To Mag Breg,[FN#1] where his mother’s sister dwelt, to Boand he away hath gone, And she gave to him mantles of dark black-blue, like a beetle’s back they shone:  Four dark-grey rings in each cloak she gave were sewn, and a brooch shone, bright With the good red gold in each mantle’s fold; she gave tunics pale and white, And the tunics were bordered with golden loops, that forms as of beasts displayed; And a fifty she added of well-rimmed shields, that of silver white were made.

[FN#1] Pronounced Maw Brayg.

Then away they rode, in each hero’s hand was a torch for a kingly hall, For studs of bronze, and of well-burned gold, shone bright on the spears of all; On carbuncle sockets the spears were set, their points with jewels blazed; And they lit the night, as with fair sunlight, as men on their glory gazed.

By each of the fifty heroes’ side was a sword with a hilt of gold; And a soft-grey mare was for each to ride, with a golden curb controlled; At each horse’s throat was a silver plate, and in front of that plate was swung, With a tinkling sound to the horse’s tread, a bell with a golden tongue. on each steed was a housing of purple hide, with threads of silver laced, And with spiral stitch of the silver threads the heads of beasts were traced, And each housing was buckled with silver and gold:  of findruine[FN#2] was made the whip For each rider to hold, with a crook of gold where it came to the horse man’s grip.

[FN#2] Pronounced “find-roony,” the unknown “white-bronze” metal.

By their sides, seven chase-hounds were springing
At leashes of silver they strained,
And each couple a gold apple, swinging
On the fetter that linked them, sustained: 
And their feet with bronze sheaths had been guarded,
As if greaves for defence they had worn,
Every hue man hath seen, or hath fancied,
By those chase-hounds in brilliance was borne.

Seven trumpeters strode on the road before, with colour their cloaks were bright, And their coats, that shone with the gauds they wore, flashed back as they met the light; On trumpets of silver and gold they blew, and sweet was the trumpets’ sound, And their hair, soft and yellow, like fairy threads, shone golden their shoulders round.

Three jesters marched in the van, their-crowns were of silver, by gilt concealed, And emblems they. carried of quaint device, engraved on each jester’s shield; They had staves which with crests were adorned, and ribs down their edges in red bronze ran; Three harp-players moved by the jesters’ sides, and each was a kingly man.  All these were the gifts that the fairy gave, and gaily they made their start, And to Croghan’s[FN#3] hold, in that guise so brave, away did the host depart.

[FN#3] Pronounced Crow-han.

On the fort stands a watchman to view them,
And thus news down to Croghan he calls: 
“From yon plain comes, in fulness of numbers,
A great army to Croghan’s high walls;
And, since Ailill the throne first ascended,
Since the day we hailed Maev as our Queen,
Never army so fair nor so splendid
Yet hath come, nor its like shall be seen.”