Messengers were accordingly sent to Lir, and they were told to say to him—
"If thou art willing to submit to the king, he will give thee for a wife one of his three foster children; and thou shalt have his friendship for ever."
It was pleasing to Lir to make this alliance; and accordingly he set out next day from Shee Finnaha with a company of fifty chariots; and they never halted or turned aside till they reached the palace of Bove Derg, on the shore of the Great Lake.[XII.] Their arrival gave much joy and happiness to the king and his household; for although Lir did not submit at first to Bove Derg, he was a good man, and was greatly beloved by the king himself and by all his subjects. So Lir and his followers got a kindly welcome; and they were supplied with everything necessary, and were well attended to that night.
Next day, the three daughters of Allil of Ara sat on the same couch with the queen their foster mother; and the king said to Lir—
"Take thy choice of the three maidens, and whichever thou choosest, she shall be thy wife."
"They are all beautiful," said Lir, "and I cannot tell which of them is best; but I will take the eldest, for she must be the noblest of the three."
Then the king said, "Eve is the eldest, and she shall be given to thee if it be thy wish."
So Lir chose Eve for his wife, and they were wedded that day.
Lir remained a fortnight in the king's palace, and then departed with his wife to his own house, Shee Finnaha, where he celebrated his marriage by a great royal wedding feast.