What is the cause of thy trouble ?" "There is a saying," replied mac Datho, "'Trust not a thrall with money, nor a woman with a secret.'" "When should a man talk to a woman," said his wife, "but when something were amiss?
What thy mind cannot solve perchance another's may." Then mac Datho told his wife of the request for his hound both from Ulster and from Connacht at one and the same time, "and whichever of them I deny," he said, "they will harry my cattle and slay my people." "Then hear my counsel," said the woman.

"Give it to both of them, and bid them come and fetch it; and if there be any harrying to be done, let them even harry each other; but in no way mayest thou keep the hound." On that, mac Datho rose up and shook himself, and called for food and drink, and made merry with himself and his guests.

Then he sent privately for the messenger of Queen Maev, and said to him, "Long have I doubted what to do, but now I am resolved to give the hound to Connacht.

Let ye send for it on such a day with a train of your nobles or warriors and bear him forth nobly and proudly, for he is worth it; and ye shall all have drink and food and royal entertainment in my Dun." So the messenger departed, well pleased.
To the Ulster messenger mac Datho said, "After much perplexity I have resolved to give my hound to Conor.

Let the best of the Ulstermen come to fetch him, and they shall be welcomed and entertained as is fitting." And for these he named the same day as he had done for the embassy from Connacht.
When the appointed day came round, the flower of the fighting men of two provinces of Ireland were assembled before the Dun of the son of Datho, and there were also Conor, King of Ulster, and Ailill, the husband of Maev, Queen of Connacht.