till chance blew thee into the fairy palace of Angus my kinsman, by the waters of the Boyne.  But Angus knew thee, for the Fairy Folk may not disguise themselves from each other, and he built for thee a magical sunny bower with open windows, through which thou mightest pass, and about it were all manner of blossoming herbs and shrubs, and on the odour and honey of these thou didst live and grow fair and well nourished.  But in the end Fuamnach got tidings of thee, and again the druid tempest descended and blew thee forth for another seven years of wandering and woe.  Then it chanced that thou wert blown through the roof-window of the Dun of Etar by the Bay of Cichmany, and fell into the goblet from which his wife was drinking, and thee she drank down with that draught of ale.  And in due time thou wast born again in the guise of a mortal maid and daughter to Etar the Warrior.  But thou art no mortal, nor of mortal kin, for it is one thousand and twelve years from the time when thou wast born in Fairy Land till Etar’s wife bore thee as a child on earth.”

Then Etain was bewildered, and her mind ran back on many a half-forgotten thing and she gazed as into a gulf of visions, full of dim shapes, strange and glorious.  And Midir as she looked at him again seemed transfigured, taller and mightier than before, and a light flame flickered from his helmet’s crest and moved like wings about his shoulders.

But at last she said, “I know not what thou sayest if it be truth or not, but this I know, that I am the wife of the High King and I will not break my troth.”  “It were broken already,” said Midir, “but for me, for I it was who laid a druidic sleep on Ailill, and it was I who came to thee in his shape that thy honour might not be stained.”  Etain said, “I learned then that honour is more than life.”  “But if Eochy the High King consent to let thee go,” said Midir, “wilt thou then come with me to my land and thine?” “In that case,” said Etain “I will go.”

And the time went by, and Etain abode in Tara, and the High King did justice and made war and held the great Assembly as he was used.  But one day in summer Eochy arose very early to breathe the morning air, and he stood by himself leaning on the rampart of his great Dun, and looking over the flowery plain of Bregia.  And as he thus gazed he was aware of a young warrior standing by his side.  Grey-eyed the youth was, and golden-haired, and he was splendidly armed and apparelled as beseemed the lord of a great clan of the Gael.  Eochy bade him welcome courteously, and asked him of the cause of his coming.  “I am come,” he said, “to play a game of chess with thee, O King, for thou art renowned for thy skill in that game, and to test that skill am I come.  And my name is Midir, of the People of Dana, whom they have called The Proud.”

“Willingly,” said the King; “but I have here no chessboard, and mine is in the chamber where the Queen is sleeping.”

“That is easily remedied,” said Midir, and he drew from his cloak a folding chessboard whose squares were alternate gold and silver.  From a men-bag made of brazen chainwork he drew out a set of men adorned with flashing jewels, and he set them in array.