On the way home, one man said to the others, “It is a great story we have and good news to tell; the king will make rich men of us for the tidings we are taking him.”
When they reached the king’s castle, there was a welcome before them.
“Have ye any news for me after the long journey?” asked the king.
“We found your daughter with a man in Tivorye in the southwest of Erin, and all your cattle are with the same man.”
“Ye may have found my cattle, but ye could not get a sight of my daughter.”
“If you do not believe us in this way, you will, in another. We may as well tell you all.”
“Ye may as well keep silent. I’ll not believe a word of what ye say about my daughter.”
“I will give you a token from your daughter,” said one of the men, pulling out a purse. He had the purse rolled carefully in linen. (And he did well, for the fairies cannot touch linen, and it is the best guard in the world against them. Linen thread, too, is strong against the fairies. A man might travel all the fairy forts of the world if he had a skein of flax thread around his neck, and a steel knife with a black handle in his pocket.) He took out the ring, and gave it to the king. The king sent for the queen. She came. He put the ring in her hand and said, “Look at this, and see do you know it.”
“I do indeed,” said she; “and how did you come by this ring?”