But the same thing happened the next day.  And when it happened on the third day, and the same man came to meet Etain, she said to him:  “It is not you at all I come to meet here, and why is it that you come to meet me?  And as to him I came to meet,” she said, “indeed it is not for gain or through lightness I bade him come to me, but to heal him of the sickness he is lying under for my sake.”  Then the man said:  “It would be more fitting for you to come to meet me than any other one.  For in the time long ago,” he said, “I was your first husband, and your first man.”  “What is it you are saying,” she said, “and who are you yourself?” “It is easy to tell that,” he said; “I am Midhir of Bri Leith.”  “And what parted us if I was your wife?” said Etain.  “It was through Fuamach’s sharp jealousy and through the spells of Bresal Etarlaim, the Druid, we were parted.  And will you come away with me now?” he said.  But Etain said:  “It is not for a man whose kindred is unknown I will give up the High King of Ireland.”  And Midhir said:  “Surely it was I myself put that great desire for you on Ailell, and it was I hindered him from going to meet you, the way you might keep your good name.”

And when she went back to Ailell’s house, she found his sickness was gone from him, and his desire.  And she told him all that had happened, and he said:  “It has turned out well for us both:  I am well of my sickness and your good name is not lessened.”  “We give thanks to our gods for that,” said Etain, “for we are well pleased to have it so.”

And just at that time Eochaid came back from his journey, and they told him the whole story, and he was thankful to his wife for the kindness she had showed to Ailell.

It was a good while after that, there was a great fair held at Teamhair, and Etain was out on the green looking at the games and the races.  And she saw a rider coming towards her, but no one could see him but herself; and when he came near she saw he had the same appearance as the man that came and spoke with her and her young girls the time they were out in the sea at Inver Cechmaine.  And when he came up to her he began to sing words to her that no one could hear but herself.  And it is what he said: 

“O beautiful woman, will you come with me to the wonderful country that is mine?  It is pleasant to be looking at the people there, beautiful people without any blemish; their hair is of the colour of the flag-flower, their fair body is as white as snow, the colour of the foxglove is on every cheek.  The young never grow old there; the fields and the flowers are as pleasant to be looking at as the blackbird’s eggs; warm, sweet streams of mead and of wine flow through that country; there is no care and no sorrow on any person; we see others, but we ourselves are not seen.

“Though the plains of Ireland are beautiful, it is little you would think of them after our great plain; though the ale of Ireland is heady, the ale of the great country is still more heady.  O beautiful woman, if you come to my proud people it is the flesh of pigs newly killed I will give you for food; it is ale and new milk I will give you for drink; it is feasting you will have with me there; it is a crown of gold you will have upon your hair, O beautiful woman!