cuss the question of battle or capitulation, but really in order to give their Druids time to prepare incantations; while they agreed to accept the judgement of Amairgen, save that, if it were false, he must die. Amairgen then told the Milesians that they must embark for the magic distance of nine waves; and if they succeeded in returning, the land would be theirs. This was the first judgement ever given in Ireland. The Milesians now returned to their ships, but no sooner had they gained the desired distance than the Druids and poets of the gods raised a storm. Eber recognized it as a Druidic storm, which did not rage beyond the top of the masts; and Amairgen now invoked the aid of the natural features of Erin—an archaic animistic rune, embedded in the later story, and one which preserves a primitive stage of thought:
"I invoke thee, Erin,
Brilliant, brilliant sea,
Fertile, fertile hill.
Wood with valleys.
Flowing, flowing stream," etc.
Now the storm ceased, and Eber joyfully boasted that he would strike the people of Erin with spear and sword; but that moment the tempest burst forth again, scattering and wrecking the ships, and drowning many. The survivors landed at the Boyne and gave battle to the Tuatha Dé Danann. The three queens are said to have created a magic army which was a delusion to the Milesians,3 as Lug's witches had done to the Fomorians; but in spite of this the Tuatha De Danann were defeated.
"We boldly gave battle
To the sprites (siabhra) of the isle of Banba,
Of which ten hundred fell together
By us, of the Tuatha Dé Danann."
At another conflict a further rout took place, in which the three Kings and Queens were slain; and it was now that the survivors of the Tuatha Dé Danann took refuge in the underground síd, the Milesians remaining masters of Ireland.4
