He goes after them, lashing his horse, and overtook them not. There was
the length of a spearcast between them: but they did not gain upon him
and he did not gain upon them.
He told them not to go before the king. He overtook them not; but one of
the three men sang a lay to him over his shoulder:
"Lo, my son, great the news, news from a hostel.... Lo my son!"
They go away from him then: he could not detain them.
The boy waited for the host. He told his father what was said to him.
Conaire liked it not. "After them, thou!" says Conaire, "and offer them
three oxen and three bacon-pigs, and so long as they shall be in my
household, no one shall be among them from fire to wall."
So the lad goes after them, and offers them that, and overtook them not.
But one of the three men sang a lay to him over his shoulder:
"Lo, my son, great the news! A generous king's great ardour whets thee,
burns thee. Through ancient men's enchantments a company of nine yields.
Lo, my son!"
The boy turns back and repeated the lay to Conaire.
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