A longing for her straightway seized the King; so he sent forward a man of his people to detain her. The king asked tidings of her and said, while announcing himself: ‘Shall I have an hour of dalliance with thee?’
‘'Tis for that we have come hither under thy safeguard,’ quoth she.
‘Query, whence art thou and whence hast thou come?’ says Eochaid.
‘Easy to say,’ quoth she. ‘Étáin am I, daughter of Etar, king of the cavalcade from the elfmounds. I have been here for twenty years since I was born in an elfmound. The men of the elfmound, both kings and nobles, have been wooing me: but nought was gotten from me, because ever since I was able to speak, I have loved thee and given thee a child's love for the high tales about thee and thy splendour. And though I had never seen thee, I knew thee at once from thy description: it is thou, then, I have reached.’
‘‘No seeking of an ill friend afar’ shall be thine,’ says Eochaid. ‘Thou shalt have welcome, and for thee every other woman shall be left (by me), and with thee alone will I live so long as thou hast honour.’
‘My proper bride-price to me!’ she says, ‘and afterwards my desire.’
‘Thou shalt have both’, says Eochaid.
Seven cumals3 are given to her.4