[FN#52] The eleventh century Ms., the Leabhar na h-Uidhri, which gives the first four lines of this tale as a fragment, adds here as a note:  “this is in the land of the O’Cuanach”:  apparently the O’Briens of Cuanach.

[FN#53] At Samhuin day (Egerton).

One night Eocho lay there in his sleep, when he saw something approach him; a woman, and a young man in her attendance.  “Ye are welcome!” said Eocho. ["Knowest thou us?”] said she, “Where hast thou learned to know us?” “It seems to me as if I had been near to you.”  “I think that we have been very near to one another, though we have not seen each other face to face!” “In what place do ye dwell?” said Eocho.  “Yonder in Sid Cuillne (the fairy mound of Cuillne),” said she.  “And, wherefore have ye come?” “In order to give thee counsel,” said she.  For what purpose is the counsel,” said he, “that thou givest me?”

“Something,” she said, “that will bring thee honour and renown on thy journey at home and abroad.  A stately troop shall be round thee, and goodly foreign horses shall be under thee."[FN#54] “With how many shall I go?” said Eocho.  “Fifty horsemen is the number that is suitable for thee,” she answered.

[FN#54] Y.B.L. adds a passage that Windisch does not translate:  it seems to run thus:  “Unknown to thee is the half of what thou hast met:  it seems to us that foreign may be thy splendour"(?)

“To-morrow in the morning fifty black horses, furnished with bridles of gold and silver, shall come to thee from me; and with them fifty sets of equipment of the equipment of the Side; and all of thy foster-children shall go with thee; well it becomes us to help thee, because thou art valiant in the defence of our country and our soil.”  Then the woman left him.

Early in the morning they arise, there they see something:  the fifty black horses, furnished with bridles of gold and silver tied fast to the gate of the castle, also fifty breeches of silver with embellishment of gold; and fifty youths’ garments with their edges of spun gold, and fifty white horses with red ears and long tails, purple-red were all their tails and their manes, with silver bits (?)[FN#55] and foot-chains of brass upon each horse; there were also fifty whips of white bronze (findruine), with end pieces of gold that thereby they might be taken into hands.[FN#56]

[FN#55] co m-belgib (?) Windisch translates “bridles,” the same as cona srianaib above.

[FN#56] Y.B.L. adds, “Through wizardry was all that thing:  it was recited (?) how great a thing had appeared, and he told his dream to his people.”

Then King Eocho arises, and prepares himself (for the journey):  they depart with this equipment to Cruachan Ai:[FN#57] and the people were well-nigh overcome with their consequence and appearance:  their troop was great, goodly, splendid, compact:  [fifty heroes, all with that appearance that has just been related.