There was wonder on Finn when he saw that, and he went on home to Almhuin, and the fawn followed after him playing with the hounds, and it came with them into the house at Almhuin.  And when Finn was alone late that evening, a beautiful young woman having a rich dress came before him, and she told him it was she herself was the fawn he was after hunting that day.  “And it is for refusing the love of Fear Doirche, the Dark Druid of the Men of Dea,” she said, “I was put in this shape.  And through the length of three years,” she said, “I have lived the life of a wild deer in a far part of Ireland, and I am hunted like a wild deer.  And a serving-man of the Dark Druid took pity on me,” she said, “and he said that if I was once within the dun of the Fianna of Ireland, the Druid would have no more power over me.  So I made away, and I never stopped through the whole length of a day till I came into the district of Almhuin.  And I never stopped then till there was no one after me but only Bran and Sceolan, that have human wits; and I was safe with them, for they knew my nature to be like their own.”

Then Finn gave her his love, and took her as his wife, and she stopped in Almhuin.  And so great was his love for her, he gave up his hunting and all the things he used to take pleasure in, and gave his mind to no other thing but herself.

But at last the men of Lochlann came against Ireland, and their ships were in the bay below Beinn Edair, and they landed there.

And Finn and the battalions of the Fianna went out against them, and drove them back.  And at the end of seven days Finn came back home, and he went quickly over the plain of Almhuin, thinking to see Sadbh his wife looking out from the dun, but there was no sign of her.  And when he came to the dun, all his people came out to meet him, but they had a very downcast look.  “Where is the flower of Almhuin, beautiful gentle Sadbh?” he asked them.  And it is what they said:  “While you were away fighting, your likeness, and the likeness of Bran and of Sceolan appeared before the dun, and we thought we heard the sweet call of the Dord Fiann.  And Sadbh, that was so good and so beautiful, came out of the house,” they said, “and she went out of the gates, and she would not listen to us, and we could not stop her.”  “Let me go meet my love,” she said, “my husband, the father of the child that is not born.”  And with that she went running out towards the shadow of yourself that was before her, and that had its arms stretched out to her.  But no sooner did she touch it than she gave a great cry, and the shadow lifted up a hazel rod, and on the moment it was a fawn was standing on the grass.  Three times she turned and made for the gate of the dun, but the two hounds the shadow had with him went after her and took her by the throat and dragged her back to him.  “And by your hand of valour, Finn,” they said, “we ourselves made no delay till we went out on the plain after her.  But it is our grief, they had all vanished, and there was not to be seen woman, or fawn or Druid, but we could hear the quick tread of feet on the hard plain, and the howling of dogs.  And if you would ask every one of us in what quarter he heard those sounds, he would tell you a different one.”