THE CATTLE-RAID OF CUALNGE (TAIN BO CUAILNGE)

An Old Irish Prose-Epic

Translated for the first time from Leabhar na h-Uidhriand the Yellow Book of Lecan by

L. WINIFRED FARADAY, M. A. 

London

Published by David NuttAt the Sign of the PhoenixLong Acre

1904

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTIONTHE CATTLE-RAID OF CUALNGE (from Leabhar na h-Uidhri) Cuchulainn's Boyish Deeds The Death of Fraech The Death of Orlam The Death of the Meic Garach The Death of the Squirrel The Death of Lethan The Death of Lochu The Harrying of Cualnge (first version) The Harrying of Cualnge (second version) Mac Roth's Embassy The Death of Etarcomol The Death of Nadcrantail The Finding of the Bull The Death of Redg The Meeting of Cuchulainn and Findabair The Combat of Munremar and Curoi The Death of the Boys (first version) The Woman-fight of Rochad The Death of the Princes The Death of Cur The Number of the Feats The Death of Ferbaeth The Combat of Larine Mac Nois The Conversation of the Morrigan with Cuchulainn The Death of Long Mac Emonis The Healing of the Morrigan The Coming of Lug Mac Ethlend The Death of the Boys (second version) The Arming of CuchulainnCONTINUATION (from the Yellow Book of Lecan) The Combat of Fer Diad and Cuchulainn The Long Warning of Sualtaim The Muster of the Ulstermen The Vision of Dubthach The March of the Companies The Muster of the Men of Ireland The Battle on Garach and Irgarach The Meeting of the Bulls The Peace

INTRODUCTION

The Cattle-Raid of Cualnge [Note: Pronounce _Cooley_] is the chiefstory belonging to the heroic cycle of Ulster, which had its centrein the deeds of the Ulster king, Conchobar Mac Nessa, and hisnephew and chief warrior, Cuchulainn Mac Sualtaim. Tradition placestheir date at the beginning of the Christian era. 

The events leading up to this tale, the most famous of Irishmythical stories, may be shortly summarised here from the Book ofLeinster introduction to the _Tain_, and from the other talesbelonging to the Ulster cycle. 

It is elsewhere narrated that the Dun Bull of Cualnge, for whosesake Ailill and Medb [Note: Pronounce _Maive_. ], the king and queenof Connaught, undertook this expedition, was one of two bulls inwhom two rival swineherds, belonging to the supernatural race knownas the people of the _Sid_, or fairy-mounds, were re-incarnated, after passing through various other forms. The other bull, Findbennach, the White-horned, was in the herd of Medb at CruachanAi, the Connaught capital, but left it to join Ailill's herd. Thiscaused Ailill's possessions to exceed Medb's, and to equalisematters she determined to secure the great Dun Bull, who aloneequalled the White-horned. An embassy to the owner of the Dun Bullfailed, and Ailill and Medb therefore began preparations for aninvasion of Ulster, in which province (then ruled by Conchobar MacNessa) Cualnge was situated. A number of smaller _Tana_, orcattle-raids, prefatory to the great _Tain Bo Cuailnge_, relatesome of their efforts to procure allies and provisions. 

Medb chose for the expedition the time when Conchobar and all thewarriors of Ulster, except Cuchulainn and Sualtaim, were at theircapital, Emain Macha, in a sickness which fell on them periodically, making them powerless for action; another story relates the causeof this sickness, the effect of a curse laid on them by a fairywoman. Ulster was therefore defended only by the seventeen-year-oldCuchulainn, for Sualtaim's appearance is only spasmodic. Cuchulainn (Culann's Hound) was the son of Dechtire, the king'ssister, his father being, in different accounts, either Sualtaim, an Ulster warrior; Lug Mac Ethlend, one of the divine heroesfrom the _Sid_, or fairy-mound; or Conchobar himself. Thetwo former both appear as Cuchulainn's father in the presentnarrative. Cuchulainn is accompanied, throughout the adventureshere told, by his charioteer, Loeg Mac Riangabra. 

In Medb's force were several Ulster heroes, including CormacCondlongas, son of Conchobar, Conall Cernach, Dubthach Doeltenga, Fiacha Mac Firfebe, and Fergus Mac Roich. These were exiled fromUlster through a bitter quarrel with Conchobar, who had caused thebetrayal and murder of the sons of Uisnech, when they had come toUlster under the sworn protection of Fergus, as told in the _Exileof the Sons of Uisnech_. [Note: 1 Text in Windisch and Stokes's_Irische Texte_; English translation in Miss Hull's _CuchullinSaga_. ] The Ulster mischief-maker, Bricriu of the Poison-tongue, was also with the Connaught army. Though fighting for Connaught, the exiles have a friendly feeling for their former comrades, and akeen jealousy for the credit of Ulster. There is a constantinterchange of courtesies between them and their old pupil, Cuchulainn, whom they do not scruple to exhort to fresh efforts forUlster's honour. An equally half-hearted warrior is Lugaid Mac Nois, king of Munster, who was bound in friendship to the Ulstermen. 

Other characters who play an important part in the story areFindabair, daughter of Ailill and Medb, who is held out as a bribeto various heroes to induce them to fight Cuchulainn, and is on oneoccasion offered to the latter in fraud on condition that he willgive up his opposition to the host; and the war-goddess, variouslystyled the Nemain, the Badb (scald-crow), and the Morrigan (greatqueen), who takes part against Cuchulainn in one of his chieffights. Findabair is the bait which induces several old comrades ofCuchulainn's, who had been his fellow-pupils under the sorceressScathach, to fight him in single combat. 

The tale may be divided into:--

1. Introduction: Fedelm's prophecy. 

2. Cuchulainn's first feats against the host, and the several _geis_, or taboos, which he lays on them. 

3. The narration of Cuchulainn's boyish deeds, by the Ulster exilesto the Connaught host. 

4. Cuchulainn's harassing of the host. 

5. The bargain and series of single combats, interrupted by breaches of the agreement on the part of Connaught. 

6. The visit of Lug Mac Ethlend. 

7. The fight with Fer Diad. 

8. The end: the muster of the Ulstermen. 

The MSS. 

The _Tain Bo Cuailnge_ survives, in whole or in part, in aconsiderable number of MSS. , most of which are, however, late. Themost important are three in number:--

(1) Leabhar na h-Uidhri (LU), 'The Book of the Dun Cow, ' a MS. Dating from about 1100. The version here given is an old one, though with some late additions, in later language. The chief ofthese are the piece coming between the death of the herd Forgemenand the fight with Cur Mac Dalath (including Cuchulainn's meetingwith Findabair, and the 'womanfight' of Rochad), and the whole ofwhat follows the Healing of the Morrigan. The tale is, like othersin this MS. , unfinished, the MS. Being imperfect. 

(2) The Yellow Book of Lecan (YBL), a late fourteenth-century MS. The _Tain_ in this is substantially the same as in LU. Thebeginning is missing, but the end is given. Some of the lateadditions of LU are not found here; and YBL, late as it is, oftengives an older and better text than the earlier MS. 

(3) The Book of Leinster (LL), before 1160. The _Tain_ here islonger, fuller, and later in both style and language than in LU orYBL. It is essentially a literary attempt to give a complete andconsistent narrative, and is much less interesting than the olderLU-YBL recension. 

In the present version, I have collated LU, as far as it goes, withYBL, adding from the latter the concluding parts of the story, fromthe Fight with Fer Diad to the end. After the Fight with Fer Diad, YBL breaks off abruptly, leaving nearly a page blank; then followseveral pages containing lists, alternative versions of someepisodes given in LU (Rochad's Woman-fight, the Warning toConchobar), and one or two episodes which are narrated in LL. Iomit about one page, where the narrative is broken and confused. 

The pages which follow the Healing of the Morrigan in LU arealtogether different in style from the rest of the story as told inLU, and are out of keeping with its simplicity. This whole portionis in the later manner of LL, with which, for the most part, it isin verbal agreement. Further, it is in part repetition of materialalready given (i. E. The coming of the boy-host of Ulster, andCuchulainn's displaying himself to the Connaught troops). 

COMPARISON OF THE VERSIONS

A German translation of the Leinster text of the _Tain Bo Cuailnge_will soon be accessible to all in Dr. Windisch's promised editionof the text. It is therefore unnecessary to compare the twoversions in detail. Some of the main differences may be pointedout, however. 

Of our three copies none is the direct ancestor of any other. LUand YBL are from a common source, though the latter MS. Is from anolder copy; LL is independent. The two types differ entirely in aimand method. The writers of LU and YBL aimed at accuracy; theLeinster man, at presenting an intelligible version. Hence, wherethe two former reproduce obscurities and corruptions, the latteromits, paraphrases, or expands. The unfortunate result is that LLrarely, if ever, helps to clear up textual obscurities in the oldercopy. 

On the other hand, it offers explanations of certain episodes notclearly stated in LU. Thus, for example, where LU, in the story ofthe sons of Nechta Scene, simply mentions 'the withe that was onthe pillar, ' LL explains that the withe had been placed there bythe sons of Nechta Scene (as Cuchulainn placed a similar with inthe path of the Connaught host), with an ogam inscriptionforbidding any to pass without combat; hence its removal was aninsult and a breach of _geis_. Again, the various embassies toCuchulainn, and the terms made with him (that he should not harassthe host if he were supplied daily with food, and with a championto meet him in single combat), are more clearly described in LL. 

Some of the episodes given in LU are not told in the Leinsterversion. Of the boyish deeds of Cuchulainn, LL tells only three:his first appearance at Emain (told by Fergus), Culann's feast (byCormac), and the feats following Cuchulainn's taking of arms (byFiacha). In the main narrative, the chief episodes omitted in LLare the fight with Fraech, the Fergus and Medb episode, and themeeting of Findabair and Cuchulainn. The meeting with the Morriganis missing, owing to the loss of a leaf. Other episodes aredifferently placed in LL: e. G. The Rochad story (an entirelydifferent account), the fight of Amairgen and Curoi with stones, and the warning to Conchobar, all follow the fight with Fer Diad. 

A peculiarity of the LU-YBL version is the number of passages whichit has in common with the _Dinnsenchas_, an eleventh-centurycompilation of place-legends. The existing collections of_Dinnsenchas_ contain over fifty entries derived from the _Tain_cycle, some corresponding with, others differing from those in LU. 

This version has also embodied a considerable number of glosses inthe text. As many of these are common to LU and YBL, they must goback to the common original, which must therefore have been aharmony of previously existing versions, since many of thesepassages give variants of incidents. 

AGE OF THE VERSIONS

There is no doubt that the version here translated is a very oldone. The language in LU is almost uniformly Middle Irish, not morethan a century earlier than the date of the MS. ; thus it shows thepost-thetic _he_, _iat_, etc. As object, the adverb with _co_, theconfusion of _ar_ and _for_, the extension of the _b_-future, etc. But YBL preserves forms as old as the Glosses:--

(1) The correct use of the infixed relative, e. G. _rombith_, 'withwhich he struck. ' (LU, _robith_, 58a, 45. )

(2) The infixed accusative pronoun, e. G. _nachndiusced_, 'that heshould not wake him. ' (LU, _nach diusced_, 62a, 30. )

(3) _no_ with a secondary tense, e. G. _nolinad_, 'he used to fill. '(LU, _rolinad_, 60b, 6. )

(4) Very frequently YBL keeps the right aspirated or non-aspiratedconsonant, where LU shows a general confusion, etc. 

LL has no very archaic forms, though it cultivates a pseudo-archaicstyle; and it is unlikely that the Leinster version goes back muchearlier than 1050. The latter part of the LU _Tain_ shows that aversion of the Leinster type was known to the compiler. The styleof this part, with its piling-up of epithets, is that ofeleventh-century narrative, as exemplified in texts like the _CathRuis na Rig_ and the _Cogadh Gaidhil_; long strings of alliterativeepithets, introduced for sound rather than sense, are characteristicof the period. The descriptions of chariots and horses in the FerDiad episode in YBL are similar, and evidently belong to the samerescension. 

The inferences from the facts noted in the foregoing sections maybe stated as follows: A version of the _Tain_ goes back to theearly eighth, or seventh century, and is preserved under the YBLtext; an opinion based on linguistic evidence, but coincidingwith the tradition which ascribes the 'Recovery of the _Tain_' toSenchan Torpeist, a bard of the later seventh century. This versioncontinued to be copied down to the eleventh century, graduallychanging as the language changed. Meanwhile, varying accounts ofparts of the story came into existence, and some time in theeleventh century a new redaction was made, the oldest representativeof which is the LL text. Parts of this were embodied in or addedto the older version; hence the interpolations in LU. 

THE FER DIAD EPISODE

There is much difference between the two versions of this episode. In YBL, the introductory portion is long and full, the actual fightvery short, while in LL the fight is long-drawn-out, and much morestress is laid on the pathetic aspect of the situation. Hence it isgenerally assumed that LL preserves an old version of the episode, and that the scribe of the Yellow Book has compressed the latterpart. It is not, however, usual, in primitive story-telling, tolinger over scenes of pathos. Such lingering is, like the paintedtears of late Italian masters, invariably a sign of decadence. Itis one of the marks of romance, which recognises tragedy only whenit is voluble, and prodigal of lamentation. The older version ofthe _Tain_ is throughout singularly free from pathos of the feeblersort; the humorous side is always uppermost, and the tragicsuggestions interwoven with it. 

But it is still a matter of question whether the whole Fer Diadepisode may not be late. Professor Zimmer thinks it is; but eventhe greatest scholar, with a theory to prove, is not quite free. Itwill of course be noticed, on this side, that the chief motives ofthe Fer Diad episode all appear previously in other episodes (e. G. The fights with Ferbaeth and with Loch). Further, the account evenin YBL is not marked by old linguistic forms as are other parts ofthe tale, while much of it is in the bombastic descriptive style ofLL. In the condition in which we have the tale, however, thisadventure is treated as the climax of the story. Its motive is toremove Cuchulainn from the field, in order to give the rest ofUlster a chance. But in the account of the final great fight inYBL, Cuchulainn's absence is said to be due to his having beenwounded in a combat against odds (_crechtnugud i n-ecomlund_). Considering, therefore, that even in YBL the Fer Diad episode islate in language, it seems possible that it may have replaced someearlier account in which Cuchulainn was so severely wounded that hewas obliged to retire from the field. 

PREVIOUS WORK ON THE '_TAIN_'

Up to the present time the _Tain_ has never been either printed ortranslated, though the LU version has been for thirty years easilyaccessible in facsimile. Dr. Windisch's promised edition willshortly be out, containing the LL and LU texts, with a Germantranslation of the former. The most useful piece of work donehitherto for the _Tain_ is the analysis by Professor Zimmer of theLU text (conclusion from the Book of Leinster), in the fifth of his_Keltische Studien (Zeitschrift für vergl. Sprachforschung_, xxviii. ). Another analysis of the story, by Mr. S. H. O'Grady, appeared inMiss Eleanor Hull's _The Cuchullin Saga_; it is based on a latepaper MS. In the British Museum, giving substantially the sameversion as LL. This work contains also a map of ancient Ireland, showing the route of the Connaught forces; but a careful working-outof the topography of the _Tain_ is much needed, many names beingstill unidentified. Several of the small introductory _Tana_ havebeen published in Windisch and Stokes's _Irische Texte_; andseparate episodes from the great _Tain_ have been printed andtranslated from time to time. The Fight with Fer Diad (LL) wasprinted with translation by O'Curry in the _Manners and Customs ofthe Ancient Irish_. The story of the Two Swineherds, with theirsuccessive reincarnations until they became the Dun Bull and theWhite-horned (an introductory story to the _Tain_ ), is edited withtranslation in _Irische Texte_, and Mr. Nutt printed an abridgedEnglish version in the _Voyage of Bran_. 

The Leinster version seems to have been the favourite with modernworkers, probably because it is complete and consistent; possiblyits more sentimental style has also served to commend it. 

AIM OF THIS TRANSLATION

It is perhaps unnecessary to say that the present version isintended for those who cannot read the tale in the original; it istherefore inadvisable to overload the volume with notes, variantreadings, or explanations of the readings adopted, which mightrepel the readers to whom it is offered. 

At the present time, an enthusiasm for Irish literature is notalways accompanied by a knowledge of the Irish language. It seemstherefore to be the translator's duty, if any true estimate of thisliterature is to be formed, to keep fairly close to the original, since nothing is to be gained by attributing beauties which it doesnot possess, while obscuring its true merits, which are not few. For the same reason, while keeping the Irish second person singularin verses and formal speech, I have in ordinary dialoguesubstituted the pronoun _you_, which suggests the colloquial styleof the original better than the obsolete _thou_. 

The so-called rhetorics are omitted in translating; they arepassages known in Irish as _rosc_, often partly alliterative, butnot measured. They are usually meaningless strings of words, withoccasional intelligible phrases. In all probability the passagesaimed at sound, with only a general suggestion of the drift. Anyother omissions are marked where they occur; many obscure words inthe long descriptive passages are of necessity left untranslated. In two places I have made slight verbal changes without alteringthe sense, a liberty which is very rarely necessary in Irish. 

Of the headings, those printed in capitals are in the text in theMS. ; those italicised are marginal. I have bracketed obviousscribal glosses which have crept into the text. Some of themarginal glosses are translated in the footnotes. 

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES

As a considerable part of the _Tain_ is occupied by connectingepisodes with place-names, an explanation of some of the commonestelements in these may be of use to those who know no Irish:

Ath=a ford; e. G. Ath Gabla (Ford of the Fork), Ath Traiged (Ford ofthe Foot), Ath Carpat (Ford of Chariots), Ath Fraich (Fraech'sFord), etc. 

Belat=cross-roads; e. G. Belat Alioin. 

Bernas=a pass, or gap; e. G. _Bernas Bo Ulad_ or _Bernas Bo Cuailnge_(Pass of the Cows of Ulster, or of Cualnge). 

Clithar=a shelter; e. G. Clithar Bo Ulad (shelter of the Cows ofUlster). 

Cul=a corner; e. G. Cul Airthir (eastern corner). 

Dun= a fort; e. G. Dun Sobairche. 

Fid=a wood; e. G. Fid Mor Drualle (Great Wood of the Sword-sheath). 

Glass=a brook, stream; e. G. Glass Chrau (the stream of Blood), Glass Cruind, Glass Gatlaig (gatt=a withe, laig=a calf). 

Glenn=a glen; e. G. Glenn Gatt (Glen of the Withe), Glenn Firbaith(Ferbaeth's Glen), Glenn Gatlaig. 

Grellach=a bog; e. G. Grellach Doluid. 

Guala=a hill-shoulder; e. G. Gulo Mulchai (Mulcha's shoulder). 

Loch=a lake; e. G. Loch Reoin, Loch Echtra. 

Mag=a plain; e. G. Mag Ai, Mag Murthemne, Mag Breg, Mag Clochair(cloch=a stone). 

Methe, explained as if from meth (death); Methe Togmaill (death ofthe Squirrel), Methe n-Eoin (death of the Bird). 

Reid, gen. Rede=a plain; e. G. Ath Rede Locha (Ford of Locha's Plain). 

Sid=a fairy mound; e. G. Sid Fraich (Fraech's Mound). 

Sliab=a mountain; e. G. Sliab Fuait. 

I need perhaps hardly say that many of the etymologies given inIrish sources are pure invention, stories being often made up toaccount for the names, the real meaning of which was unknown to themediaeval story-teller or scribe. 

In conclusion, I have to express my most sincere thanks toProfessor Strachan, whose pupil I am proud to be. I have had theadvantage of his wide knowledge and experience in dealing with manyobscurities in the text, and he has also read the proofs. I amindebted also to Mr. E. Gwynn, who has collated at Trinity College, Dublin, a number of passages in the Yellow Book of Lecan, which areillegible or incorrect in the facsimile; and to Dr. Whitley Stokesfor notes and suggestions on many obscure words. 

LLANDAFF, November 1903. 

THIS IS THE CATTLE-RAID OF CUALNGE

I

A great hosting was brought together by the Connaughtmen, that is, by Ailill and Medb; and they sent to the three other provinces. Andmessengers were sent by Ailill to the seven sons of Magach: Ailill, Anluan, Mocorb, Cet, En, Bascall, and Doche; a cantred with each ofthem. And to Cormac Condlongas Mac Conchobair with his threehundred, who was billeted in Connaught. Then they all come toCruachan Ai. 

Now Cormac had three troops which came to Cruachan. The first troophad many-coloured cloaks folded round them; hair like a mantle (?);the tunic falling(?) to the knee, and long(?) shields; and a broadgrey spearhead on a slender shaft in the hand of each man. 

The second troop wore dark grey cloaks, and tunics with redornamentation down to their calves, and long hair hanging behindfrom their heads, and white shields (?), and five-pronged spearswere in their hands. 

'This is not Cormac yet, ' said Medb. 

Then comes the third troop; and they wore purple cloaks and hoodedtunics with red ornamentation down to their feet, hair smooth totheir shoulders, and round shields with engraved edges, and thepillars [Note: i. E. Spears as large as pillars, etc. ] of a palacein the hand of each man. 

'This is Cormac now, ' said Medb. 

Then the four provinces of Ireland were assembled, till they werein Cruachan Ai. And their poets and their druids did not let themgo thence till the end of a fortnight, for waiting for a good omen. Medb said then to her charioteer the day that they set out:

'Every one who parts here to-day from his love or his friend willcurse me, ' said she, 'for it is I who have gathered this hosting. '

'Wait then, ' said the charioteer, 'till I turn the chariot with thesun, and till there come the power of a good omen that we may comeback again. '

Then the charioteer turned the chariot, and they set forth. Thenthey saw a full-grown maiden before them. She had yellow hair, anda cloak of many colours, and a golden pin in it; and a hooded tunicwith red embroidery. She wore two shoes with buckles of gold. Herface was narrow below and broad above. Very black were her twoeyebrows; her black delicate eyelashes cast a shadow into themiddle of her two cheeks. You would think it was with _partaing_[Note: Exact meaning unknown. It is always used in thisconnection. ] her lips were adorned. You would think it was a showerof pearls that was in her mouth, that is, her teeth. She had threetresses: two tresses round her head above, and a tress behind, sothat it struck her two thighs behind her. A shuttle [Note: Literally, a beam used for making fringe. ] of white metal, with an inlayingof gold, was in her hand. Each of her two eyes had three pupils. The maiden was armed, and there were two black horses to her chariot. 

'What is your name?' said Medb to the maiden. 

'Fedelm, the prophetess of Connaught, is my name, ' said the maiden. 

'Whence do you come?' said Medb. 

'From Scotland, after learning the art of prophecy, ' said themaiden. 

'Have you the inspiration(?) which illumines?' [Note: Ir. _imbasforasnai_, the name of a kind of divination. ] said Medb. 

'Yes, indeed, ' said the maiden. 

'Look for me how it will be with my hosting, ' said Medb. 

Then the maiden looked for it; and Medb said: 'O Fedelm theprophetess, how seest thou the host?'

Fedelm answered and said: 'I see very red, I see red. '

'That is not true, ' said Medb; 'for Conchobar is in his sickness atEmain and the Ulstermen with him, with all the best [Note:Conjectural; some letters missing. For the Ulster sickness, seeIntroduction. ] of their warriors; and my messengers have come andbrought me tidings thence. 

'Fedelm the prophetess, how seest thou our host?' said Medb. 

'I see red, ' said the maiden. 

'That is not true, ' said Medb; 'for Celtchar Mac Uithichair is inDun Lethglaise, and a third of the Ulstermen with him; and Fergus, son of Roich, son of Eochaid, is here with us, in exile, and acantred with him. 

'Fedelm the prophetess, how seest thou our host?' said Medb. 

'I see very red, I see red, ' said the maiden. 

'That matters not, ' said Medb; 'for there are mutual angers, andquarrels, and wounds very red in every host and in everyassembly of a great army. Look again for us then, and tell us thetruth. 

'Fedelm the prophetess, how seest thou our host?'

'I see very red, I see red, ' said Fedelm. 

 'I see a fair man who will make play With a number of wounds(?) on his girdle;[Note: Unless this is an allusion to the custom of carrying anenemy's head at the girdle, the meaning is obscure. LL has quite adifferent reading. The language of this poem is late. ] A hero's flame over his head, His forehead a meeting-place of victory. 

 'There are seven gems of a hero of valour In the middle of his two irises; There is ---- on his cloak, He wears a red clasped tunic. 

 'He has a face that is noble, Which causes amazement to women. A young man who is fair of hue Comes ----[Note: Five syllables missing. ]

 'Like is the nature of his valour To Cuchulainn of Murthemne. I do not know whose is the Hound Of Culann, whose fame is the fairest. But I know that it is thus That the host is very red from him. 

 'I see a great man on the plain He gives battle to the hosts; Four little swords of feats There are in each of his two hands. 

 'Two _Gae-bolga_, he carries them, [Note: The Gae-bolga was a special kind of spear, which onlyCuchulainn could use. ] Besides an ivory-hilted sword and spear; ---- [Note: Three syllables missing] he wields to the host; Different is the deed for which each arm goes from him. 

 'A man in a battle-girdle (?), of a red cloak, He puts ---- every plain. He smites them, over left chariot wheel (?); The _Riastartha_ wounds them. [Note: The Riastartha ('distorted one') was a name given toCuchulainn because of the contortion, described later, which cameover him. ] The form that appeared to me on him hitherto, I see that his form has been changed. 

 'He has moved forward to the battle, If heed is not taken of him it will be treachery. I think it likely it is he who seeks you: Cuchulainn Mac Sualtaim. 

 'He will strike on whole hosts, He will make dense slaughters of you, Ye will leave with him many thousands of heads. The prophetess Fedelm conceals not. 

 'Blood will rain from warriors' wounds At the hand of a warrior--'twill be full harm. He will slay warriors, men will wander Of the descendants of Deda Mac Sin. Corpses will be cut off, women will lament Through the Hound of the Smith that I see. '

The Monday after Samain [Note: Samain, 'summer-end, ' about thebeginning of November. ] they set forth, and this is the way theytook: south-east from Cruachan Ai, i. E. By Muicc Cruimb, by TelochTeora Crich, by Tuaim Mona, by Cul Sibrinne, by Fid, by Bolga, byColtain, by Glune-gabair, by Mag Trego, by North Tethba, by SouthTethba, by Tiarthechta, by Ord, by Slais southwards, by Indiuind, by Carnd, by Ochtrach, by Midi, by Findglassa Assail, by Deilt, byDelind, by Sailig, by Slaibre, by Slechta Selgatar, by CulSibrinne, by Ochaind southwards, by Uatu northwards, by Dub, byComur southwards, by Tromma, by Othromma eastwards, by Slane, byGortslane, by Druim Licce southwards, by Ath Gabla, by Ard Achad, by Feraind northwards, by Findabair, by Assi southwards, by DruimSalfind, by Druim Cain, by Druim Mac n-Dega, by Eodond Mor, byEodond Bec, by Methe Togmaill, by Methe Eoin, by Druim Caemtechta, by Scuaip, by Imscuaip, by Cend Ferna, by Baile, by Aile, by BailScena, by Dail Scena, by Fertse, by Ross Lochad, by Sale, byLochmach, by Anmag, by Deind, by Deilt, by Dubglaiss, by Fid Mor, by Colbtha, by Cronn, to Cualnge. 

From Findabair Cuailnge, it is thence the hosts of Ireland weredivided over the province to seek the Bull. For it is past theseplaces that they came, till they reached Findabair. 

(Here ends the title; and the story begins as follows:--

THIS IS THE STORY IN ORDER

When they had come on their first journey from Cruachan as far asCul Sibrinne, Medb told her charioteer to get ready her ninechariots for her, that she might make a circuit in the camp, to seewho disliked and who liked the expedition. 

Now his tent was pitched for Ailill, and the furniture wasarranged, both beds and coverings. Fergus Mac Roich in his tent wasnext to Ailill; Cormac Condlongas Mac Conchobair beside him; ConallCernach by him; Fiacha Mac Fir-Febe, the son of Conchobar'sdaughter, by him. Medb, daughter of Eochaid Fedlech, was onAilill's other side; next to her, Findabair, daughter of Ailill andMedb. That was besides servants and attendants. 

Medb came, after looking at the host, and she said it were follyfor the rest to go on the hosting, if the cantred of theLeinstermen went. 

'Why do you blame the men?' said Ailill. 

'We do not blame them, ' said Medb; 'splendid are the warriors. Whenthe rest were making their huts, they had finished thatching theirhuts and cooking their food; when the rest were at dinner, they hadfinished dinner, and their harpers were playing to them. It isfolly for them to go, ' said Medb; 'it is to their credit thevictory of the hosts will be. '

'It is for us they fight, ' said Ailill. 

'They shall not come with us, ' said Medb. 

'Let them stay then, ' said Ailill. 

'They shall not stay, ' said Medb. 'They will come on us after wehave gone, ' said she, 'and seize our land against us. '

'What is to be done to them?' said Ailill; 'will you have themneither stay nor go?'

'To kill them, ' said Medb. 

'We will not hide that this is a woman's plan, ' said Ailill; 'whatyou say is not good!'

'With this folk, ' said Fergus, 'it shall not happen thus (for it isa folk bound by ties to us Ulstermen), unless we are all killed. '

'Even that we could do, ' said Medb; 'for I am here with my retinueof two cantreds, ' said she, 'and there are the seven Manes, thatis, my seven sons, with seven cantreds; their luck can protectthem, ' (?) said she; 'that is Mane-Mathramail, and Mane-Athramail, and Mane-Morgor, and Mane-Mingor, and Mane-Moepert (and he isMane-Milscothach), Mane-Andoe, and Mane-who-got-everything: he gotthe form of his mother and of his father, and the dignity of both. '

'It would not be so, ' said Fergus. 'There are seven kings ofMunster here, and a cantred with each of them, in friendship withus Ulstermen. I will give battle to you, ' said Fergus, 'in themiddle of the host in which we are, with these seven cantreds, andwith my own cantred, and with the cantred of the Leinstermen. But Iwill not urge that, ' said Fergus, 'we will provide for the warriorsotherwise, so that they shall not prevail over the host. Seventeencantreds for us, ' said Fergus, 'that is the number of our army, besides our rabble, and our women (for with each king there is hisqueen, in Medb's company), and besides our striplings. This is theeighteenth cantred, the cantred of the Leinstermen. Let them bedistributed among the rest of the host. '

'I do not care, ' said Medb, 'provided they are not gathered as theyare. '

Then this was done; the Leinstermen were distributed among the host. 

They set out next morning to Moin Choiltrae, where eight score deerfell in with them in one herd. They surrounded them and killed themthen; wherever there was a man of the Leinstermen, it was he whogot them, except five deer that all the rest of the host got. Thenthey came to Mag Trego, and stopped there and prepared their food. They say that it is there that Dubthach sang this song:

 'Grant what you have not heard hitherto, Listening to the fight of Dubthach. A hosting very black is before you, Against Findbend of the wife of Ailill. [Note: Findbennach, the Whitehorned; i. E. The other of the twobulls in whom the rival swineherds were reincarnated. ]

 'The man of expeditions will come Who will defend (?) Murthemne. Ravens will drink milk of ---- [Note: Some kenning for blood?] From the friendship of the swineherds. 

 'The turfy Cronn will resist them;[Note: i. E. The river Cronn. This line is a corruption of areference which occurs later, in the account of the flooding of theCronn, as Professor Strachan first pointed out to me. ] He will not let them into Murthemne Until the work of warriors is over In Sliab Tuad Ochaine. 

 '"Quickly, " said Ailill to Cormac, "Go that you may ---- your son. The cattle do not come from the fields That the din of the host may not terrify them(?). 

 '"This will be a battle in its time For Medb with a third of the host. There will be flesh of men therefrom If the Riastartha comes to you. "'

Then the Nemain attacked them, and that was not the quietest ofnights for them, with the uproar of the churl (i. E. Dubthach)through their sleep. The host started up at once, and a greatnumber of the host were in confusion, till Medb came to reprovehim. 

Then they went and spent the night in Granard Tethba Tuascirt, after the host had been led astray over bogs and over streams. Awarning was sent from Fergus to the Ulstermen here, for friendship. They were now in the weakness, except Cuchulainn and his fatherSualtaim. 

Cuchulainn and his father went, after the coming of the warningfrom Fergus, till they were in Iraird Cuillend, watching the hostthere. 

'I think of the host to-night, ' said Cuchulainn to his father. 'Gofrom us with a warning to the Ulstermen. I am forced to go to atryst with Fedelm Noichride, [Note: Gloss incorporated in the text:that is, with her servant, ' etc. ] from my own pledge that went outto her. '

He made a spancel-withe [This was a twig twisted in the form of tworings, joined by one straight piece, as used for hobbling horsesand cattle. ] then before he went, and wrote an ogam on its ----, and threw it on the top of the pillar. 

The leadership of the way before the army was given to Fergus. ThenFergus went far astray to the south, till Ulster should havecompleted the collection of an army; he did this for friendship. Ailill and Medb perceived it; it was then Medb said:

 'O Fergus, this is strange, What kind of way do we go? Straying south or north We go over every other folk. 

 'Ailill of Ai with his hosting Fears that you will betray them. You have not given your mind hitherto To the leading of the way. 

 'If it is in friendship that you do it, Do not lead the horses Peradventure another may be found To lead the way. '

Fergus replied:

 'O Medb, what troubles you? This is not like treachery. It belongs to the Ulstermen, O woman, The land across which I am leading you. 

 'It is not for the disadvantage of the host That I go on each wandering in its turn; It is to avoid the great man Who protects Mag Murthemne. 

 'Not that my mind is not distressed On account of the straying on which I go, But if perchance I may avoid even afterwards Cuchulainn Mac Sualtaim. '

Then they went till they were in Iraird Cuillend. Eirr and Indell, Foich and Foclam (their two charioteers), the four sons of IrairdMac Anchinne, [Marginal gloss: 'or the four sons of Nera Mac NuadoMac Taccain, as it is found in other books. '] it is they who werebefore the host, to protect their brooches and their cushions andtheir cloaks, that the dust of the host might not soil them. Theyfound the withe that Cuchulainn threw, and perceived the grazingthat the horses had grazed. For Sualtaim's two horses had eaten thegrass with its roots from the earth; Cuchulainn's two horses hadlicked the earth as far as the stones beneath the grass. They sitdown then, until the host came, and the musicians play to them. They give the withe into the hands of Fergus Mac Roich; he read theogam that was on it. 

When Medb came, she asked, 'Why are you waiting here?'

'We wait, ' said Fergus, ' because of the withe yonder. There is anogam on its ----, and this is what is in it: "Let no one go pasttill a man is found to throw a like withe with his one hand, andlet it be one twig of which it is made; and I except my friendFergus. " Truly, ' said Fergus, 'Cuchulainn has thrown it, and theyare his horses that grazed the plain. '

And he put it in the hands of the druids; and Fergus sang this song:

 'Here is a withe, what does the withe declare to us? What is its mystery? What number threw it? Few or many?

 'Will it cause injury to the host, If they go a journey from it? Find out, ye druids, something therefore For what the withe has been left. 

 '---- of heroes the hero who has thrown it, Full misfortune on warriors; A delay of princes, wrathful is the matter, One man has thrown it with one hand. 

 'Is not the king's host at the will of him, Unless it breaks fair play? Until one man only of you Throw it, as one man has thrown it. I do not know anything save that For which the withe should have been put. Here is a withe. '

Then Fergus said to them: 'If you outrage this withe, ' said he, 'orif you go past it, though he be in the custody of a man, or in ahouse under a lock, the ---- of the man who wrote the ogam on itwill reach him, and will slay a goodly slaughter of you beforemorning, unless one of you throw a like withe. '

'It does not please us, indeed, that one of us should be slain atonce, ' said Ailill. 'We will go by the neck of the great woodyonder, south of us, and we will not go over it at all. '

The troops hewed down then the wood before the chariots. This isthe name of that place, Slechta. It is there that Partraige is. (According to others, the conversation between Medb and Fedelm theprophetess took place there, as we told before; and then it isafter the answer she gave to Medb that the wood was cut down; i. E. 'Look for me, ' said Medb, 'how my hosting will be. ' 'It isdifficult to me, ' said the maiden; 'I cannot cast my eye over themin the wood. ' 'It is ploughland (?) there shall be, ' said Medb; 'wewill cut down the wood. ' Then this was done, so that Slechta wasthe name of the place. )

They spent the night then in Cul Sibrille; a great snowstorm fellon them, to the girdles of the men and the wheels of the chariots. The rising was early next morning. And it was not the most peacefulof nights for them, with the snow; and they had not prepared foodthat night. But it was not early when Cuchulainn came from histryst; he waited to wash and bathe. 

Then he came on the track of the host. 'Would that we had not gonethere, ' said Cuchulainn, 'nor betrayed the Ulstermen; we have letthe host go to them unawares. Make us an estimation of the host, 'said Cuchulainn to Loeg, 'that we may know the number of the host. '

Loeg did this, and said to Cuchulainn: 'I am confused, ' said he, 'Icannot attain this. '

'It would not be confusion that I see, if only I come, ' said

Cuchulainn. 

'Get into the chariot then, ' said Loeg. 

Cuchulainn got into the chariot, and put a reckoning over the hostfor a long time. 

'Even you, ' said Loeg, 'you do not find it easy. '

'It is easier indeed to me than to you, ' said Cuchulainn; 'for Ihave three gifts, the gifts of eye, and of mind, and of reckoning. I have put a reckoning [Marginal gloss: 'This is one of the threeseverest and most difficult reckonings made in Ireland; i. E. Cuchulainn's reckoning of the men of Ireland on the _Tain_; andug's reckoning of the Fomorian hosts at the battle of Mag Tured;and Ingcel's reckoning of the hosts at the Bruiden Da Derga. '] onthis, ' said he; 'there are eighteen cantreds, ' said he, 'for theirnumber; only that the eighteenth cantred is distributed among allthe host, so that their number is not clear; that is, the cantredof the Leinstermen. '

Then Cuchulainn went round the host till he was at Ath Gabla. [Note: LU has Ath Grena. ] He cuts a fork [Note: i. E. Fork of atree. ] there with one blow of his sword, and put it on the middleof the stream, so that a chariot could not pass it on this side orthat. Eirr and Indell, Foich and Fochlam (their two charioteers)came upon him thereat. He strikes their four heads off, and throwsthem on to the four points of the fork. Hence is Ath Gabla. 

Then the horses of the four went to meet the host, and theircushions very red on them. They supposed it was a battalion thatwas before them at the ford. A troop went from them to look at theford; they saw nothing there but the track of one chariot and thefork with the four heads, and a name in ogam written on the side. All the host came then. 

'Are the heads yonder from our people?' said Medb. 

'They are from our people and from our choice warriors, ' saidAilill. 

One of them read the ogam that was on the side of the fork; thatis: 'A man has thrown the fork with his one hand; and you shall notgo past it till one of you, except Fergus, has thrown it with onehand. '

'It is a marvel, ' said Ailill, 'the quickness with which the fourwere struck. '

It was not that that was a marvel, ' said Fergus; 'it was thestriking of the fork from the trunk with one blow; and if the endwas [cut] with one blow, [Note: Lit. 'if its end was one cutting. ']it is the fairer for it, and that it was thrust in in this manner;for it is not a hole that has been dug for it, but it is from theback of the chariot it has been thrown with one hand. '

'Avert this strait from us, O Fergus, ' said Medb. 

Bring me a chariot then, ' said Fergus, 'that I may take it out, that you may see whether its end was hewn with one blow. ' Fergusbroke then fourteen chariots of his chariots, so that it was fromhis own chariot that he took it out of the ground, and he saw thatthe end was hewn with one blow. 

'Heed must be taken to the character of the tribe to which we aregoing, ' said Ailill. 'Let each of you prepare his food; you had norest last night for the snow. And something shall be told to us ofthe adventures and stories of the tribe to which we are going. '

It is then that the adventures of Cuchulainn were related to them. Ailill asked: 'Is it Conchobar who has done this?'

'Not he, ' said Fergus; 'he would not have come to the border of thecountry without the number of a battalion round him. '

'Was it Celtchar Mac Uithidir?'

'Not he; he would not have come to the border of the countrywithout the number of a battalion round him. '

'Was it Eogan Mac Durtacht?'

'Not he, ' said Fergus; 'he would not have come over the border ofthe country without thirty chariots two-pointed (?) round him. Thisis the man who would have done the deed, ' said Fergus, 'Cuchulainn;it is he who would have cut the tree at one blow from the trunk, and who would have killed the four yonder as quickly as they werekilled, and who would have come to the boundary with his charioteer. '

'What kind of man, ' said Ailill, 'is this Hound of whom we haveheard among the Ulstermen? What age is this youth who is famous?'

'An easy question, truly, ' said Fergus. 'In his fifth year he wentto the boys at Emain Macha to play; in his sixth year he went tolearn arms and feats with Scathach. In his seventh year he tookarms. He is now seventeen years old at this time. '

'Is it he who is hardest to deal with among the Ulstermen?' saidMedb. 

'Over every one of them, ' said Fergus. 'You will not find beforeyou a warrior who is harder to deal with, nor a point that issharper or keener or swifter, nor a hero who is fiercer, nor araven that is more flesh-loving, nor a match of his age that canequal him as far as a third; nor a lion that is fiercer, nor afence(?) of battle, nor a hammer of destruction, nor a door ofbattle, nor judgment on hosts, nor preventing of a great host thatis more worthy. You will not find there a man who would reach hisage, and his growth, and his dress, and his terror, his speech, hissplendour, his fame, his voice, his form, his power, his hardness, his accomplishment, his valour, his striking, his rage, his anger, his victory, his doom-giving, his violence, his estimation, hishero-triumph, his speed, his pride, his madness, with the feat ofnine men on every point, like Cuchulainn!'

'I don't care for that, ' said Medb; 'he is in one body; he endureswounding; he is not above capturing. Therewith his age is that of agrown-up girl, and his manly deeds have not come yet. '

'Not so, ' said Fergus. 'It would be no wonder if he were to do agood deed to-day; for even when he was younger his deeds weremanly. '

HERE ARE HIS BOYISH DEEDS

'He was brought up, ' said Fergus, 'by his mother and father at the---- in Mag Murthemne. The stories of the boys in Emain wererelated to him; for there are three fifties of boys there, ' saidFergus, 'at play. It is thus that Conchobar enjoys his sovereignty:a third of the day watching the boys; another third playing chess;[Note: _Fidchill_, usually so translated, but the exact nature ofthe game is uncertain. ] another third drinking beer till sleepseizes him therefrom. Although we are in exile, there is not inIreland a warrior who is more wonderful, ' said Fergus. 

'Cuchulainn asked his mother then to let him go to the boys. 

'"You shall not go, " said his mother, "until you have company ofwarriors. "

'"I deem it too long to wait for it, " said Cuchulainn. "Show me onwhich side Emain is. "

'"Northwards so, " said his mother; "and the journey is hard, " saidshe, "Sliab Fuait is between you. "

'"I will find it out, " said Cuchulainn. 

'He goes forth then, and his shield of lath with him, and histoy-spear, and his playing-club, and his ball. He kept throwing hisstaff before him, so that he took it by the point before the endfell on the ground. 

'He goes then to the boys without binding them to protect him. Forno one used to go to them in their play-field till his protectionwas guaranteed. He did not know this. 

'"The boy insults us, " said Follomon Mac Conchobair, "besides weknow he is of the Ulstermen. . . . Throw at him!"

'They throw their three fifties of toy-spears at him, and they allremained standing in his shield of lath. Then they throw all theballs at him; and he takes them, each single ball, in his bosom. Then they throw their three fifties of hurling-clubs at him; hewarded them off so that they did not touch him, and he took abundle of them on his back. Then contortion seized him. You wouldhave thought that it was a hammering wherewith each little hair hadbeen driven into his head, with the arising with which he arose. You would have thought there was a spark of fire on every singlehair. He shut one of his eyes so that it was not wider than the eyeof a needle. He opened the other so that it was as large as themouth of a meadcup. He laid bare from his jawbone to his ear; heopened his mouth to his jaw [Note: Conjectured from the laterdescription of Cuchulainn's distortion. ] so that his gullet wasvisible. The hero's light rose from his head. Then he strikes atthe boys. He overthrows fifty of them before they reached the doorof Emain. Nine of them came over me and Conchobar as we wereplaying chess. Then he springs over the chessboard after the nine. Conchobar caught his elbow. 

'"The boys are not well treated, " said Conchobar. 

'"Lawful for me, O friend Conchobar, " said he. "I came to them frommy home to play, from my mother and father; and they have not beengood to me. "

'"What is your name?" said Conchobar. 

'"Setanta Mac Sualtaim am I, " said he, "and the son of Dechtere, your sister. It was not fitting to hurt me here. "

'"Why were the boys not bound to protect you?" said Conchobar. 

'"I did not know this, " said Cuchulainn. "Undertake my protectionagainst them then. "

'"I recognise it, " said Conchobar. 

'Then he turned aside on [Note: i. E. To attack them. ] the boysthroughout the house. 

'"What ails you at them now?" said Conchobar. 

'"That I may be bound to protect them, " said Cuchulainn. 

'"Undertake it, " said Conchobar. 

'"I recognise it, " said Cuchulainn. 

'Then they all went into the play-field, and those boys who hadbeen struck down there arose. Their foster-mothers and foster-fathershelped them. 

'Once, ' said Fergus, 'when he was a youth, he used not to sleep inEmain Macha till morning. 

'"Tell me, " said Conchobar to him, "why you do not sleep?"

'"I do not do it, " said Cuchulainn, "unless it is equally high atmy head and my feet. "

'Then a stone pillar was put by Conchobar at his head, and anotherat his feet, and a bed was made for him separately between them. 

'Another time a certain man went to awaken him, and he struck himwith his fist in his forehead, so that it took the front of hisforehead on to the brain, and so that he overthrew the pillar withhis arm. '

'It is known, ' said Ailill, 'that it was the fist of a warrior andthat it was the arm of a hero. '

'From that time, ' said Fergus, 'no one dared to waken him till heawoke of himself. 

'Another time he was playing ball in the play-field east of Emain;he alone apart against the three fifties of boys; he used to defeatthem in every game in this way always. The boys lay hold of himtherewith, and he plied his fist upon them until fifty of them werekilled. He took to flight then, till he was under the pillow ofConchobar's bed. All the Ulstermen rise round him, and I rise, andConchobar himself. Then he rose under the bed, and put the bed fromhim, with the thirty heroes who were on it, till it was in themiddle of the house. The Ulstermen sit round him in the house. Wearrange and make peace then, ' said Fergus, 'between the boys andhim. 

'There was contention between Ulster and Eogan Mac Durtacht. TheUlstermen went to the battle. He was left asleep. The Ulstermenwere defeated. Conchobar was left [on the field], and Cuscraid MendMacha, and many more beside. Their lament awoke Cuchulainn. Hestretched himself then, so that the two stones that were about himbroke; in the presence of Bricriu yonder it was done, ' said Fergus. 'Then he arose. I met him in the door of the fort, and I wounded. 

'"Alas! God save you, friend Fergus, " said he, "where is Conchobar?"

'"I do not know, " said I. 

'Then he went forth. The night was dark. He made for thebattlefield. He saw a man before him, with half his head on, andhalf of another man on his back. 

'"Help me, O Cuchulainn, " said he; "I have been wounded and I havebrought half of my brother on my back. Carry it for me a while. "

'"I will not carry it, " said he. 

'Then he throws the burden to him; he throws it from him; theywrestle; Cuchulainn was overthrown. I heard something, theBadb from the corpses: "Ill the stuff of a hero that is under thefeet of a phantom. " Then Cuchulainn rose against him, and strikeshis head off with his playing-club, and begins to drive his ballbefore him across the plain. 

'"Is my friend Conchobar in this battlefield?"

'He answered him. He goes to him, till he sees him in the trench, and there was the earth round him on every side to hide him. 

'"Why have you come into the battlefield, " said Conchobar, "thatyou may swoon there?"

'He lifts him out of the trench then; six of the strong men ofUlster with us would not have brought him out more bravely. 

'"Go before us to the house yonder, " said Conchobar; "if a roastpig came to me, I should live. "

'"I will go and bring it, " said Cuchulainn. 

'He goes then, and saw a man at a cooking-hearth in the middle ofthe wood; one of his two hands had his weapons in it, the other wascooking the pig. 

'The hideousness of the man was great; nevertheless he attacked himand took his head and his pig with him. Conchobar ate the pig then. 

'"Let us go to our house, " said Conchobar. 

'They met Cuscraid Mac Conchobair. There were sure wounds on him;Cuchulainn took him on his back. The three of them went then toEmain Macha. 

'Another time the Ulstermen were in their weakness. There was notamong us, ' said Fergus, 'weakness on women and boys, nor on any onewho was outside the country of the Ulstermen, nor on Cuchulainn andhis father. And so no one dared to shed their blood; for thesuffering springs on him who wounds them. [Gloss incorporated intext: 'or their decay, or their shortness of life. ']

'Three times nine men came to us from the Isles of Faiche. Theywent over our back court when we were in our weakness. The womenscreamed in the court. The boys were in the play-field; they comeat the cries. When the boys saw the dark, black men, they all taketo flight except Cuchulainn alone. He plies hand-stones and hisplaying-club on them. He kills nine of them, and they leave fiftywounds on him, and they go forth besides. A man who did these deedswhen his five years were not full, it would be no wonder that heshould have come to the edge of the boundary and that he shouldhave cut off the heads of yonder four. '

'We know him indeed, this boy, ' said Conall Cernach, 'and we knowhim none the worse that he is a fosterling of ours. It was not longafter the deed that Fcrgus has just related, when he did anotherdeed. When Culann the smith served a feast to Conchobar, Culannsaid that it was not a multitude that should be brought to him, forthe preparation which he had made was not from land or country, butfrom the fruit of his two hands and his pincers. Then Conchobarwent, and fifty chariots with him, of those who were noblest andmost eminent of the heroes. Now Conchobar visited then hisplay-field. It was always his custom to visit and revisit them atgoing and coming, to seek a greeting of the boys. He saw thenCuchulainn driving his ball against the three fifties of boys, andhe gets the victory over them. When it was hole-driving that theydid, he filled the hole with his balls and they could not ward himoff. When they were all throwing into the hole, he warded them offalone, so that not a single ball would go in it. When it waswrestling they were doing, he overthrew the three fifties of boysby himself, and there did not meet round him a number that couldoverthrow him. When it was stripping that they did, he strippedthem all so that they were quite naked, and they could not takefrom him even his brooch out of his cloak. 

'Conchobar thought this wonderful. He said "Would he bring hisdeeds to completion, provided the age of manhood came to them?"Every one said: "He would bring them to completion. " Conchobar saidto Cuchulainn: "Come with me, " said he, "to the feast to which weare going, because you are a guest. "

'"I have not had enough of play yet, O friend Conchobar, " said theboy; "I will come after you. "

'When they had all come to the feast, Culann said to Conchobar: "Doyou expect any one to follow you?" said he. 

'"No, " said Conchobar. He did not remember the appointment with hisfoster-son who was following him. 

'"I'll have a watch-dog, " said Culann; "there are three chains onhim, and three men to each chain. [Gloss incorporated in text: 'Hewas brought from Spain. '] Let him be let slip because of our cattleand stock, and let the court be shut. "

'Then the boy comes. The dog attacks him. He went on with his playstill: he threw his ball, and threw his club after it, so that itstruck the ball. One stroke was not greater than another; and hethrew his toy-spear after them, and he caught it before falling;and it did not hinder his play, though the dog was approaching him. Conchobar and his retinue ---- this, so that they could not move;they thought they would not find him alive when they came, eventhough the court were open. Now when the dog came to him, he threwaway his ball and his club, and seized the dog with his two hands;that is, he put one of his hands to the apple of the dog's throat;and he put the other at its back; he struck it against the pillarthat was beside him, so that every limb sprang apart. (According toanother, it was his ball that he threw into its mouth, and broughtout its entrails through it. )

'The Ulstermen went towards him, some over the wall, others overthe doors of the court. They put him on Conchobar's knee. A greatclamour arose among them, that the king's sister's son should havebeen almost killed. Then Culann comes into the house. 

'"Welcome, boy, for the sake of your mother. Would that I had notprepared a feast! My life is a life lost, and my husbandry is ahusbandry without, without my dog. He had kept honour and life forme, " said he, "the man of my household who has been taken from me, that is, my dog. He was defence and protection to our property andour cattle; he was the protection of every beast to us, both fieldand house. "

'"It is not a great matter, " said the boy; "a whelp of the samelitter shall be raised for you by me, and I will be a dog for thedefence of your cattle and for your own defence now, until that doggrows, and until he is capable of action; and I will defend MagMurthemne, so that there shall not be taken away from me cattle norherd, unless I have ----. "

'"Then your name shall be Cu-chulainn, " said Cathbad. 

'"I am content that it may be my name, " said Cuchulainn. 

'A man who did this in his seventh year, it would be no wonder thathe should have done a great deed now when his seventeen years arecompleted, ' said Conall Cernach. 

'He did another exploit, ' said Fiacha Mac Fir-Febe. 'Cathbad theDruid was with his son, Conchobar Mac Nessa. A hundred active menwere with him, learning magic from him. That is the number thatCathbad used to teach. A certain one of his pupils asked of him forwhat this day would be good. Cathbad said a warrior should takearms therein whose name should be over Ireland for ever, for deedof valour, and his fame should continue for ever. Cuchulainn heardthis. He comes to Conchobar to ask for arms. Conchobar said, "Whohas instructed you?"

'"My friend Cathbad, " said Cuchulainn. 

'"We know indeed, " said Conchobar. 

'He gave him spear and shield. He brandished them in the middle ofthe house, so that nothing remained of the fifteen sets of armourthat were in store in Conchobar's household against the breaking ofweapons or taking of arms by any one. Conchobar's own armour wasgiven to him. That withstood him, and he brandished it, and blessedthe king whose armour it was, and said, "Blessing to the people andrace to whom is king the man whose armour that is. "

'Then Cathbad came to them, and said: "Has the boy taken arms?"said Cathbad. 

'"Yes, " said Conchobar. 

'"This is not lucky for the son of his mother, " said he. 

'"What, is it not you advised it?" said Conchobar. 

'"Not I, surely, " said Cathbad. 

'"What advantage to you to deceive me, wild boy?" said Conchobar toCuchulainn. 

'"O king of heroes, it is no trick, " said Cuchulainn; "it is he whotaught it to his pupils this morning; and I heard him, south ofEmain, and I came to you then. "

'"The day is good thus, " said Cathbad; "it is certain he will befamous and renowned, who shall take arms therein; but he will beshort-lived only. "

'"A wonder of might, " said Cuchulainn; "provided I be famous, I amcontent though I were but one day in the world. "

'Another day a certain man asked the druids what it is for whichthat day was good. 

'"Whoever shall go into a chariot therein, " said Cathbad, "his nameshall be over Ireland for ever. "

'Then Cuchulainn heard this; he comes to Conchobar and said to him:"O friend Conchobar, " said he, "give me a chariot. " He gave him achariot. He put his hand between the two poles [Note: The _fertais_were poles sticking out behind the chariot, as the account of thewild deer, later, shows. ] of the chariot, so that the chariotbroke. He broke twelve chariots in this way. Then Conchobar'schariot was given to him. This withstood him. He goes then in thechariot, and Conchobar's charioteer with him. The charioteer (Iborwas his name) turned the chariot under him. "Come out of thechariot now, " said the charioteer. 

'"The horses are fine, and I am fine, their little lad, " saidCuchulainn. "Go forward round Emain only, and you shall have areward for it. "

'So the charioteer goes, and Cuchulainn forced him then that heshould go on the road to greet the boys "and that the boys mightbless me. "

'He begged him to go on the way again. When they come, Cuchulainnsaid to the charioteer: "Ply the goad on the horses, " said he. 

'"In what direction?" said the charioteer. 

'"As long as the road shall lead us, " said Cuchulainn. 

'They come thence to Sliab Fuait, and find Conall Cernach there. Itfell to Conall that day to guard the province; for every hero ofUlster was in Sliab Fuait in turn, to protect any one who shouldcome with poetry, or to fight against a man; so that it should bethere that there should be some one to encounter him, that no oneshould go to Emain unperceived. 

'"May that be for prosperity, " said Conall; "may it be for victoryand triumph. "

'"Go to the fort, O Conall, and leave me to watch here now, " saidCuchulainn. 

'"It will be enough, " said Conall, "if it is to protect any onewith poetry; if it is to fight against a man, it is early for youyet. "

'"Perhaps it may not be necessary at all, " said Cuchulainn. "Let usgo meanwhile, " said Cuchulainn, "to look upon the edge of LochEchtra. Heroes are wont to abide there. "

'"I am content, " said Conall. 

'Then they go thence. He throws a stone from his sling, so that apole of Conall Cernach's chariot breaks. 

'"Why have you thrown the stone, O boy?" said Conall. 

"To try my hand and the straightness of my throw, " said Cuchulainn;"and it is the custom with you Ulstermen, that you do not travelbeyond your peril. Go back to Emain, O friend Conall, and leave mehere to watch. "

'"Content, then, " said Conall. 

'Conall Cernach did not go past the place after that. ThenCuchulainn goes forth to Loch Echtra, and they found no one therebefore them. The charioteer said to Cuchulainn that they should goto Emain, that they might be in time for the drinking there. 

'"No, " said Cuchulainn. "What mountain is it yonder?" saidCuchulainn. 

'"Sliab Monduirn, " said the charioteer. 

'"Let us go and get there, " said Cuchulainn. They go then tillthey reach it. When they had reached the mountain, Cuchulainnasked: "What is the white cairn yonder on the top of themountain?"

'"Find Carn, " said the charioteer. 

'"What plain is that over there?" said Cuchulainn. 

'"Mag Breg, " said the charioteer. He tells him then the name ofevery chief fort between Temair and Cenandas. He tells him firsttheir meadows and their fords, their famous places and theirdwellings, their fortresses and their high hills. He shows [Note:Reading with YBL. ] him then the fort of the three sons of NechtaScene; Foill, Fandall, and Tuachell were their names. 

'"Is it they who say, " said Cuchulainn, "that there are not moreof the Ulstermen alive than they have slain of them?"

'"It is they indeed, " said the charioteer. 

'"Let us go till we reach them, " said Cuchulainn. 

'"Indeed it is peril to us, " said the charioteer. 

'"Truly it is not to avoid it that we go, " said Cuchulainn. 

'Then they go forth and unharness their horses at the meeting ofthe bog and the river, to the south above the fort of the others;and he threw the withe that was on the pillar as far as he couldthrow into the river and let it go with the stream, for this was abreach of _geis_ to the sons of Nechta Scene. They perceive itthen, and come to them. Cuchulainn goes to sleep by the pillarafter throwing the withe at the stream; and he said to thecharioteer: "Do not waken me for few; but waken me for many. "

'Now the charioteer was very frightened, and he made ready theirchariot and pulled its coverings and skins which were overCuchulainn; for he dared not waken him, because Cuchulainn told himat first that he should not waken him for a few. 

'Then come the sons of Nechta Scene. 

'"Who is it who is there?" said one of them. 

'"A little boy who has come to-day into the chariot for anexpedition, " said the charioteer. 

'"May it not be for his happiness, " said the champion; "and may itnot be for his prosperity, his first taking of arms. Let him not bein our land, and let the horses not graze there any more, " said thechampion. 

'"Their reins are in my hands, " said the charioteer. 

'"It should not be yours to earn hatred, " said Ibar to thechampion; "and the boy is asleep. "

'"I am not a boy at all, " said Cuchulainn; "but it is to seekbattle with a man that the boy who is here has come. "

'"That pleases me well, " said the champion. 

'"It will please you now in the ford yonder, " said Cuchulainn. 

'"It befits you, " said the charioteer, "take heed of the man whocomes against you. Foill is his name, " said he; "for unless youreach him in the first thrust, you will not reach him tillevening. "

'"I swear by the god by whom my people swear, he will not ply hisskill on the Ulstermen again, if the broad spear of my friendConchobar should reach him from my hand. It will be an outlaw'shand to him. "

'Then he cast the spear at him, so that his back broke. He tookwith him his accoutrements and his head. 

'"Take heed of another man, " said the charioteer, "Fandall [Note:i. E. 'Swallow. '] is his name. Not more heavily does he traverse(?)the water than swan or swallow. "

'"I swear that he will not ply that feat again on the Ulstermen, "said Cuchulainn. "You have seen, " said he, "the way I travel thepool at Emain. "

'They meet then in the ford. Cuchulainn kills that man, and tookhis head and his arms. 

'"Take heed of another man who comes towards you, " said thecharioteer. "Tuachell [Note: i. E. 'Cunning. '] is his name. It is nomisname for him, for he does not fall by arms at all. "

'"Here is the javelin for him to confuse him, so that it may makea red-sieve of him, " said Cuchulainn. 

'He cast the spear at him, so that it reached him in his ----. ThenHe went to him and cut off his head. Cuchulainn gave his head andhis accoutrements to his own charioteer. He heard then the cry oftheir mother, Nechta Scene, behind them. 

'He puts their spoils and the three heads in his chariot with him, and said: "I will not leave my triumph, " said he, "till I reachEmain Macha. " 'then they set out with his triumph. 

'Then Cuchulainn said to the charioteer: "You promised us a goodrun, " said he, "and we need it now because of the strife and thepursuit that is behind us. " They go on to Sliab Fuait; and such wasthe speed of the run that they made over Breg after the spurring ofthe charioteer, that the horses of the chariot overtook the windand the birds in flight, and that Cuchulainn caught the throw thathe sent from his sling before it reached the ground. 

'When they reached Sliab Fuait, they found a herd of wild deerthere before them. 

'"What are those cattle yonder so active?" said Cuchulainn. 

'"Wild deer, " said the charioteer. 

'"Which would the Ulstermen think best, " said Cuchulainn, "to bringthem dead or alive?"

'"It is more wonderful alive, " said the charioteer; "it is notevery one who can do it so. Dead, there is not one of them whocannot do it. You cannot do this, to carry off any of them alive, "said the charioteer. 

'"I can indeed, " said Cuchulainn. "Ply the goad on the horses intothe bog. "

'The charioteer does this. The horses stick in the bog. Cuchulainnsprang down and seized the deer that was nearest, and that was thefinest of them. He lashed the horses through the bog, and overcamethe deer at once, and bound it between the two poles of the chariot. 

'They saw something again before them, a flock of swans. 

'"Which would the Ulstermen think best, " said Cuchulainn, "to havethem dead or alive?"

'"All the most vigorous and finest(?) bring them alive, " said thecharioteer. 

'Then Cuchulainn aims a small stone at the birds, so that he struckeight of the birds. He threw again a large stone, so that he strucktwelve of them. All that was done by his return stroke. 

"Collect the birds for us, " said Cuchulainn to his charioteer. "Ifit is I who go to take them, " said he, "the wild deer will springupon you. "

'"It is not easy for me to go to them, " said the charioteer. "Thehorses have become wild so that I cannot go past them. I cannot gopast the two iron tyres [Interlinear gloss, _fonnod_. The _fonnod_was some part of the rim of the wheel apparently. ] of the chariot, because of their sharpness; and I cannot go past the deer, for hishorn has filled all the space between the two poles of the chariot. "

'"Step from its horn, " said Cuchulainn. "I swear by the god by whomthe Ulstermen swear, the bending with which I will bend my head onhim, and the eye that I will make at him, he will not turn his headon you, and he will not dare to move. "

'That was done then. Cuchulainn made fast the reins, and thecharioteer collects the birds. Then Cuchulainn bound the birds fromthe strings and thongs of the chariot; so that it was thus he wentto Emain Macha: the wild deer behind his chariot, and the flock ofswans flying over it, and the three heads in his chariot. Then theycome to Emain. 

"A man in a chariot is coming to you, " said the watchman in EmainMacha; "he will shed the blood of every man who is in the court, unless heed is taken, and unless naked women go to him. "

'Then he turned the left side of his chariot towards Emain, andthat was a _geis_ [Note: i. E. It was an insult. ] to it; andCuchulainn said: "I swear by the god by whom the Ulstermen swear, unless a man is found to fight with me, I will shed the blood ofevery one who is in the fort. "

'"Naked women to meet him!" said Conchobar. 

'Then the women of Emain go to meet him with Mugain, the wife ofConchobar Mac Nessa, and bare their breasts before him. "These arethe warriors who will meet you to-day, " said Mugain. 

'He covers his face; then the heroes of Emain seize him and throwhim into a vessel of cold water. That vessel bursts round him. Thesecond vessel into which he was thrown boiled with bubbles as bigas the fist therefrom. The third vessel into which he went, hewarmed it so that its heat and its cold were rightly tempered. Thenhe comes out; and the queen, Mugain, puts a blue mantle on him, anda silver brooch therein, and a hooded tunic; and he sits atConchobar's knee, and that was his couch always after that. The manwho did this in his seventh year, ' said Fiacha Mac Fir-Febe, 'itwere not wonderful though he should rout an overwhelming force, andthough he should exhaust (?) an equal force, when his seventeenyears are complete to-day. '

(What follows is a separate version [Note: The next episode, theDeath of Fraech, is not given in LL. ] to the death of Orlam. )

'Let us go forth now, ' said Ailill. 

Then they reached Mag Mucceda. Cuchulainn cut an oak before themthere, and wrote an ogam in its side. It is this that was therein:that no one should go past it till a warrior should leap it withone chariot. They pitch their tents there, and come to leap over itin their chariots. There fall thereat thirty horses, and thirtychariots are broken. Belach n-Ane, that is the name of that placefor ever. 

_The Death of Fraech_

They are there till next morning; then Fraech is summoned to them. 'Help us, O Fraech, ' said Medb. 'Remove from us the strait that ison us. Go before Cuchulainn for us, if perchance you shall fightwith him. '

He set out early in the morning with nine men, till he reached AthFuait. He saw the warrior bathing in the river. 

'Wait here, ' said Fraech to his retinue, 'till I come to the manyonder; not good is the water, ' said he. 

He took off his clothes, and goes into the water to him. 

'Do not come to me, ' said Cuchulainn. 'You will die from it, and Ishould be sorry to kill you. '

'I shall come indeed, ' said Fraech, 'that we may meet in the water;and let your play with me be fair. '

'Settle it as you like, ' said Cuchulainn. 

'The hand of each of us round the other, ' said Fraech. 

They set to wrestling for a long time on the water, and Fraech wassubmerged. Cuchulainn lifted him up again. 

'This time, ' said Cuchulainn, 'will you yield and accept yourlife?' [Note: Lit. 'will you acknowledge your saving?']

'I will not suffer it, ' said Fraech. 

Cuchulainn put him under it again, until Fraech was killed. Hecomes to land; his retinue carry his body to the camp. Ath Fraich, that was the name of that ford for ever. All the host lamentedFraech. They saw a troop of women in green tunics [Note: Fraech wasdescended from the people of the Sid, his mother Bebind being afairy woman. Her sister was Boinn (the river Boyne). ] on the bodyof Fraech Mac Idaid; they drew him from them into the mound. SidFraich was the name of that mound afterwards. 

Fergus springs over the oak in his chariot. They go till they reachAth Taiten; Cuchulainn destroys six of them there: that is, the sixDungals of Irress. 

Then they go on to Fornocht. Medb had a whelp named Baiscne. Cuchulainn throws a cast at him, and took his head off. Druim wasthe name of that place henceforth. 

'Great is the mockery to you, ' said Medb, 'not to hunt the deerof misfortune yonder that is killing you. '

Then they start hunting him, till they broke the shafts of theirchariots thereat. 

_The Death of Orlam_

They go forth then over Iraird Culend in the morning. Cuchulainnwent forward; he overtook the charioteer of Orlam, son of Aililland Medb, in Tamlacht Orlaim, a little to the north of DisertLochait, cutting wood there. (According to another version, it isThe shaft of Cuchulainn's chariot that had broken, and it is to cuta shaft that he had gone when he met Orlam's charioteer. It is thecharioteer who cut the shafts according to this version. )

'It is over-bold what the Ulstermen are doing, if it is they whoare yonder, ' said Cuchulainn, 'while the host is behind them. ' Hegoes to the charioteer to reprove him; he thought that he was ofUlster, and he saw the man cutting wood, that is the chariot shaft. 

'What are you doing here?' said Cuchulainn. 

'Cutting chariot-shafts, ' said the charioteer. 'We have broken ourchariots hunting the wild deer Cuchulainn yonder. Help me, ' saidthe charioteer. 'Look only whether you are to select the shafts, orto strip them. '

'It will be to strip them indeed, ' said Cuchulainn. 

Then Cuchulainn stripped the shafts through his fingers in thepresence of the other, so that he cleared them both of bark andknots. 

'This cannot be your proper work that I put on you, ' said thecharioteer; he was greatly afraid. 

'Whence are you?' said Cuchulainn. 

'The charioteer of Orlam, son of Ailill and Medb, ' said he. 'Andyou?' said the charioteer. 

'My name is Cuchulainn, ' said he. 

'Alas!' said the charioteer. 

'Fear nothing, ' said Cuchulainn. 'Where is your master?' said he. 

'He is in the trench yonder, ' said the charioteer. 

'Go forth then with me, ' said Cuchulainn, 'for I do not killcharioteers at all. '

Cuchulainn goes to Orlam, kills him, cuts his head off, and shakeshis head before the host. Then he puts the head on the charioteer'sback, and said to him:

'Take that with you, ' said Cuchulainn, 'and go to the camp thus. Ifyou do not go thus, a stone will come to you from my sling. '

When he got near the camp, he took the head from his back, and toldhis adventures to Ailill and Medb. 

'This is not like taking birds, ' said she. 

And he said, 'Unless I brought it on my back to the camp, he wouldbreak my head with a stone. '

_The Death of the Meic Garach_

Then the Meic Garach waited on their ford. These are their names:Lon and Ualu and Diliu; and Mes-Ler, and Mes-Laech, and Mes-Lethanwere their three charioteers. They thought it too much whatCuchulainn had done: to slay two foster-sons of the king, and hisson, and to shake the head before the host. They would slayCuchulainn in return for him, and would themselves remove thisannoyance from the host. They cut three aspen wands for theircharioteers, that the six of them should pursue combat against him. He killed them all then, because they had broken fair-play towardshim. 

Orlam's charioteer was then between Ailill and Medb. Cuchulainnhurled a stone at him, [Note: Apparently because the charioteer hadnot carried Orlam's head into the camp on his back. Or analternative version. ] so that his head broke, and his brains cameover his ears; Fertedil was his name. (Thus it is not true thatCuchulainn did not kill charioteers; howbeit, he did not kill themwithout fault. )

_The Death of the Squirrel_

Cuchulainn threatened in Methe, that wherever he should see Ailillor Medb afterwards he would throw a stone from his sling at them. He did this then: he threw a stone from his sling, so that hekilled the squirrel that was on Medb's shoulder south of the ford:hence is Methe Togmaill. And he killed the bird that was onAilill's shoulder north of the ford: hence is Methe n-Eoin. (Or itis on Medb's shoulder that both squirrel and bird were together, and it is their heads that were struck from them by the casts. )

Reoin was drowned in his lake. Hence is Loch Reoin. 

'That other is not far from you, ' said Ailill to the Manes. 

They arose and looked round. When they sat down again, Cuchulainnstruck one of them, so that his head broke. 

'It was well that you went for that: your boasting was notfitting, ' said Maenen the fool. 'I would have taken his head off. '

Cuchulainn threw a stone at him, so that his head broke. It is thusthen that these were killed: Orlam in the first place on his hill;the Meic Garach on their ford; Fertedil in his ---; Maenan in hishill. 

'I swear by the god by whom my people swear, ' said Ailill, 'thatman who shall make a mock of Cuchulainn here, I will make twohalves of him. '

'Go forth for us both day and night, ' said Ailill, 'till we reachCualnge. That man will kill two-thirds of the host in this way. ' Itis there that the harpers of the _Cainbili_ [Note: Referenceobscure. They were wizards of some sort. ] from Ossory came to themto amuse them. They thought it was from the Ulstermen to spy onthem. They set to hunting them, till they went before them in theforms of deer into the stones at Liac Mor on the north. For theywere wizards with great cunning. 

_The Death of Lethan_

Lethan came on to his ford on the Nith (?) in Conaille. He waitedhimself to meet Cuchulainn. It vexed him what Cuchulainn had done. Cuchulainn cuts off his head and left it, hence it is Ath Lethan onthe Nith. And their chariots broke in the battle on the ford byhim; hence it is Ath Carpat. Mulcha, Lethan's charioteer, fell onthe shoulder of the hill that is between them; hence is GuloMulchai. While the hosts were going over Mag Breg, he struck(?)their ---- still. [Note: 2 Something apparently missing here. Thepassage in LL is as follows: 'It is the same day that the Morrigan, daughter of Ernmas, came from the Sid, so that she was on thepillar in Temair Cuailnge, taking a warning to the Dun of Cualngebefore the men of Ireland, and she began to speak to him, and"Good, O wretched one, O Dun of Cualnge, " said the Morrigan, "keepwatch, for the men of Ireland have reached thee, and they will takethee to their camp unless thou keepest watch"; and she began totake a warning to him thus, and uttered her words on high. ' (TheRhetoric follows as in LU. )]

Yet that was the Morrigan in the form of a bird on the pillar inTemair Cuailnge; and she spoke to the Bull:

 'Does the Black know, ' etc. [Note: A Rhetoric. ]

Then the Bull went, and fifty heifers with him, to Sliab Culind;and his keeper, Forgemen by name, went after him. He threw off thethree fifties of boys who used always to play on him, and he killedtwo-thirds of his boys, and dug a trench in Tir Marcceni in Cualngebefore he went. 

_The Death of Lochu_

Cuchulainn killed no one from the Saile ind Orthi (?) in theConaille territory, until they reached Cualnge. Cuchulainn was thenin Cuince; he threatened then that when he saw Medb he would throwa stone at her head. This was not easy to him, for it is thus thatMedb went and half the host about her, with their shelter ofshields over her head. 

Then a waiting-woman of Medb's, Lochu by name, went to get water, and a great troop of women with her. Cuchulainn thought it wasMedb. He threw two stones from Cuince, so that he slew her in herplain(?). Hence is Ath Rede Locha in Cualnge. 

From Findabair Cuailnge the hosts divided, and they set the countryon fire. They collect all there were of women, and boys, andmaidens; and cattle, in Cualnge together, so that they were all inFindabair. 

'You have not gone well, ' said Medb; 'I do not see the Bull withyou. '

'He is not in the province at all, ' said every one. 

Lothar the cowherd is summoned to Medb. 

'Where is the Bull?' said she. 'Have you an idea?'

'I have great fear to tell it, ' said the herd. 'The night, ' saidhe, 'when the Ulstermen went into their weakness, he went withthree twenties of heifers with him, so that he is at the BlackCorrie of Glenn Gatt. '

'Go, ' said Medb, 'and carry a withe [Note: Ir. _gatt_, a withe. ]between each two of you. '

They do this: hence this glen is called Glenn Gatt. Then they bringthe Bull to Findabair. The place where he saw the herd, Lothar, heattacked him, so that he brought his entrails out on his horns; andhe attacked the camp with his three fifties of heifers, so thatfifty warriors were killed. And that is the death of Lothar on theForay. 

Then the Bull went from them out of the camp, and they knew notwhere he had gone from them; and they were ashamed. Medb asked theherd if he had an idea where the Bull was. 

'I think he would be in the secret places of Sliab Culind. '

When they returned thus after ravaging Cualnge, and did not findthe Bull there. The river Cronn rose against them to the tops ofthe trees; and they spent the night by it. And Medb told part ofher following to go across. 

A wonderful warrior went next day, Ualu his name. He took a greatstone on his back to go across the water; the stream drove himbackwards with the stone on his back. His grave and his stone areon the road at the stream: Lia Ualand is its name. 

They went round the river Cronn to the source, and they would havegone between the source and the mountain, only that they could notget leave from Medb; she preferred to go across the mountain, thattheir track might remain there for ever, for an insult to theUlstermen. They waited there three days and three nights, till theydug the earth in front of them, the Bernas Bo Cuailnge. 

It is there that Cuchulainn killed Crond and Coemdele and ----[Note: Obscure. ]. A hundred warriors ---- [Note: Obscure. ] died withRoan and Roae, the two historians of the Foray. A hundred andforty-four, kings died by him at the same stream. They came thenover the Bernas Bo Cuailnge with the cattle and stock of Cualnge, and spent the night in Glenn Dail Imda in Cualnge. Botha is thename of this place, because they made huts over them there. Theycome next day to Colptha. They try to cross it through heedlessness. It rose against them then, and it carries a hundred charioteersof them to the sea; this is the name of the land in which theywere drowned, Cluain Carptech. 

They go round Colptha then to its source, to Belat Alioin, andspent the night at Liasa Liac; that is the name of this place, because they made sheds over their calves there between Cualnge andConaille. They came over Glenn Gatlaig, and Glass Gatlaig roseagainst them. Sechaire was its name before; Glass Gatlaigthenceforth, because it was in withes they brought their calves;and they slept at Druim Fene in Conaille. (Those then are thewanderings from Cualnge to Machaire according to this version. )

_This is the Harrying of Cualnge_

(Other authors and books make it that another way was taken ontheir journeyings from Findabair to Conaille, as follows:

Medb said after every one had come with their booty, so that theywere all in Findabair Cuailnge: 'Let the host be divided, ' saidMedb; 'it will be impossible to bring this expedition by one way. Let Ailill go with half the expedition by Midluachair; Fergus and Iwill go by Bernas Ulad. ' [Note: YBL. Bernas Bo n-Ulad. ]

'It is not fine, ' said Fergus, 'the half of the expedition that hasfallen to us. It will be impossible to bring the cattle over themountain without dividing it. '

That was done then, so that it is from that there is Bernas Bo n-Ulad. )

It is there then that Ailill said to his charioteer Cuillius: 'Findout for me to-day Medb and Fergus. I know not what has brought themto this union. I shall be pleased that a token should come to me byyou. '

Cuillius came when they were in Cluichre. The pair remained behind, and the warriors went on. Cuillius came to them, and they heard notthe spy. Fergus' sword happened to be beside him. Cuillius drew itout of its sheath, and left the sheath empty. Cuillius came toAilill. 

'So?' said Ailill. 

'So indeed, ' said Cuillius; 'there is a token for you. '

'It is well, ' said Ailill. 

Each of them smiles at the other. 

'As you thought, ' said Cuillius, 'it is thus that I found them, inone another's arms. '

'It is right for her, ' said Ailill; 'it is for help on the Foraythat she has done it. See that the sword is kept in good condition, 'said Ailill. 'Put it under your seat in the chariot, and a cloth oflinen around it. '

Fergus got up for his sword after that. 

'Alas!' said he. 

'What is the matter with you?' said Medb. 

'An ill deed have I done to Ailill, ' said he. 'Wait here, while Igo into the wood, ' said Fergus; 'and do not wonder though it belong till I come. '

It happened that Medb knew not the loss of the sword. He goesthence, and takes the sword of his charioteer with him in his hand. He makes a wooden sword in the wood. Hence there is Fid Mor Druallein Ulster. 

'Let us go on after our comrades, ' said Fergus. All their hostsmeet in the plain. They pitch their tents. Fergus is summoned toAilill to play chess. When Fergus went to the tent, Ailill began tolaugh at him. [Note: Here follows about two columns of rhetoric, consisting of a taunting dialogue between Ailill, Fergus and Medb. ]

***

Cuchulainn came so that he was at Ath Cruinn before them. 

'O friend Loeg, ' said he to his charioteer, 'the hosts are at handto us. '

'I swear by the gods, ' said the charioteer, 'I will do a mightyfeat before warriors . . . On slender steeds with yokes of silver, with golden wheels . . . '

'Take heed, O Loeg, ' said Cuchulainn; 'hold the reins for greatvictory of Macha . . . I beseech, ' said Cuchulainn, 'the waters tohelp me. I beseech heaven and earth, and the Cronn in particular. '

The (river) Cronn takes to fighting against them; it will not letthem into Murthemne until the work of heroes be finished in SliabTuath Ochaine. 

Therewith the water rose up till it was in the tops of the trees. 

Mane, son of Ailill and Medb, went before the rest. Cuchulainnsmites them on the ford, and thirty horsemen of Mane's retinue weredrowned in the water. Cuchulainn overthrew two sixteens of warriorsof them again by the water. 

They pitch their tents at that ford. Lugaid Mac Nois, descendant ofLomarc Allchomach, came to speak to Cuchulainn, with thirtyhorsemen. 

'Welcome, O Lugaid, ' said Cuchulainn. 'If a flock of birds grazeupon Mag Murthemne, you shall have a duck with half of another; iffish come to the estuaries, you shall have a salmon with half ofanother. You shall have the three sprigs, the sprig of watercress, and the sprig of marshwort, and the sprig of seaweed. You shallhave a man in the ford in your place. ' [Note: This and thefollowing speech are apparently forms of greeting. Cuchulainnoffers Lugaid such hospitality as lies in his power. See a similarspeech later to Fergus. ]

'I believe it, ' said Lugaid. 'Excellence of people to the boy whomI desire. '

'Your hosts are fine, ' said Cuchulainn. 

It would not be sad for you alone before them, ' said Lugaid. 

'Fair-play and valour will support me, ' said Cuchulainn. 'O friendLugaid, do the hosts fear me?'

'I swear by God, ' said Lugaid, 'one man nor two dare not go out ofthe camp, unless it be in twenties or thirties. '

'It will be something extra for them, ' said Cuchulainn, 'if I taketo throwing from the sling. Fitting for you will be this fellow-vassal, O Lugaid, that you have among the Ulstermen, if there come to methe force of every man. Say what you would have, ' said Cuchulainn. 

'That I may have a truce with you towards my host. '

'You shall have it, provided there be a token on it. And tell myfriend Fergus that there be a token on his host. Tell thephysicians, let there be a token on their host. And let them swearpreservation of life to me, and let there come to me provisionevery night from them. '

Then Lugaid goes from him. Fergus happened to be in the tent withAilill. Lugaid called him out, and told him this. Something washeard, namely Ailill. . . . [Note: Rhetoric, six lines, the substanceof which is, apparently, that Ailill asks protection also. ]

'I swear by God I cannot do it, ' said Lugaid, 'unless I ask the boyAgain. '

'Help me, [Note: Spoken by Fergus?] O Lugaid, go to him to seewhether Ailill may come with a cantred into my troop. Take an oxwith bacon to him and a jar of wine. '

He goes to Cuchulainn then and tells him this. 

'I do not mind though he go, ' said Cuchulainn. 

Then their two troops join. They are there till night. Cuchulainnkills thirty men of them with the sling. (Or they would be twentynights there, as some books say. )

'Your journeyings are bad, ' said Fergus. 'The Ulstermen will cometo you out of their weakness, and they will grind you to earth andgravel. "The corner of battle" in which we are is bad. '

He goes thence to Cul Airthir. It happened that Cuchulainn had gonethat night to speak to the Ulstermen [Note: In LL and Y BL thisincident occurs later, and the messenger is Sualtaim, notCuchulainn. LU is clearly wrong here. ]

'Have you news?' said Conchobar. 

'Women are captured, ' said Cuchulainn, 'cattle are driven away, menare slain. '

'Who carries them off? who drives them away? who kills them?'

'. . . Ailill Mac Matae carries them off, and Fergus Mac Roichvery bold . . . ' [Note: Rhetoric. ]

'It is not great profit to you, ' said Conchobar, 'to-day, oursmiting has come to us all the same. '

Cuchulainn goes thence from them; he saw the hosts going forth. 

'Alas, ' said Ailill, 'I see chariots' . . . , etc [Note: Rhetoric, five lines. ]

Cuchulainn kills thirty men of them on Ath Duirn. They could notreach Cul Airthir then till night. He slays thirty of them there, and they pitch their tents there. Ailill's charioteer, Cuillius, was washing the chariot tyres [Note: See previous note on the word_fonnod_; the word used here is _fonnod_. ] in the ford in themorning; Cuchulainn struck him with a stone and killed him. Henceis Ath Cuillne in Cul Airthir. They reach Druim Feine in Conailleand spent the night there, as we have said before. 

Cuchulainn attacked them there; he slays a hundred men of themevery night of the three nights that they were there; he took asling to them from Ochaine near them. 

'Our host will be short-lived through Cuchulainn in this way, ' saidAilill. 'Let an agreement be carried from us to him: that he shallhave the equal of Mag Murthemne from Mag Ai, and the best chariotthat is in Ai, and the equipment of twelve men. Offer, if itpleases him better, the plain in which he was brought up, and threesevens of cumals [Note: The _cumal_ (bondmaid) was a standard ofvalue. ]; and everything that has been destroyed of his household (?)and cattle shall be made good, and he shall have full compensation (?), and let him go into my service; it is better for him than theservice of a sub king. '

'Who shall go for that?'

'Mac Roth yonder. '

Mac Roth, the messenger of Ailill and Medb, went on that errand toDelga: it is he who encircles Ireland in one day. It is there thatFergus thought that Cuchulainn was, in Delga. 

'I see a man coming towards us, ' said Loeg to Cuchulainn. 'He hasa yellow head of hair, and a linen emblem round it; a club offury(?) in his hand, an ivory-hilted sword at his waist; a hoodedtunic with red ornamentation on him. '

'Which of the warriors of the king is that?' said Cuchulainn. 

Mac Roth asked Loeg whose man he was. 

'Vassal to the man down yonder, ' said Loeg. 

Cuchulainn was there in the snow up to his two thighs, withoutanything at all on him, examining his shirt. 

Then Mac Roth asked Cuchulainn whose man he was. 

'Vassal of Conchobar Mac Nessa, ' said Cuchulainn. 

'Is there no clearer description?'

'That is enough, ' said Cuchulainn. 

'Where then is Cuchulainn?' said Mac Roth. 

'What would you say to him?' said Cuchulainn. 

Mac Roth tells him then all the message, as we have told it. 

'Though Cuchulainn were near, he would not do this; he will notbarter the brother of his mother for another king. '

He came to him again, and it was said to Cuchulainn that thereshould be given over to him the noblest of the women and the cowsthat were without milk, on condition that he should not ply hissling on them at night, even if he should kill them by day. 

'I will not do it, ' said Cuchulainn; 'if our slavewomen are takenfrom us, our noble women will be at the querns; and we shall bewithout milk if our milch-cows are taken from us. '

He came to him again, and he was told that he should have theslave-women and the milch-cows. 

'I will not do it, ' said Cuchulainn; 'the Ulstermen will take theirslave-women to their beds, and there will be born to them a servileoffspring, and they will use their milch-cows for meat in thewinter. '

'Is there anything else then?' said the messenger. 

'There is, ' said Cuchulainn; 'and I will not tell it you. It shallbe agreed to, if any one tell it you. '

'I know it, ' said Fergus; 'I know what the man tried to suggest;and it is no advantage to you. And this is the agreement, ' saidFergus: 'that the ford on which takes place (?) his battle andcombat with one man, the cattle shall not be taken thence a day anda night; if perchance there come to him the help of the Ulstermen. And it is a marvel to me, ' said Fergus, 'that it is so long tillthey come out of their sufferings. '

'It is indeed easier for us, ' said Ailill, 'a man every day than ahundred every night. '

_The Death of Etarcomol_

Then Fergus went on this errand; Etarcomol, son of Edan [Note: Nameuncertain. YBL has Eda, LL Feda. ] and Lethrinne, foster-son ofAilill and Medb, followed. 

'I do not want you to go, ' said Fergus, 'and it is not for hatredof you; but I do not like combat between you and Cuchulainn. Yourpride and insolence, and the fierceness and hatred, pride andmadness of the other, Cuchulainn: there will be no good from yourmeeting. '

'Are you not able to protect me from him?' said Etarcomol. 

'I can, ' said Fergus, 'provided only that you do not treat his, sayings with disrespect. '

They go thence in two chariots to Delga. Cuchulainn was thenplaying chess [Note: _Buanfach_, like _fidchell_, is apparently agame something like chess or draughts. ] with Loeg; the back of hishead was towards them, and Loeg's face. 

'I see two chariots coming towards us, ' said Loeg; 'a great darkman in the first chariot, with dark and bushy hair; a purple cloakround him, and a golden pin therein; a hooded tunic with goldembroidery on him; and a round shield with an engraved edge ofwhite metal, and a broad spear-head, with rings from point tohaft(?), in his hand. A sword as long as the rudder of a boat onhis two thighs. '

'It is empty, this great rudder that is brought by my friendFergus, ' said Cuchulainn; 'for there is no sword in its sheathexcept a sword of wood. It has been told to me, ' said Cuchulainn;'Ailill got a chance of them as they slept, he and Medb; and hetook away his sword from Fergus, and gave it to his charioteer totake care of, and the sword of wood was put into its sheath. '

Then Fergus comes up. 

'Welcome, O friend Fergus, ' said Cuchulainn; 'if a fish comesinto the estuary, you shall have it with half of another; if aflock comes into the plain, you shall have a duck with half ofanother; a spray of cress or seaweed, a spray of marshwort; a drinkfrom the sand; you shall have a going to the ford to meet a man, ifit should happen to be your watch, till you have slept. '

'I believe it, ' said Fergus; 'it is not your provision that we havecome for; we know your housekeeping here. '

Then Cuchulainn receives the message from Fergus; anti Fergus goesaway. Etarcomol remains looking at Cuchulainn. 

'What are you looking at?' said Cuchulainn. 

'You, ' said Etarcomol. 

'The eye soon compasses it indeed, ' said Cuchulainn. 

'That is what I see, ' said Etarcomol. 'I do not know at all why youshould be feared by any one. I do not see terror or fearfulness, oroverwhelming of a host, in you; you are merely a fair youth witharms of wood, and with fine feats. '

'Though you speak ill of me, ' said Cuchulainn, 'I will not kill youfor the sake of Fergus. But for your protection, it would have beenyour entrails drawn (?) and your quarters scattered, that wouldhave gone from me to the camp behind your chariot. '

'Threaten me not thus, ' said Etarcomol. 'The wonderful agreementthat he has bound, that is, the single combat, it is I who willfirst meet you of the men of Ireland to-morrow. '

Then he goes away. He turned back from Methe and Cethe and said tohis charioteer:

'I have boasted, ' said he, 'before Fergus combat with Cuchulainnto-morrow. It is not possible for us [Note: YBL reading. ] to waitfor it; turn the horses back again from the hill. '

Loeg sees this and says to Cuchulainn: 'There is the chariot backagain, and it has put its left board [Note: An insult. ] towards us. '

'It is not a "debt of refusal, "' said Cuchulainn. 'I do not wish, 'said Cuchulainn, 'what you demand of me. '

'This is obligatory to you, ' said Etarcomol. 

Cuchulainn strikes the sod under his feet, so that he fellprostrate, and the sod behind him. 

'Go from me, ' said Cuchulainn. 'I am loath to cleanse my hands inyou. I would have divided you into many parts long since but forFergus. '

'We will not part thus, ' said Etarcomol, 'till I have taken yourhead, or left my head with you. '

'It is that indeed that will be there, ' said Cuchulainn. 

Cuchulainn strikes him with his sword in his two armpits, so thathis clothes fell from him, and it did not wound his skin. 

'Go then, ' said Cuchulainn. 

'No, ' said Etarcomol. 

Then Cuchulainn attacked him with the edge of his sword, and tookhis hair off as if it was shaved with a razor; he did not put evena scratch (?) on the surface. When the churl was troublesome thenand stuck to him, he struck him on the hard part of his crown, sothat he divided him down to the navel. 

Fergus saw the chariot go past him, and the one man therein. Heturned to quarrel with Cuchulainn. 

'Ill done of you, O wild boy!' said he, 'to insult me. You wouldthink my club [Note: Or 'track'?] short, ' said he. 

'Be not angry with me, O friend Fergus, ' said Cuchulainn . . . [Note:Rhetoric, five lines. ] 'Reproach me not, O friend Fergus. '

He stoops down, so that Fergus's chariot went past him thrice. 

He asked his charioteer: 'Is it I who have caused it?'

'It is not you at all, ' said his charioteer. 

'He said, ' said Cuchulainn, 'he would not go till he took my head, or till he left his head with me. Which would you think easier tobear, O friend Fergus?' said Cuchulainn. 

'I think what has been done the easier truly, ' said Fergus, 'for itis he who was insolent. '

Then Fergus put a spancel-withe through Etarcomol's two heels andtook him behind his own chariot to the camp. When they went overrocks, one-half would separate from the other; when it was smooth, they came together again. 

Medb saw him. 'Not pleasing is that treatment of a tender whelp, OFergus, ' said Medb. 

'The dark churl should not have made fight, ' said Fergus, 'againstthe great Hound whom he could not contend with (?). '

His grave is dug then and his stone planted; his name is written inogam; his lament is celebrated. Cuchulainn did not molest them thatnight with his sling; and the women and maidens and half the cattleare taken to him; and provision continued to be brought to him by day. 

_The Death of Nadcrantail_

'What man have you to meet Cuchulainn tomorrow?' said Lugaid. 

'They will give it to you to-morrow, ' said Mane, son of Ailill. 

'We can find no one to meet him, ' said Medb. 'Let us have peacewith him till a man be sought for him. '

They get that then. 

'Whither will you send, ' said Ailill, 'to seek that man to meetCuchulainn?'

'There is no one in Ireland who could be got for him, ' said Medb, 'unless Curoi Mac Dare can be brought, or Nadcrantail the warrior. '

There was one of Curoi's followers in the tent. 'Curoi will notcome, ' said he; 'he thinks enough of his household has come. Let amessage be sent to Nadcrantail. '

Mane Andoi goes to him, and they tell their tale to him. 

'Come with us for the sake of the honour of Connaught. '

'I will not go, ' said he, 'unless Findabair be given to me. '

He comes with them then. They bring his armour in a chariot, fromthe east of Connaught till it was in the camp. 

'You shall have Findabair, ' said Medb, 'for going against that manyonder. '

'I will do it, ' said he. 

Lugaid comes to Cuchulainn that night. 

'Nadcrantail is coming to meet you to-morrow; it is unlucky foryou: you will not withstand him. '

'That does not matter, ' said Cuchulainn. . . . [Note: Corrupt. ]

Nadcrantail goes next morning from the camp, and he takes ninespits of holly, sharpened and burned. Now Cuchulainn was therecatching birds, and his chariot near him. Nadcrantail throws aspear at Cuchulainn; Cuchulainn performed a feat on to the point ofthat spear, and it did not hinder him from catching the birds. Thesame with the eight other spears. When he throws the ninth spear, the flock flies from Cuchulainn, and he went after the flock. Hegoes on the points of the spears like a bird, from each spear tothe next, pursuing the birds that they should not escape. It seemedto every one, however, that it was in flight that Cuchulainn wentbefore Nadcrantail. 

'Your Cuchulainn yonder, ' said he, 'has gone in flight before me. '

'That is of course, ' said Medb; 'if good warriors should come tohim, the wild boy would not resist ----. '

This vexed Fergus and the Ulstermen; Fiacha Mac Fir-Febe comes fromthem to remonstrate with Cuchulainn. 

'Tell him, ' said Fergus, 'it was noble to be before the warriorswhile he did brave deeds. It is more noble for him, ' said Fergus, 'to hide himself when he flees before one man, for it were notgreater shame to him than to the rest of Ulster. '

'Who has boasted that?' said Cuchulainn. 

'Nadcrantail, ' said Fiacha. 

'Though it were that that he should boast, the feat that I havedone before him, it was no more shame to me, ' (?) said Cuchulainn. 'He would by no means have boasted it had there been a weapon inhis hand. You know full well that I kill no one unarmed. Let himcome to-morrow, ' said Cuchulainn, 'till he is between Ochaine andthe sea, and however early he comes, he will find me there, and Ishall not flee before him. '

Cuchulainn came then to his appointed meeting-place, and he threwthe hem [of his cloak] round him after his night-watch, and he didnot perceive the pillar that was near him, of equal size withhimself. He embraced it under his cloak, and placed it near him. 

Therewith Nadcrantail came; his arms were brought with him in awagon. 

'Where is Cuchulainn?' said he. 

'There he is yonder, ' said Fergus. 

'It was not thus he appeared to me yesterday, ' said Nadcrantail. 

'Are you Cuchulainn?'

'And if I am then?' said Cuchulainn. 

'If you are indeed, ' said Nadcrantail, 'I cannot bring the head ofa little lamb to camp; I will not take the head of a beardlessboy. '

'It is not I at all, ' said Cuchulainn. 'Go to him round the hill. '

Cuchulainn comes to Loeg: 'Smear a false beard on me, ' said he;'I cannot get the warrior to fight me without a beard. ' It was donefor him. He goes to meet him on the hill. 'I think that morefitting, ' said he. 

'Take the right way of fighting with me, ' said Nadcrantail. 

'You shall have it if only we know it, ' said Cuchulainn. 

'I will throw a cast at you, ' said Nadcrantail, 'and do not avoidit. '

'I will not avoid it except on high, ' said Cuchulainn. 

Nadcrantail throws a cast at him; Cuchulainn leaps on high beforeit. 

'You do ill to avoid my cast, ' said Nadcrantail. 

'Avoid my throw then on high, ' said Cuchulainn. 

Cuchulainn throws the spear at him, but it was on high, so thatfrom above it alighted in his crown, and it went through him to theground. 

'Alas! it is you are the best warrior in Ireland!' said Nadcrantail. 'I have twenty-four sons in the camp. I will go and tell them whathidden treasures I have, and I will come that you may behead me, for I shall die if the spear is taken out of my head. '

'Good, ' said Cuchulainn. 'You will come back. '

Nadcrantail goes to the camp then. Every one comes to meet him. 

'Where is the madman's head?' said every one. 

'Wait, O heroes, till I tell my tale to my sons, and go back that Imay fight with Cuchulainn. '

He goes thence to seek Cuchulainn, and throws his sword atCuchulainn. Cuchulainn leaps on high, so that it struck the pillar, and the sword broke in two. Then Cuchulainn went mad as he had doneagainst the boys in Emain, and he springs on his shield therewith, and struck his head off. He strikes him again on the neck down tothe navel. His four quarters fall to the ground. Then Cuchulainnsaid this:

 'If Nadcrantail has fallen, It will be an increase to the strife. Alas! that I cannot fight at this time With Medb with a third of the host. '

HERE IS THE FINDING OF THE BULL ACCORDING TO THIS VERSION:

It is then that Medb went with a third of the host with her to Cuibto seek the Bull; and Cuchulainn went after her. Now on the road ofMidluachair she had gone to harry Ulster and Cruthne as far as DunSobairche. Cuchulainn saw something: Bude Mac Bain from SliabCulinn with the Bull, and fifteen heifers round him; and his forcewas sixty men of Ailill's household, with a cloak folded roundevery man. Cuchulainn comes to them. 

'Whence have you brought the cattle?' said Cuchulainn. 

'From the mountain yonder, ' said the man. '

'Where are their cow-herds?' said Cuchulainn. 

'He is as we found him, ' said the man. 

Cuchulainn made three leaps after them to seek speech with them asfar as the ford. It is there he said to the leader:

'What is your name?' said he. 

'One who fears you not(?) and loves you not; Bude Mac Bain, ' saidhe. 

'This spear at Bude!' said Cuchulainn. He hurls at him the javelin, so that it went through his armpits, and one of the livers broke intwo before the spear. He kills him on his ford; hence is Ath Bude. The Bull is brought into the camp then. They considered then thatit would not be difficult to deal with Cuchulainn, provided hisjavelin were got from him. 

_The Death of Redg the Satirist_

It is then that Redg, Ailill's satirist, went to him on an errandto seek the javelin, that is, Cuchulainn's spear. 

'Give me your spear, ' said the satirist. 

'Not so, ' said Cuchulainn; 'but I will give you treasure. '

'I will not take it, ' said the satirist. 

Then Cuchulainn wounded the satirist, because he would not acceptfrom him what he offered him, and the satirist said he would takeaway his honour unless he got the javelin. Then Cuchulainn threwthe javelin at him, and it went right through his head. 

'This gift is overpowering (?), ' said the satirist. Hence is AthTolam Set. 

There was now a ford east of it, where the copper of the javelinrested; Humarrith, then, is the name of that ford. It is there thatCuchulainn killed all those that we have mentioned in Cuib; i. E. Nathcoirpthe at his trees; Cruthen on his ford; the sons of theHerd at their cairn; Marc on his hill; Meille on his hill; Bodb inhis tower; Bogaine in his marsh (?). 

Cuchulainn turned back to Mag Murthemne; he liked better to defendhis own home. After he went, he killed the men of Crocen (orCronech), i. E. Focherd; twenty men of Focherd. He overtook themtaking camp: ten cup-bearers and ten fighting-men. 

Medb turned back from the north when she had remained a fortnightravaging the province, and when she had fought a battle againstFindmor, wife of Celtchar Mac Uthidir. And after taking DunSobairche upon her, she brought fifty women into the province ofDalriada. Wherever Medb placed a horse-switch in Cuib its name isBile Medba [Note: i. E. Tree of Medb]; every ford and every hill bywhich she slept, its name is Ath Medba and Dindgna Medba. 

They all meet then at Focherd, both Ailill and Medb and the troopthat drove the Bull. But their herd took their Bull from them, andthey drove him across into a narrow gap with their spear-shafts ontheir shields(?). [Note: A very doubtful rendering. ] So that thefeet of the cattle drove him [Note, i. E. Forgemen. ] through theground. Forgemen was the herd's name. He is there afterwards, sothat that is the name of the hill, Forgemen. There was no annoyanceto them that night, provided a man were got toward off Cuchulainnon the ford. 

'Let a sword-truce be asked by us from Cuchulainn, ' said Ailill. 

'Let Lugaid go for it, ' said every one. 

Lugaid goes then to speak to him. 

'How am I now with the host?' said Cuchulainn. 

'Great indeed is the mockery that you asked of them, ' said Lugaid, 'that is, your women and your maidens and half your cattle. Andthey think it heavier than anything to be killed and to provide youwith food. '

A man fell there by Cuchulainn every day to the end of a week. Fair-play is broken with Cuchulainn: twenty are sent to attack himat one time; and he killed them all. 

'Go to him, O Fergus, ' said Ailill, 'that he may allow us a changeof place. '

They go then to Cronech. This is what fell by him in single combatat this place: two Roths, two Luans, two female horse messengers, [Note: Or 'female stealers. ' (O'Davoren. )] ten fools, tencup-bearers, ten Ferguses, six Fedelms, six Fiachras. These thenwere all killed by him in single combat. When they pitched theirtents in Cronech, they considered what they should do againstCuchulainn. 

'I know, ' said Medb, 'what is good in this case: let a message besent from us to ask him that we may have a sword-truce from himtowards the host, and he shall have half the cattle that are here. '

This message is taken to him. 

'I will do this, ' said Cuchulainn, 'provided the compact is notbroken by you. '

_The Meeting of Cuchulainn and Findabair_

'Let an offer go to him, ' said Ailill, 'that Findabair will begiven to him on condition that he keeps away from the hosts. '

Mane Athramail goes to him. He goes first to Loeg. 

'Whose man are you?' said he. 

Loeg does not speak to him. Mane spoke to him thrice in this way. 

'Cuchulainn's man, ' said he, 'and do not disturb me, lest I strikeyour head off. '

'This man is fierce, ' said Mane, turning from him. He goes then tospeak to Cuchulainn. Now Cuchulainn had taken off his tunic, andthe snow was round him up to his waist as he sat, and the snowmelted round him a cubit for the greatness of the heat of the hero. 

Mane said to him in the same way thrice, 'whose man was he?'

'Conchobar's man, and do not disturb me. If you disturb me anylonger, I will strike your head from you as the head is taken froma blackbird. '

'It is not easy, ' said Mane, 'to speak to these two. '

Mane goes from them then and tells his tale to Ailill and Medb. 

'Let Lugaid go to him, ' said Ailill, 'and offer to him the maiden. '

Lugaid goes then and tells Cuchulainn that. 

'O friend Lugaid, ' said Cuchulainn, 'this is a snare. '

'It is the king's word that has said it, ' said Lugaid; 'there willbe no snare therefrom. '

'Let it be done so, ' said Cuchulainn. 

Lugaid went from him therewith, and tells Ailill and Medb thatanswer. 

'Let the fool go in my form, ' said Ailill, 'and a king's crown onhis head, and let him stand at a distance from Cuchulainn lest herecognise him, and let the maiden go with him, and let him betrothher to him, and let them depart quickly in this way; and it islikely that you will play a trick on him thus, so that he will nothinder you, till he comes with the Ulstermen to the battle. '

Then the fool goes to him, and the maiden also; and it was from adistance he spoke to Cuchulainn. Cuchulainn goes to meet them. Ithappened that he recognised by the man's speech that he was a fool. He threw a sling stone that was in his hand at him, so that itsprang into his head and brought his brains out. Then he comes tothe maiden, cuts her two tresses off, and thrusts a stone throughher mantle and through her tunic, and thrusts a stone pillarthrough the middle of the fool. There are their two pillars there:the pillar of Findabair, and the fool's pillar. 

Cuchulainn left them thus. A party was sent from Ailill and Medb toseek out their folk, for they thought they were long; they wereseen in this position. All this was heard throughout the camp. There was no truce for them with Cuchulainn afterwards. 

_The Combat of Munremar and Curoi_

When the hosts were there in the evening; they saw that one stonelighted on them from the east, and another from the west to meetit. They met in the air, and kept falling between Fergus's camp, and Ailill's, and Era's. [Note: Or Nera?] This sport and play wenton from that hour to the same hour next day; and the hosts weresitting down, and their shields were over their heads to protectthem against the masses of stones, till the plain was full of thestones. Hence is Mag Clochair. It happened that Curoi Mac Daire didthis; he had come to help his comrades, and he was in Cotal overagainst Munremar Mac Gerrcind. He had come from Emain Macha to helpCuchulainn, and he was in Ard Roich. Curoi knew that there was noman in the host who could withstand Munremar. So it was these twowho had made this sport between them. They were asked by the hostto be quiet; then Munremar and Curoi make peace, and Curoi goes tohis house and Munremar to Emain Macha. And Munremar did not cometill the day of the battle; Curoi did not come till the combat withFer Diad. 

'Speak to Cuchulainn, ' said Medb and Ailill, 'that he allow uschange of place. '

It is granted to them then, and they change the place. The weaknessof the Ulstermen was over then. For when they awoke from theirsuffering, some of them kept coming on the host, that they mighttake to slaying them again. 

_The Death of the Boys_

Then the boys of Ulster had consulted in Emain Macha. 

'Wretched indeed, ' said they, 'for our friend Cuchulainn to bewithout help. '

'A question indeed, ' said Fiachna Fulech Mac Fir-Febe, own brotherto Fiacha Fialdama Mac Fir-Febe, 'shall I have a troop among you, and go to take help to him therefrom?'

Three fifties of boys go with their playing-clubs, and that was athird of the boys of Ulster. The host saw them coming towards themacross the plain. 

'A great host is at hand to us over the plain, ' said Ailill. 

Fergus goes to look at them. 'Some of the boys of Ulster that, 'said he; 'and they come to Cuchulainn's help. '

'Let a troop go against them, ' said Ailill, 'without Cuchulainn'sknowledge; for if they meet him, you will not withstand them. '

Three fifties of warriors go to meet them. They fell by one anotherso that no one escaped alive of the abundance(?) of the boys at LiaToll. Hence it is the Stone of Fiachra Mac Fir-Febe; for it isthere he fell. 

'Make a plan, ' said Ailill. 

'Ask Cuchulainn about letting you go out of this place, for youwill not come beyond him by force, because his flame of valour hassprung. '

For it was customary with him, when his flame of valour sprang inhim, that his feet would go round behind him, and his hams before;and the balls of his calves on his shins, and one eye in his headand the other out of his head; a man's head could have gone intohis mouth. Every hair on him was as sharp as a thorn of hawthorn, and a drop of blood on each hair. He would not recognise comradesor friends. He would strike alike before and behind. It is fromthis that the men of Connaught gave Cuchulainn the name Riastartha. 

_The Woman-fight of Rochad_

Cuchulainn sent his charioteer to Rochad Mac Fatheman of Ulster, that he should come to his help. Now it happened that Findabairloved Rochad, for he was the fairest of the warriors among theUlstermen at that time. The man goes to Rochad and told him to cometo help Cuchulainn if he had come out of his weakness; that theyshould deceive the host, to get at some of them to slay them. Rochad comes from the north with a hundred men. 

'Look at the plain for us to-day, ' said Ailill. 

'I see a troop coming over the plain, ' said the watchman, 'and awarrior of tender years among them; the men only reach up to hisshoulders. '

'Who is it yonder, O Fergus?' said Ailill. 

'Rochad Mac Fatheman, ' said he, 'and it is to help Cuchulainn hecomes. '

'I know what you had better do with him, ' said Fergus. 'Let ahundred men go from you with the maiden yonder to the middle of theplain, and let the maiden go before them; and let a horseman go tospeak to him, that he come alone to speak with the maiden, and lethands be laid on him, and this will keep off (?) the attack of hisarmy from us. '

This is done then. Rochad goes to meet the horseman. 

'I have come from Findabair to meet you, that you come to speakwith her. '

He goes then to speak with her alone. The host rushes about himfrom every side. He is taken, and hands are laid on him. His forcebreaks into flight. He is let go then, and he is bound over not togo against the host till he should come together with all Ulster. It was promised to him that Findabair should be given to him, andhe returned from them then. So that that is Rochad's Woman-fight. 

_The Death of the Princes_ [Note: Or 'royal mercenaries. ']

'Let a sword-truce be asked of Cuchulainn for us, ' said Ailill andMedb. 

Lugaid goes on that errand, and Cuchulainn grants the truce. 

'Put a man on the ford for me to-morrow, ' said Cuchulainn. 

There were with Medb six princes, i. E. Six king's heirs of theClanna Dedad, the three Blacks of Imlech, and the three Reds ofSruthair. 

'Why should we not go against Cuchulainn?' said they. 

They go next day, and Cuchulainn slew the six of them. 

_The Death of Cur_

Then Cur Mac Dalath is besought to go against Cuchulainn. He fromwhom he shed blood, he is dead before the ninth day. 

'If he slay him, ' said Medb, 'it is victory; and though it be hewho is slain, it is removing a load from the host: for it is noteasy to be with him in regard to eating and sleeping. '

Then he goes forth. He did not think it good to go against abeardless wild boy. 

'Not so(?) indeed, ' said he, 'right is the honour (?) that you giveus! If I had known that it was against this man that I was sent, Iwould not have bestirred myself to seek him; it were enough in myopinion for a boy of his own age from my troop to go against him. '

'Not so, ' said Cormac Condlongas; 'it were a marvel for us if youyourself were to drive him off. '

'Howbeit, ' said he, 'since it is on myself that it is laid youShall go forth to-morrow morning; it will not delay me to kill theyoung deer yonder. '

He goes then early in the morning to meet him; and he tells thehost to get ready to take the road before them, for it was a clearroad that he would make by going against Cuchulainn. 

_This is the Number of the Feats_

He went on that errand then. Cuchulainn was practising feats atthat time, i. E. The apple-feat, the edge-feat, the supine-feat, thejavelin-feat, the ropefeat, the ---- feat, the cat-feat, the hero'ssalmon[-leap?], the cast ----, the leap over ----, the noblechampion's turn, the _gae bolga_, the ---- of swiftness, thewheel-feat, the ----, the feat on breath, the mouth-rage (?), thechampion's shout, the stroke with proper adjustment, theback-stroke, the climbing a javelin with stretching of the body onits point, with the binding (?) of a noble warrior. 

Cur was plying his weapons against him in a fence(?) of his shieldtill a third of the day; and not a stroke of the blow reachedCuchulainn for the madness of the feats, and he did not know that aman was trying to strike him, till Fiacha Mac Fir-Febe said to him:'Beware of the man who is attacking you. '

Cuchulainn looked at him; he threw the feat-apple that remained inhis hand, so that it went between the rim and the body of theshield, and went back through the head of the churl. It would be inImslige Glendanach that Cur fell according to another version. 

Fergus returned to the army. 'If your security hold you, ' said he, 'wait here till to-morrow. '

'It would not be there, ' said Ailill; 'we shall go back to ourcamp. '

Then Lath Mac Dabro is asked to go against Cuchulainn, as Cur hadbeen asked. He himself fell then also. Fergus returns again to puthis security on them. They remained there until there were slainthere Cur Mac Dalath, and Lath Mac Dabro, and Foirc, son of thethree Swifts, and Srubgaile Mac Eobith. They were all slain therein single combat. 

_The Death of Ferbaeth_

'Go to the camp for us, O friend Loeg' [said Cuchulainn], 'andconsult Lugaid Mac Nois, descendant of Lomarc, to know who iscoming against me tomorrow. Let it be asked diligently, and givehim my greeting. '

Then Loeg went. 

'Welcome, ' said Lugaid; 'it is unlucky for Cuchulainn, the troublein which he is, alone against the men of Ireland. It is a comradeof us both, Ferbaeth (ill-luck to his arms!), who goes against himto morrow. Findabair is given to him for it, and the kingdom of hisrace. '

Loeg turns back to where Cuchulainn is. 

He is not very joyful over his answer, my friend Loeg, ' saidCuchulainn. 

Loeg tells him all that. Ferbaeth had been summoned into the tentto Ailill and Medb, and he is told to sit by Findabair, and thatshe should be given to him, for he was her choice for fighting withCuchulainn. He was the man they thought worthy of them, for theyhad both learned the same arts with Scathach. Then wine is given tohim, till he was intoxicated, and he is told, 'They thought thatwine fine, and there had only been brought the load of fiftywagons. And it was the maiden who used to put hand to his portiontherefrom. '

'I do not wish it, ' said Ferbaeth; 'Cuchulainn is my foster-brother, and a man of perpetual covenant with me. Nevertheless I will goagainst him to-morrow and cut off his head. '

'It will be you who would do it, ' said Medb. 

Cuchulainn told Loeg to go to meet Lugaid, that he should come andspeak with him. Lugaid comes to him. 

'So Ferbaeth is coming against me to-morrow, ' said Cuchulainn. 

'He indeed, ' said Lugaid. 

'An evil day!' said Cuchulainn; 'I shall not be alive therefrom. Two of equal age we, two of equal deftness, two equal when we meet. O Lugaid, greet him for me; tell him that it is not true valour tocome against me; tell him to come to meet me to-night, to speakwith me. '

Lugaid tells him this. When Ferbaeth did not avoid it, he went thatnight to renounce his friendship with Cuchulainn, and Fiacha MacFir-Febe with him. Cuchulainn appealed to him by his foster-brotherhood, and Scathach, the foster-mother of them both. 

'I must, ' said Ferbaeth. 'I have promised it'

'Take back (?) your bond of friendship then, ' said Cuchulainn. 

Cuchulainn went from him in anger. A spear of holly was driven intoCuchulainn's foot in the glen, and appeared up by his knee. Hedraws it out. 

'Go not, O Ferbaeth, till you have seen the find that I havefound. '

'Throw it, ' said Ferbaeth. 

Cuchulainn threw the spear then after Ferbaeth so that it hit thehollow of his poll, and came out at his mouth in front, so that hefell back into the glen. 

'That is a throw indeed, ' said Ferbaeth. Hence is FocherdMurthemne. (Or it is Fiacha who had said, 'Your throw is vigorousto-day, O Cuchulainn, ' said he; so that Focherd Murthemne is fromthat. )

Ferbaeth died at once in the glen. Hence is Glenn Firbaith. Something was heard: Fergus, who said:

 'O Ferbaeth, foolish is thy expedition In the place in which thy grave is. Ruin reached thee . . . In Croen Corand. 

 'The hill is named Fithi (?) for ever; Croenech in Murthemne, From to-day Focherd will be the name Of the place in which thou didst fall, O Ferbaeth. O Ferbaeth, ' etc. 

'Your comrade has fallen, ' said Fergus. 'Say will you pay for thisman on the morrow?'

'I will pay indeed, ' said Cuchulainn. 

Cuchulainn sends Loeg again for news, to know how they are in thecamp, and whether Ferbaeth lived. Lugaid said: 'Ferbaeth is dead, 'and Cuchulainn comes in turn to talk with them. 

_The Combat of Larine Mac Nois_

'One of you to-morrow to go readily against the other, ' saidLugaid. 

'He will not be found at all, ' said Ailill, 'unless you practisetrickery therein. Any man who comes to you, give him wine, so thathis mind may be glad, and it shall be said to him that that is allthe wine that has been brought from Cruachan. It grieves us thatyou should be on water in the camp. And Findabair shall be put athis right hand, and it shall be said: "She shall come to you, ifyou bring us the head of the Riastartha. "'

A messenger used to be sent to every hero on his night, and thatused to be told to him; he continued to kill every man of them in. Turn. No one could be got by them to meet him at last. Larine MacNois, brother to Lugaid, King of Munster, was summoned to them thenext day. Great was his pride. Wine is given to him, and Findabairis put at his right hand. 

Medb looked at the two. 'It pleases me, yonder pair, ' said she; 'amatch between them would be fitting. '

'I will not stand in your way, ' said Ailill; 'he shall have her ifhe brings me the head of the Riastartha. '

'I will bring it, ' said Larine. 

Then Lugaid comes. 'What man have you for the ford to-morrow?' saidhe. 

'Larine goes, ' said Ailill. 

Then Lugaid comes to speak with Cuchulainn. They meet in GlennFirbaith. Each gives the other welcome. 

'It is for this I have come to speak to you, ' said Lugaid: 'thereis a churl here, a fool and proud, ' said he, 'a brother of mine namedLarine; he is befooled about the same maiden. On your friendshipthen, do not kill him, lest you should leave me without a brother. For it is for this that he is being sent to you, so that we twomight quarrel. I should be content, however, that you should givehim a sound drubbing, for it is in my despite that he comes. '

Larine goes next day to meet Cuchulainn, and the maiden near him toencourage him. Cuchulainn attacks him without arms. [Note: This isapparently the sense, but the passage seems corrupt. ] He takesLarine's arms from him perforce. He takes him then between his twohands, and grinds and shakes him, . . . And threw him till he wasbetween Lugaid's two hands . . . ; nevertheless, he is the only manwho escaped [even] a bad escape from him, of all who met him on theTain. 

_The Conversation of the Morrigan with Cuchulainn_

Cuchulainn saw a young woman coming towards him, with a dress ofevery colour on, and her form very excellent. 

'Who are you?' said Cuchulainn. 

'Daughter of Buan the king, ' said she. 'I have come to you; I haveloved you for your reputation, and I have brought my treasures andmy cattle with me. '

'The time at which you have come to us is not good. For ourcondition is evil, through hunger. It is not easy to me to meet awoman, while I am in this strife. '

'I will be a help to you. . . . I shall be more troublesome to you, 'said she, 'when I come against you when you are in combat againstthe men. I will come in the form of an eel about your feet in theford, so that you shall fall. '

'I think that likelier than the daughter of a king. I will takeyou, ' said he, 'between my toes, till your ribs are broken, and youwill be in this condition till a doom of blessing comes (?) onyou. '

'I will drive the cattle on the ford to you, in the form of a greyshe-wolf. '

'I will throw a stone at you from my sling, so that it shall breakyour eye in your head; and you will be in that state till a doom ofblessing comes on you. '

'I will come to you in the form of a hornless red heifer before thecattle. They will rush on you on the plains(?), and on the fords, and on the pools, and you will not see me before you. '

'I will throw a stone at you, ' said he, 'so that your leg shallbreak under you, and you will be in this state till a doom ofblessing comes on you. '

Therewith she goes from him. 

So he was a week on Ath Grencha, and a man used to fall every dayby him in Ath Grencha, i. E. In Ath Darteisc. 

_The Death of Loch Mac Emonis_

Then Loch Mac Emonis was asked like the others, and there waspromised to him a piece of the arable land of Mag Ai equal in sizeto Mag Murthemne, and the equipment of twelve warriors and achariot worth seven cumals [Note: A measure of value. ]; and he didnot think combat with a youth worthy. He had a brother, Long MacEmonis himself. The same price was given to him, both maiden andraiment and chariots and land. He goes to meet Cuchulainn. Cuchulainn slays him, and he was brought dead before his brother, Loch. 

This latter said that if he only knew that it was a bearded man whoslew him, he would kill him for it. 

'Take a battle-force to him, ' said Medb to her household, 'acrossthe ford from the west, that you may go-across; and let fair-playbe broken on him. '

Then the seven Manes, warriors, go first, so that they saw him onthe edge of the ford westward. He puts his feast-dress on that day. It is then that the women kept climbing on the men to look at him. 

'I am sorry, ' said Medb; 'I cannot see the boy about whom they gothere. '

'Your mind will not be the gladder for it, ' said Lethrend, Ailill'ssquire, 'if you could see him. '

He comes to the ford then as he was. 

'What man is it yonder, O Fergus?' said Medb. 

'A boy who wards off, ' etc. . . . 'if it is Culann's Hound. ' [Note:Rhetoric, four lines. ]

Medb climbed on the men then to look at him. 

It is then that the women said to Cuchulainn 'that he was laughedat in the camp because he had no beard, and no good warriors wouldgo against him, only wild men; it were easier to make a falsebeard. ' So this is what he did, in order to seek combat with a man;i. E. With Loch. Cuchulainn took a handful of grass, and said aspell over it, so that every one thought he had a beard. 

'True, ' said the troop of women, 'Cuchulainn has a beard. It isfitting for a warrior to fight with him. '

They had done this on urging Loch. 

'I will not make combat against him till the end of seven daysfrom to-day, ' said Loch. 

'It is not fitting for us to have no attack on the man for thisspace, ' said Medb. 'Let us put a hero to hunt(?) him every night, if perchance we may get a chance at him. '

This is done then. A hero used to come every night to hunt him, andhe used to kill them all. These are the names of the men who fellthere: seven Conalls, seven Oenguses, seven Uarguses, sevenCeltris, eight Fiacs, ten Ailills, ten Delbaths, ten Tasachs. Theseare his deeds of this week in Ath Grencha. 

Medb asked advice, to know what she should do to Cuchulainn, forwhat had been killed of their hosts by him distressed her greatly. This is the plan she arrived at, to put brave, high-spirited men toattack him all at once when he should come to an appointed meetingto speak with Medb. For she had an appointment the next day withCuchulainn to make a peace in fraud with him, to get hold of him. She sent messengers forth to seek him that he should come to meether; and it was thus he should come, and he unarmed: 'for she wouldcome only with her troop of women to meet him. '

The messenger, Traigtren, went to the place where Cuchulainn was, and tells him Medb's message. Cuchulainn promised that he would doso. 

'In what manner does it please you to go to meet Medb to-morrow, OCuchulainn?' said Loeg. 

'As Medb has asked me, ' said Cuchulainn. 

'Great are Medb's deeds, ' said the charioteer; 'I fear a handbehind the back with her. '

'How is it to be done then?' said he. 

'Your sword at your waist, ' said the charioteer, 'that you may notbe taken at an unfair advantage. For the warrior is not entitled tohis honour-price if he is without arms; and it is the coward's lawthat he deserves in that way. '

'Let it be done so then, ' said Cuchulainn. 

The meeting-place was in Ard Aignech, which is called Fochairdto-day. Now Medb came to the meeting-place and set in ambushfourteen men of her own special following, of those who were ofmost prowess, ready for him. These are they: two Glassines, the twosons of Bucchridi; two Ardans, the two sons of Licce; twoGlasogmas, the two sons of Crund; Drucht and Delt and Dathen; Teaand Tascra and Tualang; Taur and Glese. 

Then Cuchulainn comes to meet her. The men rise to attack him. Fourteen spears are thrown at him at once. Cuchulainn guardshimself so that his skin or his ---- (?) is not touched. Then heturns on them and kills them, the fourteen of them. So that theyare the fourteen men of Focherd, and they are the men of Cronech, for it is in Cronech at Focherd that they were killed. HenceCuchulainn said: 'Good is my feat of heroism, ' [Note: _Fo_, 'good';_cherd_, 'feat. ' Twelve lines of rhetoric. ] etc. 

So it is from this that the name Focherd stuck to the place; thatis, _focherd_, i. E. 'good is the feat of arms' that happened toCuchulainn there. 

So Cuchulainn came, and overtook them taking camp, and there wereslain two Daigris and two Anlis and four Dungais of Imlech. ThenMedb began to urge Loch there. 

'Great is the mockery of you, ' said she, 'for the man who haskilled your brother to be destroying our host, and you do not go tobattle with him! For we deem it certain that the wild man, greatand fierce [Note: Literally, 'sharpened. '], the like of him yonder, will not be able to withstand the rage and fury of a hero like you. For it is by one foster-mother and instructress that an art wasbuilt up for you both. '

Then Loch came against Cuchulainn, to avenge his brother on him, for it was shown to him that Cuchulainn had a beard. 

'Come to the upper ford, ' said Loch; 'it would not be in thepolluted ford that we shall meet, where Long fell. '

When he came then to seek the ford, the men drove the cattleacross. 

'It will be across your water [Note: Irish, _tarteisc_. ] hereto-day, ' said Gabran the poet. Hence is Ath Darteisc, and Tir MorDarteisc from that time on this place. 

When the men met then on the ford, and when they began to fight andto strike each other there, and when each of them began to strikethe other, the eel threw three folds round Cuchulainn's feet, tillhe lay on his back athwart the ford. Loch attacked him with thesword, till the ford was blood-red with his blood. 

'Ill indeed, ' said Fergus, 'is this deed before the enemy. Let eachof you taunt the man, O men, ' said he to his following, 'that hemay not fall for nothing. '

Bricriu Poison-tongue Mac Carbatha rose and began incitingCuchulainn. 

'Your strength is gone, ' said he, 'when it is a little salmon thatoverthrows you when the Ulstermen are at hand [coming] to you outof their sickness yonder. Grievous for you to undertake a hero'sdeed in the presence of the men of Ireland and to ward off aformidable warrior in arms thus!'

Therewith Cuchulainn arises and strikes the eel so that its ribsbroke in it, and the cattle were driven over the hosts eastwardsby force, so that they took the tents on their horns, with thethunder-feat that the two heroes had made in the ford. 

The she-wolf attacked him, and drove the cattle on him westwards. He throws a stone from his sling, so that her eye broke in herhead. She goes in the form of a hornless red heifer; she rushesbefore the cows upon the pools and fords. It is then he said: 'Icannot see the fords for water. ' He throws a stone at the hornlessred heifer, so that her leg breaks under her. Then he sang a song:

 'I am all alone before flocks; I get them not, I let them not go; I am alone at cold hours (?) Before many peoples. 

 'Let some one say to Conchobar Though he should come to me it were not too soon; Magu's sons have carried off their kine And divided them among them. 

 'There may be strife about one head Only that one tree blazes not; If there were two or three Their brands would blaze. [Note: Meaning not clear. ]

 'The men have almost worn me out By reason of the number of single combats; I cannot work the slaughter (?) of glorious warriors As I am all alone. I am all alone. '

***

It is there then that Cuchulainn did to the Morrigan the threethings that he had promised her in the _Tain Bo Regamna_ [Note:One of the introductory stories to the _Tain Bo Cuailnge_, printedwith translation in _Irische Texte_, 2nd series. ]; and he fightsLoch in the ford with the gae-bolga, which the charioteer threw himalong the stream. He attacked him with it, so that it went into hisbody's armour, for Loch had a horn-skin in fighting with a man. 

'Give way to me, ' said Loch. Cuchulainn gave way, so that it was onthe other side that Loch fell. Hence is Ath Traiged in Tir Mor. Cuchulainn cut off his head then. 

Then fair-play was broken with him that day when five men cameagainst him at one time; i. E. Two Cruaids, two Calads, Derothor;Cuchulainn killed them by himself. Hence is Coicsius Focherda, andCoicer Oengoirt; or it is fifteen days that Cuchulainn was inFocherd, and hence is Coicsius Focherda in the Foray. 

Cuchulainn hurled at them from Delga, so that not a living thing, man or beast, could put its head past him southwards between Delgaand the sea. 

_The Healing of the Morrigan_

When Cuchulainn was in this great weariness, the Morrigan met himin the form of an old hag, and she blind and lame, milking a cowwith three teats, and he asked her for a drink. She gave him milkfrom a teat. 

'He will be whole who has brought it(?), ' said Cuchulainn; 'theblessings of gods and non-gods on you, ' said he. (Gods with themwere the Mighty Folk [Note: i. E. The dwellers in the Sid. The wordsin brackets are a gloss incorporated in the text. ]; non-gods thepeople of husbandry. )

Then her head was healed so that it was whole. 

She gave the milk of the second teat, and her eye was whole; andgave the milk of the third teat, and her leg was whole. So thatthis was what he said about each thing of them, 'A doom of blessingon you, ' said he. 

'You told me, ' said the Morrigan, 'I should not have healing fromyou for ever. '

'If I had known it was you, ' said Cuchulainn, 'I would not havehealed you ever. '

So that formerly Cuchulainn's throng (?) on Tarthesc was the nameof this story in the Foray. 

It is there that Fergus claimed of his securities that faith shouldnot be broken with Cuchulainn; and it is there that Cuchulainn . . . [Note: Corrupt; one and a half lines. ] i. E. Delga Murthemne at thattime. 

Then Cuchulainn killed Fota in his field; Bomailce on his ford;Salach in his village (?); Muine in his hill; Luair in Leth-bera;Fer-Toithle in Toithle; these are the names of these lands forever, every place in which each man of them fell. Cuchulainn killedalso Traig and Dornu and Dernu, Col and Mebul and Eraise on thisside of Ath Tire Moir, at Methe and Cethe: these were three [Note:MS. 'two. '] druids and their three wives. 

Then Medb sent a hundred men of her special retinue to killCuchulainn. . He killed them all on Ath Ceit-Chule. Then Medb said:'It is _cuillend_ [Note: Interlinear gloss: 'We deem it a crime. ']to us, the slaying of our people. ' Hence is Glass Chrau andCuillend Cind Duin and Ath Ceit-Chule. 

Then the four provinces of Ireland took camp and fortified post inthe Breslech Mor in Mag Murthemne, and send part of their cattleand booty beyond them to the south into Clithar Bo Ulad. Cuchulainntook his post at the mound in Lerga near them, and his charioteerLoeg Mac Riangabra kindled a fire for him on the evening of thatnight. He saw the fiery sheen of the bright golden arms over theheads of the four provinces of Ireland at the setting of the cloudsof evening. Fury and great rage came over him at sight of the host, at the multitude of his enemies, the abundance of his foes. He tookhis two spears and his shield and his sword; he shook his shieldand brandished his spears and waved his sword; and he uttered hishero's shout from his throat, so that goblins and sprites andspectres of the glen and demons of the air answered, for the terrorof the shout which they uttered on high. So that the Nemainproduced confusion on the host. The four provinces of Ireland cameinto a tumult of weapons about the points of their own spears andweapons, so that a hundred warriors of them died of terror and ofheart-burst in the middle of the camp and of the position thatnight. 

When Loeg was there, he saw something: a single man who camestraight across the camp of the men of Ireland from the north-eaststraight towards him. 

'A single man is coming to us now, O Little Hound!' said Loeg. 

'What kind of man is there?' said Cuchulainn. 

'An easy question: a man fair and tall is he, with hair cut broad, waving yellow hair; a green mantle folded round him; a brooch ofwhite silver in the mantle on his breast; a tunic of royal silk, with red ornamentation of red gold against the white skin, to hisknees. A black shield with a hard boss of white metal; a fivepointed spear in his hand; a forked (?) javelin beside it. Wonderful is the play and sport and exercise that he makes; but noone attacks him, and he attacks no one, as if no one saw him. '

'It is true, O fosterling, ' said he; 'which of my friends from the_síd_ is that who comes to have pity on me, because they know thesore distress in which I am, alone against the four great provincesof Ireland, on the Cattle-Foray of Cualnge at this time?'

That was true for Cuchulainn. When the warrior had reached theplace where Cuchulainn was, he spoke to him, and had pity on himfor it. 

'This is manly, O Cuchulainn, ' said he. 

'It is not much at all, ' said Cuchulainn. 

'I will help you, ' said the man. 

'Who are you at all?' said Cuchulainn. 

'It is I, your father from the _síd_, Lug Mac Ethlend. '

'My wounds are heavy, it were high time that I should be healed. '

'Sleep a little, O Cuchulainn, ' said the warrior; 'your heavyswoon (?) [Note: Conjectural--MS. _tromthortim_. ] of sleep at themound of Lerga till the end of three days and three nights, and Iwill fight against the hosts for that space. '

Then he sings the _ferdord_ to him, and he sleeps from it. Luglooked at each wound that it was clean. Then Lug said:

'Arise, O great son of the Ulstermen, whole of thy wounds. . . . Gointo thy chariot secure. Arise, arise!' [Note: Rhetoric. ]

For three days and three nights Cuchulainn was asleep. It wereright indeed though his sleep equalled his weariness. From theMonday after the end of summer exactly to the Wednesday afterCandlemas, for this space Cuchulainn had not slept, except when heslept a little while against his spear after midday, with his headon his clenched fist, and his clenched fist on his spear, and hisspear on his knee; but he was striking and cutting and attackingand slaying the four great provinces of Ireland for that space. 

It is then that the warrior of the síd cast herbs and grasses ofcuring and charms of healing into the hurts and wounds and intothe injuries and into the many wounds of Cuchulainn, so thatCuchulainn recovered in his sleep without his perceiving it at all. 

Now it was at this time that the boys came south from Emain Macha:Folloman Mac Conchobair with three fifties of kings' sons ofUlster, and they gave battle thrice to the hosts, so that threetimes their own number fell, and all the boys fell except FollomanMac Conchobair. Folloman boasted that he would not go back to Emainfor ever and ever, until he should take the head of Ailill withhim, with the golden crown that was above it. This was not easy tohim; for the two sons of Bethe Mac Bain, the two sons of Ailill'sfoster-mother and foster-father, came on him, and wounded him sothat he fell by them. So that that is the death of the boys ofUlster and of Folloman Mac Conchobair. 

Cuchulainn for his part was in his deep sleep till the end of threedays and three nights at the mound in Lerga. Cuchulainn arose thenfrom his sleep, and put his hand over his face, and made a purplewheelbeam from head to foot, and his mind was strong in him, and hewould have gone to an assembly, or a march, or a tryst, or abeer-house, or to one of the chief assemblies of Ireland. 

'How long have I been in this sleep now, O warrior?' saidCuchulainn. 

'Three days and three nights, ' said the warrior. 

'Alas for that!' said Cuchulainn. 

'What is the matter?' said the warrior. 

'The hosts without attack for this space, ' said Cuchulainn. 

'They are not that at all indeed, ' said the warrior. 

'Who has come upon them?' said Cuchulainn. 

'The boys came from the north from Emain Macha; Folloman MacConchobair with three fifties of boys of the kings' sons of Ulster;and they gave three battles to the hosts for the space of the threedays and the three nights in which you have been in your sleep now. And three times their own number fell, and the boys fell, exceptFolloman Mac Conchobair. Folloman boasted that he would takeAilill's head, and that was not easy to him, for he was killed. '

'Pity for that, that I was not in my strength! For if I had been inmy strength, the boys would not have fallen as they have fallen, and Folloman Mac Conchobair would not have fallen. '

'Strive further, O Little Hound, it is no reproach to thy honourand no disgrace to thy valour. '

'Stay here for us to-night, O warrior, ' said Cuchulainn, 'that wemay together avenge the boys on the hosts. '

'I will not stay indeed, ' said the warrior, 'for however great thecontests of valour and deeds of arms any one does near thee, it isnot on him there will be the renown of it or the fame or thereputation, but it is on thee; therefore I will not stay. But plythy deed of arms thyself alone on the hosts, for not with them isthere power over thy life this time. '

'The scythe-chariot, O my friend Loeg!' said Cuchulainn; 'can youyoke it? and is its equipment here? If you can yoke it, and if youhave its equipment, yoke it; and if you have not its equipment, donot yoke it at all. '

It is then that the charioteer arose, and he put on his hero'sdress of charioteering. This was his hero's dress of charioteeringthat he put on: his soft tunic of skin, light and airy, well-turned [Note: Lit. 'kneaded. '], made of skin, sewn, ofdeer-skin, so that it did not restrain the movement of his handsoutside. He put on his black (?) upper-cloak over it outside: SimonMagus had made it for Darius, King of the Romans, so that Dariusgave it to Conchobar, and Conchobar gave it to Cuchulainn, andCuchulainn gave it to his charioteer. The charioteer took firstthen his helm, ridged, like a board (?), four-cornered, with muchof every colour and every form, over the middle of his shoulders. This was well-measured (?) to him, and it was not an overweight. His hand brought the circlet of red-yellow, as though it were aplate of red-gold, of refined gold smelted over the edge of ananvil, to his brow, as a sign of his charioteering, in distinctionto his master. 

He took the goads (?) of his horses, and his whip (?) inlaid in hisright hand. He took the reins to hold back his horses in his lefthand. [Note: Gloss incorporated in text: 'i. E. To direct hishorses, in his left hand, for the great power of his charioteering. ']Then he put the iron inlaid breastplates on the horses, so thatthey were covered from forehead to forefoot with spears and pointsand lances and hard points, so that every motion in this chariotwas spear-near, so that every corner and every point and everyend and every front of this chariot was a way of tearing. It isthen that he cast a spell of covering over his horses and overhis companion, so that he was not visible to any one in thecamp, and so that every one in the camp was visible to them. It was proper that he should cast this, because there were thethree gifts of charioteering on the charioteer that day, theleap over ----, and the straight ----, and the ----. 

Then the hero and the champion and he who made the fold of the Badb[Note: The Badb (scald-crow) was a war-goddess. This is anexpressive term for the piled-up bodies of the slain. ] of the menof the earth, Cuchulainn Mac Sualtaim, took his battle-array ofbattle and contest and strife. This was his battle-array of battleand contest and strife: he put on twenty-seven skin tunics, waxed, like board, equally thick, which used to be under strings andchains and thongs, against his white skin, that he might not losehis mind nor his understanding when his rage should come. He put onhis hero's battle-girdle over it outside, of hard-leather, hard, tanned, of the choice of seven ox-hides of a heifer, so that itcovered him from the thin part of his sides to the thick part ofhis arm-pit; it used to be on him to repel spears, and points, anddarts, and lances, and arrows. For they were cast from him just asif it was stone or rock or horn that they struck (?). Then he puton his apron, skin like, silken, with its edge of white goldvariegated, against the soft lower part of his body. He put on hisdark apron of dark leather, well tanned, of the choice of fourox-hides of a heifer, with his battle-girdle of cows' skins (?)about it over his silken skin-like apron. Then the royal hero tookhis battle-arms of battle and contest and strife. These then werehis battle-arms of battle: he took his ivory-hilted, bright-facedweapon, with his eight little swords; he took his five-pointedspear, with his eight little spears [Note: In the margin: 'and hisquiver, ' probably an interpolation. ]; he took his spear of battle, with his eight little darts; he took his javelin with his eightlittle javelins; his eight shields of feats, with his round shield, dark red, in which a boar that would be shown at a feast would gointo the boss (?), with its edge sharp, keen, very sharp, roundabout it, so that it would cut hairs against the stream forsharpness and keenness and great sharpness; when the warrior didthe edge-feat with it, he would cut equally with his shield, andwith his spear, and with his sword. 

Then he put on his head a ridged-helmet of battle and contest andstrife, from which there was uttered the shout of a hundredwarriors, with along cry from every corner and every angle of it. For there used to cry from it equally goblins and sprites andghosts of the glen and demons of the air, before and above andaround, wherever he used to go before shedding the blood ofwarriors and enemies. There was cast over him his dress ofconcealment by the garment of the Land of Promise that was given byhis foster-father in wizardry. 

It is then came the first contortion on Cuchulainn, so that it madehim horrible, many-shaped, wonderful, strange. His shanks shooklike a tree before the stream, or like a rush against the stream, every limb and every joint and every end and every member, of himfrom head to foot. He made a ---- of rage of his body inside hisskin. His feet and his shins and his knees came so that they werebehind him; his heels and his calves and his hams came so that theywere in front. The front-sinews of his calves came so that theywere on the front of his shins, so that every huge knot of them wasas great as a warrior's clenched fist. The temple-sinews of hishead were stretched, so that they were on the hollow of his neck, so that every round lump of them, very great, innumerable, not tobe equalled (?), measureless, was as great as the head of a monthold child. 

Then he made a red bowl of his face and of his visage on him; heswallowed one of his two eyes into his head, so that from his cheeka wild crane could hardly have reached it [to drag it] from theback of his skull. The other sprang out till it was on his cheekoutside. His lips were marvellously contorted. Tie drew the cheekfrom the jawbone, so that his gullet was visible. His lungs and hislights came so that they were flying in his mouth and in histhroat. He struck a blow of the ---- of a lion with his upperpalate on the roof of his skull, so that every flake of fire thatcame into his mouth from his throat was as large as a wether'sskin. His heart was heard light-striking (?) against his ribs likethe roaring of a bloodhound at its food, or like a lion goingthrough bears. There were seen the palls of the Badb, and therain-clouds of poison, and the sparks of fire very red in cloudsand in vapours over his head with the boiling of fierce rage, thatrose over him. 

His hair curled round his head like the red branches of a thorn inthe gap of Atalta (?). Though a royal apple-tree under royal fruithad been shaken about it, hardly would an apple have reached theground through it, but an apple would have fixed on every singlehair there, for the twisting of the rage that rose from his hairabove him. 

The hero's light rose from his forehead, so that it was as long, and as thick, as a warrior's whet-stone, so that it was equallylong with the nose, till he went mad in playing with the shields, in pressing on (?) the charioteer, in ---- the hosts. As high, asthick, as strong, as powerful, as long, as the mast of a greatship, was the straight stream of dark blood that rose straight upfrom the very top of his head, so that it made a dark smoke ofwizardry like the smoke of a palace when the king comes to equiphimself in the evening of a wintry day. 

After that contortion wherewith Cuchulainn was contorted, then thehero of valour sprang into his scythed battle-chariot, with itsiron points, with its thin edges, with its hooks, and with its hardpoints, with its sharp points (?) of a hero, with their prickinggoads (?), with its nails of sharpness that were on shafts andthongs and cross-pieces and ropes (?) of that chariot. 

It was thus the chariot was, with its body thin-framed (?), dry-framed (?), feat-high, straight-shouldered (?), of a champion, on which there would have been room for eight weapons fit for alord, with the speed of swallow or of wind or of deer across thelevel of the plain. The chariot was placed on two horses, swift, vehement, furious, small-headed, small-round, small-end, pointed, ----, red-breasted, ----, easy to recognise, well-yoked, . . . One ofthese two horses was supple, swift-leaping, great of strength, greatof curve, great of foot, great of length, ----. The other horse wasflowing-maned, slender-footed, thin-footed, slender-heeled, ----. 

It is then that he threw the thunder-feat of a hundred, and thethunder-feat of four hundred, and he stopped at the thunder-featof five hundred, for he did not think it too much for this equalnumber to fall by him in his first attack, and in his first contestof battle on the four provinces of Ireland; and he came forth inthis way to attack his enemies, and he took his chariot in a greatcircuit about the four great provinces of Ireland, and he put theattack of an enemy among enemies on them. And a heavy course wasput on his chariot, and the iron wheels of the chariot went intothe ground, so that it was enough for fort and fortress, the waythe iron wheels of the chariot went into the ground; for therearose alike turfs and stones and rocks and flagstones and gravel ofthe ground as high as the iron wheels of the chariot. 

The reason why he cast the circle of war round about the four greatprovinces of Ireland, was that they might not flee from him, andthat they might not scatter, that he might make sure of them, toavenge the boys on them; and he comes into the battle thus in themiddle, and overthrew great fences of his enemies' corpses roundabout the host thrice, and puts the attack of an enemy amongenemies on them, so that they fell sole to sole, and neck to neck;such was the density of the slaughter. 

He went round again thrice thus, so that he left a layer of sixround them in the great circuit; i. E. Soles of three to necks ofthree in the course of a circuit round the camp. So that its namein the Foray is Sesrech Breslige, and it is one of the three not tobe numbered in the Foray; i. E. Sesrech Breslige and ImsligeGlendamnach and the battle on Garach and Irgarach, except that itwas alike dog and horse and man there. 

This is what others say, that Lug Mac Ethlend fought along withCuchulainn the Sesrech Breslige. Their number is not known, and itis impossible to count what number fell there of the rabble. Butthe chief only have been counted. These are the names of theprinces and chiefs: two Cruads, two Calads, two Cirs, two Ciars, two Ecells, three Croms, three Caurs, three Combirge, fourFeochars, four Furachars, four Cass, four Fotas, five Caurs, fiveCermans, five Cobthachs, six Saxans, six Dachs, six Dares, sevenRochads, seven Ronans, seven Rurthechs, eight Roclads, eightRochtads, eight Rindachs, eight Corpres, eight Mulachs, nine Daigs, nine Dares, nine Damachs, ten Fiachs, ten Fiachas, ten Fedelmids. 

Ten kings over seven fifties did Cuchulainn slay in Breslech Morin Mag Murthemne; and an innumerable number besides of dogs andhorses and women and boys and people of no consequence and rabble. For there did not escape one man out of three of the men of Irelandwithout a thigh-bone or half his head or one eye broken, or withoutbeing marked for ever. And he came from them after giving thembattle without wound or blood-stain on himself or on his servant oron either of his horses. 

Cuchulainn came next day to survey the host and to show his softfair form to the women and the troops of women and the girls andthe maidens and the poets and the bards, for he did not hold inhonour or dignity that haughty form of wizardry that had appearedto them on him the night before. Therefore he came to show his softfair form that day. 

Fair indeed the boy who came then to show his form to the hosts, that is, Cuchulainn Mac Sualtaim. The appearance of three heads ofhair on him, dark against the skin of his head, blood-red in themiddle, a crown gold-yellow which covers them. A fair arrangementof this hair so that it makes three circles round the hollow of theback of his head, so that each hair ----, dishevelled, very golden, excellent, in long curls, distinguished, fair-coloured, over hisshoulders, was like gold thread. 

A hundred ringlets, bright purple, of red-gold, gold-flaming, roundhis neck; a hundred threads with mixed carbuncle round his head. Four dimples in each of his two cheeks; that is, a yellow dimple, and a green dimple, and a blue dimple, and a purple dimple. Sevengems of brilliance of an eye, in each of his two royal eyes. Seventoes on each of his two feet, seven fingers on each of his twohands, with the grasp of a hawk's claws, with the seizure of agriffin's claws on each of them separately. 

Then he puts on his feast-dress that day. This was his raiment onhim: a fair tunic, proper; bright-purple, with a border with fivefolds. A white brooch of white silver with adorned gold inlaid overhis white breast, as if it was a lantern full of light, that theeyes of men could not look at for its splendour and its brightness. A silken tunic of silk against his skin so that it covered him tothe top of his dark apron of dark-red, soldierly, royal, silken. 

A dark shield; dark red, dark purple, with five chains of gold, with a rim of white metal on it. A sword gold-hilted, inlaid withivory hilt of red-gold raised high on his girdle. A spear, long, grey-edged, with a spear-head sharp, attacking, with rivets ofgold, gold-flaming by him in the chariot. Nine heads in one of histwo hands, and ten heads in the other hand. He shook them from himtowards the hosts. So that this is the contest of a night toCuchulainn. Then the women of Connaught raised themselves on thehosts, and the women were climbing on the men to look atCuchulainn's form. Medb hid her face and dare not show her face, but was under the shield-shelter for fear of Cuchulainn. So that itis hence Dubthach Doeltenga of Ulster said:

 'If it is the Riastartha, there will be corpses Of men therefrom, ' etc. [Note: Rhetoric, fifty-four lines. ]

Fiacha Fialdana from Imraith (?) came to speak with the son of hismother's sister, Mane Andoe his name. Docha Mac Magach went withMane Andoe: Dubthach Doeltenga of Ulster came with Fiacha Fialdanafrom Imraith (?). Docha threw a spear at Fiacha, so that it wentinto Dubthach. Then Dubthach threw a spear at Mane, so that itwent into Docha. The mothers of Dubthach and Docha were twosisters. Hence is Imroll Belaig Euin. [Note: i. E. The Random Throwof Belach Euin. ]

(Or Imroll Belaig Euin is from this: the hosts go to Belach Euin, their two troops wait there. Diarmait Mac Conchobair comes from thenorth from Ulster. 

'Let a horseman go from you, ' said Diarmait, 'that Mane may come tospeak with me with one man, and I will come with one man to meethim. ' They meet then. 

I have come, ' said Diarmait, 'from Conchobar, who says to Medb andAilill, that they let the cows go, and make whole all that theyhave done there, and bring the Bull [Note: i. E. Bring Findbennachto meet the Dun of Cualnge. ] from the west hither to the Bull, thatthey may meet, because Medb has promised it. '

'I will go and tell them, ' said Mane. He tells this then to Medband Ailill. 

'This cannot be got of Medb, ' said Mane. 

'Let us exchange arms then, 'said Diarmait, 'if you think itbetter. '

'I am content, ' said Mane. Each of them throws his spear at theother, so that the two of them die, and so that the name of thisplace is Imroll Belaig Euin. )

Their forces rush at each other: there fall three twenties of themin each of the forces. Hence is Ard-in-Dirma. [Note: The Height ofthe Troop. ]

Ailill's folk put his king's crown on Tamun the fool; Ailill darenot have it on himself. Cuchulainn threw a stone at him at AthTamuin, so that his head broke thereby. Hence is Ath Tamuin andTuga-im-Tamun. [Note: i. E. , Covering about Tamun. ]

Then Oengus, son of Oenlam the Fair, a bold warrior of Ulster, turned all the host at Moda Loga (that is the same as Lugmod) asfar as Ath Da Ferta: He did not let them go past, and he peltedthem with stones, and the learned say ---- before till they shouldgo under the sword at Emain Macha, if it had been in single combatthat they had come against him. Fair-play was broken on him, andthey slew him in an unequal fight. 

'Let some one come from you against me, ' said Cuchulainn at Ath DaFerta. 

'It will not be I, it will not be I, ' said every one from hisplace. 'A scapegoat is not owed from my race, and if it were owed, it would not be I whom they would give in his stead for ascapegoat. '

Then Fergus Mac Roich was asked to go against him. He refuses to goagainst his foster-son Cuchulainn. Wine was given to him, and hewas greatly intoxicated, and he was asked about going to thecombat. He goes forth then since they were urgently imploring him. 

Then Cuchulainn said: 'It is with my security that you come againstme, O friend Fergus, ' said he, 'with no sword in its place. ' ForAilill had stolen it, as we said before. 

'I do not care at all, ' said Fergus; 'though there were a swordthere, it would not be plied on you. Give way to me, O Cuchulainn, 'said Fergus. 

'You will give way to me in return then, ' said Cuchulainn. 

'Even so, ' said Fergus. 

Then Cuchulainn fled back before Fergus as far as Grellach Doluid, that Fergus might give way to him on the day of the battle. ThenCuchulainn sprang in to Grellach Doluid. 

'Have you his head, O Fergus?' said every one. 

'No, ' said Fergus, 'it is not like a tryst. He who is there is toolively for me. Till my turn comes round again, I will not go. '

Then they go past him, and take camp at Crich Ross. Then Ferchu, anexile, who was in exile against Ailill, hears them. He comes tomeet Cuchulainn. Thirteen men was his number. Cuchulainn killsFerchu's warriors. Their thirteen stones are there. 

Medb sent Mand of Muresc, son of Daire, of the Domnandach, to fightCuchulainn. Own brothers were lie and Fer Diad, and two sons of onefather. This Mand was a man fierce and excessive in eating andsleeping, a man ill-tongued, foul-mouthed, like Dubthach Doeltengaof Ulster. He was a man strong, active, with strength of limb likeMunremar Mac Gerrcind; a fiery warrior like Triscod Trenfer ofConchobar's house. 

'I will go, and I unarmed, and I will grind him between my hands, for I deem it no honour or dignity to ply weapons on a beardlesswild boy such as he. '

He went then to seek Cuchulainn. He and his charioteer were thereon the plain watching the host. 

'One man coming towards us, ' said Loeg to Cuchulainn. 

'What kind of man?' said Cuchulainn. 

'A man black, dark, strong, bull-like, and he unarmed. '

'Let him come past you, ' said Cuchulainn. 

He came to them therewith. 

To fight against you have I come, ' said Mand. 

Then they begin to wrestle for a long time, and Mand overthrowsCuchulainn thrice, so that the charioteer urged him. 

'If you had a strife for the hero's portion in Emain, ' said he, 'you would be mighty over the warriors of Emain!'

His hero's rage comes, and his warrior's fury rises, so that heoverthrew Mand against the pillar, so that he falls in pieces. Hence is Mag Mand Achta, that is, Mand Echta, that is, Mand's deaththere. 

[From the Yellow Book of Lecan]

On the morrow Medb sent twenty-seven men to Cuchulainn's bog. Fuilcarnn is the name of the bog, on this side of Fer Diad's Ford. They threw their twenty-nine spears at him at once; i. E. Gaile-dana with his twenty-seven sons and his sister's son, GlasMac Delgna. When then they all stretched out their hands totheir swords, Fiacha Mac Fir-Febe came after them out of thecamp. He gave a leap from his chariot when he saw all theirhands against Cuchulainn, and he strikes off the arms of thetwenty-nine of them. 

Then Cuchulainn said: 'What you have done I deem help at thenick of time (?). '

'This little, ' said Fiacha, 'is a breach of compact for usUlstermen. If any of them reaches the camp, we will go with ourcantred under the point of the sword. '

'I swear, etc. , since I have emitted my breath, ' said Cuchulainn, 'not a man of them shall reach it alive. '

Cuchulainn slew then the twenty-nine men and the two sons of Ficcewith them, two bold warriors of Ulster who came to ply their mighton the host. This is that deed on the Foray, when they went to thebattle with Cuchulainn. 

_This is the Combat of Fer Diad and Cuchulainn_

Then they considered what man among them would be fit to ward offCuchulainn. The four provinces of Ireland spoke, and confirmed, anddiscussed, whom it would be fitting to send to the ford againstCuchulainn. All said that it was the Horn-skin from Irrus Domnand, the weight that is not supported, the battle-stone of doom, his owndear and ardent foster-brother. For Cuchulainn had not a feat thathe did not possess, except it were the Gae Bolga alone; and theythought he could avoid it, and defend himself against it, becauseof the horn about him, so that neither arms nor many edges piercedit. 

Medb sent messengers to bring Fer Diad. Fer Diad did not come withthose messengers. Medb sent poets and bards and satirists [Note:Ir. _aes glantha gemaidi_, the folk who brought blotches on thecheeks (i. E. By their lampoons). ] to him, that they might satirisehim and mock him and put him to ridicule, that he might not find aplace for his head in the world, until he should come to the tentof Medb and Ailill on the Foray. Fer Diad came with thosemessengers, for the fear of their bringing shame on him. 

Findabair, the daughter of Medb and Ailill, was put on one side ofhim: it is Findabair who put her hand on every goblet and on everycup of Fer Diad; it is she who gave him three kisses at every cupof them; it is she who distributed apples right frequent over thebosom of his tunic. This is what she said: that he, Fer Diad, washer darling and her chosen wooer of the men of the world. 

When Fer Diad was satisfied and happy and very joyful, Medb said:

'Alé! O Fer Diad, do you know why you have been summoned into thistent?'

'I do not know indeed, ' said Fer Diad; 'except that the nobles ofthe men of Ireland are there. What is there less fitting for me tobe there than for any other good warrior?'

'It is not that indeed, ' said Medb; 'but to give you a chariotworth three sevens of cumals [See previous note about _cumal_. ] andthe equipment of twelve men, and the equal of Mag Murthemne fromthe arable land of Mag Ai; and that you should be in Cruachanalways, and wine to be poured for you there; and freedom of yourdescendants and of your race for ever without tribute or tax; myleaf-shaped brooch of gold to be given to you, in which there areten score ounces and ten score half-ounces, and ten score _crosach_and ten score quarters; Findabair, my daughter and Ailill'sdaughter, for your one wife, and you shall get my love if you needit over and above. '

'He does not need it, ' said every, one: 'great are the rewards andgifts. '

'That is true, ' said Fer Diad, 'they are great; and though they aregreat, O Medb, it is with you yourself they will be left, ratherthan that I should go against my foster-brother to battle. '

'O men, ' said she, said Medb (through the right way of division andsetting by the ears), 'true is the word that Cuchulainn spoke, ' asif she had not heard Fer Diad at all. 

'What word is this, O Medb?' said Fer Diad. 

'He said indeed, ' said she, 'that he would not think it too muchthat you should fall by him as the first fruits of his prowess inthe province to which he should come. '

'To say that was not fitting for him. For it is not weariness orcowardice that he has ever known in me, day nor night. I swear, etc. , [Note: The usual oath, 'by the god by whom my people swear, 'understood. ] that I will be the first man who will come to-morrowmorning to the ford of combat. '

'May victory and blessing come to you, ' said Medb. 'And I think itbetter that weariness or cowardice be found with you, because offriendship beyond my own men (?). Why is it more fitting for him toseek the good of Ulster because his mother was of them, than foryou to seek the good of the province of Connaught, because you arethe son of a king of Connaught?'

It is thus they were binding their covenants and their compact, andthey made a song there:

 'Thou shalt have a reward, ' etc. 

There was a wonderful warrior of Ulster who witnessed thatbargaining, and that was Fergus Mac Roich. Fergus came to his tent. 

'Woe is me! the deed that is done to-morrow morning!' said Fergus. 

'What deed is that?' said the folk in the tent. 

'My good fosterling Cuchulainn to be slain. '

'Good lack! who makes that boast?'

'An easy question: his own dear ardent foster-brother, Fer Diad MacDamain. Why do ye not win my blessing?' said Fergus; 'and let oneof you go with a warning and with compassion to Cuchulainn, ifperchance he would leave the ford to-morrow morning. '

'On our conscience, ' said they, 'though it were you yourself whowere on the ford of combat, we would not come as far as [the ford]to seek you. '

'Good, my lad, ' said Fergus; 'get our horses for us and yoke thechariot. '

The lad arose and got the horses and yoked the chariot. They cameforth to the ford of combat where Cuchulainn was. 

'One chariot coming hither towards us, O Cuchulainn!' said Loeg. For it is thus the lad was, with his back towards his lord. He usedto win every other game of _brandub_ [_Brandub_, the name of agame; probably, like _fidchill_ and _buanfach_, of the nature ofchess or draughts. ] and of chess-playing from his master: thesentinel and watchman on the four quarters of Ireland over andabove that. 

'What kind of chariot then?' said Cuchulainn. 

'A chariot like a huge royal fort, with its yolcs strong golden, with its great panel(?) of copper, with its shafts of bronze, withits body thin-framed (?), dry-framed (?), feat-high, scythed, sword-fair (?), of a champion, on two horses, swift, stout(?), well-yoked (?), ---- (?). One royal warrior, wide-eyed, was thecombatant of the chariot. A beard curly, forked, on him, so that itreached over the soft lower part of his soft shirt, so that itwould shelter (?) fifty warriors to be under the heavy ---- of thewarrior's beard, on a day of storm and rain. A round shield, white, variegated, many-coloured on him, with three chains ----, so thatthere would be room from front to back for four troops of ten menbehind the leather of the shield which is upon the ---- of thewarrior. A sword, long, hard-edged, red-broad in the sheath, wovenand twisted of white silver, over the skin of the bold-in-battle. Aspear, strong, three-ridged, with a winding and with bands of whitesilver all white by him across the chariot. '

'Not hard the recognition, ' said Cuchulainn; 'my friend Ferguscomes there, with a warning and with compassion to me before allthe four provinces. '

Fergus reached them and sprang from his chariot and Cuchulainngreeted him. 

'Welcome your coming, O my friend, O Fergus, ' said Cuchulainn. 

'I believe your welcome, ' said Fergus. 

'You may believe it, ' said Cuchulainn; 'if a flock of birds come tothe plain, you shall have a duck with half of another; if fish cometo the estuaries, you shall have a salmon with half of another; asprig of watercress, and a sprig of marshwort, and a sprig ofseaweed, and a drink of cold sandy water after it. '

'That portion is that of an outlaw, ' said Fergus. 

'That is true, it is an outlaw's portion that I have, ' saidCuchulainn, 'for I have been from the Monday after Samain to thistime, and I have not gone for a night's entertainment, throughstrongly obstructing the men of Ireland on the Cattle-Foray ofCualnge at this time. '

'If it were for this we came, ' said Fergus, 'we should have thoughtit the better to leave it; and it is not for this that we havecome. '

'Why else have you come to me?' said Cuchulainn. 

'To tell you the warrior who comes against you in battle and combatto-morrow morning, ' said he. 

'Let us find it out and let us hear it from you then, ' saidCuchulainn. 

'Your own foster-brother, Fer Diad Mac Damain. '

'On our word, we think it not best that it should be he we come tomeet, 'said Cuchulainn, 'and it is not for fear of him but for thegreatness of our love for him. '

'It is fitting to fear him, ' said Fergus, 'for he has a skin ofhorn in battle against a man, so that neither weapon nor edge willpierce it. '

'Do not say that at all, ' said Cuchulainn, 'for I swear the oaththat my people swear, that every joint and every limb of him willbe as pliant as a pliant rush in the midst of a stream under thepoint of my sword, if he shows himself once to me on the ford. '

It is thus they were speaking, and they made a song:

 'O Cuchulainn, a bright meeting, ' etc. 

After that, 'Why have you come, O my friend, O Fergus?' saidCuchulainn. 

'That is my purpose, ' said Fergus. 

'Good luck and profit, ' said Cuchulainn, 'that no other of the menof Ireland has come for this purpose, unless the four provinces ofIreland all met at one time. I think nothing of a warning before asingle warrior. '

Then Fergus went to his tent. 

As regards the charioteer and Cuchulainn:

'What shall you do to-night?' said Loeg. 

'What indeed?' said Cuchulainn. 

'It is thus that Fer Diad will come to seek you, with new beauty ofplaiting and haircutting, and washing and bathing, and the fourprovinces of Ireland with him to look at the fight. It would pleaseme if you went to the place where you will get the same adorningfor yourself, to the place where is Emer of the Beautiful Hair, toCairthend of Cluan Da Dam in Sliab Fuait. '

So Cuchulainn went thither that night, and spent the night with hisown wife. His adventures from this time are not discussed here now. As to Fer Diad, he came to his tent; it was gloomy and weary thatFer Diad's tent-servants were that night. They thought it certainthat where the two pillars of the battle of the world should meet, that both would fall; or the issue of it would be, that it would betheir own lord who would fall there. For it was not easy to fightwith Cuchulainn on the Foray. 

There were great cares on Fer Diad's mind that night, so that theydid not let him sleep. One of his great anxieties was that heshould let pass from him all the treasures that had been offeredto him, and the maiden, by reason of combat with one man. If he didnot fight with that one man, he must fight with the six warriors onthe morrow. His care that was greater than this was that if heshould show himself once on the ford to Cuchulainn, he was certainthat he himself would not have power of his head or lifethereafter; and Fer Diad arose early on the morrow. 

'Good, my lad, ' said he, 'get our horses for us, and harness thechariot. '

'On our word, ' said the servant, 'we think it not greater praise togo this journey than not to go it. '

He was talking with his charioteer, and he made this little song, inciting his charioteer:

 'Let us go to this meeting, ' etc. 

The servant got the horses and yoked the chariot, and they wentforth from the camp. 

'My lad, ' said Fer Diad, 'it is not fitting that we make ourjourney without farewell to the men of Ireland. Turn the horsesand the chariot for us towards the men of Ireland. '

The servant turned the horses and the chariot thrice towards themen of Ireland. . . . 

'Does Ailill sleep now?' said Medb. 

'Not at all, ' said Ailill. 

'Do you hear your new son-in-law greeting you?'

'Is that what he is doing?' said Ailill. 

'It is indeed, ' said Medb, 'and I swear by what my people swear, the man who makes the greeting yonder will not come back to you onthe same feet. '

'Nevertheless we have profited by(?) the good marriage connectionwith him, ' said Ailill; 'provided Cuchulainn fell by him, I shouldnot care though they both fell. But we should think it better forFer Diad to escape. '

Fer Diad came to the ford of combat. 

'Look, my lad, ' said Fer Diad; 'is Cuchulainn on the ford?'

'He is not, indeed, ' said the servant. 

'Look well for us, ' said Fer Diad. 

'Cuchulainn is not a little speck in hiding where he would be, 'said the lad. 

'It is true, O boy, until to-day Cuchulainn has not heard of thecoming of a good warrior [Note: Gloss incorporated in the text: 'ora good man. '] against him on the Cattle Foray of Cualnge, and whenhe has heard of it he has left the ford. '

'A great pity to slander Cuchulainn in his absence! For do youremember how when you gave battle to German Garbglas above theedge-borders of the Tyrrhene Sea, you left your sword with thehosts, and it was Cuchulainn who killed a hundred warriors inreaching it, and he brought it to you; and do you remember where wewere that night?' said the lad. 

'I do not know it, ' said Fer Diad. 

'At the house of Scathach's steward, ' said the lad, 'and you went---- and haughtily before us into the house first. The churl gaveyou a blow with the three-pointed flesh-hook in the small of yourback, so that it threw you out over the door like a shot. Cuchulainn came into the house and gave the churl a blow with hissword, so that it made two pieces of him. It was I who was stewardfor you while you were in that place. If only for that day, youshould not say that you are a better warrior than Cuchulainn. '

'What you have done is wrong, ' said Fer Diad, 'for I would not havecome to seek the combat if you had said it to me at first. Why doyou not pull the cushions [Note: LL _fortchai_. YBL has _feirtsi_, 'shafts. '] of the chariot under my side and my skin-cover under myhead, so that I might sleep now?'

'Alas!' said the lad, 'it is the sleep of a fey man before deer andhounds here. '

'What, O lad, are you not fit to keep watch and ward for me?'

'I am fit, ' said the lad; 'unless men come in clouds or in mist toseek you, they will not come at all from east or west to seek youwithout warning and observation. '

The cushions [Note: LL _fortchai_. YBL has _feirtsi_, 'shafts. ']of his chariot were pulled under his side and the skin under hishead. And yet he could not sleep a little. 

As to Cuchulainn it is set forth:

'Good, O my friend, O Loeg, take the horses and yoke the chariot;if Fer Diad is waiting for us, he is thinking it long. '

The boy rose and took the horses and yoked the chariot. 

Cuchulainn stepped into his chariot and they came on to the ford. As to Fer Diad's servant, he had not long to watch till he heardthe creaking of the chariot coming towards them. He took to wakinghis master, and made a song:

 'I hear a chariot, ' etc. 

(This is the description of Cuchulainn's chariot: one of the threechief chariots of the narration on the Cattle Foray of Cualnge. )

'How do you see Cuchulainn?' said he, said Fer Diad, to hischarioteer. 

'I see, ' said he, 'the chariot broad above, fine, of white crystal, with a yoke of gold with ---- (?), with great panels of copper, with shafts of bronze, with tyres of white metal, with its bodythin-framed (?) dry-framed (?), feat-high, sword-fair (?), of achampion, on which there would be room for seven arms fit for alord (?). A fair seat for its lord; so that this chariot, Cuchulainn's chariot, would reach with the speed of a swallow or ofa wild deer, over the level land of Mag Slebe. That is the speedand ---- which they attain, for it is towards us they go. Thischariot is at hand on two horses small-headed, small-round, small-end, pointed, ----, red-breasted, ----, easy to recognise, well-yoked. . . . One of the two horses is supple(?), swift-leaping, great of strength, great of foot, great of length, ----. The otherhorse is curly-maned, slender-footed, narrow-footed, heeled, ----. Two wheels dark, black. A pole of metal adorned with red enamel, ofa fair colour. Two bridles golden, inlaid. There is a man with faircurly hair, broad cut (?), in the front of this chariot. There isround him a blue mantle, red-purple. A spear with wings (?), and itred, furious; in his clenched fist, red-flaming. The appearance ofthree heads of hair on him, i. E. Dark hair against the skin of hishead, hair blood-red in the middle, a crown of gold covers thethird hair. 

'A fair arrangement of the hair so that it makes three circlesround about his shoulders down behind. I think it like gold thread, after its colour has been made over the edge of the anvil; or likethe yellow of bees on which the sun shines in a summer day, is theshining of each single hair of his hair. Seven toes on each of hisfeet, and seven fingers on each of his hands, and the shining of avery great fire round his eye, ---- (?) and the hoofs of hishorses; a hero's ---- in his hands. 

'The charioteer of the chariot is worthy of him in his presence:curly hair very black has he, broad-cut along his head. A cowl-dressis on him open; two very fine golden leaf-shaped switches in hishand, and a light grey mantle round him, and a goad of white silverin his hand, plying the goad on the horses, whichever way thechampion of great deeds goes who was at hand in the chariot. 

'He is veteran of his land (?): he and his servant think little ofIreland. '

'Go, O fellow, ' said he, said Fer Diad; 'you praise too muchaltogether; and prepare the arms in the ford against his coming. '

'If I turned my face backwards, it seems to me the chariot wouldcome through the back of my neck. '

'O fellow, ' said he, 'too greatly do you praise Cuchulainn, for itis not a reward for praising he has given you'; and it is thus hewas giving his description, and he said:

 'The help is timely, ' etc. 

It is not long afterwards that they met in the middle of the ford, and Fer Diad said to Cuchulainn:

'Whence come you, O Cua?' said he (for [Note: An interpolation. ]_cua_ was the name of squinting in old Gaelic; and there were sevenpupils in Cuchulainn's royal eye, and two of these pupils weresquinting, and the ugliness of it is no greater than its beauty onhim; and if there had been a greater blemish on Cuchulainn, it isthat with which he reproached him; and he was proclaiming it); andhe made a song, and Cuchulainn answered:

 'Whence art thou come, O Hound, ' etc. 

Then Cuchulainn said to his charioteer that he was to taunt himwhen he was overcome, and that he was to praise him when he wasvictorious, in the combat against Fer Diad. Then the charioteersaid to him:

'The man goes over thee as the tail over a cat; he washes thee asfoam is washed in water, he squeezes (?) thee as a loving motherher son. '

Then they took to the ford-play. Scathach's ---- (?)came to themboth. Fer Diad and Cuchulainn performed marvellous feats. Cuchulainn went and leapt into Fer Diad's shield; Fer Diad hurledhim from him thrice into the ford; so that the charioteer tauntedhim again ---- and he swelled like breath in a bag. 

His size increased till he was greater than Fer Diad. 

'Give heed to the _Gae bolga_, ' said the charioteer; he sent it tohim along the stream. 

Cuchulainn seized it between his toes, and wielded it on Fer Diad, into his body's armour. It advances like one spear, so that itbecame twenty-four points. Then Fer Diad turned the shield below. Cuchulainn thrust at him with the spear over the shield, so that itbroke the shaft of his ribs and went through Fer Diad's heart. 

[_Fer Diad_:] 'Strong is the ash from thy right hand! The ---- ribbreaks, my heart is blood. Well hast thou given battle! I fall, OHound. '

[_Cuchulainn_:] 'Alas, O golden brooch, O Fer Diad! ----, O fairstrong striker! Thy hand was victorious; our dear fosterbrotherhood, O delight of the eyes! Thy shield with the rim ofgold, thy sword was dear. Thy ring of white silver round thy noblearm. Thy chess-playing was worthy of a great man. Thy cheekfair-purple; thy yellow curling hair was great, it was a fairtreasure. Thy soft folded girdle which used to be about thy side. That thou shouldst fall at Cuchulainn's hands was sad, O Calf! Thyshield did not suffice which used to be for service. Our combatwith thee is not fitting, our horses and our tumult. Fair was thegreat hero! every host used to be defeated and put under foot. Alas, O golden brooch, O Fer Diad!'

***

THIS IS THE LONG WARNING OF SUALTAIM

While the things that we have related were done, Suallaith heardfrom Rath Sualtaim in Mag Murthemne the vexing of his sonCuchulainn against twelve sons of Gaile Dana [Note: LL, 'Twenty-seven sons of Calatin. ' In the story as related earlier inYBL it is 'Gaile Dana with his twenty-seven sons. '] and hissister's son. It is then that Sualtaim said:

'Is it heaven that bursts, or the sea over its boundaries, or earththat is destroyed, or the shout of my son against odds?'

Then he comes to his son. Cuchulainn was displeased that he shouldcome to him. 

'Though he were slain, I should not have strength to avenge him. Goto the Ulstermen, ' says Cuchulainn, 'and let them give battle tothe warriors at once; if they do not give it, they will not beavenged for ever. '

When his father saw him, there was not in his chariot as much asthe point of a rush would cover that was not pierced. His left handwhich the shield protected, twenty wounds were in it. 

Sualtaim came over to Emain and shouted to the Ulstermen:

'Men are being slain, women carried off, cows driven away!'

His first shout was from the side of the court; his second from theside of the fortress; the third shout was on the mound of thehostages in Emain. No one answered; it was the practice of theUlstermen that none of them should speak except to Conchobar; andConchobar did not speak before the three druids. 

'Who takes them, who steals them, who carries them off?' said thedruid. 

Ailill Mac Mata carries them off and steals them and takes them, through the guidance of Fergus Mac Roich, ' said Sualtaim. 'Yourpeople have been enslaved as far as Dun Sobairce; their cows andtheir women and their cattle have been taken. Cuchulainn did notlet them into Mag Murthemne and into Crich Rois; three months ofwinter then, bent branches of hazel held together his dress uponhim. Dry wisps are on his wounds. He has been wounded so that hehas been parted joint from joint. '

'Fitting, ' said the druid, 'were the death of the man who hasspurred on the king. '

'It is fitting for him, ' said Conchobar. 

'It is fitting for him, ' said the Ulstermen. 

'True is what Sualtaim says, ' said Conchobar; 'from the Mondaynight of Samain to the Monday night of Candlemas he has been inthis foray. '

Sualtaim gave a leap out thereupon. He did not think sufficientthe answer that he had. He falls on his shield, so that theengraved edge of the shield cut his head off. His head is broughtback into Emain into the house on the shield, and the head says thesame word (though some say that he was asleep on the stone, andthat he fell thence on to his shield in awaking). 

'Too great was this shout, ' said Conchobar. 'The sea before them, the heaven over their tops, the earth under their feet. I willbring every cow into its milking-yard, and every woman and everyboy from their house, after the victory in battle. '

Then Conchobar struck his hand on his son, Findchad Fer m-Bend. Hence he is so called because there were horns of silver on him. 

THE MUSTER OF THE ULSTERMEN

'Arise, O Findchad, I will send thee to Deda, ' etc. [Note:Rhetoric, followed by a long list of names. ]

It was not, difficult for Findchad to take his message, for theywere, the whole province of Conchobar, every chief of them, awaiting Conchobar; every one was then east and north and west ofEmain. When they were there, they all came till they were at EmainMacha. When they were there, they Beard the uprising of Conchobarin Emain. They went past Emain southwards after the host. Theirfirst march then was from Emain to Irard Cuillend. 

'What are you waiting for here?' said Conchobar. 

'Waiting for your sons, ' said the host. 'They have gone with thirtywith them to Temair to seek Eirc, son of Coirpre Niafer and FedelmNoicride. Till their two cantreds should come to us, we will not gofrom this place. '

'I will not remain indeed, ' said Conchobar, 'till the men ofIreland know that I have awaked from the sickness in which I was. '

Conchobar and Celtchar went with three fifties of chariots, andthey brought eight twenties of heads from Ath Airthir Midi; henceis Ath Fene. They were there watching the host. And eight twentiesof women, that was their share of the spoil. Their heads werebrought there, and Conchobar and Celtchar sent them to the camp. Itis there that Celtchar said to Conchobar: [Note: Rhetoric. ]

(Or it was Cuscraid, the Stammerer of Macha, son of Conchobar, sangthis song the night before the battle, after the song whichLoegaire Buadach had sung, to wit, 'Arise, kings of Macha, ' etc. , and it would be in the camp it was sung. )

It was in this night that the vision happened to Dubthach Doeltengaof Ulster, when the hosts were on Garach and Irgarach. It is therethat he said in his sleep:

THE VISION OF DUBTHACH

'A wonder of a morning, ' [Note: Rhetoric. ] a wonder of a time, whenhosts will be confused, kings will be turned, necks will break, thesun will grow red, three hosts will be routed by the track of ahost about Conchobar. They will strive for their women, they willchase their flocks in fight on the morning, heroes will be smitten, dogs will be checked (?), horses will be pressed (?), ---- ----, ---- will drip, from the assemblies of great peoples. '

Therewith they awoke through their sleep (?). The Nemain threw thehost into confusion there; a hundred men of them died. There issilence there then; when they heard Cormac Condlongas again (or itis Ailill Mac Matae in the camp who sang this):

'The time of Ailill. Great his truce, the truce of Cuillend, ' etc. [Note: Rhetoric. ]

THE MARCH OF THE COMPANIES

While these things were being done, the Connaughtman determined tosend messengers by the counsel of Ailill and Medb and Fergus, tolook at the Ulstermen, to see whether they had reached the plain. It is there that Ailill said:

'Go, O Mac Roth, ' said Ailill, 'and look for us whether the men areall(?) in the plain of Meath in which we are. If they have notcome, I have carried off their spoil and their cows; let them givebattle to me, if it suits them. I will not await them here anylonger. '

Then Mac Roth went to look at and to watch the plain. He came backto Ailill and Medb and Fergus The first time then that Mac Rothlooked from the circuit of Sliab Fuait, he saw that all the wildbeast came out of the wood, so that they were all in the plain. 

'The second time, ' said Mac Roth, 'that I surveyed the plain, I sawa heavy mist that filled the glens and the valleys, so that it madethe hills between them like islands in lakes. Then there appearedto me sparks of fire out of this great mist: there appeared to me avariegation of every different colour in the world. I saw thenlightning and din and thunder and a great wind that almost took myhair from my head, and threw me on my back; and yet the wind of theday was not great. '

'What is it yonder, O Fergus?' said Ailill. 'Say what it means. '[Note: Literally, 'is like. ']

'That is not hard; this is what it means, ' said Fergus: 'This isthe Ulstermen after coming out of their sickness. It is they whohave come into the wood. The throng and the greatness and theviolence of the heroes, it is that which has shaken the wood; it isbefore them that the wild beasts have fled into the plain. Theheavy mist that you saw, which filled the valleys, was the breathof those warriors, which filled the glens so that it made the hillsbetween them like islands in lakes. The lightning and the sparks offire and the many colours that you saw, O Mac Roth, ' said Fergus, 'are the eyes of the warriors from their heads which have shone toyou like sparks of fire. The thunder and the din and the noise(?)that you heard, was the whistling of the swords and of theivory-hilted weapons, the clatter of arms, the creaking of thechariots, the beating of the hoofs of the horses, the strength ofthe warriors, the roar of the fighting-men, the noise of thesoldiers, the great rage and anger and fierceness of the heroesgoing in madness to the battle, for the greatness of the rage andof the fury(?). They would think they would not reach it at all, 'said Fergus. 

'We will await them, ' said Ailill; 'we have warriors for them. '

'You will need that, ' said Fergus, 'for there will not be found inall Ireland, nor in the west of the world, from Greece and Scythiawestward to the Orkneys and to the Pillars of Hercules and to theTower of Bregon and to the island of Gades, any one who shallendure the Ulstermen in their fury and in their rage, ' said Fergus. 

Then Mac Roth went again to look at the march of the men of Ulster, so that he was in their camp at Slemon Midi, and Fergus; and hetold them certain tidings, and Mac Roth said in describing them:

'A great company has come, of great fury, mighty, fierce, to thehill at Slemon Midi, ' said Mac Roth. 'I think there is a cantredtherein; they took off their clothing at once, and dug a mound ofsods under their leader's seat. A warrior fair and tall and longand high, beautiful, the fairest of kings his form, in the front ofthe company. Hair white-yellow has he, and it curly, neat, bushy (?), ridged, reaching to the hollow of his shoulders. A tunic curly, purple, folded round him; a brooch excellent, of red-gold, in hiscloak on his breast; eyes very grey, very fair, in his head; a faceproper, purple, has he, and it narrow below and broad above: abeard forked, very curly, gold-yellow he has; a shirt white, hooded, with red ornamentation, round about him; a sword gold-hiltedon his shoulders; a white shield with rivets(?) of gold; abroadgrey spear-head on a slender shaft in his hand. The fairest of theprinces of the world his march, both in host and rage and form anddress, both in face and terror and battle and triumph, both inprowess and horror and dignity. 

'Another company has come there, ' said Mac Roth; 'it is next to theother in number and quarrelling and dress and terror and horror. Afair warrior, heroic, is in the front of this company. A greencloak folded round him; a brooch of gold over his arm; hair curlyand yellow: an ivory-hilted sword with a hilt of ivory at his left. A shirt with ---- to his knee; a wound-giving shield with engravededge; the candle of a palace [Note: i. E. Spear. ] in his hand; aring of silver about it, and it runs round along the shaft forwardto the point, and again it runs to the grip. And that troop satdown on the left hand of the leader of the first troop, and it isthus they sat down, with their knees to the ground, and the rims oftheir shields against their chins. And I thought there wasstammering in the speech of the great fierce warrior who is theleader of that company. 

'Another company has come there, ' said Mac Roth; 'its appearance isvaster than a cantred; a man brave, difficult, fair, with broadhead, before it. Hair dark and curly on him; a beard long, withslender points, forked, has he; a cloak dark-grey, ----, foldedround him; a leaf-shaped brooch of white metal over his breast; awhite, hooded shirt to his knees; a hero's shield with rivets onhim; a sword of white silver about his waist; a five-pointed spearin his hand. He sat down in front of the leader of the firsttroop. '

'Who is that, O Fergus?' said Ailill. 

'I know indeed, ' said Fergus, 'those companies. Conchobar, king ofa province of Ireland, it is he who has sat down on the mound ofsods. Sencha Mac Aililla, the orator of Ulster, it is he who hassat down before him. Cuscraid, the Stammerer of Macha, son ofConchobar, it is he who has sat down at his father's side. It isthe custom for the spear that is in his hand in sport yonder beforevictory ---- before or after. That is a goodly folk for wounding, for essaying every conflict, that has come, ' said Fergus. 

'They will find men to speak with them here, ' said Medb. 

'I swear by the god by whom my people swear, ' said Fergus, 'therehas not been born in Ireland hitherto a man who would check thehost of Ulster. ' [Note: Conjectural; the line is corrupt in the MS. ]

'Another company has come there, ' said Mac Roth. 'Greater than acantred its number. A great warrior, brave, with horror and terror, and he mighty, fiery-faced, before it. Hair dark, greyish on him, and it smooth-thin on his forehead. Around shield with engravededge on him, a spear five-pointed in his hand, a forked javelinbeside him; a hard sword on the back of his head; a purple cloakfolded round him; a brooch of gold on his arm; a shirt, white, hooded, to his knee. '

'Who is that, O Fergus?' said Ailill. 

'He is the putting of a hand on strife; he is a battle champion forfight; he is judgment against enemies who has come there; that is, Eogan Mac Durthacht, King of Fermoy is that, ' said Fergus. 

'Another company has come, great, fierce, to the hill at SlemonMidi, ' said Mac Roth. 'They have put their clothing behind them. Truly, it is strong, dark, they have come to the hill; heavy is theterror and great the horror which they have put upon themselves;terrible the clash of arms that they made in marching. A man thickof head, brave, like a champion, before it; and he horrible, hideous; hair light, grey on him; eyes yellow, great, in his head;a cloak yellow, with white ---- round about him. A shield, wound-giving, with engraved edge, on him, without; a broad spear, ajavelin with a drop of blood along the shaft; and a spear its matchwith the blood of enemies along its edge in his hand; a greatwound-giving sword on his shoulders. '

'Who is that, O Fergus?' said Ailill. 

'The man who has so come does not avoid battle or combat or strife:that is, Loegaire the Victorious, Mac Connaid Meic Ilech, fromImmail from the north, ' said Fergus. 

'Another great company has come to Slemon Midi to the hill, ' saidMac Roth. 'A warrior thick-necked, fleshy, fair, before thatcompany. Hair black and curly on him, and he purple, blue-faced;eyes grey, shining, in his head; a cloak grey, lordly (?), abouthim; a brooch of white silver therein; a black shield with a bossof bronze on it; a spear, covered with eyes, with ---- (?), in hishand; a shirt, braided(?), with red ornamentation, about him; asword with a hilt of ivory over his dress outside. '

'Who is that, O Fergus?' said Ailill. 

'He is the putting of a hand on a skirmish; he is the wave of agreat sea that drowns little streams; he is a man of three shouts;he is the judgment of ---- of enemies, who so comes, ' said Fergus;'that is, Munremar Mac Gerrcind, from Moduirn in the north. '

'Another great company has come there to the hill to Slemon Midi, 'said Mac Roth. 'A company very fair, very beautiful, both in numberand strife and raiment. It is fiercely that they make for the hill;the clatter of arms which they raised in going on their courseshook the host. A warrior fair, excellent, before the company. Mostbeautiful of men his form, both in hair and eyes and fear, both inraiment and form and voice and whiteness, both in dignity and sizeand beauty, both in weapons and knowledge and adornment, both inequipment and armour and fitness, both in honour and wisdom andrace. '

'This is his description, ' said Fergus; 'he is the brightness offire, the fair man, Fedlimid, who so comes there; he is fiercenessof warriors, he is the wave of a storm that drowns, he is mightthat is not endured, with triumphs out of other territories afterdestruction (?) of his foes; that is Fedlimid ---- ---- there. '

'Another company has come there to the hill to Slemon Midi, ' saidMac Roth, 'which is not fewer than a warlike cantred (?). A warriorgreat, brave, grey, proper, ----, in front of it. Hair black, curly, on him; round eyes, grey(?), very high, in his head. A manbull-like, strong, rough; a grey cloak about him, with a brooch ofsilver on his arm; a shirt white, hooded, round him; a sword at hisside; a red shield with a hard boss of silver on it. A spear withthree rivets, broad, in his hand. '

'Who is that, O Fergus?' said Ailill. 

'He is the fierce glow of wrath, he is a shaft (?) of every battle;he is the victory of every combat, who has so come there, ConnadMac Mornai from Callann, ' said Fergus. 

'Another company has come to the hill at Slemon Midi, ' said MacRoth. 'It is the march of an army for greatness. The leader who isin front of that company, not common is a warrior fairer both inform and attire and equipment. Hair bushy, red-yellow, on him; aface proper, purple, well-proportioned; a face narrow below, broadabove; lips red, thin; teeth shining, pearly; a voice clear, ringing; a face fair, purple, shapely; most beautiful of the formsof men; a purple cloak folded round him; a brooch with fulladornment of gold, over his white breast; a bent shield withmany-coloured rivets, with a boss of silver, at his left; a longspear, grey-edged, with a sharp javelin for attack in his hand; asword gold-hilted, of gold, on his back; a hooded shirt with redornamentation about him. '

'Who is that, O Fergus?' said Ailill. 

'We know, indeed, ' said Fergus. 'He is half of a combat truly, 'said he, 'who so comes there; he is a fence(?) of battle, he isfierce rage of a bloodhound; Rochad Mac Fathemain from Bridamae, your son-in-law, is that, who wedded your daughter yonder, that is, Findabair. '

'Another company has come to the hill, to Slemon Midi, ' said MacRoth. 'A warrior with great calves, stout, with great thighs, big, in front of that company. Each of his limbs is almost as thick as aman. Truly, he is a man down to the ground, ' said he. 'Hair blackon him; a face full of wounds, purple, has he; an eye parti-coloured, very high, in his head; a man glorious, dexterous, thus, withhorror and terror, who has a wonderful apparel, both raiment andweapons and appearance and splendour and dress; he raises himselfwith the prowess of a warrior, with achievements of ----, with thepride of wilfulness, with a going through battle to routoverwhelming numbers, with wrath upon foes, with a marching on manyhostile countries without protection. In truth, mightily have theycome on their course into Slemon Midi. '

'He was ---- of valour and of prowess, in sooth, ' said Fergus; 'hewas of ---- pride(?) and of haughtiness, he was ---- of strengthand dignity, ---- then of armies and hosts of my own foster-brother, Fergus Mac Leiti, King of Line, point of battle of the north ofIreland. '

'Another company, great, fierce, has come to the hill, to SlemonMidi, ' said Mac Roth. 'Strife before it, strange dresses on them. Awarrior fair, beautiful, before it; gift of every form, both hairand eye and whiteness, both size and strife and fitness; fivechains of gold on him; a green cloak folded about him; a brooch ofgold in the cloak over his arm; a shirt white, hooded, abouthim; the tower of a palace in his hand; a sword gold-hilted on hisshoulders. '

'Fiery is the bearing of the champion of combat who has so comethere, ' said Fergus. 'Amorgene, son of Eccet Salach the smith, fromBuais in the north is that. '

'Another company has come there, to the hill, to Slemon Midi, 'said Mac Roth. It is a drowning for size, it is a fire forsplendour, it is a pin for sharpness, it is a battalion for number, it is a rock for greatness, it is ---- for might, it is a judgmentfor its ----, it is thunder for pride. A warrior rough-visaged, terrible, in front of this company, and he great-bellied, large-lipped; rough hair, a grey beard on him; and he great-nosed, red-limbed; a dark cloak about him, an iron spike on his cloak; around shield with an engraved edge on him; a rough shirt, braided(?), about him; a great grey spear in his hand, and thirtyrivets therein; a sword of seven charges of metal on his shoulders. All the host rose before him, and he overthrew multitudes of thebattalion about him in going to the hill. '

'He is a head of strife who has so come, ' said Fergus; 'he is ahalf of battle, he is a warrior for valour, he is a wave of a stormwhich drowns, he is a sea over boundaries; that is, Celtchar MacUithechair from Dunlethglaisi in the north. '

'Another company has come there to the hill, to Slemon Midi, ' saidMac Roth. 'A warrior of one whiteness in front of it, all white, both hair and eyelashes and beard and equipment; a shield with aboss of gold on him, and a sword with a hilt of ivory, and a broadspear with rings in his hand. Very heroic has his march come. '

'Dear is the bear, strong-striking, who has so come, ' said Fergus;'the bear of great deeds against enemies, who breaks men, FeradachFind Fechtnach from the grove of Sliab Fuait in the north is that. '

'Another company has come there to the hill, to Slemon Midi, ' saidMac Roth. 'A hideous warrior in front of it, and he great-bellied, large-lipped; his lips as big as the lips of a horse; hair dark, curly, on him, and he himself ----, broad-headed, long-handed; acloak black, hairy, about him; a chain of copper over it, a darkgrey buckler over his left hand; a spear with chains in his righthand; a long sword on his shoulders. '

'He is a lion red-handed, fierce of ----, who so comes, ' saidFergus. 'He is high of deeds, great in battle, rough; he is araging on the land who is unendurable, Eirrgi Horse-lipped from BriEirge in the north, ' said Fergus. 

'Another company has come there to the hill, to Slemon Midi, ' saidMac Roth. 'Two warriors, fair, both alike, in front of it; yellowhair on them; two white shields with rivets of silver; they are ofequal age. They lift up their feet and set them down together; itis not their manner for either of them to lift up his feet withoutthe other. Two heroes, two splendid flames, two points of battle, two warriors, two pillars of fight, two dragons, two fires, twobattle-soldiers, two champions of combat, two rods (?), two boldones, two pets of Ulster about the king. '

'Who are those, O Fergus?' said Ailill. 

'Fiachna and Fiacha, two sons of Conchobar Mac Nessa, two darlingsof the north of Ireland, ' said Fergus. 

'Another company has come to the hill, to Slemon Midi, ' said MacRoth. 'Three warriors, fiery, noble, blue-faced, before it. Threeheads of hair very yellow have they; three cloaks of one colour infolds about them; three brooches of gold over their arms, threeshirts ---- with red ornamentation round about them; three shieldsalike have they; three swords gold-hilted on their shoulders; threespears, broad-grey, in their right hands. They are of equal age. '

'Three glorious champions of Coba, three of great deeds ofMidluachair, three princes of Roth, three veterans of the east ofSliab Fuait, ' said Fergus; 'the three sons of Fiachna are these, after the Bull; that is, Rus and Dairi and Imchath, ' said Fergus. 

'Another company has come there to the hill, to Slemon Midi, ' saidMac Roth. 'A man lively, fiery, before it; eyes very red, of achampion, in his head; a many-coloured cloak about him; a chain ofsilver thereon; a grey shield on his left; [a sword] with a hilt ofsilver at his side; a spear, excellent with a striking of crueltyin his vengeful right hand; a shirt white, hooded, to his knee. Acompany very red, with wounds, about him, and he himself woundedand bleeding. '

'That, ' said Fergus, 'is the bold one, unsparing; that is thetearing; it is the boar [Note: Ir. _rop_, said to be a beast thatwounds or gores. ] of combat, it is the mad bull; it is thevictorious one of Baile; it is the warlike one of the gap; it isthe champion of Colptha, the door of war of the north of Ireland:that is, Menn Mac Salchalca from Corann. To avenge his wounds uponyou has that man come, ' said Fergus. 

'Another company has come there to the hill, to Slemon Midi, ' saidMac Roth, 'and they very heroic, mutually willing. A warrior grey, great, broad, tall, before it. Hair dark, curly, on him; a cloakred, woollen, about him; a shirt excellent; a brooch of gold overhis arms in his cloak; a sword, excellent, with hilt of whitesilver on his left; a red shield has he; a spear-head broad-grey ona fair shaft [Note: Conjecture; the Irish is obscure. ] of ash inhis hand. 

'A man of three strong blows who has so come, ' said Fergus; 'a manof three roads, a man of three highways, a man of three gifts, aman of three shouts, who breaks battles on enemies in anotherprovince: Fergrae Mac Findchoime from Corann is that. '

'Another company has come there to the hill, to Slemon Midi, ' saidMac Roth. 'Its appearance is greater than a cantred. A warriorwhite-breasted, very fair, before it; like to Ailill yonder in sizeand beauty and equipment and raiment. A crown of gold above hishead; a cloak excellent folded about him; a brooch of gold in thecloak on his breast; a shirt with red ornamentation round abouthim; a shield wound-giving with rims of gold; the pillar of apalace in his hand; a sword gold-hilted on his shoulders. '

'It is a sea over rivers who has so come, truly, ' said Fergus; 'itis a fierce glow of fire; his rage towards foes is insupportable:Furbaidi Ferbend is that, ' said Fergus. 

'Another company has come there to the hill, to Slemon Midi, ' saidMac Roth. 'Very heroic, innumerable, ' said Mac Roth; 'strangegarments, various, about them, different from other companies. Famously have they come, both in arms and raiment and dress. Agreat host and fierce is that company. A lad flame red before it;the most beautiful of the forms of men his form; . . . A shield withwhite boss in his hand, the shield of gold and a rim of gold roundit; a spear sharp, light, with in his hand; a cloak purple, fringed, folded about him; a brooch of silver in the cloak, on hisbreast; a shirt white, hooded, with red ornamentation, about him; asword gold-hilted over his dress outside. '

Therewith Fergus is silent. 

'I do not know indeed, ' said Fergus, 'the like of this lad inUlster, except that I think it is the men of Temair about a ladproper, wonderful, noble: with Erc, son of Coirpre Niafer and ofConchobar's daughter. They love not one another; ---- without hisfather's leave has that man come, to help his grandfather. It isthrough the combat of that lad, ' said Fergus, 'that you will bedefeated in the battle. That lad knows not terror nor fear atcoming to you among them into the midst of your battalion. It wouldbe like men that the warriors of the men of Ulster will roar insaving the calf their heart, in striking the battle. There willcome to them a feeling of kinship at seeing that lad in the greatbattle, striking the battle before them. There will be heard therumble of Conchobar's sword like the barking of a watch-dog insaving the lad. He will throw three walls of men about the battlein seeking the lad. It will be with the affection of kinsmen thatthe warriors of Ulster will attack the countless host, ' saidFergus. 

'I think it long, ' said Mac Roth, 'to be recounting all that I haveseen, but I have come meanwhile (?) with tidings to you. '

'You have brought it, ' said Fergus. 

'Conall Cernach has not come with his great company, ' said MacRoth; 'the three sons of Conchobar with their three cantreds havenot come; Cuchulainn too has not come there after his wounding incombat against odds. Unless it is a warrior with one chariot, ' saidMac Roth, 'I think it would be he who has come there. Two horses . . . Under his chariot; they are long-tailed, broad-hoofed, broad above, narrow beneath, high-headed, great of curve, thin-mouthed, withdistended nostrils. Two wheels black, ----, with tyres even, smooth-running; the body very high, clattering; the tent . . . Therein; the pillars carved. The warrior in that chariot four-square, purple-faced; hair cropped short on the top, curly, very black hashe, down to his shoulders; . . . A cloak red about him; four thirtiesof feat-poles (?) in each of his two arms. A sword gold-hilted onhis left; shield and spear has he, and twenty-four javelins abouthim on strings and thongs. The charioteer in front of him; the backof the charioteer's head towards the horses, the reins grasped byhis toes (?) before him; the chessboard spread between them, halfthe men of yellow gold, the others of white metal; the _buanfach_[Note: the name of a game; probably in the nature of chess ordraughts. ] under their thighs. Nine feats were performed by him onhigh. '

'Who is that, O Fergus?' said Ailill. 

'An easy question, ' said Fergus. 'Cuchulainn Mac Sualtaim from the_Sid_, [Note: Cuchulainn was of fairy birth. ] and Loeg MacRiangabra his charioteer. Cuchulainn is that, ' said Fergus. 

'Many hundreds and thousands, ' said Mac Roth, 'have reached thecamp of Ulster. Many heroes and champions and fighting-men havecome with a race to the assembly. Many companies, ' said Mac Roth, 'were reaching the same camp, of those who had not reached or cometo the camp when I came; only, ' said Mac Roth, 'my eye did notrest on hill or height of all that my eye reached from Fer Diad'sFord to Slemon Midi, but upon horse and man. '

'You saw the household of a man truly, ' said Fergus. 

Then Conchobar went with his hosts and took camp near the others. Conchobar asked for a truce till sunrise on the morrow from Ailill, and Ailill ratified it for the men of Ireland and for the exiles, and Conchobar ratified it for the Ulstermen; and then Conchobar'stents are pitched. The ground between them is a space, ----, bare, and the Ulstermen came to it before sunset. Then said the Morriganin the twilight between the two camps: [Note: Rhetoric, seven lines]

***

Now Cuchulainn was at Fedan Chollna near them. Food was brought tohim by the hospitallers that night; and they used to come to speakto him by day. 

He did not kill any of them to the left of Fer Diad's Ford. 

'Here is a small herd from the camp from the west to the camp tothe east, ' said the charioteer to Cuchulainn. 'Here is a troop oflads to meet them. '

'Those lads shall come, ' said Cuchulainn. 'The little herd shallcome over the plain. He who will not ---- (?) shall come to helpthe lads. '

This was done then as Cuchulainn had said. 

'How do the lads of Ulster fight the battle?'

'Like men, ' said the charioteer. 

'It would be a vow for them, to fall in rescuing their herds, ' saidCuchulainn. 'And now?'

'The beardless striplings are fighting now, ' said the charioteer. 

'Has a bright cloud come over the sun yet?'

'Not so, ' said the charioteer. 

'Alas, that I had not strength to go to them!' said Cuchulainn. 

'There will be contest without that to-day, ' said the charioteer, 'at sunrise; haughty folk fight the battle now, ' said thecharioteer, 'save that there are not kings there, for they arestill asleep. '

Then Fachna said when the sun rose (or it is Conchobar who sang inhis sleep):

'Arise, Kings of Macha, of mighty deeds, noble household, grindyour weapons, fight the battle, ' etc. 

'Who has sung this?' said every one. 

'Conchobar Mac Nessa, ' said they; 'or Fachtna sang it, ' said they. 'Sleep, sleep, save your sentinels. '

Loegaire the Victorious was heard: 'Arise, Kings of Macha, ' etc. 

'Who has sung that?' said every one. 

'Loegaire the Victorious, son of Connad Buide Mac Ilech. Sleep, sleep, except your sentinels. '

'Wait for it still, ' said Conchobar, 'till sunrise . . . In the glensand heights of Ireland. '

When Cuchulainn saw the kings from the east taking their crowns ontheir heads and marshalling (?) the companies, Cuchulainn said tohis charioteer that he should awaken the Ulstermen; and thecharioteer said (or it is Amairgen, son of Eccet the poet, whosaid):

'Arise, Kings of Macha, ' etc. 

'I have awakened them, ' said the charioteer. 'Thus have they cometo the battle, quite naked, except for their arms only. He, thedoor of whose tent is east, has come out through it west. '

'It is a "goodly help of necessity, "' said Cuchulainn. 

The adventures of the Ulstermen are not followed up here now. Asfor the men of Ireland, Badb and Net's wife and Nemain [Note:Nemain was the wife of Net, the war-god, according to Cormac. ]called upon them that night on Garach and Irgarach, so that ahundred warriors of them died for terror; that was not the mostpeaceful of nights for them. 

THE MUSTER OF THE MEN OF IRELAND HERE

Ailill Mac Matae sang that night before the battle, and said:'Arise, arise, ' etc [Note: Here follows a list of names. ]

As for Cuchulainn, this is what is told here now. 

'Look for us, O my friend, O Loeg, how the Ulstermen are fightingthe battle now. '

'Like men, ' said the charioteer. 

'Though I were to go with my chariot, and Oen the charioteer ofConall Cernach with his chariot, so that we should go from one wingto the other along the dense mass, neither hoofs nor tyres shall gothrough it. '

'That is the stuff for a great battle, ' said Cuchulainn. 'Nothingmust be done in the battle, ' said Cuchulainn to his charioteer, 'that we shall not know from you. '

'That will be true, so far as I can, ' said the charioteer. 'Theplace where the warriors are now from the west, ' said thecharioteer, 'they make a breach in the battle eastwards. Theirfirst defence from the east, they make a breach in the battlewestwards. '

'Alas! that I am not whole!' said Cuchulainn; 'my breach would bemanifest like the rest. '

Then came the men of the bodyguard to the ford of the hosting. Finethe way in which the fightingmen came to the battle on Garach andIrgarach. Then came the nine chariot-men of the champions ofIruath, three before them on foot. Not more slowly did they comethan the chariot-men. Medb did not let them into the battle, fordragging Ailill out of the battle if it is him they should defeat, or for killing Conchobar if it is he who should be defeated. 

Then his charioteer told Cuchulainn that Ailill and Medb wereasking Fergus to go into the battle; and they said to him that itwas only right for him to do it, for they had done him muchkindness on his exile. 

'If I had my sword indeed, ' said Fergus, 'the heads of men overshields would be more numerous with me than hailstones in the mireto which come the horses of a king after they have broken into theland (?). '

Then Fergus made this oath: 'I swear, etc. , there would be brokenby me cheeks of men from their necks, necks of men with their(lower) arms, arms of men with their elbows, elbows of men withtheir arms, arms of men with their fists, fists of men with theirfingers, fingers of men with their nails, [nails] of men with theirskull-roofs, skull-roofs of men with their middle, middle of menwith their thighs, thighs of men with their knees, knees of menwith their calves, calves of men with their feet, feet of men withtheir toes, toes of men with their nails. I would make their neckswhizz (?) ---- as a bee would move to and fro on a day of beauty (?). '

Then Ailill said to his charioteer: 'Let there come to me thesword which destroys skin. I swear by the god by whom my peopleswear, if you have its bloom worse to-day than on the day on whichI gave it to you in the hillside in the boundary of Ulster, thoughthe men of Ireland were protecting you from me, they should notprotect you. '

Then his sword was brought to Fergus, and Ailill said: 'Take thysword, ' etc. [Note: Rhetoric, twelve lines. ]

'A pity for thee to fall on the field of battle, thick [with slain ?], 'said Fergus to Ailill. 

The Badb and Net's wife and the Nemain called on them that night onGarach and Irgarach; so that a hundred warriors of them died forterror. That was not the quietest of nights for them. 

Then Fergus takes his arms and turns into the battle, and clears agap of a hundred in the battle with his sword in his two hands. Then Medb took the arms of Fergus (?) and rushed into the battle, and she was victorious thrice, so that she was driven back by forceof arms. 

'I do not know, ' said Conchobar to his retinue who were round him, 'before whom has the battle been broken against us from the north. Do you maintain the fight here, that I may go against him. '

'We will hold the place in which we are, ' said the warriors, 'unless the earth bursts beneath us, or the heaven upon us fromabove, so that we shall break therefrom. '

Then Conchobar came against Fergus. He lifts his shield againsthim, i. E. Conchobar's shield Ochan, with three horns of gold on it, and four ----- of gold over it. Fergus strikes three blows on it, so that even the rim of his shield over his head did not touch him. 

'Who of the Ulstermen holds the shield?' said Fergus. 

'A man who is better than you, ' said Conchobar; 'and he has broughtyou into exile into the dwellings of wolves and foxes, and he willrepel you to-day in combat in the presence of the men of Ireland. '

Fergus aimed on him a blow of vengeance with his two hands onConchobar, so that the point of the sword touched the ground behindhim. 

Cormac Condlongas put his hands upon him, and closed his two handsabout his arm. 

'----, O my friend, O Fergus, ' said Cormac. '. . . Hostile is thefriendship; right is your enmity; your compact has been destroyed;evil are the blows that you strike, O friend, O Fergus, ' saidCormac. 

'Whom shall I smite?' said Fergus. 

'Smite the three hills . . . In some other direction over them; turnyour hand; smite about you on every side, and have no considerationfor them. Take thought for the honour of Ulster: what has not beenlost shall not be lost, if it be not lost through you to-day (?). 

'Go in some other direction, O Conchobar, ' said Cormac to hisfather; 'this man will not put out his rage on the Ulstermen anymore here. '

Fergus turned away. He slew a hundred warriors of Ulster in thefirst combat with the sword. He met Conall Cernach. 

'Too great rage is that, ' said Conall Cernach, 'on people and race, for a wanton. '

'What shall I do, O warriors?' said he. 

'Smite the hills across them and the champions (?) round them, 'said Conall Cernach. 

Fergus smote the hills then, so that he struck the three Maela[Note: i. E. Flat-topped hills. ] of Meath with his three blows. Cuchulainn heard the blows then that Fergus gave on the hills or onthe shield of Conchobar himself. 

'Who strikes the three strong blows, great and distant?' saidCuchulainn. 

. . . Then Loeg answered and said: 'The choice of men, Fergus MacRoich the very bold, smites them. ' . . . 

Then Cuchulainn said: 'Unloose quickly the hazeltwigs; blood coversmen, play of swords will be made, men will be spent therefrom. '

Then his dry wisps spring from him on high, as far as ---- goes;and his hazel-twigs spring off, till they were in Mag Tuag inConnaught . . . And he smote the head of each of the two handmaidensagainst the other, so that each of them was grey from the brain ofthe other. They came from Medb for pretended lamentation over him, that his wounds might burst forth on him; and to say that theUlstermen had been defeated, and that Fergus had fallen in opposingthe battle, since Cuchulainn's coming into the battle had beenprevented. The contortion came on him, and twenty-seven skin-tunicswere given to him, that used to be about him under strings andthongs when he went into battle; and he takes his chariot on hisback with its body and its two tyres, and he made for Fergus roundabout the battle. 

'Turn hither, O friend Fergus, ' said Cuchulainn; and he did notanswer till the third time. 'I swear by the god by whom theUlstermen swear, ' said he, 'I will wash thee as foam [Note: Readingwith L. L. ] (?) is washed in a pool, I will go over thee as the tailgoes over a cat, I will smite thee as a fond mother smites her son. '

'Which of the men of Ireland speaks thus to me?' said Fergus. 

'Cuchulainn Mac Sualtaim, sister's son to Conchobar, ' saidCuchulainn; 'and avoid me, ' said he. 

'I have promised even that, ' said Fergus. 

'Your promise falls due, then, ' said Cuchulainn. 

'Good, ' said Fergus, '(you avoided me), when you are pierced withwounds. '

Then Fergus went away with his cantred; the Leinstermen go and theMunstermen; and they left in the battle nine cantreds of Medb's andAilill's and their seven sons. 

In the middle of the day it is that Cuchulainn came into thebattle; when the sun came into the leaves of the wood, it is thenthat he defeated the last company, so that there remained of thechariot only a handful of the ribs about the body, and a handful ofthe shafts about the wheel. 

Cuchulainn overtook Medb then when he went into the battle. 

'Protect me, ' said Medb. 

'Though I should slay thee with a slaying, it were lawful for me, 'said Cuchulainn. 

Then he protected her, because he used not to slay women. Heconvoyed them westward, till they passed Ath Luain. Then hestopped. He struck three blows with his sword on the stone in AthLuain. Their name is the Maelana [Note: i. E. , flat-topped hills] ofAth Luain. 

When the battle was broken, then said Medb to Fergus: 'Faults andmeet here to-day, O Fergus, ' said she. 

'It is customary, ' said Fergus, 'to every herd which a mareprecedes; . . . After a woman who has ill consulted their interest. '

They take away the Bull then in that morning of the battle, so thathe met the White-horned at Tarbga in Mag Ai; i. E. Tarbguba orTarbgleo. [Note: 'Bull-Sorrow or Bull-Fight, ' etymologicalexplanation of Tarbga. ] The first name of that hill was Roi Dedond. Every one who escaped in the fight was intent on nothing butbeholding the two Bulls fighting. 

Bricriu Poison-tongue was in the west in his sadness after Fergushad broken his head with his draughtmen [Note: This story is toldin the _Echtra Nerai_. (See _Revue Celtique_, vol. X. P. 227. )] Hecame with the rest then to see the combat of the Bulls. The twoBulls went in fighting over Bricriu, so that he died therefrom. That is the Death of Bricriu. 

The foot of the Dun of Cualnge lighted on the horn of the other. For a day and a night he did not draw his foot towards him, tillFergus incited him and plied a rod along his body. 

''Twere no good luck, ' said Fergus, 'that this conbative old calfwhich has been brought here should leave the honour of clan andrace; and on both sides men have been left dead through you. 'Therewith he drew his foot to him so that his leg (?) was broken, and the horn sprang from the other and was in the mountain by him. It was Sliab n-Adarca [Note: Mountain of the Horn. ] afterwards. 

He carried them then a journey of a day and a night, till helighted in the loch which is by Cruachan, and he came to Cruachanout of it with the loin and the shoulder-blade and the liver of theother on his horns. Then the hosts came to kill him. Fergus did notallow it, but that he should go where he pleased. He came then tohis land and drank a draught in Findlethe on coming. It is therethat he left the shoulderblade of the other. Findlethe afterwardswas the name of the land. He drank another draught in Ath Luain; heleft the loin of the other there: hence is Ath Luain. He gave forthhis roar on Iraird Chuillend; it was heard through all theprovince. He drank a draught in Tromma. There the liver of theother fell from his horns; hence is Tromma. He came to Etan Tairb. [Note: The Bull's Forehead. ] He put his forehead against the hillat Ath Da Ferta; hence is Etan Tairb in Mag Murthemne. Then he wenton the road of Midluachair in Cuib. There he used to be with themilkless cow of Dairi, and he made a trench there. Hence is GortBuraig. [Note: The Field of the Trench. ] Then he went till he diedbetween Ulster and Iveagh at Druim Tairb. Druim Tairb is the nameof that place. 

Ailill and Medb made peace with the Ulstermen and with Cuchulainn. For seven years after there was no wounding of men between them. Findabair stayed with Cuchulainn, and the Connaughtmen went totheir country, and the Ulstermen to Emain Macha with their greattriumph. Finit, amen.