“It would be hard to say that it is not,” said one man, and no man gainsaid him.
“Let all stand now in ranks two deep, till I get my blow on each man of you.”
All the men were arranged two deep; and when Conal came up, the foremost man sprang behind the one in the rear of him, and that one behind the man at his side, and so on throughout. None would stand to receive Conal’s blow.
Away rushed every man, woman, and child, and never stopped till they were inside in their houses. First of all, ran the brothers of the islands.
When they reached the castle, they began to lament because they had insulted the champion, and knew not who he was or whence he had come.
The three brothers had one sister; and when she saw them lamenting and grieving, she asked: “What trouble is on you?”
“We fled from the champion, and the people followed us.”
“None of you invited the champion to the castle,” said the sister; “now he will fall into such a rage on the strand that in one hour he will not leave a person alive on the islands. If I had some one to go with me, I would invite him, and the people would be spared.”
“I will go with you,” said her chief maid.
Away they went, walking toward the strand; and when they had come near, they threw themselves on their knees before Conal. He asked who they were and what brought them.