lances, and bowed in homage to the
lady.

"And there stands the champion who has brought her home," said the
king, pointing to Enda.

The nobles looked at Enda, and bowed courteously, but in their hearts
they were jealous of the champion, for they saw he was already a
favourite of the king's.

Then the pages came up, leading milk-white steeds with golden bridles,
and the king, ordering Enda to mount one of them, lifted Mave on to
his own, and mounted behind her. The pages, carrying the boar's head
on a hollow shield, preceded by the huntsmen sounding their horns, set
out towards the palace, and the royal party followed them.

As the procession approached the palace crowds came rushing out to see
the trophies of the chase, and through the snow-white door the queen,
Mave's cruel stepmother, attended by her maids-of-honour and the royal
bards, came forth to greet the king. But when she saw seated before
him the Princess Mave, who she thought was at the bottom of the lake
under a spell of enchantment, she uttered a loud cry, and fell
senseless to the ground.

The king jumped from his horse, and rushing to the queen, lifted her
up and carried her in his arms to her apartments, for he had no
suspicion of the wickedness of which she had been guilty.

And the court leeches were summoned to attend her, but she died that
very night, and it was not until a green mound, worthy of a queen of
Erin, had been raised over her grave that the Princess Mave told her
father of the wickedness of her stepmother. And when she told him the
whole story of how Enda had broken the spell of enchantment, and of
the dangers which he had faced for her sake, the king summoned an
assembly of all his nobles, and seated on his throne, wearing his
golden helmet, the bards upon his right hand and the Druids upon his
left, and the nobles in ranks before him with gleaming helmets and
flashing spears, he told them the story of the princess, and of the
service which Enda had rendered to her.

"And now," said the king, "if the princess is willing to take her
deliverer for her husband, I am willing that she shall be his bride;
and if you, my subjects, Bards and Druids and Nobles and Chiefs of
Erin, have anything to say against this union, speak. But first,
Mave," said the king, as he drew the blushing princess to him, "speak,
darling, as becomes the daughter of a king--speak in the presence of
the nobles of Erin, and say if it is your wish to become Enda