ce was in his hand; his shield was ornamented with beads
of gold.

--"A hundred thousand welcomes to you," said the high king. "Who
is it you are?"

--"I know well who you are," said the warrior, "and for a long
time."

--"What name is on you?" said Eochaid.

--"Nothing illustrious about it in the world," said the other. "I
am Midir of Bregleith."

--"What has brought you hither?"

--"I am come to play at chess with you."

--"I have great skill at chess," said the high king; and indeed,
he was the best at it in Ireland, in those days.

--"We shall see about that," said Midir.

--"But the queen is sleeping in her chamber now," said Eochaid;
"and it is there the chessboard is."

--"Little matter," said Midir, "I have here a board as good as
yours is."

And that was the truth. His chessboard was of silver, glittering
with precious stones at each corner. From a satchel wrought of
shining metal he took his chessmen, which were of pure gold.
Then he arranged them on the board.--"Play you," said he.

--"I will not play without a stake," said the king.

--"What will the stake be?" said Midir.

--"All one to me," said Eochaid.

--"If you win," said Midir, "I will give you fifty broad-chested
horses with slim swift feet."

--"And if you win," said Eochaid Airem, sure of victory, "I will
give you whatever you demand."

Midir won that game, and demanded Etain the queen. But the rules
of chess are that the vanquished may claim his revenge,--a second
game, that is, to decide the matter; and the high king proposed
that it should be played at the end of a year. Midir agreed,
and vanished.

The year ended, and Eochaid was at Tara; he had had the palace
surrounded by a great armed host against Midir; and Etain was
there with him. Here is the description of Etain:

"A clear comb of silver was held in her hand, the comb was
adorned with gold; and near her, as for washing, was a basin of
silver whereon four birds had been chased, and there were little
bright gems of carbuncles on the rim of the basin. A bright
purple mantle waved round her; and beneath it another mantle
with fringes of silver: the outer one clasped over her bosom
with a golden brooch. A tunic she wore, with a long hood that
might cover her head attached to it; it was stiff and glossy
with green silk beneath red embroidery of gold, and clasped over
her breast with marvelously wrought clasps of gold and silver, so
that men saw the bright go