They went on then till they came to the king’s dun, and Diarmuid called out that the cup should be sent out to him, or else champions to fight with him should be sent out.  It was not the cup was sent out, but twice eight hundred fighting men; and in three hours there was not one of them left to stand against him.  Then twice nine hundred better fighters again were sent out against him, and within four hours there was not one of them left to stand against him.  Then the king himself came out, and he stood in the great door, and he said:  “Where did the man come from that has brought destruction on the whole of my kingdom?” “I will tell you that,” said he; “I am Diarmuid, a man of the Fianna of Ireland.”  “It is a pity you not to have sent a messenger telling me that,” said the king, “and I would not have spent my men upon you; for seven years before you were born it was put in the prophecy that you would come to destroy them.  And what is it you are asking now?” he said.  “It is the cup of healing from your own hand I am asking,” said Diarmuid.  “No man ever got that cup from me but yourself,” said the king, “but it is easy for me to give it to you, whether or not there is healing in it.”

Then the King of the Plain of Wonder gave Diarmuid the cup, and they parted from one another; and Diarmuid went on till he came to the river, and it was then he thought of the red man, that he had given no thought to while he was at the king’s house.  But he was there before him, and took his foot in the palm of his hand and brought him over the river.  “I know where it is you are going, Diarmuid,” he said then; “it is to heal the daughter of King Under-Wave that you have given your love to.  And it is to a well I will give you the signs of you should go,” he said, “and bring a share of the water of that well with you.  And when you come where the woman is, it is what you have to do, to put that water in the cup, and one of the drops of blood in it, and she will drink it, and the same with the second drop and the third, and her sickness will be gone from her from that time.  But there is another thing will be gone along with it,” he said, “and that is the love you have for her.”

“That will not go from me,” said Diarmuid.  “It will go from you,” said the man; “and it will be best for you make no secret of it, for she will know, and the king will know, that you think no more of her then than of any other woman.  And King Under-Wave will come to you,” he said, “and will offer you great riches for healing his daughter.  But take nothing from him,” he said, “but ask only a ship to bring you home again to Ireland.  And do you know who am I myself?” he said.  “I do not know,” said Diarmuid.  “I am the messenger from beyond the world,” he said; “and I came to your help because your own heart is hot to come to the help of another.”

So Diarmuid did as he bade him, and he brought the water and the cup and the drops of blood to the woman, and she drank them, and at the third draught she was healed.  And no sooner was she healed than the love he had for her was gone, and he turned away from her.  “O Diarmuid,” she said, “your love is gone from me.”  “O, it is gone indeed,” said he.