better to me than any other
woman; it is you are my star and my choice beyond the women of the
entire world." "I put on you the bonds of a true hero," said Niamh then,
"you to come away with me now to the Country of the Young." And it is
what she said:

"It is the country is most delightful of all that are under the sun; the
trees are stooping down with fruit and with leaves and with blossom.

"Honey and wine are plentiful there, and everything the eye has ever
seen; no wasting will come on you with the wasting away of time; you
will never see death or lessening.

"You will get feasts, playing and drinking; you will get sweet music on
the strings; you will get silver and gold and many jewels.

"You will get, and no lie in it, a hundred swords; a hundred cloaks of
the dearest silk; a hundred horses, the quickest in battle; a hundred
willing hounds.

"You will get the royal crown of the King of the Young that he never
gave to any one under the sun. It will be a shelter to you night and
day in every rough fight and in every battle.

"You will get a right suit of armour; a sword, gold-hilted, apt for
striking; no one that ever saw it got away alive from it.

"A hundred coats of armour and shirts of satin; a hundred cows and a
hundred calves; a hundred sheep having golden fleeces; a hundred jewels
that are not of this world.

"A hundred glad young girls shining like the sun, their voices sweeter
than the music of birds; a hundred armed men strong in battle, apt at
feats, waiting on you, if you will come with me to the Country of the
Young.

"You will get everything I have said to you, and delights beyond them,
that I have no leave to tell; you will get beauty, strength and power,
and I myself will be with you as a wife."

And after she had made that song, Oisin said: "O pleasant golden-haired
queen, you are my choice beyond the women of the world; and I will go
with you willingly," he said.

And with that he kissed Finn his father and bade him farewell, and he
bade farewell to the rest of the Fianna, and he went up then on the
horse with Niamh.

And the horse set out gladly, and when he came to the strand he shook
himself and he neighed three times, and then he made for the sea. And
when Finn and the Fianna saw Oisin facing the wide sea, they gave three
great sorrowful shouts. And as to Finn, he said: "It is my grief to see
you going from me; and I am without a hope," he said, "ever to see you
coming back to