m. Yet even then he looked happy. He had died
laughing, and there was still a smile on his lips. Faithfully had he
delivered his message, and when he had spoken of the beauty of
Deirdre, rumour of his speech had reached the king, and the spears of
Conor's men had enabled him to make true the words he had said to
Deirdre: "I will pay for it with my life." In this way was shed the
first blood of that great sea of blood that was spilt for the love of
Deirdre, the Beauty of the World.

From where the swineherd lay, Lavarcam went to the camp of the Sons
of Usna, and to Naoise she told the story of the love that Deirdre
bore him, and counselled him to come to the place where she was
hidden, and behold her beauty. And Naoise, who had seen how even a
rough clod of a hind could achieve the noble chivalry of a race of
kings for her dear sake, felt his heart throb within him. "I will
come," he said to Lavarcam.

Days passed, and Deirdre waited, very sure that Naoise must come to
her at last. And one day she heard a song of magical sweetness coming
through the trees. Three voices sung the song, and it was as though
one of the _sidhe_ played a harp to cast a spell upon men. The voice
of Ainle, youngest of the Sons of Usna, was like the sweet upper
strings of the harp, that of Ardan the strings in the middle, and the
voice of Naoise was like the strings whose deep resonance can play
upon the hearts of warriors and move them to tears. Then Deirdre knew
that she heard the voice of her beloved, and she sped to him as a bird
speeds to her mate. Even as Lavarcam had told her was Naoise, eldest
of the Sons of Usna, but no words had been able to tell Naoise of the
beauty of Deirdre.

"It was as though a sudden flood of sunshine burst forth
in that place. For a woman came from the thicket more
beautiful than any dream he had ever dreamed. She was
clad in a saffron robe over white that was like the
shining of the sun on foam of the sea, and this was
claspt with great bands of yellow gold, and over her
shoulders was the rippling flood of her hair, the sprays
of which lightened into delicate fire, and made a mist
before him, in the which he could see her eyes like two
blue pools wherein purple shadows dreamed."

Fiona Macleod.

From that moment Naoise "gave his love to Deirdre above every other
creature," and their souls rushed together and were one for evermore.
It was for them the beginn