"
"Thy flowing golden hair, thy comely face,
Thy all majestic form of peerless grace,
That show thee sprung from Conn's exalted race."
King Conn the Hundred-fighter being much troubled, called then on
his druid Coran, to put forth his power against the witchery of the
banshee: "O Coran of the mystic arts and of the mighty incantations,
here is a contest such as I have never been engaged in since I was
made King at Tara--a contest with an invisible lady, who is beguiling
my son to Fairyland by her baleful charms. Her cunning is beyond my
skill, and I am not able to withstand her power; and if thou, Coran,
help not, my son will be taken away from me by the wiles and witchery
of a woman from the fairy hills."
Coran the druid then came forward, and began to chant against the
voice of the lady. And his power was greater than hers for that time,
so that she was forced to retire.
As she was going away she threw an apple to Connla, who straightway
lost sight of her; and the King and his people no longer heard her
voice.
The King and the Prince returned with their company to the palace; and
Connla remained for a whole month without tasting food or drink except
the apple.
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