"It is the fruit of that tree is
food for the host in this house," said the woman. "And it was an apple
of that apple-tree brought Connla here to me; a good tree it is, with
its white-blossomed branches, and its golden apples that would satisfy
the whole house."
And then Connla and the young girl left them, and they saw coming
towards them a troop of beautiful women. And there was one among them
was most beautiful of all, and when she was come to them she said: "A
welcome to you, Tadg." "I thank you for that welcome," said Tadg; "and
tell me," he said, "who are you yourself?" "I am Cliodna of the Fair
Hair," she said, "daughter of Gebann, son of Treon, of the Tuatha de
Danaan, a sweetheart of Ciabhan of the Curling Hair; and it is from me
Cliodna's wave on the coast of Munster got its name; and I am a long
time now in this island, and it is the apples of that tree you saw that
we use for food." And Tadg was well pleased to be listening to her talk,
but after a while he said: "It is best for us to go on now to look for
our people." "We will be well pleased if you stop longer with us," said
the woman.
And while she was saying those words they saw three beautiful birds
coming to them, one of them blue and his head crimson, and one was
crimson and his head green, and the third was speckled and his head the
colour of gold, and they lit on the great apple-tree, and every bird of
them ate an apple, and they sang sweet music then, that would put sick
men into their sleep.
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