"
So in this wise Conaire fared forth; and on each of the four roads
whereby men go to Tara there were three kings awaiting him, and they had
raiment for him, since it had been foretold that he would come
stark-naked. Then he was seen from the road on which his fosterers were,
and they put royal raiment about him, and placed him in a chariot, and
he bound his pledges.
The folk of Tara said to him: "It seems to us that our bull-feast and
our spell of truth are a failure, if it be only a young, beardless lad
that we have visioned therein."
"That is of no moment," quoth he. "For a young, generous king like me to
be in the kingship is no disgrace, since the binding of Tara's pledges
is mine by right of father and grandsire."
"Excellent! excellent!" says the host. They set the kingship of Erin
upon him. And he said: "I will enquire of wise men that I myself may
be wise."
Then he uttered all this as he had been taught by the man at the wave,
who said this to him: "Thy reign will be subject to a restriction, but
the bird-reign will be noble, and this shall be thy restriction,
i.
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