“One hundred thousand welcomes before you, son of the king of Connacht,” says the hag.
“How did you know me?” says the king’s son.
“Oh, many’s the good day I spent in your father’s castle in Bwee-sounee, and I know you since you were born,” said the hag.
Then she prepared him a fine supper, and gave it to him. When he had eaten and drunk enough, she said to him:
“You made a long journey to-day; come with me until I show you a bed.” Then she brought him to a fine chamber, showed him a bed, and the king’s son fell asleep. He did not awake until the sun was coming in on the windows the next morning.
Then he rose up, dressed himself, and was going out, when the hag asked him where he was going.
“I don’t know,” said the king’s son. “I left home to find out the Well of D’yerree-in-Dowan.”
“I’m after walking a good many places,” said the hag, “but I never heard talk of the Well of D’yerree-in-Dowan before.”
The king’s son went out, and he was travelling till he came to a cross-roads between two woods. He did not know which road to take. He saw a seat under the trunk of a great tree. When he went up to it he found it written: “This is the seat of travellers.”
The king’s son sat down, and after a minute he saw the most lovely woman in the world coming towards him, and she dressed in red silk, and she said to him: