One day Finn and his people were hunting on Slieve Fuad, and a stag stood against them for a while and fought with his great rough horns, and then he turned and ran, and the Fianna followed after him till they came to the green hill of Liadhas, and from that to rocky Cairgin.  And there they lost him again for a while, till Sceolan started him again, and he went back towards Slieve Fuad, and the Fianna after him.

But Finn and Daire of the Songs, that were together, went astray and lost the rest of their people, and they did not know was it east or west they were going.

Finn sounded the Dord Fiann then, and Daire played some sorrowful music to let their people know where they were.  But when the Fianna heard the music, it seemed to be a long way off; and sometimes they thought it was in the north it was, and sometimes in the east, and then it changed to the west, the way they did not know in the wide world where was it coming from.

And as to Finn and Daire, a Druid mist came about them, and they did not know what way they were going.

And after a while they met with a young woman, comely and pleasant, and they asked who was she, and what brought her there.  “Glanluadh is my name,” she said, “and my husband is Lobharan; and we were travelling over the plain together a while ago, and we heard the cry of hounds, and he left me and went after the hunt, and I do not know where is he, or what way did he go.”  “Come on then with us,” said Finn, “and we will take care of you, for we ourselves do not know what way the hunt is gone, east or west.”  So they went on, and before long they came to a hill, and they heard sleepy music of the Sidhe beside them.  And after that there came shouts and noises, and then the music began again, and heavy sleep came on Finn and Daire.  And when they awoke from their sleep they saw a very large lighted house before them, and a stormy blue sea around it.  Then they saw a very big grey man coming through the waves, and he took hold of Finn and of Daire, and all their strength went from them, and he brought them across the waves and into the house, and he shut the door of the house with iron hooks.  “My welcome to you, Finn of the great name,” he said then in a very harsh voice; “it is long we are waiting here for you.”

They sat down then on the hard side of a bed, and the woman of the house came to them, and they knew her to be Ailne, wife of Meargach.  “It is long I am looking for you, Finn,” she said, “to get satisfaction for the treachery you did on Meargach and on my two comely young sons, and on Tailc, son of Treon, and all his people.  And do you remember that, Finn?” she said.  “I remember well,” said Finn, “that they fell by the swords of the Fianna, not by treachery but in fighting.”  “It was by treachery they fell,” said the Grey Man then; “and it is our witness to it, pleasant Ailne to be the way she is, and many a strong army under grief on account of her.”  “What is Ailne to you, man of the rough voice?” said Finn.  “I am her own brother,” said the man.