They went toward each other then threateningly, and closed like two striking Balors or two wild boars in the days of the Fenians, or two hawks of Cold Cliff, or two otters of Blue Pool. They met in close, mighty struggle, with more screeching than comes from a thousand. They made high places low, and low places high. The clods that were shot away by them, as they wrestled, struck out the eye of the hag in the Eastern World, and she spinning thread at her wheel.
Now Maragach drew his sword strong, keen-edged, and flawless; this sword always took with the second blow what it did not cut with the first; but there was no blow of it that time which the Big Fool did not dodge, and when the sun was yellow at setting, the sword was in small bits, save what remained in the hand of the champion. That moment the Fool struck the champion a blow ’twixt neck and skull, and took the head off his body.
The three went on then to the castle of Dun an Oir (Castle of Gold), and had a fine dinner. During the dinner they were discoursing and telling tales; and the Gruagach’s wife took greatly to heart the looks that her husband was giving Eilin Og, and asked, “Which is it that you will have, Negil Og’s daughter or the wife of the Big Fool?”
Said Eilin Og to the Gruagach’s wife, “This man’s name is not the Big Fool in truth or in justice, for he is a hero strong and active; he is master of all alive and of every place. All the world is under his command, and I with the rest.”
“If he is all this, why did he let the legs go from him?” asked the Gruagach’s wife.
Eilin Og answered, “I have said that he has high virtues and powers; and only for the drink that was brought him in the dark lonely glen, he would not have let the legs go from him.”
The Gruagach was in dread that the Big Fool might grow angry over their talks, and that enchantment would not get the upper hand of strength, and said, “Give no heed to woman’s talk, Micky Mor, but guard my castle, my property, and my wife, while I go to the Dun of the Hunt and return.”
“If any man comes in in spite of me,” said Micky Mor, “while you are absent, believe me, he will not go out in spite of me till you return.”
The Gruagach went off then, and with the power of his enchantment put a heavy sleep on Micky Mor.
“Eilin Og,” said he, “come quickly under my head, for over-strong sleep has come on me.”