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The King's Steward came into the Hall and when he announced who the youths were three sons of the King of Ireland traveling with their foster-brother Flame-of-Wine went over and spoke to them. "May we see you to-morrow, Kings' Sons," she said. "To-morrow is our feast of the Gathering of Apples. It might be pleasant for you to hear music in the King's garden."
Flann wondered if he would see the King's daughter, Flame-of-Wine. He would surely go to the Castle. They drank ale, played chess and talked until it was afternoon. Then the grooms who were with Downal and Dermott brought the four youths new red cloaks. They put them on and went towards the King's Castle.
Him she did not notice, because the bench on which he sat was behind the others. Flame-of-Wine looked at the King's Son first, and then turned her eyes from him. She bent her head to listen to what Downal and Dermott were saying. Flann she did not look at at all, and he became sick at heart of the Red Castle.
"Do you tell me the truth now," said Flann. "The truth, the truth," said she, "of course I tell you the truth. Oh, and there are other truths. I shall be ashamed forever if I tell them. Oh, oh. They are rising to my tongue, and every time I press them back this girdle tightens and tightens until I think it will kill me." "Farewell, then, Flame-of-Wine." "Take off the girdle, take off the girdle!
"They are unmannerly," said Flame-of-Wine with anger, and she turned away. Flann took the rose from under his cloak. Its fragrance came to Flame-of-Wine and she turned to him again. "This is the Rose of Sweet Smells," said Flann. "Will you take it from me, Princess?" She came back to him and took the rose in her hand, and there was wonder in her face.
Take the Comb of Magnificence, and loosen the girdle." She threw the comb down on the ground. He took up the Rose of Sweet Smells and the Comb of Magnificence and he took the girdle off her waist. "Oh, what a terrible thing I put round my waist," said Flame-of-Wine. "Take it away, Flann, take it away.
"I will begin it now," said Flann, but he stole out of the tent, put on his red cloak and went to the King's orchard. "Oh, Flann, my treasure-bringer," said Flame-of-Wine, when she came to him. "I have brought you the Comb of Magnificence," said he. Her hands went out and her eyes became large and shining. He put the Comb of Magnificence into her hands.
"Go to the Hags of the Long Teeth and force them to tell you," said the King's Son. "I will do that," said Flann, but in his own mind he said, "I will first bring the Comb of Magnificence to Flame-of-Wine, and I will tell her that I will have to be away for so many years with Mogue and I shall ask her to remember me until I come back to her.
She wore a mask across her face, but her brow and mouth and chin were shown. The youths saluted her, and she bent her head to them. One of the women who had brought birds to the Fair followed her, bringing a cage. Flame-of-Wine talked to this woman in a strange language. Although she talked to the woman, Flann saw that she watched his three companions.
The grooms were dismayed to hear this, and so indeed was Flann. Without the King's Son and without Downal and Dermott how would he go to the King's Garden? He went back to Mogue's tent to consider what he should do. And first he thought he would not go to the Festival of the Gathering of the Apples, as he knew that Flame-of-Wine had only asked him with his comrades.
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