THE STORY OF THE COURTSHIP OF FERB
AS IT IS FOUND IN THE MANUSCRIPT IN THE
EGERTON COLLECTION (EGERTON 1782)
Conor, the son of Nessa, lay one night in his sleep, and as he lay he saw a vision, for there came to him a lady in the bloom of her youth, fair in form and in semblance. "Good is my greeting," said that lady. "Is it in very truth a good greeting?" said Conor. "What meaneth the vision?" said he. "Honour and good fortune await thee," she answered. "And what then," said Conor, "hath the future allotted to me?" "The men of Ireland shall seek thee out," said the dame, "and thy women, thy sons, thy daughters, and thy cattle shall be carried off by Maev and by Alill, and the crafty counsel of Fergus shall aid them." "When is the time," said Conor, "when they shall start for this raid?" "Upon a night," said she, "that is from this night distant by seven years, shall the White One lay waste the land of Cualgne for the sake of that Dark One that cometh from
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