And
she saw a rider coming towards her, but no one could see him but
herself; and when he came near she saw he had the same appearance as
the man that came and spoke with her and her young girls the time they
were out in the sea at Inver Cechmaine. And when he came up to her he
began to sing words to her that no one could hear but herself. And it is
what he said:
"O beautiful woman, will you come with me to the wonderful country that
is mine? It is pleasant to be looking at the people there, beautiful
people without any blemish; their hair is of the colour of the
flag-flower, their fair body is as white as snow, the colour of the
foxglove is on every cheek. The young never grow old there; the fields
and the flowers are as pleasant to be looking at as the blackbird's
eggs; warm, sweet streams of mead and of wine flow through that country;
there is no care and no sorrow on any person; we see others, but we
ourselves are not seen.
"Though the plains of Ireland are beautiful, it is little you would
think of them after our great plain; though the ale of Ireland is heady,
the ale of the great country is still more heady. O beautiful woman, if
you come to my proud people it is the flesh of pigs newly killed I will
give you for food; it is ale and new milk I will give you for drink; it
is feasting you will have with me there; it is a crown of gold you will
have upon your hair, O beautiful woman!
"And will you come there with me, Etain?" he said.
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