravery and of his comeliness," she said. "And though there is many
a king's son and high prince gave me his love, I never consented to any
till I set my love on Oisin."

When Oisin heard what she was saying, there was not a limb of his body
that was not in love with beautiful Niamh; and he took her hand in his
hand, and he said: "A true welcome before you to this country, young
queen. It is you are the shining one," he said; "it is you are the
nicest and the comeliest; it is you are