And the sons of Tuireann came where the king was, and they were made welcome by him and by the Tuatha de Danaan.  And the king asked them did they get the fine.  “We did get it,” said they; “and where is Lugh till we give it to him?” “He was here a while ago,” said the king.  And the whole fair was searched for him, but he was not found.

“I know the place where he is,” said Brian; “for it has been made known to him that we are come to Ireland, and these deadly arms with us, and he is gone into Teamhair to avoid us.”

Messengers were sent to him then, and it is the answer he gave them that he would not come, but that the fine should be given to the king.

So the sons of Tuireann did that, and when the king had taken the fine they all went to the palace in Teamhair; and Lugh came out on the lawn and the fine was given to him, and it is what he said:  “There is a good payment here for any one that ever was killed or that ever will be killed.  But there is something wanting to it yet that it is not lawful to leave out.  And where is the cooking-spit?” he said; “and where are the three shouts on the hill that you did not give yet?”

And when the sons of Tuireann heard that there came clouds of weakness on them.  And they left the place and went to their father’s house that night, and they told him all they had done, and the way Lugh had treated them.

There was grief and darkness on Tuireann then, and they spent the night together.  And on the morrow they went to their ship, and Ethne, their sister, with them, and she was crying and lamenting, and it is what she said: 

“It is a pity, Brian of my life, it is not to Teamhair your going is, after all the troubles you have had before this, even if I could not follow you.

“O Salmon of the dumb Boinn, O Salmon of the Life River, since I cannot keep you here I am loath to part from you.

“O Rider of the Wave of Tuaidh, the man that stands best in the fight, if you come back again, I think it will not be pleasing to your enemy.

“Is there pity with you for the sons of Tuireann leaning now on their green shields?  Their going is a cause for pity, my mind is filled up with it.

“You to be to-night at Beinn Edair till the heavy coming of the morning, you who have taken forfeits from brave men, it is you have increased our grief.

“It is a pity your journey is from Teamhair, and from the pleasant plains, and from great Uisnech of Midhe; there is nothing so pitiful as this.”

After that complaint they went out on the rough waves of the green sea; and they were a quarter of a year on the sea without getting any news of the island.

Then Brian put on his water dress and he made a leap, and he was a long time walking in the sea looking for the Island of the Fair-Haired Women, and he found it in the end.  And he went looking for the court, and when he came to it, all he found was a troop of women doing needlework and embroidering borders.  And among all the other things they had with them, there was the cooking-spit.