seemed to them like the flower of the
iris in summer, or like red gold after the burnishing thereof.

There she was, undoing her hair to wash it, with her arms out through
the sleeve-holes of her smock. White as the snow of one night were the
two hands, soft and even, and red as foxglove were the two
clear-beautiful cheeks. Dark as the back of a stag-beetle the two
eyebrows. Like a shower of pearls were the teeth in her head. Blue as a
hyacinth were the eyes. Red as rowan-berries the lips. Very high, smooth
and soft-white the shoulders. Clear-white and lengthy the fingers. Long
were the hands. White as the foam of a wave was the flank, slender,
long, tender, smooth, soft as wool. Polished and warm, sleek and white
were the two thighs. Round and small, hard and white the two knees.
Short and white and rulestraight the two shins. Justly straight and
beautiful the two heels. If a measure were put on the feet it would
hardly have found them unequal, unless the flesh of the coverings should
grow upon them. The bright radiance of the moon was in her noble face:
the loftiness of pride in her smooth eyebrows: the light of wooing in
each of her regal eyes. A dimple of delight in each of her cheeks, with
a dappling (?) in them at one time, of purple spots with redness of a
calf's blood, and at another with the bright lustre of snow. Soft
womanly dignity in her voice; a step steady and slow she had: a queenly
gait was hers. Verily, of the world's women 'twas she was the dearest
and loveliest and justest that the eyes of men had ever beheld. It
seemed to King Eochaid and his followers that she was from the
elfmounds. Of her was said: "Shapely are all till compared with Etain,"
"Dear are all till compared with Etain."

A longing for her straightway seized the king; so he sent forward a man
of his people to detain her. The king asked tidings of her and said,
while announcing himself: "Shall I have an hour of dalliance with thee?"

"'Tis for that we have come hither under thy safeguard," quoth she.

"Query, whence art thou and whence hast thou come?" says Eochaid.

"Easy to say," quoth she. "Etain am I, daughter of Etar, king of the
cavalcade from the elfmounds. I have been here for twenty years since I
was born in an elfmound. The men of the elfmound, both kings and nobles,
have been wooing me; but nought was gotten from me, because ever since I
was able to speak, I have loved thee and given thee a child's love for
the high tales