Then they were all astonished, and the King answered and said: 

“Surely it is not the father of Lugh Lamfada who has thus been slain?”

“Thou hast said it,” said Lugh, “and those who did the deed are listening to me now, and know it better than I.”

The King said, “Not in one day would I slay the murderer of my father, but I would tear from him a limb day by day till he were dead.”

And so spake all the lords of the Danaans, and the Sons of Turenn among the rest.

“They have sentenced themselves, the murderers of my father,” said Lugh.  “Nevertheless I shall accept an eric from them, and if they will pay it, it shall be well; but if not, I shall not break the peace of the King’s Assembly and of his sanctuary, but let them beware how they leave the Hall Tara until they have made me satisfaction.”

“Had I slain your father,” said the High King, “glad should I be to have an eric accepted for his blood.”

Then the Sons of Turenn whispered among themselves.  “It is to us that Lugh is speaking,” said Iuchar and Iucharba, “let us confess and have the eric assessed upon us, for he has got knowledge of our deed.”

“Nay,” said Brian, “but he may be seeking for an open confession, and then perchance he would not accept an eric.”

But the two brethren said to Brian, “Do thou confess because thou art the eldest, or if thou do not, then we shall.”

So Brian, son of Turenn, rose up and said to Lugh:  “It is to us thou hast spoken, Lugh, since thou knowest there is enmity of old time between our houses; and if thou wilt have it that we have slain thy father, then declare our eric and we shall pay it.”

“I will take an eric from you,” said Lugh, “and if it seem too great, I will remit a portion of it.”

“Declare it, then,” said the Sons of Turenn.

“This it is,” said Lugh.

“Three apples.

“The skin of a pig.

“A spear.

“Two steeds and a chariot.

“Seven swine.

“A whelp of a dog.

“A cooking spit.

“Three shouts on a hill.”

“We would not consider heavy hundreds or thousands of these things,” said the Sons of Turenn, “but we misdoubt thou hast some secret purpose against us.”

“I deem it no small eric,” said Lugh, “and I call to witness the High King and lords of the Danaans that I shall ask no more; and do ye on your side give me guarantees for the fulfilment of it.”

So the High King and the lords of the Danaans entered into bonds with Lugh and with the Sons of Turenn that the eric should be paid and should wipe out the blood of Kian.

“Now,” said Lugh, “it is better forme to give you fuller knowledge of the eric.  The three apples that I have demanded of you are the apples that grow in the garden of the Hesperides, in the east of the world, and none but these will do.  Thus it is with them:  they are the colour of bright gold, and as large as the head of a month-old child; the taste of them is like honey; if he who eats them has any running sore or evil disease it is healed by them; they may be eaten and eaten and never be less.  I doubt, O young heroes, if ye will get these apples, for those who guard them know well an ancient prophecy that one day three knights from the western world would come to attempt them.