"What
way are you?" said Eochaid then. "Are you getting any easier, for you
must not let this illness come to a bad end." "By my word," said Ailell,
"it is not easier I am, but worse and worse every day and every night."
"What is it ails you?" said Eochaid. "And what is it that is coming
against you." "By my word, I cannot tell you that," said Ailell. "I will
bring one here that will know the cause of your sickness," said the
king.
With that he sent Fachtna, his own physician, to Ailell; and when he
came he passed his hand over Ailell's heart, and at that he groaned
again. "This sickness will not be your death," said Fachtna then; "and I
know well what it comes from. It is either from the pains of jealousy,
or from love you have given, and that you have not found a way out of."
But there was shame on Ailell, and he would not confess to the physician
that what he said was right. So Fachtna went away then and left him.
As to King Eochaid, he went away to visit all the provinces of Ireland
that were under his kingship, and he left Etain after him, and it is
what he said: "Good Etain," he said, "take tender care of Ailell so long
as he is living; and if he should die from us, make a sodded grave for
him, and raise a pillar stone over it, and write his name on it in
Ogham." And with that he went away on his journey.
One day, now, Etain went into the house where Ailell was lying in his
sickness, and they talked together, and then she made a little song for
him, and it is what she said:
"What is it ails you, young man, for it is a long time you are wasted
with this sickness, and it is not the hardness of the weather has
stopped your light footstep.
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