said
Cuglas, "but I may not tarry in her court; for above in Erin there is
the Lady Ailinn, the loveliest of all the ladies who grace the royal
palace, and before the princes and chiefs of Erin she has promised to
be my bride."

"Of that I know not," said the herald; "but a true champion, like you,
cannot, I know, refuse to come with me to the court of the Princess
Crede."

As the herald had said these words the prince and he were on the verge
of the wood, and they entered upon a mossy pathway that broadened out as
they advanced until it was as wide as one of the great roads of Erin.
Before they had gone very far the prince heard the tinkling of silver
bells in the distance, and almost as soon as he heard them he saw
coming up towards him a troop of warriors on coal black steeds. All the
warriors wore helmets of shining silver, and cloaks of blue silk. And
on the horses' breasts were crescents of silver, on which were hung tiny
silver bells, shaking out music with the motion of the horses. As the
prince approached the champions they lowered their spears, and dividing
in two lines the prince and the herald passed between the ranks, and the
champions, forming again, followed on behind the prince.

At last they passed through the wood, and they found themselves on a
green plain, speckled with flowers, and they had not gone far when the
prince saw coming towards him a hundred champions on snow-white steeds,
and around the breast of the steeds were crescents of gold, from which
were hanging little golden bells.[6] The warriors all wore golden
helmets, and the shafts of their shining spears were of gold, and golden
sandals on their feet, and yellow silken mantles fell down over their
shoulders. And when the prince came near them they lowered their lances,
and then they turned their horses' heads around and marched before him.
And it was not long until above the pleasant jingle of the bells the
prince heard the measured strains of music, and he saw coming towards
him a band of harpers, dressed in green and gold, and when the harpers
had saluted the prince they marched in front of the cavalcade, playing
all the time, and it was not long until they came to a stream that ran
like a blue riband around the foot of a green hill, on the top of which
was a sparkling palace; the stream was crossed by a golden bridge, so
narrow that the horsemen had to go two-by-two. The herald asked the
prince to halt and to allow all the champions