The redness of
shame came on Etain when she heard that, but Midhir said: "Let there be
no shame on you, Etain, for it is through the length of a year I have
been asking your love, and I have offered you every sort of treasure and
riches, and you refused to come to me till such a time as your husband
would give you leave." "It is true I said that," said Etain, "I will go
if Eochaid gives me up to you." "I will not give you up," said Eochaid;
"I will let him do no more than put his arms about you in this place, as
was promised him." "I will do that," said Midhir.

With that he took his sword in his left hand, and he took Etain in his
right arm and kissed her. All the armed men in the house made a rush at
him then, but he rose up through the roof bringing Etain with him, and
when they rushed out of the house to follow him, all they could see was
two swans high up in the air, linked together by a chain of gold.

There was great anger on Eochaid then, and he went and searched all
through Ireland, but there were no tidings of them to be had, for they
were in the houses of the Sidhe.

It was to the Brugh of Angus on the Boinn they went first, and after
they had stopped there a while they went to a hill of the Sidhe in
Connacht. And there was a serving-maid with Etain at that time, Cruachan
Croderg her name was, and she said to Midhir: "Is this your own place we
are in?" "It is not," said Midhir; "my own place is nearer to the rising
of the sun." She was not well pleased to stop there when she heard that,
and Midhir said to quiet her: "It is your own name will be put on this
place from this out." And the hill was called the Hill of Cruachan from
that time.

Then they went to Bri Leith; and Etain's daughter Esa came to them
there, and she brought a hundred of every sort of cattle with her, and
Midhir fostered her for seven years. And all through that time Eochaid
the High King was making a search for them.

But at last Codal of the Withered Breast took four rods of yew and wrote
Oghams on them, and through them and through his enchantments he found
out that Etain was with Midhir in Bri Leith.

So Eochaid went there, and made an attack on the place, and he was for
nine years besieging it, and Midhir was driving him away. And then his
people began digging through the hill; and when they were getting near
to where Etain was, Midhir sent three times twenty beautiful women,
having all of them the appearance of Etain, and he bad