em, and then their courage rose up, and
they were glad and light-hearted.

And when they looked back they could not see the island they had come
from, because of a Druid mist that came on it and hid it from them.

Then by the leading of the birds they came to the country of Fresen, and
they were in a deep sleep through the whole voyage. And then they
attacked the foreigners and got the better of them, and Tadg killed
Cathmann, the king, after a hard fight; and Liban his wife made no
delay, and came to meet her husband and her sweetheart, and it is glad
she was to see him.

And after they had rested a while they faced the sea again, and Tadg and
his wife Liban, and his two brothers, and a great many other treasures
along with them, and they came home to Ireland safely at the last.

CHAPTER XV. LAEGAIRE IN THE HAPPY PLAIN

And another that went to visit Magh Mell, the Happy Plain, was Laegaire,
son of the King of Connacht, Crimthan Cass.

He was out one day with the king, his father, near Loch na-n Ean, the
Lake of Birds, and the men of Connacht with them, and they saw a man
coming to them through the mist. Long golden-yellow hair he had, and it
streaming after him, and at his belt a gold-hilted sword, and in his
hand two five-barbed darts, a gold-rimmed shield on his back, a
five-folded crimson cloak about his shoulders.

"Give a welcome to the man that is coming towards you," said Laegaire,
that had the best name of all the men of Connacht, to his people. And to
the stranger he said: "A welcome to the champion we do not know."

"I am thankful to you all," said he.

"What is it you are come for, and where are you going?" said Laegaire
then.

"I am come to look for the help of fighting men," said the stranger.
"And my name," he said, "is Fiachna, son of Betach, of the men of the
Sidhe; and it is what ails me, my wife was taken from my pillow and
brought away by Eochaid, son of Sal. And we fought together, and I
killed him, and now she is gone to a brother's son of his, Goll, son of
Dalbh, king of a people of Magh Mell. Seven battles I gave him, but they
all went against me; and on this very day there is another to be fought,
and I am come to ask help. And to every one that deserves it, I will
give a good reward of gold and of silver for that help."

And it is what he said:

"The most beautiful of plains is the Plain of the Two Mists; it is not
far from this; it is a host of the men of the Sidhe full