“There is a well of venom not far from the camp of the Lochlin men. Before going to battle they dip their swords and spears in that water, and the enemy who is touched by those weapons that day is killed as surely as if the head had been swept from him. Ye are to get twenty measures of the milk of Glas Gownach, and pour it into that well in the night-time; the milk will be going down in the well and the poison will be rising and going out till it flows away and is lost altogether. Take, then, a hundred swords and spears to Gaivnin Gow, the smith, to put temper on their points and edges. He will do this if ye follow the cow all day for him and bring her home safely in the evening.”
The queen’s sons did what the sage advised. The venom went from the well when the cow’s milk was poured into it. From that night out the weapons of the Lochlin men were common swords and spears.
When the queen’s sons went with the swords and spears to Gaivnin Gow, he said, “I cannot work for you. I am minding this cow, Glas Gownach, that travels three provinces of Erin every day; I must go with her wherever she goes, bring her home, and put her behind the bellows in the forge every night. If the cow goes from me I am lost, with my wife and children. We have no means of support but her milk.”
“I am as good a man as you,” said the best of the brothers; “I will mind the cow, and bring her back in the evening.”
The smith let the cow go with him at last, and went to work at the swords and spears. The young man followed the cow faithfully, all day, brought her back in the evening, left her outside the forge, and went in himself. The smith had the swords and spears tempered.
“Where is the cow Glas Gownach?” asked Gaivnin Gow.
“Outside at the door.”
“Bad luck to you, she is gone from me now, gone forever!”
They went out. Not a trace of Glas Gownach. She had gone to Balor Beiman in Lochlin, for he had the halter.