The fire was fierce , but the cows took no heed , and walked steadily through it , Covan the Brown-haired following them . Next they plunged into a foaming river , and Covan plunged in after them , though the water came high above his waist . On the other side of the river lay a wide plain , and here the cows lay down , while Covan looked about him . Near him was a house built of yellow stone , and from it came sweet songs , and Covan listened , and his heart grew light within him . While he was thus waiting there ran up to him a youth , scarcely able to speak so swiftly had he sped ; and he cried aloud : ` Hasten , hasten , Covan the Brown-haired , for your cows are in the corn , and you must drive them out ! ' ` Nay , ' said Covan smiling , ` it had been easier for you to have driven them out than to come here to tell me . ' And he went on listening to the music . Very soon the same youth returned and cried with panting breath : ` Out upon you , Covan son of Gorla , that you stand there agape . For our dogs are chasing your cows , and you must drive them off ! ' ` Nay , then , ' answered Covan as before , ` it had been easier for you to call off your dogs than to come here to tell me . ' And he stayed where he was till the music ceased . Then he turned to look for the cows , and found them all lying in the place where he had left them ; but when they saw Covan they rose up and walked homewards , taking a different path to that they had trod in the morning . This time they passed over a plain so bare that a pin could not have lain there unnoticed , yet Covan beheld with surprise a foal and its mother feeding there , both as fat as if they had pastured on the richest grass . Further on they crossed another plain , where the grass was thick and green , but on it were feeding a foal and its mother , so lean that you could have counted their ribs . And further again the path led them by the shores of a lake whereon were floating two boats ; one full of gay and happy youths , journeying to the land of the Sun , and another with grim shapes clothed in black , travelling to the land of Night . ` What can these things mean ? ' said Covan to himself , as he followed his cows . Darkness now fell , the wind howled , and torrents of rain poured upon them . Covan knew not how far they might yet have to go , or indeed if they were on the right road . He could not even see his cows , and his heart sank lest , after all , he should have failed to bring them safely back .
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