And they did not know the man that had come to them was Midhir of Bri
Leith.
And when Etain was grown to be a beautiful young woman, she was seen by
Eochaid Feidlech, High King of Ireland, and this is the way that
happened.
He was going one time over the fair green of Bri Leith, and he saw at
the side of a well a woman, with a bright comb of gold and silver, and
she washing in a silver basin having four golden birds on it, and little
bright purple stones set in the rim of the basin. A beautiful purple
cloak she had, and silver fringes to it, and a gold brooch; and she had
on her a dress of green silk with a long hood, embroidered in red gold,
and wonderful clasps of gold and silver on her breasts and on her
shoulder. The sunlight was falling on her, so that the gold and the
green silk were shining out. Two plaits of hair she had, four locks in
each plait, and a bead at the point of every lock, and the colour of her
hair was like yellow flags in summer, or like red gold after it is
rubbed.
There she was, letting down her hair to wash it, and her arms out
through the sleeve-holes of her shift. Her soft hands were as white as
the snow of a single night, and her eyes as blue as any blue flower, and
her lips as red as the berries of the rowan-tree, and her body as white
as the foam of a wave. The bright light of the moon was in her face, the
highness of pride in her eyebrows, a dimple of delight in each of her
cheeks, the light of wooing in her eyes, and when she walked she had a
step that was steady and even like the walk of a queen.
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