He was nephew to Caer, the king of Connaught, who reared him with all kindness and gentleness as his own son. But by an evil fate the wife of Caer the king loved the young man; and she gave him a silver apple in proof of her love, and further promised him the kingdom and herself if he could overthrow Caer and make the people depose him from the sovranty.
“How can I do this?” answered Nuadhé, “for the king has ever been kind to me.”
“Ask him for some gift,” said the queen, “that he will refuse, and then put a blemish on him for punishment, that so he can be no longer king;” for no one with a blemish was ever suffered to reign in Erin.
“But he refuses me nothing,” answered Nuadhé.
“Try him,” said the queen. “Ask of him the dagger he brought from Alba, for he is under a vow never to part with it.”
So Nuadhé went to him, and asked for the dagger that came out of Alba as a gift.
“Woe is me!” said the king. “This I cannot grant; for I am under a solemn vow never to part with it, or give it to another.”
Then the poet by his power made a satire on him, and this was the form of the imprecation—
“Evil death, and a short life
Be on Caer the king!