‘Then go thou to the House of the Red Branch, and bring me word hither if Deirdre be still the fairest among women.’
And the man went. But when he found that bar and bolt were drawn across door and window, he knew well that the sons of Usna were warned of the wrath of the King. But espying one open window, he put his eye near to the lower corner that he might glance within. And Deirdre saw the man’s eye, and told Nathos, and he, with the ivory bishop that was in his hand, took aim as if with a javelin, and the chessman pierced the spy’s eye, and it became blind.
And the man returned to King Concobar and said, ‘Of a surety Deirdre, the wife of Nathos, is yet of all fair women the most fair.’
Then could not Concobar contain his wrath, but burst forth, ‘Arise, ye Ultonians; the fort that surroundeth the House of the Red Branch set ye in flames.’
And the Ultonians set it in flames.
Then came out the younger of the sons of Fergus from the burning fort, and he rushed upon the Ultonians and killed three hundred men. And when King Concobar beheld the onslaught, he cried aloud, ‘Who hath done this thing?’
And when it was told him that it was the son of Fergus, he said, ‘To such a hero will I give the choice of lands, and he will be to me as a son, if he will but forsake the sons of Usna.’
And the son of Fergus made answer, ‘I swear to abide by thee and to return not to the House of the Red Branch.’
And when he returned not, Deirdre, said, ‘Even as Fergus hath deceived us, even so hath his son.’
Then went forth the elder son of Fergus, and he fell upon the Ultonians, and there perished by his hand three hundred men. And when Concobar saw who it was that had done this thing, he called his own son, who had been born the same night as this son of Fergus. ‘Take these, my magic arms,’ he cried, ‘and fall upon the foe.’