FRAECH, son of Idath of the men of Connaught, a son he to Befind from
the Side: a sister she to Boand. He is the hero who is the most
beautiful that was of the men of Eriu and of Alba, but he was not
long-lived. His mother gave him twelve cows out of the Sid (the fairy
mound), they are white-eared. He had a good housekeeping till the end
of eight years without the taking of a wife. Fifty sons of kings, this
was the number of his household, co-aged, co-similar to him all between
form and instruction. Findabair, daughter of Ailill and Medb, loves him
for the great stories about him. It is declared to him at his house.
Eriu and Alba were full of his renown and the stories about him.


To Fraech[FN#14] was Idath[FN#15] father,
A Connaught man was he:
And well we know his mother
Who dwells among the Shee;[FN#16]
Befind they call her, sister
To Boand,[FN#17] the Fairy Queen;
And Alba ne'er, nor Erin,
Such grace as Fraech's hath seen.
Yet wondrous though that hero's grace,
His fairy lineage high,
For years but few his lovely face
Was seen by human eye.


[FN#14] Pronounced Fraych.