“If, for every man who follows thee as liege, and owns a farm,
Thou a cow wilt yield,” said Ailill, “then from foes with power to harm
I will guard thee in the battle!” “Keep then faithfully thy vows,”
Eocho said, “this day as tribute shall to Croghan come the cows.”

Thrice the sun hath set and risen while they feasting there abide,
Maev and Ailill’s bounty tasting, homeward then they quickly ride: 
But the sons of Glaschu met them, who from western Donnan came;
Donnan, from the seas that bound it, Irross Donnan hath for name;
Seven times twenty men attacked them, and to battle they were brought,
At the isle of O’Canàda, fiercely either party fought;
With his foster children round him, Eocho Bec in fight was killed,
All the forty princes perished, with that news the land was filled;
All through Ireland lamentation rose for every youthful chief;
Four times twenty Munster princes, weeping for them, died of grief.

Now a vision came to Ailill, as in sleep he lay awhile, or a youth and dame approached him, fairer none in Erin’s Isle:  “Who are ye?” said Ailill; “Conquest,” said the fairy, “and Defeat “Though Defeat I shun,” said Ailill, “Conquest joyfully I meet.”  “Conquest thou shalt have!” she answered:  “Of the future I would ask, Canst thou read my fate?” said Ailill:  “Light indeed for me the task,” Said the dame:  “the kine of Dartaid, Eocho’s daughter, may be won:  Forty cows she owns; to gain them send to her thy princely son, Orlam, whom that maiden loveth:  let thy son to start prepare, Forty youths from Connaught with him, each of them a prince’s heir:  Choose thou warriors stout and stately; I will give them garments bright, Even those that decked the princes who so lately fell in fight: 

Bridles, brooches, all I give thee; ere the morning sun be high
Thou shalt count that fairy treasure:  to our country now we fly.”

Swiftly to the son of Tassa sped they thence, to Corp the Gray: 
On the northern bank of Naymon was his hold, and there he lay;
And before the men of Munster, as their champion did he stand: 
He hath wrought-so runs the proverb-evil, longer than his hand. 
As to Corp appeared the vision:  “Say,” he cried, “what names ye boast!”
“Ruin, one is called,” they answered; “one, The Gathering of the Host!”
An assembled host I welcome,” answered them the gray Corp Lee;
“Ruin I abhor”:  “And ruin,” they replied, “is far from thee;
Thou shalt bring on sons of nobles, and of kings a ruin great”: 
“Fairy,” said Corp Lee, the Gray one, “tell me of that future fate.”

“Easy is the task,” she answered, “youths of every royal race
That in Connaught’s land hath dwelling, come to-morrow to this place;
Munster’s kine they hope to harry, for the Munster princes fell
Yesterday with Connaught fighting; and the hour I plainly ten: 
At the ninth hour of the morning shall they come:  the band is small: 
Have thou valiant men to meet them, and upon the raiders fall! 
Munster’s honour hath been tarnished! clear it by a glorious deed! 
Thou shalt purge the shame if only in the foray thou succeed.”