“’Tis strange,” said he,” as dipped in wine,
So swims, so reels my head,
As o’er me steals the breath divine
Of perfume from them shed.”

“A fair youth,” said he, “forth with them goeth,
And the grace of such frolicsome play,
And such lightness in leap as he showeth
Have I seen not on earth till to-day: 
For his spear a full shot’s length he flingeth,
Yet the spear never reacheth to ground,
For his silver-chained hounds follow after,
In their jaws is the spear ever found!”
The Connaught hosts without the fort
To see that glory rushed: 
Sixteen within, of baser sort,
Who gazed, to death were crushed.

To the fort came the youths, from their steeds they leapt, for the steeds and the stabling cared, And they loosed the hounds that in leash they kept, for the hunt were the hounds prepared; Seven deer, seven foxes and hares, they chased to the dun on Croghan’s plain, Seven boars they drave, on the lawn in haste the game by the youths was slain:  With a bound they dashed into Bree, whose flood by the lawns of Croghan flows; Seven otters they caught in its stream, and brought to a hill where the gateway rose.

’Twas there that Fraech and the princes sat at the castle-gate to rest, And the steward of Croghan with Fraech would speak, for such was the king’s behest:  Of his birth it was asked, and the men he led all truth to the herald spake:  “It is Idath’s son who is here,” they said, and they gave him the name of Fraech.  To Ailill and Maev went the steward back of the stranger’s name to tell; “Give him welcome,” said they:  “Of a noble race is that youth, and I know it well; Let him enter the court of our house,” said the king, the gateway they opened wide; And the fourth of the palace they gave to Fraech, that there might his youths abide.

Fair was the palace that there they found,
Seven great chambers were ranged it round;
Right to the walls of the house they spread,
Facing the hall, where the fire glowed red: 
Red yew planks, that had felt the plane,
Dappled the walls with their tangled grain: 

Rails of bronze at the side-walls stood,
Plates of bronze had made firm the wood,
Seven brass bolts to the roof-tree good
Firmly the vaulting tied.

All that house had of pine been made,
Planks, as shingles, above were laid;
Sixteen windows the light let pass,
Each in a frame of the shining brass: 
High through the roof was the sky seen bright;
Girder of brass made that opening tight,
Under the gap it was stretched, and light
Fell on its gleaming side.

All those chambers in splendour excelling,
The midmost of all in the ring,
Rose a room, set apart as the dwelling
Of Queen Maev, and of Ailill the king. 
Four brass columns the awning supported
For their couch, there was bronze on the wall;
And two rails, formed of silver, and gilded,
In that chamber encircled it all: 
In the front, to mid-rafters attaining,
Rose in silver a wand from the floor;
And with rooms was that palace engirdled,
For they stretched from the door to the door.