Page:The courtship of Ferb (Leahy).djvu/54

Rh in Eman, his queen, Mugain Etanchaitrech, the daughter of Eocho Fedlech, lying beside him, he saw a fair woman who came to him as he lay on his couch. Her bearing was the bearing of a queen; her hair was golden and wavy, and was braided into a tress coiled about her head. Through a thin robe, woven of silken threads, shone her white skin, a soft and glossy kerchief of green silk lay on her neck. Two sandals of white bronze, rounded in front, appeared between her tender feet and the ground.

"All blessings be on thee, O Conor," said she.

"Tell me," said Conor, "what this vision showeth to me."

"In seven years from this night," said the lady, "shall the Raid of the Kine of Cualgne be accomplished, and the land of Ulster shall be laid waste, and the Dun Bull of Cualgne shall be driven off, and the son of the man who shall do these deeds, even Mani Morgor, the son of Alill and Maev, he hath come hither for his wedding with Ferb, the daughter of Gerg of Glenn Geirg, three times fifty is the number of his companions. Make ready," said she, "three times fifty of the men of the Fomorians to match them, and victory shall be with thee." Up sprang Conor, and he waked his queen and told her of his vision.

"Truly," said Mugain the Queen, "there hath been enough of strife already betwixt us and the men of Connaught."