made whole again." "Prove this to
me," said Cormac. "That is easily done," said Mananan. "Thy wife hath
had a new husband since I carried her off from thee." Straightway the
cup fell apart into four pieces. "My husband has lied to thee,
Cormac," said Fand, and immediately the cup became whole again.

Cormac then began to question Mananan as to the things he had seen on
his way thither, and he told him of the house that was being thatched
with the wings of birds, and of the men that kept returning ever and
again to their work as the wind destroyed it. And Mananan said,
"These, O Cormac, are the men of art, who seek to gather together much
money and gear of all kinds by the exercise of their craft, but as
fast as they get it, so they spend it, or faster and the result is
that they will never be rich." But when he had said this it is related
that the golden cup broke into pieces where it stood. Then Cormac
said, "The explanation thou hast given of this mystery is not true."
Mananan smiled, and said, "Nevertheless it must suffice thee, O King,
for the truth of this matter may not be known, lest the men of art
give over the roofing of the house and it be covered with common
thatch."

So when they had talked their fill, Cormac and his wife and children
were brought to a chamber where they lay down to sleep. But when they
woke up on the morrow morn, they found themselves in the Queen's
chamber in the royal palace of Tara, and by Cormac's side were found
the bell-branch and the magical cup and the cloth of gold that had
covered the table where they sat in the palace of Mananan. Seven
months it was since Cormac had gone out from Tara to search for his
wife and children, but it seemed to him that he had been absent but
for the space of a single day and night.

IX

DESCRIPTION OF CORMAC[33]

[33] The original from the BOOK OF BALLYMOTE (14th century) is
given in O'Curry's MS. MATERIALS OF IRISH HISTORY, Appendix
xxvi. I have in the main followed O'Curry's translation.

"A noble and illustrious king assumed the sovranty and rule of Erinn,
namely Cormac, grandson of Conn of the Hundred Battles. The world was
full of all goodness in his time; there were fruit and fatness of the
land, and abundant produce of the sea, with peace and ease and
happiness. There were no killings or plunderings in his time, but
everyone occupied his land in happiness.

"The nobles of Ireland assembled to drink the Banquet of Tara with
C