Connla," said Nora, as she
flung her white arms round his neck and kissed her brother's lips.

Then they drew back to get a better look of each other, and who should
step between them but the fairy queen.

"Oh, Nora, Nora," said she, "I am not as high as your knee, and as for
you, Connla, you look as straight and as tall as one of the round
towers of Erin."

"And how did we grow so tall in one night?" said Connla.

"In one night!" said the fairy queen. "One night, indeed! Why, you
have been fast asleep, the two of you, for the last seven years!"

"And where was the little mother all that time?" said Connla and Nora
together.

"Oh, the little mother was all right. She knew where you were; but she
is expecting you to-day, and so you must go off to see her, although I
would like to keep you--if I had my way--all to myself here in the
fairyland under the sea. And you will see her to-day; but before you
go here is a necklace for you, Nora; it is formed out of the drops of
the ocean spray, sparkling in the sunshine. They were caught by my
fairy nymph, for you, as they skimmed the sunlit billows under the
shape of sea-birds, and no queen or princess in the world can match
their lustre with the diamonds won with toil from the caves of earth.
As for you, Connla, see here's a helmet of shining gold fit for a king
of Erin--and a king of Erin you will be yet; and here's a spear that
will pierce any shield, and here's a shield that no spear can pierce
and no sword can cleave as long as you fasten your warrior cloak with
this brooch of gold."

And as she spoke she flung round Connla's shoulders a flowing mantle
of yellow silk, and pinned it at his neck with a red gold brooch.

"And now, my children, you must go away from me. You, Nora, will be a
warrior's bride in Erin of the Streams. And you, Connla, will be king
yet over the loveliest province in all the land of Erin; but you will
have to fight for your crown, and days of battle are before you. They
will not come for a long time after you have left the fairyland under
the sea, and until they come lay aside your helmet, shield, and spear,
and warrior's cloak and golden brooch. But when the time comes when
you will be called to battle, enter not upon it without the golden
brooch I give you fastened in your cloak, for if you do harm will come
to you. Now, kiss me, children; your little mother is waiting for you
at the foot of the golden spear, but do not forget to say good-by