New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-07

\ easbing against the sun. On her head were
two tresses of golden hair, and each uess
| Rod b.er nlaited into four strands; at the
end Of each strand was little ball OF soid'
And there was that maiden undoing hei
hair that she might wash 1t, her two arms
out through the armholes Of her smoch'
! Each OF her arms was as "nito oo
tbe SNOW Of a single night, and each OF
her cheeks was as rosy as the foAslo'e'
Even and small were the teeth III nei
! head, and they shone like pearls 1er
eyes were as blue as hyacinth, her Eps
delicate and crimson: very high, SOIL anu
| white were her shoulders. Tender. pohsheo
| and white were her wrists; her myers
were long and Of great Wilderness; her NAILS
we're beautiful and pink White as sno"
| or tho foam OF wave was her neck; long
was II. slender. and as soft as silk. Her
| feet were slim and as white as the ocean
| foam: evenly set were her eyes; her eye
brows were Of blush black, such as you
see upon the shell of a beetle. Never
| maid fairer than she or more worthy OF
| love was till then seen by the eyes OF
men"
The King. of course. fell in love imme-
diately with this beautiful creature. she
| became his wife and went to live with MIN
| in the castle of Tara. But though 1t vas
| now a thousand years since she had been
| driven from the Land Of Youth her i'm
| mortal lover had not forgotten her. He
| came TO her in the castle OF Tara, beaI-
| tiful and nobly apparelled as she herself
had been when King Eochy found her
preparing TO wash her hair at the spring.
,,f, hn kn
calling to her all her own history. which
she had forgotten. Mirdir told her that the
wicked Fuamnach was dead and begged
her to fly with him to the Land Of Youth.
Pleasant" he told her. are the plalls
OF Erin, but they are desert to The Great
Plain"
20 fair-haired woman, VIII you come
with me to the marvellous land. full OF
music. where the hair is primrose yellow
and the body white as snow?
There none speaks Of mine or thine
white are the teeth and black the brows;
eyes fash with many-colored lights, and
the hue of the foxglove Is OH every check.
80 lady IL thou wilt come to my strong
people the purest OF gold shall be on thy
head: thy meat shall be swines flesh I'M
sailed. new milk and mead shalt thou
drink with me there. . fair haired wom-
an"
The prospect OF eating swine's flesh con-
tinually does not sound very tempting 10
our ears. but Etain knew that Mirdir
spoke of the magic swine whose flesh pre-
served the youth of the people OF David.
Yet she hesitated to leave her mortal hus-
band and consented TO go with Mirdr only
hn Eivn fGxlg. ,lyiNy
gained his consent. Shortly after he APP
peared to Eochy on the Hill Of Tara, and,
producing a chessboard of silver with pieces
of gold studded with Jewels. asked the King
TO play with him. Mrdr allowed him 10
win game after game and in payment for
his losses he performed all sorts Of tasks,
retaining land. clearing forests and build
ing bridges. Having convinced Eochy that
he could not be beaten. he proposed a final
game in which the stake was TO be named
by the victor after II was over. OF course,
Eochy was beaten this time. and Mrdir
demanded that Etan should be given TO
him.
THE thing that thou desirest shall be
granted thee" said the King. but he did
not intend to keep his word and surround
ed his palace with strong guards 10 keep
Mirdr out
II was all I'm vain. however. One day. as
the King sat al a feast. while Etain was
handing around tho wine. Mrdir appeared
in their midst more glorious than ever
Holding his spurs in his left hand. he threw
his right arm around Etan and the pair
rose in the air and disappeared through a
window In the roof The King and his men
rushed out OF the palace. but could sec
nothing but two white swans circllng in
the air high above them.
Thus Etain the Fair returned TO the Land
Of Youth after an absence OF thousand
years.