measure of magic malt for raising the spirits, a measure of Attic salt
for the seasoning of tales, and a measure of poppy leaves to induce
sleep when the tales were dull.

And the manner of their lives was this: In the cool of the morning they
gathered nuts and arbutus apples and scarlet quicken berries to take
back with them to Tir-thar-toinn, the Country beyond the Wave; for this
was the land of their birth. When the sun was high in the east they went
forth to the chase; sometimes it was to hunt the Ard-ri, and at others
it was in pursuit of Dermot of the Bright Face. Then, after resting
awhile on their couches of soft rushes, they would perform champion
feats, or play on their harps, or fish in their clear-flowing streams
that were swimming with salmon.

The manner of their fishing was this: to cut a long, straight
sallow-tree rod, and having fastened a hook and one of Finola's hairs
upon it, to put a quicken-tree berry upon the hook, and stand on
the brink of the swift-flowing river, whence they drew out the
shining-skinned, silver-sided salmon. These they would straightway broil
over a little fire of birch boughs; and they needed with them no other
food but the magical loaf made by Toma, one of their house-servants. The
witch hag that dwelt on that hillside of Rosnaree called Fan-na-carpat,
or the Slope of the Chariots, had cast a druidical spell over Toma,
by which she was able to knead a loaf that would last twenty days and
twenty nights, and one mouthful of which would satisfy hunger for that
length of time. [**]

** Fact.

Not far from the mayden castle was a certain royal palace, with a
glittering roof, and the name of the palace was Rosnaree. And upon the
level green in front of the regal abode, or in the banqueting-halls,
might always be seen noble companies of knights and ladies bright,--some
feasting, some playing at the chess, some giving ear to the music of
their own harps, some continually shaking the Chain of Silence, and some
listening to the poems and tales of heroes of the olden time that were
told by the king's bards and shanachies.

Now all went happily with the Fair Strangers until the crimson berries
were ripening on the quicken-tree near the Fairy Palace. For the berries
possessed secret virtues known only to a man of the Dedannans, and
learned from him by Sheela the Scribe, who put him under gesa not to
reveal the charm to any one else. Whosoever ate of the honey-sweet,
scarlet-gl