“Give a welcome to the man that is coming towards you,” said Laegaire, that had the best name of all the men of Connacht, to his people.  And to the stranger he said:  “A welcome to the champion we do not know.”

“I am thankful to you all,” said he.

“What is it you are come for, and where are you going?” said Laegaire then.

“I am come to look for the help of fighting men,” said the stranger.  “And my name,” he said, “is Fiachna, son of Betach, of the men of the Sidhe; and it is what ails me, my wife was taken from my pillow and brought away by Eochaid, son of Sal.  And we fought together, and I killed him, and now she is gone to a brother’s son of his, Goll, son of Dalbh, king of a people of Magh Mell.  Seven battles I gave him, but they all went against me; and on this very day there is another to be fought, and I am come to ask help.  And to every one that deserves it, I will give a good reward of gold and of silver for that help.”

And it is what he said: 

“The most beautiful of plains is the Plain of the Two Mists; it is not far from this; it is a host of the men of the Sidhe full of courage are stirring up pools of blood upon it.

“We have drawn red blood from the bodies of high nobles; many women are keening them with cries and with tears.

“The men of the host in good order go out ahead of their beautiful king; they march among blue spears, white troops of fighters with curled hair.

“They scatter the troops of their enemies, they destroy every country they make an attack on; they are beautiful in battle, a host with high looks, rushing, avenging.

“It is no wonder they to have such strength:  every one of them is the son of a king and a queen; manes of hair they have of the colour of gold.

“Their bodies smooth and comely; their eyes blue and far-seeing; their teeth bright like crystal, within their thin red lips.

“White shields they have in their hands, with patterns on them of white silver; blue shining swords, red horns set with gold.

“They are good at killing men in battle; good at song-making, good at chess-playing.

“The most beautiful of plains is the Plain of the Two Mists; the men of the Sidhe are stirring up pools of blood on it; it is not far from this place.”

“It would be a shameful thing not to give our help to this man,” said Laegaire.

Fiachna, son of Betach, went down into the lake then, for it was out of it he had come, and Laegaire went down into it after him, and fifty fighting men along with him.

They saw a strong place before them then, and a company of armed men, and Goll, son of Dalbh, at the head of them.

“That is well,” said Laegaire, “I and my fifty men will go out against this troop.”  “I will answer you,” said Goll, son of Dalbh.

The two fifties attacked one another then, and Goll fell, but Laegaire and his fifty escaped with their lives and made a great slaughter of their enemies, that not one of them made his escape.