Thus it went on for a long time.  But at last a great misfortune befell Lir, for his wife fell ill, and after three nights she died.  Sorely did Lir grieve for this, and he fell into a great dejection of spirit, for his wife was very dear to him and was much thought of by all folk, so that her death was counted one of the great events of that time.

Now Bov the Red came ere long to hear of it, and he said, “If Lir would choose to have my help and friendship now, I can serve him well, for his wife is no longer living, and I have three maidens, daughters of a friend, in fosterage with me, namely, Eva and Aoife[9] and Elva, and there are none fairer and of better name in Erin; one of these he might take to wife.”  And the lords of the Danaans heard what he said, and answered that it was true and well bethought.  So messengers were sent to Lir, to say that if he were willing to yield the sovranty to Bov the Red, he might make alliance with him and wed one of his foster-children.  To Lir, having been thus gently entreated, it seemed good to end the feud, and he agreed to the marriage.  So the following day he set out with a train of fifty chariots from the Hill of the White Field and journeyed straight for the palace of Bov the Red, which was by Lough Derg on the river Shannon.

   [9] Pronounced Eefa.

Arriving there, he found about him nothing but joy and glad faces, for the renewal of amity and concord; and his people were welcomed, and well entreated, and handsomely entertained for the night.

[Illustration:  “There sat the three maidens with the Queen”]

And there sat the three maidens on the same couch with the Danaan Queen, and Bov the Red bade Lir choose which one he would have to wife.

“The maidens are all fair and noble,” said Lir, “but the eldest is first in consideration and honour, and it is she that I will take, if she be willing.”

“The eldest is Eva,” said Bov the Red, “and she will wed thee if it be pleasing to thee.”  “It is pleasing,” said Lir, and the pair were wedded the same night.  Lir abode for fourteen days in the palace of Bov the Red, and then departed with his bride, to make a great wedding-feast among his own people.

In due time after this Eva, wife of Lir, bore him two fair children at a birth, a daughter and a son.  The daughter’s name was called Fionnuala of the Fair Shoulder, and the son’s name was Hugh.  And again she bore him two sons, Fiachra and Conn; and at their birth she died.  At this Lir was sorely grieved and afflicted, and but for the great love he bore to his four children he would gladly have died too.

When the folk at the palace of Bov the Red heard that, they also were sorely grieved at the death of their foster-child, and they lamented her with keening and with weeping.  Bov the Red said, “We grieve for this maiden on account of the good man we gave her to, and for his friendship and fellowship; howbeit our friendship shall not be sundered, for we shall give him to wife her sister, namely Aoife.”