and go on to-morrow to the Fianna of Ireland." So Taistellach went
on to Bran's house, and he told him the whole story and gave him the
message.

Then Bran, son of Febal, went out to gather the Tuatha de Danaan, and he
went to Dun Sesnain in Ui Conall Gabra, where they were holding a feast
at that time. And there he found three of the best young men of the
Tuatha de Danaan, Ilbrec the Many Coloured, son of Manannan, and
Nemanach the Pearly, son of Angus Og, and Sigmall, grandson of Midhir,
and they made him welcome and bade him to stop with them. "There is a
greater thing than this for you to do, Men of Dea," said Bran; and he
told them the whole story, and the way Conn Crither his son was. "Stop
with me to-night," said Sesnan, "and my son Dolb will go to Bodb Dearg,
son of the Dagda, and gather in the Tuatha de Danaan to us."

So he stopped there, and Dolb, son of Sesnan, went to Sidhe Bean Finn
above Magh Femen, and Bodb Dearg was there at that time, and Dolb gave
him his message. "Young man," said Bodb Dearg, "we are no way bound to
help the men of Ireland out of that strait." "Do not say that," said
Dolb, "for there is not a king's son or a prince or a leader of the
Fianna of Ireland without having a wife or a mother or a foster-mother
or a sweetheart of the Tuatha de Danaan; and it is good help they have
given you every time you were in want of it." "I give my word," said
Bodb Dearg, "it is right to give a good answer to so good a messenger."
With that he sent word to the Tuatha de Danaan in every place where they
were, and they gathered to him. And from that they went on to Dun
Sesnain, and they stopped there through the night And they rose up in
the morning and put on their shirts of the dearest silk and their
embroidered coats of rejoicing, and they took their green shields and
their swords and their spears. And their leaders at that time besides
Bodb Dearg were Midhir of Bri Leith, and Lir of Sidhe Finnachaidh, and
Abarthach, son of Ildathach, and Ilbrec, son of Manannan, and Fionnbhar
of Magh Suil, and Argat Lamh, the Silver Hand, from the Sionnan, and the
Man of Sweet Speech from the Boinn.

And the whole army of them came into Ciarraighe Luachra, and to
red-haired Slieve Mis, and from that to the harbour of the White Strand.
"O Men of Dea," said Abarthach then, "let a high mind and high courage
rise within you now in the face of the battle. For the doings of every
one among you," he said, "will be told ti