hen they came to a big house, and in it an old
man sitting on a chair reading a book; and they knew him to be Mannanan
that they were looking for.

'And he rose up and bade them welcome; and there was a feast spread out
before them, with every sort of food and drink. And while they were at
the feast they heard something like the cry of a child from an inner
room. And the King of Ulster rose up, and he said: "I will go see what
is in there; for that is the cry of a child."

'So he went in; and he came back again, bringing a baby in his arms, the
most beautiful that was ever seen, and her hair like gold. "I will bring
away this child with me, and rear her up," he said. "Do not," said
Mannanan; "for if you do, your country will be destroyed, and your
throne will be lost through her, and there will be a great many killed
for her sake."

'But the king would not mind him; but he brought her away, and he had a
house made for her, and she was reared up in it. And she grew to be a
nice young girl, and there were women about her to care her and to
attend on her; but she never saw a man but the king himself, that used
to come and see her every week. And he had great love for her; and he
thought she loved him.'

The account of Deirdre's meeting with Naoise, and their flight to
Scotland, and the king's message bringing them back, was much the same
as in some of the printed versions; but Mannanan's part at the end was
new to me. The old man went on: 'When they came to Ulster, the king made
an attack on them, to bring away Deirdre from them; but they killed all
that came near them, and drove the whole army back.

'Then the king went to Mannanan of the Hill, and he said: "Come and give
me your help against these men, or they will kill the whole army of
Ulster." And Mannanan said: "I will give you no help; for I told you all
this would come on you if you brought the girl away the time she was a
baby in this place." But the king pressed him, and said: "Put blindness
on them, the way they will not be able to kill my people."

'So Mannanan agreed to do that, and he put blindness on the three
brothers. And when they went out next time to fight against the army,
they could not see who was before them; and it was at each other they
were striking; and at last all of them fell by each other's hand.

'And when Deirdre saw they were dead, she took up a sword or a dagger
that was lying on the ground, and she put it through her own body, and