THE FORT OF ESA original: RATH ESA

They were nine years about that siege;

its progress was not very fast.

Midir was the cause of that delay,

for he was busy undoing the work.

After the destruction of the fairy mound,

there came fifty steadfast men—

that group was handsome in form—

to speak with the warrior kings.

Then there were brought on a Wednesday

(it was a famous story I heard)<\-
35
->to Eochaid, in the shape of Étaín,

one hundred and fifty women original: thrice fifty women, a powerful excellence!

From among them he chose

his own truly-pure daughter In the legend, Midir tricks Eochaid into choosing his own daughter, thinking she is his wife Étaín;

the declaration Midir made was a lie,

though he claimed that was the meeting they had agreed upon.

She was the one who bore Meiss Buachalla,

the mother of the companionable Conaire Conaire Mór, a legendary High King of Ireland;

it was a harsh and difficult union:

she was raised to rule over the noble race of Éber original: slúag n-Ébir; a poetic name for the Irish people.

When Eochaid went again

to destroy the bright Brí Léith,

he took back his wife after reuniting with her

from Midir—a feat of splendor!

It was then that he demanded

his honor-fine original: eneclaind; legal compensation due to a person under Irish law based on their status from Midir—

the righteous, fair, and strong Eochaid—

and he received it after a legal judgment.

The following section contains scholarly variations found in different medieval manuscripts, such as the Book of Leinster (L), the Rawlinson manuscripts (R), and others.

The others [read] forsndessid] forsneidseon in manuscript M. 41-44.] omitted in manuscript S. 42. chélig] chelig in L and R; ceblig or ceillig in B; ceolaig, etc. in M, Y, and S₂; ceillidh, etc. in H, S₃, and V: see Notes. 43. dál amnas] L; a famous story [scél n-irdairc], etc. in the others. fuachalda] L; nuachalla, etc. in R, B, S₂, and Y; nuachalda in H; nuacolla, etc. in M, S₃, and V. 44. rosalt] roselt in L. host [sluag]] L; seed [síl] in the others. Éber] Eogain in Y and S₂: see Notes. 45. to [dia]] L; to [do] in the others. 46. Brí] bria in L; brith in M. 52. so he took it [conosruc]] L; so he met [comoruc], etc. in the others. after the meeting [iar ndáil]] L; to the meeting [dodail], etc. in R and Y; meeting [dail] in B; to the meeting [adail] in S and S₂; in the meeting [andail] in M, H, S₃, and V.