“I knew by my sleep that went from me, by my tears through every lasting night, that there was no luck before you.

“I knew by the sorrowful vision that showed myself in danger, my head and my hands cut off, that it was yourselves were without sway.

“I knew by the voice of Uaithnin, the hound that is dearest to Liagan, howling early every morning, that death was certain for my three.

“I knew when I saw in a vision a lake of blood in the place of the dun, that my three were put down by the deceit that was always with Finn.”

“Do not be faulting Finn,” said Grania then, “however vexed your heart may be.  And leave off now,” she said, “speaking against the Fianna and against himself; for if your men had stopped in their own country,” she said, “without coming to avenge the son of Treon, there would no harm have happened them.”  “I would not put any reproach on the Fianna, Grania,” said Ailne, “if my three men had been put down in fair battle, but they are not living to bear witness to me,” she said; “and it is likely they were put under Druid spells at the first, or they would never have given in.”  “If they were living, Queen,” said Grania, “they would not be running down the Fianna, but they would tell you it was by bravery and the strong hand they fell.”  “I do not believe you or the Fianna when you say that,” said Ailne; “for no one that came to meet them ever got the sway over them by the right of the sword.”  “If you do not believe what I am saying, beautiful Ailne,” said Grania, “I tell you more of your great army will fall by the Fianna, and that not by treachery.”  “That is not so,” said Ailne, “but I have good hopes that my own army will do destruction on the Fianna, for the sake of the men that are dead.”  “Well, Ailne,” said Grania, “I know it is a far journey you have come.  And come now and eat and drink,” she said, “with myself and with the Fianna.”

But Ailne would not do that, but she said it would not be fitting for her to take food from people that did such deeds, and what she wanted was satisfaction for the death of her husband and her two sons.

And first it was settled for two men of each side to go out against one another; and then Ailne said that there should be thirty men on each side, and then she said she would not be satisfied to go back to her own country till she brought the head of Finn with her, or till the last of his men had fallen.  And there was a great battle fought in the end, and it is seldom the Fianna fought so hard a battle as that.

And it would be too long to tell, and it would tire the hearers, how many good men were killed on each side.  But in the end Ailne of the Bright Face was worsted, and she went back with what were left of her men to their own country, and no one knew where they went.

And the hill in the west those battles were fought on got the name of Cnoc-an-Air, the Hill of Slaughter.

CHAPTER III.  AILNE’S REVENGE