the Round Hill of the Fianna that is called Cruachan Adrann, and there
he fell asleep. And while he was in his sleep the ships came; and what
roused him was the noise of the breaking of shields and the clashing of
swords and of spears, and the cries of women and children and of dogs
and horses that were under flames, and that the strangers were making an
attack on.

Conn Crither started up when he heard that, and he said: "It is great
trouble has come on the people through my sleep; and I will not stay
living after this," he said, "for Finn and the Fianna of Ireland to see
me, but I will rush into the middle of the strangers," he said, "and
they will fall by me till I fall by them."

He put on his suit of battle then and ran down towards the strand. And
on the way he saw three women dressed in battle clothes before him, and
fast as he ran he could not overtake them. He took his spear then to
make a cast of it at the woman was nearest him, but she stopped on the
moment, and she said: "Hold your hand and do not harm us, for we are not
come to harm you but to help you." "Who are you yourselves?" said Conn
Crither. "We are three sisters," she said, "and we are come from Tir nan
Og, the Country of the Young, and we have all three given you our love,
and no one of us loves you less than the other, and it is to give you
our help we are come." "What way will you help me?" said Conn. "We will
give you good help," she said, "for we will make Druid armies about you
from stalks of grass and from the tops of the watercress, and they will
cry out to the strangers and will strike their arms from their hands,
and take from them their strength and their eyesight. And we will put a
Druid mist about you now," she said, "that will hide you from the armies
of the strangers, and they will not see you when you make an attack on
them. And we have a well of healing at the foot of Slieve Iolair, the
Eagle's Mountain," she said, "and its waters will cure every wound made
in battle. And after bathing in that well you will be as whole and as
sound as the day you were born. And bring whatever man you like best
with you," she said, "and we will heal him along with you."

Conn Crither gave them his thanks for that, and he hurried on to the
strand. And it was at that time the armies of the King of the Great
Plain were taking spoils from Traigh Moduirn in the north to Finntraighe
in the south. And Conn Crither came on them, and the Druid army with
him