For the king was childless, and it had been
prophesied to him by his wizards that a woman of unknown race would bear
him a son.
Then said the king: "This is the woman that has been prophesied to me!"
Now while she was there next morning she saw a Bird on the skylight
coming to her, and he leaves his birdskin on the floor of the house, and
went to her and possessed her, and said: "They are coming to thee from
the king to wreck thy house and to bring thee to him perforce. And thou
wilt be pregnant by me, and bear a son, and that son must not kill
birds[4]. And 'Conaire, son of Mess Buachalla' shall be his name," for
hers was Mess Buachalla, "the Cowherds' fosterchild."
[Footnote 4: This passage indicates the existence in Ireland of totems,
and of the rule that the person to whom a totem belongs must not kill
the totem-animal.--W.S.]
And then she was brought to the king, and with her went her fosterers,
and she was betrothed to the king, and he gave her seven _cumals_ and to
her fosterers seven other _cumals_.
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