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EOCHO BEC, the son of Corpre, king of Cliu, dwelt in the Dun of Cuillne,[FN#52] and with him were forty fosterlings, all sons of the kings of Munster; he had also forty milch-cows for their sustenance. By Ailill and Medb messengers were sent, asking him to come to a conference. "[In a week,"][FN#53] said Eocho, "I will go to that conference;" and the messengers departed from him.
[FN#52] The eleventh century MS., the Leabhar na h-Uidhri, which gives
the first four lines of this tale as a fragment, adds here as a note:
"this is in the land of the O'Cuanach": apparently the O'Briens of
Cuanach.
[FN#53] At Samhuin day (Egerton).
One night Eocho lay there in his sleep, when he saw something approach
him; a woman, and a young man in her attendance. "Ye are welcome!"
said Eocho. ["Knowest thou us?"] said she, "Where hast thou learned to
know us?" "It seems to me as if I had been near to you." "I think
that we have been very near to one another, though we have not seen
each other face to face!" "In what place do ye dwell?" said Eocho.
"Yonder in Sid Cuillne (the fairy mound of Cuillne)," said she. "And,
wherefore have ye come?" "In order to give thee counsel," said she.
For what purpose is the counsel," said he, "that thou givest me?"
"Something," she said, "that will bring thee honour and renown on thy journey at home and abroad. A stately troop shall be round thee, and goodly foreign horses shall be under thee."[FN#54] "With how many shall I go?" said Eocho. "Fifty horsemen is the number that is suitable for thee," she answered.
