e House of the Red Branch, Deirdre and the three brothers and the
two sons of Fergus heard the shouts of the Ultonians and knew that the
storm was about to break. But, calm as rocks against which the angry
waves beat themselves in vain, sat those whose portion at dawn was to
be cruel death. And Naoise and Ainle played chess, with hands that did
not tremble. At the first onslaught, Buinne the Red, son of Fergus,
sallied forth, quenched the flames, and drove back the Ultonians with
great slaughter. But Conor called to him to parley and offered him a
bribe of land, and Buinne, treacherous son of a treacherous father,
went over to the enemy. His brother, Illann the Fair, filled with
shame, did what he could to make amends. He went forth, and many
hundreds of the besieging army fell before him, ere death stayed his
loyal hand. At his death the Ultonians again fired the house, and
first Ardan and then Ainle left their chess for a fiercer game, and
glutted their sword blades with the blood of their enemies. Last came
the turn of Naoise. He kissed Deirdre, and drank a drink, and went out
against the men of Conor, and where his brothers had slain hundreds,
a thousand fell before his sword.

Then fear came into the heart of Conor, for he foresaw that against
the Sons of Usna no man could prevail, save by magic. Thus he sent for
Cathbad the Druid, who was even then very near death, and the old man
was carried on a litter to the House of the Red Branch, from which the
flames were leaping, and before which the dead lay in heaps.

And Conor besought him to help him to subdue the Sons of Usna ere they
should have slain every Ultonian in the land. So by his magic Cathbad
raised a hedge of spears round the house. But Naoise, Ardan, and
Ainle, with Deirdre in their centre, sheltered by their shields, burst
suddenly forth from the blazing house, and cut a way for themselves
through the hedge as though they sheared green wheat. And, laughing
aloud, they took a terrible toll of lives from the Ultonians who would
have withstood them. Then again the Druid put forth his power, and a
noise like the noise of many waters was in the ears of all who were
there. So suddenly the magic flood arose that there was no chance of
escape for the Sons of Usna. Higher it mounted, ever higher, and
Naoise held Deirdre on his shoulder, and smiled up in her eyes as the
water rose past his middle. Then suddenly as it had come, the flood
abated, and all was well w