“What is it ails you, young man, for it is a long time you are wasted with this sickness, and it is not the hardness of the weather has stopped your light footstep.”

And Ailell answered her in the same way, and he said:  “I have good cause for my hurt; the music of my own harp does not please me; there is no sort of food is pleasant to me, and so I am wasted away.”  Then Etain said:  “Tell me what is it ails you, for I am a woman that is wise.  Tell me is there anything that would cure you, the way I may help you to it?” And Ailell answered her:  “O kind, beautiful woman, it is not good to tell a secret to a woman, but sometimes it may be known through the eyes.”  And Etain said:  “Though it is bad to tell a secret, yet it ought to be told now, or how can help be given to you?” And Ailell answered:  “My blessing on you, fair-haired Etain.  It is not fit I am to be spoken with; my wits have been no good help to me; my body is a rebel to me.  All Ireland knows, O king’s wife, there is sickness in my head and in my body.”  And Etain said:  “If there is a woman of the fair-faced women of Ireland tormenting you this way, she must come to you here if it pleases you; and it is I myself will woo her for you,” she said.

Then Ailell said to her:  “Woman, it would be easy for you yourself to put my sickness from me.  And my desire,” he said, “is a desire that is as long as a year; but it is love given to an echo, the spending of grief on a wave, a lonely fight with a shadow, that is what my love and my desire have been to me.”

And it is then Etain knew what was the sickness that was on him, and it was a heavy trouble to her.

But she came to him every day to tend him, and to make ready his food, and to pour water over his hands, and all she could do she did for him, for it was a grief to her, he to wither away and to be lost for her sake.  And at last one day she said to him:  “Rise up, Ailell, son of a king, man of high deeds, and I will do your healing.”

Then he put his arms about her, and she kissed him, and she said:  “Come at the morning of to-morrow at the break of day to the house outside the dun, and I will give you all your desire.”

That night Ailell lay without sleep until the morning was at hand.  And at the very time he should have risen to go to her, it was at that time his sleep settled down upon him, and he slept on till the full light of day.

But Etain went to the house outside the dun, and she was not long there when she saw a man coming towards her having the appearance of Ailell, sick and tired and worn.  But when he came near and she looked closely at him, she saw it was not Ailell that was in it.  Then he went away, and after she had waited a while, she herself went back into the dun.

And it was then Ailell awoke, and when he knew the morning had passed by, he would sooner have had death than life, and he fretted greatly.  And Etain came in then, and he told her what had happened him.  And she said:  “Come to-morrow to the same place.”