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ÉRI AND HER LOVER, THE SON OF THE KING OF THE FOMOR.

“One day, Éri, daughter of a noble chieftain of the Tuatha Dé, stood gazing across the sea from her father’s tower at Maeth Scéne. The water was as calm as a polished mirror but, as she watched, she saw a silver ship; driven by a magical power, it moved across the calm until at last it reached the shore beneath her window.

“At the prow of the ship stood a young man, fairer than any other in her father’s land. His hair was like a golden mane and his cloak and tunic were embroidered with shining thread; he carried two silver spears and his neck was circled by five rings of gold.

“As the ship grounded, the golden prince leapt out and without hesitation climbed the spiral staircase to the room where Éri stood. Then, this beautiful princess of the Tuatha Dé Danann, who had refused the love of all the bravest and most handsome men of her own land, felt her heart melt before the gaze of the fair stranger so that she lay with him and gave him her love.

“When he rose to go, she wept, but the prince comforted her and, taking his gold ring with its engravings of race and rank from his middle finger, placed it in her hand and closing his own hand over hers said:

“’You must never part with this ring except to one whose finger it shall fit. I am Elathan, son of Delbaeth, King of the Fomor. After nine months, you will bear a boy and he shall be called Breas, which means beautiful.’

“Then the prince strode back to his silver ship and as Éri watched, it glided across the calm sea until it vanished from her sight. And all came to pass as Elathan had foretold for after the appointed time, Éri gave birth to a son whom she named Breas and he grew to be the strongest and most beautiful youth of the land.”

-THE SILVER ARM by Jim FitzPatrick.