THE ANCIENT IRISH
EPIC TALE
TÁIN BÓ CÚALNGE

Now for the first time done entire into English out of the Irish of the Book of Leinster and Allied Manuscripts

The Gaelic Literature of Ireland is vast in extent and rich in quality. The inedited manuscript materials, if published, would occupy several hundred large volumes. Of this mass only a small portion has as yet been explored by scholars. Nevertheless three saga-cycles stand out from the rest, distinguished for their compass, age and literary worth, those, namely, of the gods, of the demigod Cuchulain, and of Finn son of Cumhall. The Cuchulain cycle, also called the Ulster cycle—from the home of its hero in the North of Ireland—forms the core of this great mass of epic material. It is also known as the cycle of Conchobar, the king round whom the Ulster warriors mustered, and, finally, it has been called the Red Branch Cycle from the name of the banqueting hall at Emain Macha in Ulster.

Only a few of the hundred or more tales which once belonged to this cycle have survived. There are some dozen in particular, technically known as Remscéla or "Foretales," because they lead up to and explain the great Táin, the Táin Bó Cúalnge, "The Cualnge Cattle-raid," the Iliad of Ireland, as it has been called, the queen of Irish epic tales, and the wildest and most fascinating saga-tale, not only of the entire Celtic world, but even of all western Europe.

The mediaeval Irish scholars catalogued their native literature under several heads, probably as an aid to the memory of the professional poets or story-tellers whose stock-in-trade it was, and to one of these divisions they xii gave the name Táinte, plural of Táin. By this term, which is most often followed by the genitive plural bó, "cows," they meant "a driving," or "a reaving," or even "a drove" or "herd" of cattle. It is only by extension of meaning that this title is applied to the Táin Bó Cúalnge, the most famous representative of the class, for it is not, strictly speaking, with the driving of cattle that it deals but with that of the Brown Bull of Cualnge. But, since to carry off the bull implies the carrying off of the herd of which he was the head, and as the "Brown" is always represented as accompanied by his fifty heifers, there were sufficient grounds for putting the Brown Bull Quest in the class of Cow-spoils.

The prominence accorded to this class of stories in the early literature of Ireland is not to be wondered at when the economic situation of the country and the stage of civilization of which they are the faithful mirror is borne in mind.¹ Since all wars are waged for gain, and since among the Irish, who are still very much a nation of cattle raisers, cattle was the chief article of wealth and measure of value,² so marauding expeditions from one district into another for cattle must have been of frequent occurrence, just as among the North American Indians tribal wars used to be waged for the acquisition of horses. That this had been a common practice among their kinsmen on the Continent also we learn from Caesar's account of the Germans (and Celts?) who, he says, practised warfare not only for a means of subsistence but also for exercising their xiii warriors. How long-lived the custom has been amongst the Gaelic Celts, as an occupation or as a pastime, is evident not only from the plundering incursions or "creaghs"³ as they are called in the Highlands and described by Scott in Waverley and The Fair Maid of Perth, but also from the "cattle-drives" which have been resorted to in our own day in Ireland, though these latter had a different motive than plunder. As has been observed by Sir Henry Sumner Maine, Lord Macaulay was mistaken in ascribing this custom to "some native vice of Irish character," for, as every student of ancient Ireland may perceive, it is rather to be regarded as "a survival, an ancient and inveterate habit" of the race.

One of these many Cattle-preys was the Táin Bó Cúalnge,⁴ which, there can be little doubt, had behind it no mere myth but some kernel of actual fact. Its historical basis is that a Connacht chieftain and his lady went to war with Ulster about a drove of cattle. The importance of a racial struggle between the north-east province and the remaining four grand provinces of Ireland cannot be ascribed to it. There is, it is true, strong evidence to show that two chief centres, political, if not cultural and national, existed at the time of the Táin in Ireland, Cruachan Ai, near the present Rathcroghan in Connacht, and Emain Macha, the Navan Fort, two miles west of Armagh in Ulster, and it is with the friendly or hostile relations of these two that the Ultonian cycle of tales deals. Ulster, or, more precisely, the eastern portion of the Province, was the scene of all the Cattle-raids, and there is a degree of truth in the couplet,—

But there are no indications of a racial clash or war of tribes. With the exception of the Oghamic writings inscribed on the pillar-stones by Cuchulain, which seem to require interpretation to the men of Connacht by Ulstermen, the description of the warriors mustered by the Connacht warrior queen and those gathered round King Conchobar of Ulster accord quite closely.

The Táin Bó Cúalnge is the work not of any one man but of a corporation of artists known as filid. The author of the Táin in its present state, whoever he may have been, was a strong partisan of Ulster and never misses an opportunity of flattering the pride of her chieftains. Later a kind of reaction against the pre-eminence given to Ulster and the glorification of its hero sets in, and a group of stories arises in which the war takes a different end and Cuchulain is shown to disadvantage, finally to fall at the hands of a Munster champion. It is to this southern province that the saga-cycle which followed the Cuchulain at an interval of two hundred years belongs, namely, the Fenian saga,—the saga of Finn son of Cumhall, which still flourishes among the Gaelic speakers of Ireland and Scotland, while the Cuchulain stories have almost died out among them. The mingling of the two sagas is the work of the eighteenth-century Scots Lowlander, James Macpherson.

The Táin Bó Cúalnge is one of the most precious monuments of the world's literature, both because of the poetic worth it evidences at an early stage of civilization, and for the light it throws on the life of the people among whom it originated and that of their ancestors centuries earlier. It is not less valuable and curious because it shows us the earlier stages of an epic—an epic in the making—which it does better perhaps than any other work in literature. Ireland had at hand all the materials for a great national xv epic, a wealth of saga-material replete with interesting episodes, picturesque and dramatic incidents and strongly defined personages, yet she never found her Homer, a gifted poet to embrace her entire literary wealth, to piece the disjointed fragments together, smooth the asperities and hand down to posterity the finished epic of the Celtic world, superior, perhaps, to the Iliad or the Odyssey. What has come down to us is "a sort of patchwork epic," as Prescott called the Ballads of the Cid, a popular epopee in all its native roughness, wild phantasy and extravagance of deed and description as it developed during successive generations. It resembles the frame of some huge ship left unfinished by the builders on the beach and covered with shells and drift from the sea of Celtic tradition. From the historical standpoint, however, and as a picture of the old barbaric Celtic culture, and as a pure expression of elemental passion, it is of more importance to have the genuine tradition as it developed amongst the people, unvarnished by poetic art and uninfluenced by the example of older and alien societies.

According to the Chronicles of Ireland, as formulated in the Annals of Tigernach,⁵ who died in 1088, King Conchobar of Ulster began to reign in the year 30 b.c., and he is said to have died of grief at the news that Christ had been crucified. His reign therefore lasted about sixty years. Cuchulain died in the year 39 a.d. in the twenty-seventh year of his age, as we learn from the following entry: "The death of Cuchulain, the bravest hero of the Irish, by Lugaid son of Three Hounds, king of Munster, and by Erc, king of Tara, son of Carbre Niafer, and by the three sons of Calatin of Connacht. Seven years was his age when he assumed arms, seventeen was xvi his age when he followed the Driving of the Kine of Cualnge, but twenty-seven years was his age when he died."⁶

A very different account is given in the manuscript known as H. 3. 17, Trinity College, Dublin, quoted by O'Curry in his Manuscript Materials, page 508. The passage concludes with the statement: "So that the year of the Táin was the fifty-ninth year of Cuchulain's age, from the night of his birth to the night of his death." The record first quoted, however, is partly corroborated by the following passage which I translate from the Book of Ballymote, facsimilé edition, page 13, col. a, lines 9-21: "In the fourteenth year of the reign of Conairè (killed in 40 b.c.) and of Conchobar, the Blessed Virgin was born. At that time Cuchulain had completed thirteen years; and in the fourth year after the birth of Mary, the expedition of the Kine of Cualnge took place ... that is, in the eighteenth year of the reign of Conairè. Cuchulain had completed his seventeenth year at that time. That is, it was in the thirty-second year of the reign of Octavius Augustus that the same expedition took place. Eight years after the Táin Bó Cúalnge, Christ was born, and Mary had completed twelve years then, and that was in the fortieth year of the reign of Octavius Augustus; and in the twenty-sixth year of the reign of Conairè and Conchobar, and in the second year after the birth of Christ, Cuchulain died. And twenty-seven years was Cuchulain's age at that time."

These apparent synchronisms, of course, may only rest upon the imagination of the Christian annalists of Ireland, who hoped to exalt their ancient rulers and heroes by bringing them into relation with and even making them participate xvii in the events of the life of the Saviour. But in placing the date of the expedition of the Táin at about the beginning of the Christian era, Irish tradition is undoubtedly correct, as appears from the character of the civilization depicted in the Ulster tales, which corresponds in a remarkable degree with what authors of antiquity have recorded of the Celts and with the character of the age which archaeologists call "la Tène," or "Late Celtic," which terminates at the beginning of the first century of our era. Oral tradition was perhaps occupied for five hundred years working over and developing the story of the Táin, and by the close of the fifth century the saga to which it belonged was substantially the one we have now. The text of the tale must have been completed by the first half of the seventh century, and, as we shall see, its oldest extant version, the Book of the Dun, dates from about the year 1100.

But, whatever may be the precise dates of these events, which we are not in a position to determine more accurately, the composition of the Táin Bó Cúalnge antedates by a considerable margin the epic tales of the Anglo-Saxons, the Scandinavians, the Franks and the Germans. It is the oldest epic tale of western Europe, and it and the cycle of tales to which it belongs form "the oldest existing literature of any of the peoples to the north of the Alps."⁷ The deeds it recounts belong to the heroic age of Ireland three hundred years before the introduction of Christianity into the island, and its spirit never ceased to remain markedly pagan. The mythology that permeates it is one of the most primitive manifestations of the personification of the natural forces which the Celts worshipped. Its historical background, social organization, chivalry, mood and thought and its heroic ideal are to a large extent, and with perhaps some pre-Aryan survivals, not only those of xviii the insular Celts of two thousand years ago, but also of the important and wide-spread Celtic race with whom Caesar fought and who in an earlier period had sacked Rome and made themselves feared even in Greece and Asia Minor.

The following is the Argument of the Táin Bó Cúalnge, which, for the sake of convenience, is here divided into sections:

One night at the palace of Cruachan in Connacht, a dispute arose between Queen Medb, the sometime wife of Conchobar, king of Ulster, and her consort Ailill, as to the amount of their respective possessions. It may be remarked in passing that in those days in Ireland, married women retained their private fortune independent of their husbands, as well as the dowry secured to them in marriage. To procure the evidence of their wealth, the royal pair sent messengers to assemble all their chattels which, on comparison, were found to be equal, excepting only that among Ailill's kine was a lordly bull called Finnbennach, "the Whitehorned," whose match was not to be found in the herds of the queen.

As we might expect, Medb was chagrined at the discovery. Now her herald macRoth had told her that Darè macFiachna, a landowner of Cualnge, a district in the territory of her former husband, possessed an even more wonderful bull than Ailill's, called Donn Cualnge, "the Brown Bull of Cualnge." So she despatched macRoth to Darè to pray for the loan of the bull.

Darè received the queen's messengers hospitably and readily granted her request, but in the course of the entertainment, one of the messengers, deep in his cups, spoke xix against Darè, and he, hearing this, withdrew his promise and swore that he would never hand over the Brown Bull of Cualnge.

The impetuous queen, enraged at the failure of her mission, immediately mustered a formidable army, composed not only of her Connachtmen but also of allies from all parts of Ireland, wherewith to undertake the invasion of Ulster. On her side were the Ulster chieftains who had gone into exile into Connacht after the treacherous slaughter of the sons of Usnech by King Conchobar of Ulster. Chief among them was Fergus, who, moreover, had a personal grievance against Conchobar. For, while Fergus was king of Ulster, he had courted the widow Ness and, in order to win her, promised to abdicate for the term of one year in favour of her son Conchobar. But when the term had elapsed, the youth refused to relinquish the throne, and Fergus in anger entered the service of Medb of Connacht. There he was loaded with favours, became the counsellor of the realm and, as appears from more than one allusion in the tale, the more than friend of the wife of King Ailill.

The four leagued provinces of Ireland being gathered at Cruachan, the guidance of the host was entrusted to Fergus, because he was acquainted with the province of Ulster through which they were to march, and at the beginning of winter—a point emphasized by the exponents of the sun-theory—the mighty host, including in its ranks the king and queen and some of the greatest warriors of Ireland, with the princess Finnabair as a lure, set forth on the raid into Ulster.

They crossed the Shannon near Athlone and, marching through the province of Meath, arrived at the borders of Cualnge. Fortunately for the invaders, the expedition took place while the Ulstermen lay prostrate in their cess, xx or "Pains," a mysterious state of debility or torpor which was inflicted on them periodically in consequence of an ancient curse laid upon Conchobar and the warriors of Ulster as a punishment for a wrong done to the goddess Macha. This strange malady, resembling the couvade among certain savage nations, ordinarily lasted five days and four nights, but on this occasion the Ulstermen were prostrate from the beginning of November till the beginning of February. During all that time the burden of defending the province fell on the shoulders of the youthful champion Cuchulain, who had in his particular charge the plain of Murthemne, the nearest district to Cualnge, the goal of the expedition. For Cuchulain and his father Sualtaim were alone exempt from the curse and the "Pains" which had befallen the remainder of the champions of Ulster.

The Connacht host had not proceeded far when they came upon evidence of some mighty force that opposed them. In answer to the inquiries of Ailill and Medb, Fergus explains that it is Cuchulain who disputes their further advance, and, as evidence of the superhuman strength and prowess of the Ulster youth, then in the seventeenth year of his age, the Ulster exiles recount the mighty deeds he had performed in his boyhood, chief among which is the tale according to which, as eric for the killing of the hound of Culann the Smith, the boy-hero Setanta assumed the station and the name which ever after clung to him of Cuchulain, "the Hound of Culann."

Cuchulain agrees to allow the Connacht host to continue their march on condition that every day they send one of xxi their champions to meet him in single combat. When he shall have killed his opponent, the host shall halt and pitch camp until the following morning. Medb agrees to abide by these terms. In each of the contests which ensue, the heroic youth is victorious and slays many of the most celebrated warriors on the side of Connacht. The severest of all these single combats was the one in which he had as opponent his former friend and foster-brother Ferdiad. At the end of a four days' battle, in which both adversaries exhibited astounding deeds of valour, Ferdiad fell by the hands of Cuchulain.

Impatient at these delays, Medb broke the sacred laws of ancient Irish chivalry and led her army into Ulster, overrunning the province, pillaging and burning as she went, even up to the walls of Emain Macha, the residence of Conchobar, and finally took possession of the Brown Bull of Cualnge.

By this time King Conchobar and his warriors have come out of their debility and summoned their forces to an eminence in Slane of Meath. The great gathering of the Ulstermen is reported to Medb by her trusty herald macRoth, and from his description of the leaders and their troops, their exiled countryman Fergus designates them to the nobles of Connacht. In the final battle Medb's army is repulsed and retreats in flight into Connacht. Thus each host has had its share of the fortunes of war: Medb has laid waste the lands of her divorced husband and carried off the Brown Bull of Cualnge, the prize of war, while on the other hand, Conchobar has won the victory in the great battle of Garech and Ilgarech.

On the way back to Connacht, the Brown Bull of Cualnge emitted such terrible bellowings that they reached the ears of the Whitehorned remaining at home in his stall in Cruachan, whence he rushed at full speed to attack the other. A furious battle took place between the bulls, but the Brown was the stronger, and raising his rival on his horns he shook the Whitehorned into fragments over all Ireland. He then returned in fury to Ulster, and in his wild rage dashed his head against a rock and was killed.

The Táin Bó Cúalnge has been preserved, more or less complete, in a score of manuscripts ranging in date from the beginning of the twelfth to the middle of the nineteenth century. There probably existed other manuscripts containing not only the Táin as we have it but even episodes now wanting in it. All of the extant manuscripts go back to versions which date from the seventh century or earlier. No manuscript of the Táin is wholly in the language of the time when it was copied, but, under the cloak of the contemporaneous orthography, contains forms and words so obsolete that they were not understood by the copyist, so that glossaries had to be compiled to explain them.

It is by a singular good fortune that this, the greatest of all the epic tales of the Irish, has been handed down to our day in the two most ancient and, for that reason, most precious of the great Middle Irish collections of miscellaneous contents known as the Leabhar na hUidhre, "the Book of The Dun (Cow)," and the Book of Leinster. The former and older of these vellum manuscripts (abbreviated LU.) is kept in the Library of the Royal Irish Academy at Dublin. It must have been written about the beginning of the twelfth century, for its compiler and writer, Moelmuire macCeilechair (Kelleher), is known to have been slain at Clonmacnois in the year 1106; some of its linguistic xxiii forms, however, are as old as the eighth century glosses. Unfortunately, LU.'s account of the Táin is incomplete at the beginning and the end, but the latter portion is made good by the closely related, though independent, version contained in the manuscript known as the Yellow Book of Lecan (abbreviated YBL.). This manuscript was written about the year 1391 and it is also kept in Dublin in the Library of Trinity College. To the same group as LU. and YBL., which for the sake of convenience we may call version A, belong also the British Museum MSS., Egerton 1782, a large fragment, and Egerton 114, both dating from the fifteenth or sixteenth century.

Version B comprises the closely related accounts of the Táin as contained in the Book of Leinster (abbreviated LL.) and the following MSS.: Stowe 984 (Royal Irish Academy), written in the year 1633 and giving, except for the loss of a leaf, a complete story of the Táin; H. 1. 13 (Trinity College, Dublin), written in the year 1745 and giving the Táin entire; Additional 18748 (abbreviated Add.), British Museum, copied in the year 1800 from a 1730 original; Egerton 209 and Egerton 106 (British Museum), both fragments and dating from the eighteenth century. Fragments of a modern version are also found in MS. LIX, Advocates' Library, Edinburgh.

To version C belong only fragments: H. 2. 17 (Trinity College, Dublin), dating from the end of the fourteenth or the beginning of the fifteenth century; the almost identical Egerton 93 (British Museum), consisting of only ten leaves and dating from nearly a century later, and H. 2. 12 (Trinity College, Dublin), consisting of only two pages.⁸ xxiv

The manuscripts belonging to each of these versions, A, B, and C, have sufficient traits in common to place them in a group by themselves. The question of the relationship of these manuscripts to one another and of the character of the suppositional archetype from which they are all descended is a most intricate one and one which has given rise to considerable discussion. The question still awaits a definite answer, which may never be forthcoming, because of the disappearance not only of the first draft of the Táin, but also of that of some of its later redactions. We must not overlook the possibility, either, of an otherwise faithful copyist having inserted in the text before him a passage, or even an entire episode, of his own fabrication. This, no doubt, happened not infrequently, especially in the earlier period of the copying of Irish manuscripts, and a single insertion of this kind, or the omission, intentionally or by oversight, of a part of the original from the copy might, it will easily be seen, lead one to conclude that there once existed a form of the story which as a matter of fact never existed.

The version of the Táin which I have chosen as the basis for my translation is the one found in the Book of Leinster (Leabhar Laighneach), a voluminous vellum manuscript sometime called the Book of Glendalough and now kept in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, catalogue number H. 2. 18. Only a part of the original book remains. It dates from about the year 1150. This date is established by two entries in the manuscript itself: "Aed son of Crimthann (Hugh macGriffin) hath written this book and out of many books hath he compiled it" (facsimilé, at the bottom of page 313). Who this Aed was will be clear from the other entry. It appears that he had lent the manuscript while still unfinished to Finn macGorman, xxv who was Bishop of Kildare from 1148 and died in the year 1160, and who on returning the book wrote in it the following laudatory note in Irish to Aed: "(Life) and health from Finn, the Bishop of Kildare, to Aed son of Crimthann, tutor of the chief king (i.e. of King Dermod macMurrogh, the infamous prince who half a century later invited Strongbow and the Normans to come over from Wales to Ireland) of Mug Nuadat's Half (i.e. of Leinster and Munster), and successor of Colum son of Crimthann (this Colum was abbot of Tir da ghlass the modern Terryglas on the shore of Lough Derg, in the County Tipperary—and died in the year 548), and chief historian of Leinster in respect of wisdom and intelligence, and cultivation of books, science and learning. And let the conclusion of this little tale (i.e. the story of Ailill Aulom son of Mug Nuadat, the beginning of which was contained in the book which Finn returns) be written for me accurately by thee, O cunning Aed, thou man of the sparkling intellect. May it be long before we are without thee. My desire is that thou shouldst always be with us. And let macLonan's Songbook be given to me, that I may understand the sense of the poems that are in it. Et vale in Christo."⁹

It would seem from another note in the manuscript¹⁰ that the Book of Leinster afterwards belonged to some admirer of King Dermod, for he wrote: "O Mary! Great was the deed that was done in Ireland this day, the kalends of August (1166)—Dermod, son of Donnoch macMurrogh, King of Leinster and of the (Dublin) Danes to be banished by the men of Ireland over the sea eastwards. Woe, woe is me, O Lord, what shall I do!"¹¹

My reason for founding the translation on the LL. version, in spite of the fact that its composition is posterior by half a century to that of LU., was not merely out of respect for the injunction of the scribe of the ne varietur and to merit his blessing (page 369), but also because LL.'s is the oldest complete version of the Táin extant. Though as a rule (and as is easily discernible from a comparison of LU. and LL.), the shorter, terser and cruder the form of a tale is, the more primitive it is, yet it is not always the oldest preserved form of a work that represents the most ancient form of the story. Indeed, it is not at all improbable that LL. contains elements which represent a tradition antedating the composition of LU. At all events, LL. has these strong points in its favour, that, of all the versions, it is the most uniform and consistent, the most artistically arranged, the one with most colour and imagination, and the one which lends itself most readily to translation, both in itself and because of the convenient Irish text provided by Professor Windisch's edition. In order to present the Táin in its completest form, however, I have adopted the novel plan of incorporating in the LL. account the translations of what are known as conflate readings. These, as a rule, I have taken from no manuscript that does not demonstrably go back to a twelfth or earlier century redaction. Some of these additions consist of but a single word: others extend over several pages. This dovetailing could not always be accomplished with perfect accuracy, but no variants have been added that do not cohere with the context or destroy the continuity of the story. Whatever slight inconsistencies there may be in the accounts of single episodes, they are outweighed, in my opinion, by the value and interest of the additions. In all cases, however, the reader can control the translation by means of the foot-notes which xxvii indicate the sources and distinguish the accretions from the basic text. The numerous passages in which Eg. 1782 agrees with LU. and YBL. have not all been marked. The asterisk shows the beginning of each fresh page in the lithographic facsimilé of LL., and the numbers following "W" in the upper left hand margin show the corresponding lines in the edition of the Irish text by Windisch.

In general, I believe it should be the aim of a translator to give a faithful rather than a literal version of his original. But, owing to the fact that so little of Celtic scholarship has filtered down even to the upper strata of the educated public and to the additional fact that the subject matter is so incongruous to English thought, the first object of the translator from the Old Irish must continue to be, for some time to come, rather exactness in rendering than elegance, even at the risk of the translation appearing laboured and puerile. This should not, however, be carried to the extent of distorting his own idiom in order to imitate the idiomatic turns and expressions of the original. In this translation, I have endeavoured to keep as close to the sense and the literary form of the original as possible, but when there is conflict between the two desiderata, I have not hesitated to give the first the preference. I have also made use of a deliberately archaic English as, in my opinion, harmonizing better with the subject. It means much to the reader of the translation of an Old Irish text to have the atmosphere of the original transferred as perfectly as may be, and this end is attained by preserving its archaisms and quaintness of phrase, its repetitions and inherent crudities and even, without suppression or attenuation, the grossness of speech of our less prudish ancestors, which is also a mark of certain primitive habits of life but which an over-fastidious translator through delicacy of feeling might wish to omit. These side-lights on the semi-barbaric xxviii setting of the Old Irish sagas are of scarcely less interest and value than the literature itself.

The Táin Bó Cúalnge, like most of the Irish saga-tales as they have come down to us in their Middle Irish dress, is chiefly in prose, but interspersed with verse. The verse-structure is very intricate and is mostly in strophic form composed of verses of fixed syllabic length, rhymed and richly furnished with alliteration. There is a third form of speech which is neither prose nor verse, but partakes of the character of both, a sort of irregular, rhymeless verse, without strophic division and exceedingly rich in alliteration, internal rhyme and assonance. This kind of speech, resembling in a way the dithyrambic passages in the Old Testament, was known to the native Irish scholars as rosc and it is usually marked in the manuscripts by the abbreviation R. It was used in short, impetuous outbursts on occasions of triumph or mourning.

While, on the whole, I believe the student will feel himself safer with a prose translation of a poem than with one in verse, it has seemed to me that a uniform translation of the Táin Bó Cúalnge in prose would destroy one of its special characteristics, which is that in it both prose and verse are mingled. It was not in my power, however, to reproduce at once closely and clearly the metrical schemes and the rich musical quality of the Irish and at the same time compress within the compass of the Irish measure such an analytic language as English, which has to express by means of auxiliaries what is accomplished in Early Irish by inflection. But I hope to have accomplished the main object of distinguishing the verse from the prose without sacrifice of the thought by the simple device of turning the verse-passages into lines of the same syllabic length as those of the original—which is most often the normal seven-syllable line—but without any attempt at imitating the rhyme-system or alliteration.

In order not to swell the volume of the book, the notes have been reduced to the indispensable minimum, reserving the commentary and the apparatus of illustrative material for another volume, which we hope some day to be able to issue, wherein more definitely critical questions can be discussed. There are a few Irish words which have been retained in the translation and which require a word of explanation: The Old Irish geis (later, also geas¹²; plural geasa) has as much right to a place in the English vocabulary as the Polynesian word tabu, by which it is often translated. It is sometimes Englished "injunction," "condition," "prohibition," "bond," "ban," "charm," "magical decree," or translated by the Scots-Gaelic "spells," none of which, however, expresses the idea which the word had according to the ancient laws of Ireland. It was an adjuration by the honour of a man, and was either positive or negative. The person adjured was either compelled or made in duty bound to do a certain thing, or, more commonly, was prohibited from doing it. The Old Irish gilla is often translated "vassal," "youth," "boy," "fellow," "messenger," "servant," "page," "squire" and "guide," but these words bear false connotations for the society of the time, as does the Anglicised form of the word, "gillie," which smacks of modern sport. It meant originally a youth in the third of the six ages of man. Compare the sense of the word varlet or valet in English, which was once "a more honourable title; for all young gentlemen, untill they come to be eighteen years of age, were termed so" (Cotgrave), and of the same word in Old French, which was "un jeune homme de condition honorable" (J. Loth, Les Mabinogion, I, page 40, note). A liss or rath is a fortified place enclosed by a circular mound or trench, or both. A dûn is a fortified residence surrounded by an earthen rampart. In the case of names of places and persons, I have xxx thought it best to adhere as closely as possible to the spellings used in the LL. manuscript itself. It is of the utmost importance to get the names of Irish places and of Irish heroes correctly determined and to discard their English corrupted spellings. There are certain barbarisms, however, such as Slane (Slemain), Boyne (Boann), and perhaps even Cooley (Cualnge), which have been stereotyped in their English dress and nothing is to be gained by reforming them. The forms Erin (dative of Eriu, the genuine and poetic name of the island) and Alba have been retained throughout instead of the hybrids "Ireland" and "Scotland." Final e is occasionally marked with a grave (e.g. Manè, Darè) to show that it is not silent as it often is in English.

I quite perceive that I have not always succeeded in reproducing the precise shade of meaning of words certain of which had become antiquated and even unintelligible to the native scholars of the later Middle Irish period themselves. This is especially true of the passages in rosc, which are fortunately not numerous and which were probably intentionally made as obscure and allusive as possible, the object being, perhaps, as much the music of the words as the sense. Indeed, in some cases, I have considered myself fortunate if I have succeeded in getting their mere drift. No one takes to heart more than the present writer the truth of Zimmer's remark, that "it needs no great courage to affirm that not one of the living Celtic scholars, with all the aids at their disposal, possesses such a ready understanding of the contents of, for example, the most important Old Irish saga-text, "The Cualnge Cattle-raid," as was required thirty or more years ago in Germany of a good Gymnasium graduate in the matter of the Homeric poems and without aids of any kind."¹³ However, in xxxi spite of its defects, I trust I have not incurred the censure of Don Quijote¹⁴ by doing what he accuses bad translators of and shown the wrong side of the tapestry, thereby obscuring the beauty and exactness of the work, and I venture to hope that my translation may prove of service in leading students to take an interest in the language and literature of Ireland.

The Táin has been analysed by J.T. Gilbert, in the facsimilé edition of LU., pages xvi-xviii, based on O'Curry's unpublished account written about 1853; by Eugene O'Curry in his "Lectures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History," pages 28-40, Dublin, 1861; by John Rhys in his "Lectures on the Origin and Growth of Religion as illustrated by Celtic Heathendom," page 136, the Hibbert Lectures, London, 1898; by J.A. MacCulloch in "The Religion of the Ancient Celts," pages 127 and 141, London, 1911; in the Celtic Magazine, vol. xiii, pages 427-430, Inverness, 1888; by Don. Mackinnon in the Celtic Review, vol. iv, page 92, Edinburgh, 1907-8; by H. d'Arbois de Jubainville, in Bibliothèque de l'école des chartes, tome xl, pages 148-150, Paris, 1879; by Bryan O'Looney, in the Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, Second Series, vol. I, pages 242-248, Dublin, 1879; by H. Lichtenberger, "Le Poème et la Légende des Nibelungen," pages 432-434, Paris, 1891; by Eleanor Hull, in "A Text Book of Irish Literature," Pt. I, p. 24, Dublin and London, 1906; by Victor Tourneur, "La Formation du Táin Bó Cúalnge," in Mélanges Godefroid Kurth, II, 413-424, Liège, 1908; by E.C. Quiggin, in the Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th edition, page 626.

The text of the Táin is found in whole or in part in the xxxiii facsimilé reprints published by the Royal Irish Academy, Dublin, 1870 and following; viz.: the Book of Leinster, folios 53b-104b; the Book of the Dun Cow, folios 55a-82b, and the Yellow Book of Lecan, folios 17a.-53a; in "Die Altirische Heldensage, Táin Bó Cúalnge, herausgegeben von Ernst Windisch, Irische Texte, Extraband, Leipzig, 1905"; from LU. and YBL., by John Strachan and J.G. O'Keeffe, as a supplement to Ériu, vol. i, Dublin, 1904 and fol.; our references to LU. and YBL. are from this edition as far as it appeared; from that point, the references to YBL. are to the pages of the facsimilé edition; the LU. text of several passages also is given by John Strachan in his "Stories from the Tain," which first appeared in Irisleabhar na Gaedhilge ("The Gaelic Journal"), Dublin; reprinted, London and Dublin, 1908; Max Nettlau, "The Fer Diad Episode of the Tain Bo Cuailnge," Revue Celtique, tome x, pages 330-346, tome xi, pages 23-32, 318-343; "The Fragment of the Tain Bo Cuailnge in MS. Egerton 93," Revue Celtique, tome xiv, pages 254-266, tome xv, pages 62-78, 198-208; R. Thurneysen, "Táin Bó Cúailghni nach H. 2. 17," Zeitschrift für Celtische Philologie, Bd. viii, S. 525-554; E. Windisch, "Táin Bó Cúailnge nach der Handschrift Egerton 1782," Zeitschrift für Celtische Philologie, Bd. ix, S. 121-158. The text of "The Fight at the Ford," from the Murphy MS. 103 (written about 1760), is printed in Irisleabhar Muighe Nuadhad, Dublin, 1911, pp. 84-90.

The Táin has been translated by Bryan O'Looney in a manuscript entitled "Tain Bo Cualnge. Translated from the original vellum manuscript known as the Book of Leinster, in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin. To which are added the ancient Prologues, Prefaces, and the Pretales or Stories, Adventures which preceded the principal Expedition or Tain, from various vellum MSS. in the Libraries of Trinity College and the Royal Irish Academy, Dublin, 1872." (A good translation, for its time. For xxxiv O'Looney's works on the Táin, see the Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, Second Series, Vol. i, No. 11, Polite Literature and Antiquities, Dublin, 1875; for W.J. Hennessy's, see The Academy, No. 873, Lee, "Dictionary of National Biography," xxv, 1891, pages 424-425, and V. Tourneur, "Esquisse d'une histoire des études celtiques," page 90, note 5.) The Royal Irish Academy contains another manuscript translation of the Táin (24, M, 39), by John O'Daly, 1857. It is a wretched translation. In one place, O'Daly speaks of William Rily as the translator. L. Winifred Faraday's "The Cattle-Raid of Cualnge," London, 1904, is based on LU. and YBL. Two copies of a complete translation of the LL. text dating from about 1850 is in the possession of John Quinn, Esq., of New York City. H. d'Arbois de Jubainville translated the Táin from the LL. text, but with many omissions: "Enlèvement [du Taureau Divin et] des Vaches de Cooley," Revue Celtique, tomes xxviii-xxxii, Paris, 1907 and fl. Eleanor Hull's "The Cuchullin Saga," London, 1898, contains (pages 111-227) an analysis of the Táin and a translation by Standish H. O'Grady of portions of the Add. 18748 text. "The Táin, An Irish Epic told in English Verse," by Mary A. Hutton, Dublin, 1907, and Lady Augusta Gregory's, "Cuchulain of Muirthemne," London, 1903, are paraphrases. The episode "The Boyish Feats of Cuchulinn" was translated by Eugene O'Curry, "On the Manners and Customs of the Ancient Irish," Vol. i, Introduction, pages 359-366, and the episode "The Fight of Ferdiad and Cuchulaind," was translated by W.K. Sullivan, ibid., Vol. ii, Lectures, Vol. i, Appendix, pages 413-463.

Important studies on the Táin have come from the pen of Heinrich Zimmer: "Über den compilatorischen Charakter der irischen Sagentexte im sogenannten Lebor na hUidre," Kuhn's Zeitschrift für vergleichende Sprachforschung, Bd. xxviii, 1887, pages 417-689, and especially pages 426-554; xxxv "Keltische Beiträge," Zeitschrift für deutsches Alterthum und deutsche Litteratur, Vol. xxxii, 1888, pages 196-334; "Beiträge zur Erklärung irischer Sagentexte," Zeitschrift für Celtische Philologie, Bd. i, pages 74-101, and Bd. iii, pages 285-303. See also, William Ridgeway, "The Date of the first Shaping of the Cuchulainn Saga," Oxford, 1907; H. d'Arbois de Jubainville, "Étude sur le Táin Bó Cúalnge," Revue Celtique, tome xxviii, 1907, pages 17-40; Alfred Nutt, "Cuchulainn, the Irish Achilles," in Popular Studies in Mythology, Romance and Folklore, No. 8, London, 1900. The Celtic Magazine, Vol. xiii, pages 319-326, 351-359, Inverness, 1888, contains an English translation of a degenerated Scottish Gaelic version taken down by A.A. Carmichael, in Benbecula; the Gaelic text was printed in the Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness, Vol. ii. In the same volume of the Celtic Magazine, pages 514-516, is a translation of a version of the Táin, taken down in the island of Eigg. Eleanor Hull's "Cuchulain, the Hound of Ulster," London, 1911, is a retelling of the story for younger readers. The following, bearing more or less closely upon the Táin, are also to be mentioned: Harry G. Tempest, "Dun Dealgan, Cuchulain's Home Fort," Dundalk, 1910; A.M. Skelly, "Cuchulain of Muirtheimhne," Dublin, 1908; Standish O'Grady, "The Coming of Cuculain," London, 1894, "In the Gates of the North," Kilkenny, 1901, "Cuculain, A Prose Epic," London, 1882 and the same author's "History of Ireland: the Heroic Period," London, 1878-80; "The High Deeds of Finn, and other Bardic Romances of Ancient Ireland," by T.W. Rolleston, London, 1910; Stephen Gwynn, "Celtic Sagas Re-told," in his "To-day and To-morrow in Ireland," pages 38-58, Dublin, 1903; Edward Thomas, "Celtic Stories," Oxford, 1911; "Children of Kings," by W. Lorcan O'Byrne, London, 1904, and "The Boy Hero of Erin," by Charles Squire, London, 1907.

Among the many poems which have taken their theme from the Táin and the deeds of Cuchulain may be mentioned: "The Foray of Queen Meave," by Aubrey de Vere, Poetic Works, London, 1882, vol. ii, pages 255-343; "The Old Age of Queen Maeve," by William Butler Yeats, Collected Works, vol. I, page 41, London, 1908; "The Defenders of the Ford," by Alice Milligan, in her "Hero Lays," page 50, Dublin, 1908; George Sigerson, "Bards of the Gael and the Gall," London, 1897; "The Tain-Quest," by Sir Samuel Ferguson, in his "Lays of the Western Gael and other Poems," Dublin, 1897; "The Red Branch Crests, A Trilogy," by Charles Leonard Moore, London, 1906; "The Laughter of Scathach," by Fiona Macleod, in "The Washer of the Ford and Barbaric Tales"; Hector Maclean, "Ultonian Hero-Ballads collected in the Highlands and Western Isles of Scotland," Glasgow, 1892; ballad versions from Scotland are found in Leabhar na Feinne, pages 1 and fol., in J.G. Campbell's "The Fians," pages 6 and fol., and in the Book of the Dean of Lismore.

Finally, scenes from the Táin have been dramatized by Canon Peter O'Leary, in the Cork "Weekly Examiner," April 14, 1900 and fol., by Sir Samuel Ferguson, "The Naming of Cuchulain: A Dramatic Scene," first played in Belfast, March 9, 1910; in "The Triumph of Maeve," A Romance in dramatic form, 1906; "Cuchulain," etc., (A Cycle of Plays, by S. and J. Varian, Dublin), and in "The Boy-Deeds of Cuchulain," A Pageant in three Acts, performed in Dublin in 1909.

W. 1. LL. fo. 53. Once of a time, that Ailill and Medb had spread their royal bed in Cruachan, the stronghold of Connacht, such was the pillow-talk that befell betwixt them:

Quoth Ailill: "True is the saying, lady, 'She is a well-off woman that is a rich man's wife.'" "Aye, that she is," answered the wife; "but wherefore opin'st thou so?" "For this," Ailill replied, "that thou art this day better off than the day that first I took thee." Then answered Medb: "As well-off was I before I ever saw thee." "It was a wealth, forsooth, we never heard nor knew of," Ailill said; "but a woman's wealth was all thou hadst, and foes from lands next thine were used to carry off the spoil and booty that they took from thee." "Not so was I," quoth Medb; "the High King of Erin himself was my sire, Eocho Fedlech ('the Enduring') son of Finn, by name, who was son of Findoman, son of Finden, son of Findguin, son of Rogen Ruad ('the Red'), son of Rigen, son of Blathacht, son of Beothacht, son of Enna Agnech, son of Oengus Turbech. Of daughters, had he six: Derbriu, Ethne and Ele, Clothru, Mugain and Medb, myself, that was the noblest and seemliest of them. 'Twas I was the goodliest of them in bounty 2 W. 17. and gift-giving, ¹in riches and treasures.¹ 'Twas I was best of them in battle and strife and combat. 'Twas I that had fifteen hundred royal mercenaries of the sons of aliens exiled from their own land, and as many more of the sons of freemen of the land. And there were ten men with every one of these hirelings, ²and nine men with every hireling,² and eight men with every hireling, and seven men with every hireling, and six men with every hireling, and five men with every hireling, ³and four men with every hireling,³ and three men with every hireling, and two men with every hireling, and one hireling with every hireling. These were as a standing household-guard," continued Medb; "hence hath my father bestowed one of the five provinces of Erin upon me, even the province of Cruachan; wherefore 'Medb of Cruachan' am I called. Men came from Finn son of Ross Ruad ('the Red'), king of Leinster, to seel me ⁴for a wife, and I refused him;⁴ and from Carbre Niafer ('the Champion') son of Ross Ruad ('the Red'), king of Temair,^{a 5}to woo me, and I refused him;⁵ and they came from Conchobar son of Fachtna Fathach ('the Mighty'), king of Ulster, ⁶and I refused him in like wise.⁶ They came from Eocho Bec ('the Small'), and I went not; for 'tis I that exacted a singular bride-gift, such as no woman before me had ever required of a man of the men of Erin, namely, a husband without avarice, without jealousy, without fear. For should he be mean, the man with whom I should live, we were ill-matched together, inasmuch as I am great ^*LL. fo. 54a. in largess and gift-giving, and it would be a disgrace for my husband if I should be better 3 W. 34. at spending than he, ¹and for it to be said that I was superior in wealth and treasures to him¹, while no disgrace would it be were one as great as the other^a. Were my husband a coward, 'twere as unfit for us to be mated, for I by myself and alone break battles and fights and combats, and 'twould be a reproach for my husband should his wife be more full of life than himself, and no reproach our being equally bold. Should he be jealous, the husband with whom I should live, that too would not suit me, for there never was a time that I had not my paramour^b. Howbeit, such a husband have I found, namely in thee thyself, Ailill son of Ross Ruad ('the Red') of Leinster. Thou wast not churlish; thou wast not jealous; thou wast not a sluggard. It was I plighted thee, and gave purchase-price to thee, which of right belongs to the bride—of clothing, namely, the raiment of twelve men, a chariot worth thrice seven bondmaids, the breadth of thy face of red gold^c, the weight of thy left forearm of silvered bronze. Whoso brings shame and sorrow and madness upon thee, no claim for compensation nor satisfaction hast thou therefor that I myself have not, ²but it is to me the compensation belongs,"² said Medb, "for a man dependent upon a woman's maintenance is what thou art."^d

"Nay, not such was my state," said Ailill; "but two brothers had I; one of them over Temair, the other over Leinster; namely, Finn, over Leinster, and Carbre, over Temair. I left the kingship to them because they were 4 W. 52. older but not superior to me in largess and bounty. Nor heard I of province in Erin under woman's keeping but this province alone. And for this I came and assumed the kingship here as my mother's successor; for Mata of Muresc, daughter of Magach ¹of Connacht,¹ was my mother. And who could there be for me to have as my queen better than thyself, being, as thou wert, daughter of the High King of Erin?" "Yet so it is," pursued Medb, "my fortune is greater than thine." "I marvel at that," Ailill made answer, "for there is none that hath greater treasures and riches and wealth than I: yea, to my knowledge there is not."

W. 62. Then were brought to them the least precious of their possessions, that they might know which of them had the more treasures, riches and wealth. Their pails and their cauldrons and their iron-wrought vessels, their jugs and their keeves and their eared pitchers were fetched to them.

Likewise, their rings and their bracelets and their thumb-rings and their golden treasures were fetched to them, and their apparel, both purple and blue and black and green, yellow, vari-coloured and gray, dun, mottled and brindled.

Their numerous flocks of sheep were led in from fields and meeds and plains. These were counted and compared, and found to be equal, of like size, of like number; however, there was an uncommonly fine ram over Medb's sheep, and he was equal in worth to a bondmaid, but a corresponding ram was over the ewes of Ailill.

Their horses and steeds and studs were brought from pastures and paddocks. There was a noteworthy horse in Medb's herd and he was of the value of a bondmaid; a horse to match was found among Ailill's.

Then were their numerous droves of swine driven from woods and shelving glens and wolds. These were numbered and counted and claimed. There was a noteworthy boar With Medb, and yet another with Ailill.

Next they brought before them their droves of cattle 6 W. 77. and their herds and their roaming flocks from the brakes and wastes of the province.

These were counted and numbered and claimed, and were the same for both, equal in size, equal in number, except only there was an especial bull of the bawn of Ailill, and he was a calf of one of Medb's cows, and Finnbennach ('the Whitehorned') was his name. But he, deeming it no honour to be in a woman's possession, ^*LL. fo. 54b. had left and gone over to the kine of the king. And it was the same to Medb as if she owned not a pennyworth, forasmuch as she had not a bull of his size amongst her cattle.

Then it was that macRoth the messenger was summoned to Medb, and Medb strictly bade macRoth to learn where there might be found a bull of that likeness in any of the provinces of Erin. "Verily," said macRoth, "I know where the bull is that is best and better again, in the province of Ulster, in the hundred of Cualnge, in the house of Darè son of Fiachna; even Donn Cualnge ('the Brown Bull of Cualnge') he is called."

"Go thou to him, macRoth, and ask for me of Darè the loan for a year of the Brown Bull of Cualnge, and at the year's end he shall have the meed of the loan, to wit, fifty heifers and the Donn Cualnge himself. And bear thou a further boon with thee, macRoth. Should the border-folk and those of the country grudge the loan of that rare jewel that is the Brown Bull of Cualnge, let Darè himself come with his bull, and he shall get a measure equalling his own land of the smooth Plain of Ai and a chariot of the worth of thrice seven bondmaids and he shall enjoy my own close friendship."^a

Thereupon the messengers fared forth to the house of Darè son of Fiachna. This was the number wherewith macRoth went, namely, nine couriers. Anon welcome was 7 W. 99. lavished on macRoth in Darè's house—fitting, welcome it was—chief messenger of all was macRoth. Darè asked of macRoth what had brought him upon the journey and why he was come. The messenger announced the cause for which he was come and related the contention between Medb and Ailill.

"And it is to beg the loan of the Brown Bull of Cualnge to match the Whitehorned that I am come," said he; "and thou shalt receive the hire of his loan, even fifty heifers and the Brown of Cualnge himself. And yet more I may add: Come thyself with thy bull and thou shalt have of the land of the smooth soil of Mag Ai as much as thou ownest here, and a chariot of the worth of thrice seven bondmaids and enjoy Medb's friendship to boot."

At these words Darè was well pleased, and he leaped for joy so that the seams of his flock-bed rent in twain beneath him.

"By the truth of our conscience," said he; "however the Ulstermen take it, ¹whether ill or well,¹ this time this jewel shall be delivered to Ailill and to Medb, the Brown of Cualnge to wit, into the land of Connacht." Well pleased was macRoth at the words of the son of Fiachna.

Thereupon they were served, and straw and fresh rushes were spread under them. The choicest of food was brought to them and a feast was served to them and soon they were noisy and drunken. And a discourse took place between two of the messengers. "'Tis true what I say," spoke the one; "good is the man in whose house we are." "Of a truth, he is good." "Nay, is there one among all the men of Ulster better than he?" persisted the first. "In sooth, there is," answered the second messenger. "Better is Conchobar whose man he is, ²Conchobar who holds the kingship of the province.² And though all the Ulstermen 8 W. 120. gathered around him, it were no shame for them. Yet is it passing good of Darè, that what had been a task for the four mighty provinces of Erin to bear away from the land of Ulster, even the Brown Bull of Cualnge, is surrendered so freely to us nine footmen."

Hereupon a third runner had his say: "What is this ye dispute about?" he asked. "Yon runner says, 'A good man is the man in whose house we are.'" "Yea, he is good," saith the other. "Is there among all the Ulstermen any that is better than he?" demanded the first runner further. "Aye, there is," answered the second runner; "better is Conchobar whose man he is; and though all the Ulstermen gathered around him, it were no shame for them. Yet, truly good it is of Darè, that what had been a task for four of the grand provinces of Erin to bear away out of the borders of Ulster is handed over even unto us nine footmen." "I would not grudge to see a retch of blood and gore in the mouth whereout that was said; for, were the bull not given ^*LL. fo. 55a. willingly, yet should he be taken by force!"

At that moment it was that Darè macFiachna's chief steward came into the house and with him a man with drink and another with food, and he heard the foolish words of the runners; and anger came upon him, and he set down their food and drink for them and he neither said to them, "Eat," nor did he say, "Eat not."

Straightway he went into the house where was Darè macFiachna and said: "Was it thou that hast given that notable jewel to the messengers, the Brown Bull of Cualnge?" "Yea, it was I," Darè made answer. "Verily, it was not the part of a king to give him. For it is true what they say: Unless thou hadst bestowed him of thine own free will, so wouldst thou yield him in despite of thee by the host of Ailill and Medb and by the great cunning of Fergus macRoig." "I swear by the gods whom I worship," 9 W. 143. ¹spoke Darè,¹ "they shall in no wise take by foul means what they cannot take by fair!"

There they abide till morning. Betimes on the morrow the runners arise and proceed to the house where is Darè. "Acquaint us, lord, how we may reach the place where the Brown Bull of Cualnge is kept." "Nay then," saith Darè; "but were it my wont to deal foully with messengers or with travelling folk or with them that go by the road, not one of you would depart alive!" "How sayest thou?" quoth macRoth. "Great cause there is," replied Darè; "ye said, unless I yielded in good sort, I should yield to the might of Ailill's host and Medb's and the great cunning of Fergus."

"Even so," said macRoth, "whatever the runners drunken with thine ale and thy viands have said, 'tis not for thee to heed nor mind, nor yet to be charged on Ailill and on Medb." "For all that, macRoth, this time I will not give my bull, if ever I can help it!"

Back then the messengers go till they arrive at Cruachan, the stronghold of Connacht. Medb asks their tidings, and macRoth makes known the same: that they had not brought his bull from Darè. "And the reason?" demanded Medb. MacRoth recounts to her how the dispute arose. "There is no need to polish knots over such affairs as that, macRoth; for it was known," said Medb, "if the Brown Bull of Cualnge would not be given with their will, he would be taken in their despite, and taken he shall be!"

²To this point is recounted the Occasion of the Táin.²

W. 161. ²A mighty host was now assembled by the men of Connacht, that is, by Ailill and Medb, and they sent word to the three other provinces, and² messengers were despatched from Medb to the Manè that they should gather in Cruachan, the seven Manè with their seven divisions; to wit: Manè "Motherlike," Manè "Fatherlike," and Manè "All-comprehending", ³'twas he that possessed the form of his mother and of his father and the dignity of them both;³ Manè "Mildly-submissive," and Manè "Greatly-submissive," Manè "Boastful" ⁴and Manè "the Dumb."⁴

Other messengers were despatched ⁵by Ailill⁵ to the sons of Maga; to wit: to Cet ('the First') son of Maga, Anluan ('the Brilliant Light') son of Maga, and Maccorb ('Chariot-child') son of Maga, and Bascell ('the Lunatic') son of Maga, and En ('the Bird') son of Maga, Dochè son of Maga; and Scandal ('Insult') son of Maga.

These came, and this was their muster, thirty hundred armed men. Other messengers were despatched from them to Cormac Conlongas ('the Exile') son of Conchobar and to Fergus macRoig, and they also came, thirty hundred their number.

W. 173. ¹Now Cormac had three companies which came to Cruachan.¹ Before all, the first company. A covering of close-shorn ²black² hair upon them. Green mantles and ³many-coloured cloaks³ wound about them; therein, silvern brooches. Tunics of thread of gold next to their skin, ⁴reaching down to their knees,⁴ with interweaving of red gold. Bright-handled swords they bore, with guards of silver. ⁵Long shields they bore, and there was a broad, grey spearhead on a slender shaft in the hand of each man.⁵ "Is that Cormac, yonder?" all and every one asked. "Not he, indeed," Medb made answer.

The second troop. Newly shorn hair they wore ⁶and manes on the back of their heads,^{6 7}fair, comely indeed.⁷ Dark-blue cloaks they all had about them. Next to their skin, gleaming-white tunics, ^*LL. fo. 55b. ⁸with red ornamentation, reaching down to their calves.⁸ Swords they had with round hilts of gold and silvern fist-guards, ⁹and shining shields upon them and five-pronged spears in their hands.⁹ "Is yonder man Cormac?" all the people asked. "Nay, verily, that is not he," Medb made answer.

¹⁰Then came¹⁰ the last troop. Hair cut broad they wore; fair-yellow, deep-golden, loose-flowing back hair ¹¹down to their shoulders¹¹ upon them. Purple cloaks, fairly bedizened, about them; golden, embellished brooches over their breasts; ¹²and they had curved shields with sharp, chiselled edges around them and spears as long as the pillars of a king's house in the hand of each man.¹² Fine, long, silken tunics ¹³with hoods¹³ they wore to the very instep. Together they raised their feet, and together they set them down again. "Is that Cormac, yonder?" asked all. "Aye, it is he, ¹⁴this time,¹⁴" Medb made answer.

W. 186. ¹Thus the four provinces of Erin gathered in Cruachan Ai.¹ They pitched their camp and quarters that night, so that a thick cloud of smoke and fire rose between the four fords of Ai, which are, Ath Moga, Ath Bercna, Ath Slissen and Ath Coltna. And they tarried for the full space of a fortnight in Cruachan, the hostel of Connacht, in wassail and drink and every disport, to the end that their march and muster might be easier. ²And their poets and druids would not let them depart from thence till the end of a fortnight while awaiting good omen.² And then it was that Medb bade her charioteer to harness her horses for her, that she might go to address herself to her druid, to seek for light and for augury from him.

W. 194. When Medb was come to the place where her druid was, she craved light and augury of him. "Many there be," saith Medb, "who do part with their kinsmen and friends here to-day, and from their homes and their lands, from father and from mother; and unless unscathed every one shall return, upon me will they cast their sighs and their ban, ¹for it is I that have assembled this levy.¹ Yet there goeth not forth nor stayeth there at home any dearer to me than are we to ourselves. And do thou discover for us whether we ourselves shall return, or whether we shall never return."

And the druid made answer, "Whoever comes not, thou thyself shalt come." ²"Wait, then," spake the charioteer," let me wheel the chariot by the right,^b that thus the power of a good omen may arise that we return again."² Then the charioteer wheeled his chariot round and Medb went back ³again,³ when she espied a thing that surprised her: A lone virgin ⁴of marriageable age⁴ standing on the hindpole of a chariot a little way off drawing nigh her. And thus the maiden appeared: Weaving lace was she, and in her right hand was a bordering rod of silvered 14 W. 204. bronze with its seven strips of red gold at the sides. A many-spotted green mantle around her; a bulging, strong-headed pin ¹of gold¹ in the mantle over her bosom; ²a hooded tunic, with red interweaving, about her.² A ruddy, fair-faced countenance she had, ³narrow below and broad above.³ She had a blue-grey and laughing eye; ⁴each eye had three pupils.^{4 5}Dark and black were her eyebrows; the soft, black lashes threw a shadow to the middle of her cheeks.⁵ Red and thin were her lips. Shiny and pearly were her teeth; thou wouldst believe they were showers of white pearls that had rained into her head. Like to fresh Parthian crimson were her lips. As sweet as the strings of lutes ⁶when long sustained they are played by master players' hands⁶ was the melodious sound of her voice and her fair speech.

As white as snow in one night fallen was the sheen of her skin and her body that shone outside of her dress. Slender and very white were her feet; rosy, even, sharp-round nails she had; ⁷two sandals with golden buckles about them.⁷ Fair-yellow, long, golden hair she wore; three braids of hair ⁸she wore; two tresses were wound⁸ around her head; the other tress ⁹from behind⁹ threw a shadow down on her calves. ¹⁰The maiden carried arms, and two black horses were under her chariot.¹⁰

Medb gazed at her. "And what doest thou here now, O maiden?" asked Medb. "I impart ^*LL. fo. 56a. to thee thine advantage and good fortune in thy gathering and muster of the four mighty provinces of Erin against the land of Ulster on the Raid for the Kine of Cualnge." "Wherefore doest thou this for me?" asked Medb. "Much cause have I. A bondmaid 'mid thy people am I." "Who of 15 W. 220. my people art thou ¹and what is thy name¹?" asked Medb. "Not hard, in sooth, to say. The prophetess Fedelm, from the Sid ('the Fairy Mound') of Cruachan, ²a poetess of Connacht² am I." ³"Whence comest thou?" asked Medb. "From Alba, after learning prophetic skill," the maiden made answer. "Hast thou the form of divination?"^b "Verily, have I," the maiden said.^{3 4}"Look, then, for me, how will my undertaking be." The maiden looked. Then spake Medb:—⁴

"Good now,

⁵Fedelm answered and spoke:⁵

⁶"That is no true augury,"⁶ said Medb. "Verily, Conchobar ⁷with the Ulstermen⁷ is in his 'Pains' in Emain; thither fared my messengers ⁸and brought me true tidings⁸; naught is there that we need dread from Ulster's men. But speak truth, O Fedelm:—

⁹"That is no true augury.⁹ Cuscraid Mend ('the Stammerer') of Macha, Conchobar's son, is in Inis Cuscraid ('Cuscraid's Isle') in his 'Pains.' Thither fared my messengers; naught need we fear from Ulster's men. But speak truth, O Fedelm:—

"Eogan, Durthacht's son, is in Rath Airthir ('the Eastern Rath') in his 'Pains.' Thither went my messengers. Naught need we dread from Ulster's men. But speak truth, O Fedelm:—

"Celtchar, Uthechar's son, is in his fort ¹at Lethglas¹ in his 'Pains,' ²and a third of the Ulstermen with him.² Thither fared my messengers. Naught have we to fear from Ulster's men. ³And Fergus son of Roig son of Eochaid is with us here in exile, and thirty hundred with him.³ But speak truth, O Fedelm:—

"Meseemeth this not as it seemeth to thee," quoth Medb, "for when Erin's men shall assemble in one place, there quarrels will arise and broils, contentions and disputes amongst them about the ordering of themselves in the van or rear, at ford or river, over who shall be first at killing a boar or a stag or a deer or a hare. But, ⁴look now again for us and⁴ speak truth, O Fedelm:—

Therewith she began to prophesy and to foretell the coming of Cuchulain to the men of Erin, and she chanted a lay:—

Thus far the Augury and the Prophecy and the Preface of the Tale, and the Occasion of its invention and conception, and the Pillow-talk which Ailill and Medb had in Cruachan. ¹Next follows the Body of the Tale itself.¹

W. 301. and the Beginning of the Expedition and the Names of the Roads which the hosts of the four of the five grand provinces of Erin took into the land of Ulster. ¹On Monday after Summer's end^{1 2}they set forth and proceeded:²

³South-east from Cruachan Ai,³ by Mag Cruimm, over Tuaim Mona ('the Hill of Turf'), by Turloch Teora Crich ('the Creek of three Lands'), by Cul ('the Nook') of Silinne, by Dubloch ('Black Lough'), ⁴by Fid Dubh ('Black Woods'),⁴ by Badbgna, by Coltain, by the Shannon, by Glune Gabur, by Mag Trega, by Tethba in the north, by Tethba in the south, by Cul ('the Nook'), by Ochain, northwards by Uatu, eastwards by Tiarthechta, by Ord ('the Hammer'), by Slaiss ('the Strokes'), ⁵southwards,⁵ by Indeoin ('the Anvil'), by Carn, by Meath, by Ortrach, by Findglassa Assail, ('White Stream of Assail'), by Drong, by Delt, by Duelt, by Delinn, by Selaig, by Slabra, by Slechta, where swords hewed out roads before Medb and Ailill, by Cul ('the Nook') of Siblinne, by Dub ('the Blackwater'), by Ochonn ⁶southwards,⁶ by Catha, by Cromma ⁷southwards,⁷ by Tromma, ⁸eastwards⁸ by Fodromma, by Slane, by Gort Slane, ⁹to the south of⁹ Druim Liccè, by Ath Gabla, by Ardachad ('Highfield'), 20 W. 356. ¹northwards¹ by Feorainn, by Finnabair ('White Plain'), by Assa ²southwards,² by Airne, by Aurthuile, by Druim Salfind ('Salfind Ridge'), by Druim Cain, by Druim Caimthechta, by Druim macDega, by the little Eo Dond ('Brown Tree'), by the great Eo Dond, by Meide in Togmaill ('Ferret's Neck'), by Meide in Eoin, ('Bird's Neck'), by Baille ('the Town'), by Aile, by Dall Scena, by Ball Scena, by Ross Mor ('Great Point'), by Scuap ('the Broom'), by Imscuap, by Cenn Ferna, by Anmag, by Fid Mor ('Great Wood') in Crannach of Cualnge, ³by Colbtha, by Crond in Cualnge,³ by Druim Cain on the road to Midluachar, ⁴from Finnabair of Cualnge. It is at that point that the hosts of Erin divided over the province in pursuit of the bull. For it was by way of those places they went until they reached Finnabair. Here endeth the Title. The Story begineth in order.⁴

W. 389. On the first stage the hosts went ¹from Cruachan,¹ they slept the night at Cul Silinne, ²where to-day is Cargin's Lough.² And ³in that place³ was fixed the tent of Ailill son of Ross, ⁴and the trappings were arranged, both bedding and bed-clothes.⁴ The tent of Fergus macRoig was on his right hand; Cormac Conlongas, Conchobar's son, was beside him; Ith macEtgaith next to that; Fiachu macFiraba, ⁵the son of Conchobar's daughter,⁵ at its side; ⁶Conall Cernach at its side,⁶ Gobnenn macLurnig at the side of that. The place of Ailill's tent was on the right on the march, and thirty hundred men of Ulster beside him. And the thirty hundred men of Ulster on his right hand had he to the end that the whispered talk and conversation and the choice supplies of food and of drink might be the nearer to them.

Medb of Cruachan, ⁷daughter of Eocho Fedlech,⁷ moreover, was at Ailill's left. Finnabair ('Fairbrow'), ⁸daughter of Ailill and Medb,⁸ at her side, ⁹besides servants and henchmen.⁹ Next, Flidais Foltchain ('of the Lovely Hair'), wife first of Ailill Finn ('the Fair'). She took part in the Cow-spoil of Cualnge after she had slept with Fergus; and she it was that every seventh night brought sustenance 22 W. 404. in milk to the men of Erin on the march, for king and queen and prince and poet and pupil.

Medb remained in the rear of the host that day in quest of tidings and augury ^*LL. fo. 57a. and knowledge. ¹She called to her charioteer to get ready her nine chariots for her,^{1 2}to make a circuit of the camp² that she might learn who was loath and who eager to take part in the hosting. ³With nine chariots^a she was wont to travel, that the dust of the great host might not soil her.³ Medb suffered not her chariot to be let down nor her horses unyoked until she had made a circuit of the camp.

Then, ⁴when she had reviewed the host,⁴ were Medb's horses unyoked and her chariots let down, and she took her place beside Ailill macMata. And Ailill asked tidings of Medb: who was eager and who was loath for the warfare. "Futile for all is the emprise but for one troop only, ⁵namely the division of the Galian ('of Leinster'),"⁵ quoth Medb. ⁶"Why blamest thou these men?" queried Ailill. "It is not that we blame them," Medb made answer.⁶ "What good service then have these done that they are praised above all?" asked Ailill. "There is reason to praise them," said Medb. ⁷"Splendid are the warriors.⁷ When the others begin making their pens and pitching their camp, these have finished building their bothies and huts. When the rest are building their bothies and huts, these have finished preparing their food and drink. When the rest are preparing their food and drink, these have finished eating and feasting, ⁸and their harps are playing for them.⁸ When all the others have finished eating and feasting, these are by that 23 W. 422. time asleep. And even as their servants and thralls are distinguished above the servants and thralls of the men of Erin, so shall their heroes and champions be distinguished beyond the heroes and champions of the men of Erin this time on this hosting. ¹It is folly then for these to go, since it is those others will enjoy the victory of the host.¹" "So much the better, I trow," replied Ailill; "for it is with us they go and it is for us they fight." "They shall not go with us nor shall they fight for us." ²cried Medb.² "Let them stay at home then," said Ailill. "Stay they shall not," answered Medb. "³They will fall on us in the rear and will seize our land against us.³" "What shall they do then," Finnabair^a asked, "if they go not out nor yet remain at home?" "Death and destruction and slaughter is what I desire for them," answered Medb. "For shame then on thy speech," spake Ailill; "⁴'tis a woman's advice,⁴ for that they pitch their tents and make their pens so promptly and unwearily." "By the truth of my conscience," cried Fergus, ⁵"not thus shall it happen, for they are allies of us men of Ulster.⁵ No one shall do them to death but he that does death to myself ⁶along with them!"⁶

"Not to me oughtest thou thus to speak, O Fergus," then cried Medb, "for I have hosts enough to slay and slaughter thee with the division of Leinstermen round thee. For there are the seven Manè, ⁷that is, my seven sons⁷ with their seven divisions, and the sons of Maga with their ⁸seven⁸ divisions, and Ailill with his division, and I myself with my own body-guard besides. We are strong enough here to kill and slaughter thee with thy cantred of the Leinstermen round thee!"

"It befits thee not thus to speak to me," said Fergus, 24 W. 439. "for I have with me here ¹in alliance with us Ulstermen,¹ the seven Under-kings of Munster, with their seven cantreds. ²Here we have what is best of the youths of Ulster, even the division of the Black Banishment.² Here we have what is best of the noble youths of Ulster, even the division of the Galian ('of Leinster'). Furthermore, I myself am bond and surety and guarantee for them, since ever they left their own native land. ³I will give thee battle in the midst of the camp,³ and to me will they hold steadfast on the day of battle. More than all that," added Fergus, "these men shall be no subject of dispute. By that I mean I will never forsake them. ⁴For the rest, we will care for these warriors, to the end that they get not the upper hand of the host.

"The number of our force is seventeen cantreds, besides our rabble and our women-folk—for with each king was his queen in Medb's company—and our striplings; the eighteenth division is namely the cantred of the Galian.⁴ This division of Leinstermen I will distribute among ⁵all the host of⁵ the men of Erin in such wise that no five men of them shall be in any one place." "That pleaseth me well," said Medb: "let them be as they may, if only they be not in the battle-order of the ranks where they now are in such great force."

Forthwith Fergus distributed the cantred ⁶of the Galian⁶ among the men of Erin in such wise that there were not five men of them in any one place.

^*LL. fo. 57b. Thereupon, the troops set out on their way and march. It was no easy thing ⁷for their kings and their leaders⁷ to attend to that mighty host. They took part in the expedition 25 W. 453. according to the several tribes and according to the several stems and the several districts wherewith they had come, to the end that they might see one other and know one other, that each man might be with his comrades and with his friends and with his kinsfolk on the march. They declared that in such wise they should go. They also took counsel in what manner they should proceed on their hosting. Thus they declared they should proceed: Each host with its king, each troop with its lord, and each band with its captain; each king and each prince of the men of Erin ¹by a separate route¹ on his halting height apart. They took counsel who was most proper to seek tidings in advance of the host between the two provinces. And they said it was Fergus, inasmuch as the expedition was an obligatory one with him, for it was he that had been seven years in the kingship of Ulster. And ²after Conchobar had usurped the kingship and² after the murder of the sons of Usnech who were under his protection and surety, Fergus left the Ultonians, and for seventeen years he was away from Ulster in exile and in enmity. For that reason it was fitting that he above all should go after tidings.

So ³the lead of the way was entrusted to Fergus.³ Fergus before all fared forth to seek tidings, and a feeling of ⁴love and⁴ affection for his kindred of the men of Ulster came over him, and he led the troops astray in a great circuit to the north and the south. And he despatched messengers with warnings to the Ulstermen, ⁵who were at that time in their 'Pains' except Cuchulain and his father Sualtaim.⁵ And he began to detain and delay the host ⁶until such time as the men of Ulster should have gathered together an army.^{6 7}Because of affection he did so.⁷

W. 472. Medb perceived this and she upbraided him for it, and chanted the lay:—

Medb:

Fergus:

Medb:

Fergus:

Medb:

"I will be in the van of the troops no longer," cried Fergus; "but do thou find another to go before them." For all that, Fergus kept his place in the van of the troops.

The four mighty provinces of Erin passed that night on Cul Silinne. The sharp, keen-edged anxiety for Cuchulain came upon Fergus and he warned the men of Erin to be on their guard, because there would come upon them the rapacious lion, and the doom of foes, the vanquisher of multitudes, and the chief of retainers, the mangler of great hosts, the hand that dispenseth ³treasures,³ and the flaming 27 W. 502. torch, even Cuchulain son of Sualtaim.^a And thus he foreshowed him and chanted a lay, and Medb responded:—

Fergus:

Medb:LL. fo. 58a.

Fergus:

Medb:

Fergus:

Medb:

Fergus:

W. 540. After this lay the men of the four grand provinces of Erin marched ¹on the morrow¹ over Moin Coltna ('the Marsh of Coltain') eastwards that day; and there met them eight score deer ²in a single herd.² The troops spread out and surrounded and killed them so that none of them escaped.

But there is one event to add: Although the division of the Galian had been dispersed ³among the men of Erin,^{3 4}wherever there was a man of the Galian, it was he that got them, except⁴ five deer only which was the men of Erin's share thereof, so that one division took all the eight score deer.

⁵Then they proceed to Mag Trega and they unyoke there and prepare their food. It is said that it is there that Dubthach recited this stave:—

Then Nemain, ¹the Badb to wit,¹ attacked them, and that was not the quietest of nights they had, with the noise of the churl, namely Dubthach, in their^b sleep. Such fears he scattered amongst the host straightway, and he hurled a great stone at the throng till Medb came to check him. They continued their march then till they slept a night in Granard Tethba in the north,^{9 2}after the host had made a circuitous way across sloughs and streams.²

W. 547. It was on that same day, ³after the coming of the warning from Fergus^{3 4}to the Ulstermen,⁴ that Cuchulain son of Sualtaim, ⁵and Sualtaim⁵ Sidech ('of the Fairy Mound'), his father, ⁶when they had received the warning from Fergus,⁶ came so near ⁷on their watch for the host⁷ that their horses grazed in pasture round the pillar-stone on Ard Cuillenn ('the Height of Cuillenn'). Sualtaim's horses cropped the grass north of the pillar-stone close to the ground; Cuchulain's cropped the grass south of the pillar-stone even to the ground and the bare stones. "Well, O master Sualtaim," said Cuchulain; "the thought of the host is fixed sharp upon me ⁸to-night,⁸ so do thou depart for us with warnings to the men of Ulster, that they remain not in the smooth plains but that they betake themselves to the woods and wastes and steep glens of the province, if so they may keep out of the way of the men of Erin." "And thou, lad, what wilt thou do?" "I must go southwards to Temair to keep tryst with the 30 W. 556. maid^a of Fedlimid Nocruthach ('of the Nine Forms') ¹Conchobar's daughter,¹ according to my own agreement, till morning." "Alas, that one should go ²on such a journey,"² said Sualtaim, "and leave the Ulstermen under the feet of their foes and their enemies for the sake of a tryst with a woman!" "For all that, I needs must go. For, an I go not, the troth of men will be held for false and the promises of women held for true."

Sualtaim departed with warnings to the men of Ulster. Cuchulain strode into the wood, and there, with a single blow, he lopped the prime sapling of an oak, root and top, and with only one foot and one hand and one eye he exerted himself; and he made a twig-ring thereof and set an ogam^b script on the plug of the ring, and set the ring round the narrow part of the pillar-stone on Ard ('the Height') of Cuillenn. He forced the ring till it reached the thick of the pillar-stone. Thereafter Cuchulain went his way to his tryst with the woman.

Touching the men of Erin, the account follows here: They came up to the pillar-stone at Ard Cuillenn, ³which is called Crossa Coil to-day,³ and they began looking out upon the province that was unknown to them, the province of Ulster. And two of Medb's people went always before them in the van of the host, at every camp and on every march, at every ford and every river ^*LL. fo. 58b. and every gap. They were wont to do so ⁴that they might save the brooches and cushions and cloaks of the host, so that the dust of the multitude might not soil them⁴ and that no stain might come on the princes' raiment in the crowd or the crush of the hosts or the throng;—these were the two sons of Nera, who was the son of Nuathar, 31 W. 575. son of Tacan, two sons of the house-stewards of Cruachan, Err and Innell, to wit. Fraech and Fochnam were the names of their charioteers.

The nobles of Erin arrived at the pillar-stone and they there beheld the signs of the browsing of the horses, cropping around the pillar, and they looked close at the rude hoop which the royal hero had left behind about the pillar-stone. ¹Then sat they down to wait till the army should come, the while their musicians played to them.¹ And Ailill took the withy in his hand and placed it in Fergus' hand, and Fergus read the ogam script graven on the plug of the withy, and made known to the men of Erin what was the meaning of the ogam writing that was on it. ²When Medb came, she asked, "Why wait ye here?" "Because of yonder withy we wait," Fergus made answer; "there is an ogam writing on its binding and this is what it saith: 'Let no one go past here till a man be found to throw a withy like unto this, using only one hand and made of a single branch, and I except my master Fergus.' Truly," Fergus added, "it was Cuchulain threw it, and it was his steeds that grazed this plain." And he placed the hoop in the hands of the druids,² and it is thus he began to recite and he pronounced a lay:—

W. 596. ¹A druid speaks¹:

After that lay: "I pledge you my word," said Fergus, "if so ye set at naught yon withy and the royal hero that made it, ³and if ye go beyond³ without passing a night's camp and quarterage here, or until a man of you make a withy of like kind, using but one foot and one eye and one hand, even as he made it, ⁴certain it is, whether ye be⁴ under the ground or in a tight-shut house, ⁵the man that wrote the ogam hereon⁵ will bring slaughter and bloodshed upon ye before the hour of rising on the morrow, if ye make light of him!" "That, surely, would not be pleasing to us," quoth Medb, "that any one should ⁶straightway⁶ spill our blood or besmirch us red, now that we are come to this unknown province, even to the province of Ulster. More pleasing would it be to us, to spill another's blood and redden him." "Far be it from us to set this 33 W. 618. withy at naught," said Ailill, "nor shall we make little of the royal hero that wrought it, rather will we resort to the shelter of this great wood, ¹that is, Fidduin, ('the Wood of the Dûn')¹ southwards till morning. There will we pitch our camp and quarters."

Thereupon the hosts advanced, and as they went they felled the wood with their swords before their chariots, so that Slechta ('the Hewn Road') is still the by-name of that place where is Partraige Beca ('the Lesser Partry') south-west of Cenannas na Rig ('Kells of the Kings') near Cul Sibrille.

²According to other books, it is told as follows: After they had come to ³Fidduin³ they saw a chariot and therein a beautiful maiden. It is there that the conversation between Medb and Fedelm the seeress took place that we spoke of before, and it is after the answer she made to Medb that the wood was cut down: "Look for me," said Medb, "how my journey will be." "It is hard for me," the maiden made answer, "for no glance of eye can I cast upon them in the wood." "Then it is plough-land this shall be," quoth Medb; "we will cut down the wood." Now, this was done, so that this is the name of the place, Slechta, to wit.²

⁴They slept in Cul Sibrille, which is Cenannas.⁴ A heavy snow fell on them that night, and so great it was that it reached to the shoulders^a of the men and to the flanks of the horses and to the poles^b of the chariots, so that all the provinces of Erin were one level plane from the snow. But no huts nor bothies nor tents did they set up that night, nor did they ^*LL. fo. 59. prepare food nor drink, nor made they a meal nor repast. None of the men of Erin 34 W. 630. wot whether friend or foe was next him until the bright hour of sunrise on the morrow.

Certain it is that the men of Erin experienced not a night of encampment or of station that held more discomfort or hardship for them than that night ¹with the snow¹ at Cul Sibrille. The four grand provinces of Erin moved out early on the morrow ²with the rising of the bright-shining sun glistening on the snow² and marched on from that part into another.

Now, as regards Cuchulain: It was far from being early when he arose ³from his tryst.³ And then he ate a meal and took a repast, and ⁴he remained until he had⁴ washed himself and bathed on that day.

He called to his charioteer to lead out the horses and yoke the chariot. The charioteer led out the horses and yoked the chariot, and Cuchulain mounted his chariot. And they came on the track of the army. They found the trail of the men of Erin leading past them from that part into another. "Alas, O master Laeg," cried Cuchulain, "by no good luck went we to our tryst with the woman last night. ⁵Would that we had not gone thither nor betrayed the Ultonians.⁵ This is the least that might be looked for from him that keeps guard on the marches, a cry, or a shout, or an alarm, or to call, 'Who goes the road?' This it fell not unto us to say. The men of Erin have gone past us, ⁶without warning, without complaint,⁶ into the land of Ulster." "I foretold thee that, O Cuchulain," said Laeg. "Even though thou wentest to thy woman-tryst ⁷last night,⁷ such a disgrace would come upon thee." "Good now, O Laeg, go thou for us on the trail of the host and make an estimate of them, and discover 35 W. 649. for us in what number the men of Erin went by us."

Laeg came on the track of the host, and he went to the front of the trail and he came on its sides and he went to the back of it. "Thou art confused in thy counting, O Laeg, my master," quoth Cuchulain. "Confused I must be," Laeg replied. ¹"It is not confusedly that I should see, if I should go," said Cuchulain.¹ "Come into the chariot then, and I will make a reckoning of them." The charioteer mounted the chariot and Cuchulain went on the trail of the hosts and ²after a long while² he made a reckoning of them. ³"Even thou, it is not easy for thee.³ Thou art perplexed in thy counting, my little Cuchulain," quoth Laeg. "Not perplexed," answered Cuchulain; ⁴"it is easier for me than for thee.^{4 5}For I have three magical virtues: Gift of sight, gift of understanding, and gift of reckoning.⁵ For I know the number wherewith the hosts went past us, namely, eighteen cantreds. Nay more: the eighteenth cantred has been distributed among ⁶the entire host of⁶ the men of Erin, ⁷so that their number is not clear, namely, that of the cantred of Leinstermen."^{7 8}This here is the third cunningest ⁹and most difficult⁹ reckoning that ever was made in Erin. These were: The reckoning by Cuchulain of the men of Erin on the Táin, the reckoning by Lug Lamfota ('Long-hand') of the host of the Fomorians ¹⁰in the Battle of Moytura,¹⁰ and the reckoning by Incel of the host in the Hostel of Da Derga.⁸

Now, many and divers were the magic virtues that were in Cuchulain ¹¹that were in no one else in his day.¹¹ Excellence of form, excellence of shape, excellence of build, excellence 36 W. 661. in swimming, excellence in horsemanship, excellence in chess and in draughts, excellence in battle, excellence in contest, excellence in single combat, excellence in reckoning, excellence in speech, excellence in counsel, excellence in bearing, excellence in laying waste and in plundering from the neighbouring border.

"Good, my friend Laeg. Brace the horses for us to the chariot; lay on the goad for us on the horses; drive on the chariot for us and give thy left^a board to the hosts, to see can we overtake the van or the rear or the midst of the hosts, for I will cease to live unless there fall by my hand this night a friend or foe of the men of Erin."

Then it was that the charioteer gave the prick to the steeds. He turned his left board to the hosts till he arrived at Turloch^b Caille More ('the Creek of the Great Wood') northwards of Cnogba na Rig ('Knowth of the Kings') which is called Ath Gabla ('the Ford of the Fork'). ¹Thereupon Cuchulain went round the host till he came to Ath Grenca.¹ He went into the wood at that place and sprang out of his chariot, and he lopped off a four-pronged fork, root and top, with a single stroke ²of his sword.² He pointed and charred it and put a writing in ogam on its side, and he gave it a long throw from the hinder part of his chariot with the tip of a single hand, in such wise that two-thirds of it sank into the ground and only one-third was above it ³in the mid part of the stream, so that no chariot could go thereby on this side or that.³

Then it was that the same two striplings surprised him, namely, the two sons of Nera son of Nuathar son of Tacan, while engaged in that feat. And they vied which of the twain ⁴would be the first to fight and contend with Cuchuain, which of them⁴ would inflict the first wound upon 37 W. 680. him and be the first to behead him. Cuchulain turned on them, and straightway he struck off their four heads ¹from themselves ²Eirr and Indell² and ³from Foich and Fochlam,³ their drivers,¹ and he fixed a head of each man of them on each of the prongs of the pole. And Cuchulain let the horses of the party go back in the direction of the men of Erin, to return by the same road, their reins loose ⁴around their ears⁴ and their bellies red and the bodies of the warriors dripping their blood down outside on the ribs of the chariots. ⁵Thus he did,⁵ for he deemed it no honour nor deemed he it fair to take horses or garments or arms from corpses or from the dead. And then the troops saw the horses of the party that had gone out in advance before them, and the headless bodies of the warriors oozing their blood down on the ribs of the chariots (⁶and their crimsoned trappings upon them⁶). The van of the army waited for the rear to come up, and all were thrown into confusion of striking, that is as much as to say, into a tumult of arms.

Medb and Fergus and the Manè and the sons of Maga drew near. For in this wise was Medb wont to travel, and nine chariots with her alone; two of these chariots before her, and two chariots behind, and two chariots at either side, and her own chariot in the middle between them. This is why Medb did so, that the turves from the horses' hoofs, or the flakes of foam from the bridle-bits, or the dust of the mighty host or of the numerous throng might not reach the queen's diadem of gold ⁷which she wore round her head.⁷ "What have we here?" queried Medb. "Not hard to say," each and all made answer; ^*LL. fo. 60. "the horses of the band that went out before us are here and their bodies lacking their heads in their chariots." They held 38 W. 702. a council and they felt certain it was the sign of a multitude and of the approach of a mighty host, and that it was the Ulstermen that had come ¹and that it was a battle that had taken place before them on the ford.¹ And this was the counsel they took: to despatch Cormac Conlongas, Conchobar's son, from them to learn what was at the ford; because, even though the Ulstermen might be there, they would not kill the son of their own king. Thereupon Cormac Conlongas, Conchobar's son, set forth and this was the complement with which he went, ten hundred in addition to twenty hundred armed men, to ascertain what was at the ford. And when he was come, he saw naught save the fork in the middle of the ford, with four heads upon it dripping their blood down along the stem of the fork into the stream of the river, ²and a writing in ogam on the side,² and the signs of the two horses and the track of a single chariot-driver and the marks of a single warrior leading out of the ford going therefrom to the eastward. ³By that time,³ the nobles of Erin had drawn nigh to the ford and they all began to look closely at the fork. They marvelled and wondered who had set up the trophy. ⁴"Are yonder heads those of our people?" Medb asked. "They are our people's, and our chosen ones'," answered Ailill. One of their men deciphered the ogam-writing that was on the side of the fork, to wit: 'A single man cast this fork with but a single hand; and go ye not past it till one man of you throw it with one hand, excepting Fergus.'⁴ "What name have ye men of Ulster for this ford till now, Fergus?" asked Ailill. "Ath Grenca,"^a answered Fergus; "and Ath Gabla ('Ford of the Fork') shall now be its name forever from this fork," said Fergus. And he recited the lay:—

(A druid answers:)

After the lay, spake Ailill: "I marvel and wonder, O Fergus, who could have sharpened the fork and slain with such speed the four that had gone out before us." "Fitter it were to marvel and wonder at him who with a single stroke lopped the fork which thou seest, root and top, pointed and charred it and flung it the length of a throw from the hinder part of his chariot, from the tip of a single hand, so that it sank over two-thirds into the ground and that naught save one-third is above; nor was a hole first dug with his sword, but through a grey stone's flag it was thrust, and thus it is geis for the men of Erin to proceed to the bed of this ford till one of ye pull out the fork with the tip of one hand, even as he erewhile drove it down."

"Thou art of our hosts, O Fergus," said Medb; 40 W. 753. ¹avert this necessity from us,¹ and do thou draw the fork for us from the bed of the ford." "Let a chariot be brought me," cried Fergus, ²"till I draw it out, that it may be seen that its butt is of one hewing."² And a chariot was brought to Fergus, and Fergus laid hold ³with a truly mighty grip³ on the fork, and he made splinters and ^*LL. fo. 61a. scraps of the chariot. "Let another chariot be brought me," cried Fergus. ⁴Another⁴ chariot was brought to Fergus, and Fergus made a tug at the fork and again made fragments and splinters of the chariot, ⁵both its box and its yoke and its wheels.⁵ "Again let a chariot be brought me," cried Fergus. And Fergus exerted his strength on the fork, and made pieces and bits of the chariot. There where the seventeen^a chariots of the Connachtmen's chariots were, Fergus made pieces and bits of them all, and yet he failed to draw the fork from the bed of the ford. "Come now, let it be, O Fergus," cried Medb; "break our people's chariots no more. For hadst thou not been now engaged on this hosting, ⁶by this time⁶ should we have come to Ulster, driving divers spoils and cattle-herds with us. We wot wherefore thou workest all this, to delay and detain the host till the Ulstermen rise from their 'Pains' and offer us battle, the battle of the Táin."

"Bring me a swift chariot," cried Fergus. And his own chariot was brought to Fergus, and Fergus gave a tug at the fork, and nor wheel nor floor nor one of the chariot-poles creaked nor cracked. Even though it was with his strength and prowess that the one had driven it down, with his might and doughtiness the other drew it out,—the battle-champion, the gap-breaker of hundreds, the crushing sledge, the stone-of-battle for enemies, the 41 W. 777. head of retainers, the foe of hosts, the hacking of masses, the flaming torch and the leader of mighty combat. He drew it up with the tip of one hand till it reached the slope of his shoulder, and he placed the fork in Ailill's hand. Ailill scanned it; he regarded it near. "The fork, meseems, is all the more perfect," quoth Ailill; "for a single stroke I see on it from butt to top." "Aye, all the more perfect," Fergus replied. And Fergus began to sing praise ¹of Cuchulain,¹ and he made a lay thereon:—

After this lay: "Let us pitch our booths and tents," said Ailill, "and let us make ready food and drink, and let us sing songs and strike up harps, and let us eat and 42 W. 807. regale ourselves, for, of a truth, never before nor since knew the men of Erin a night of encampment or of entrenchment that held sorer discomfort or distress for them than yester-night. ¹Let us give heed to the manner of folk to whom we go and let us hear somewhat of their deeds and famous tales."¹

They raised their booths and pitched their tents. They got ready ^*LL. fo. 61b. their food and drink, and songs were sung and harping intoned by them, and feasting and eating indulged in, ²and they were told of the feats of Cuchulain.²

And Ailill inquired of Fergus: "I marvel and wonder who could have come to us to our lands and slain so quickly the four that had gone out before us. Is it likely that Conchobar son of Fachtna Fatach ('the Mighty'), High King of Ulster, has come to us?" "It is never likely that he has," Fergus answered; "for a shame it would be to speak ill of him in his absence. There is nothing he would not stake for the sake of his honour. For if he had come hither ³to the border of the land³, there would have come armies and troops and the pick of the men of Erin that are with him. And even though against him in one and the same place, and in one mass and one march and one camp, and on one and the same hill were the men of Erin and Alba, Britons and Saxons, he would give them battle, before him they would break and it is not he that would be routed."

"A question, then: Who would be like to have come to us? Is it like that Cuscraid Mend ('the Stammerer') of Macha would have come, Conchobar's son, from Inis Cuscraid?" "Nay then, it is not; he, the son of the High King," Fergus answered. "There is nothing he would not hazard for the sake of his honour. For were it he that had come hither, there would have come the 43 W. 827. sons of kings and the royal leaders ¹of Ulster and Erin¹ that are serving as hirelings with him. And though there might be against him in one and the same place, in one mass and one march and one camp, and on one and the same hill the men of Erin and Alba, Britons and Saxons, he would give them battle, before him they would break and it is not he that would be routed."

"I ask, then, whether Eogan son of Durthacht, King of Fernmag, would have come?" "In sooth, it is not likely. For, had he come hither, the pick of the men of Fernmag would have come with him, battle he would give them, before him they would break, and it is not he that would be routed."

"I ask, then: Who would be likely to have come to us? Is it likely that he would have come, Celtchai son of Uthechar?" "No more is it likely that it was he. A shame it would be to make light of him in his absence, him the battle-stone for the foes of the province, the head of all the retainers and the gate-of-battle of Ulster. And even should there be against him in one place and one mass and one march and one camp, and on one and the same hill all the men of Erin from the west to the east, from the south to the north, battle he would give them, before him they would break and it is not he that would be routed."

"I ask, then: Who would be like to have come to us?" ²asked Ailill.^{2 3}"I know not," Fergus replied,³ "unless it be the little lad, my nursling and Conchobar's. Cuchulain ('the Wolf-dog of Culann the Smith') he is called. ⁴He is the one who could have done the deed," answered Fergus. "He it is who could have lopped the tree with one blow from its root, could have killed the four with the quickness wherewith they were killed and could have come to the border with his charioteer."⁴

W. 843. "Of a truth," spake Ailill, "I heard from ye of this little boy once on a time in Cruachan. What might be the age of this little boy now?" "It is by no means his age that is most formidable in him," answered Fergus. "Because, manful were his deeds, those of that lad, at a time when he was younger than he ¹now¹ is. ²In his fifth year he went in quest of warlike deeds among the lads of Emain Macha. In his sixth^a year he went to learn skill in arms and feats with Scathach,^{2 3}and he went to woo Emer;^{3 4}in his seventh^b year he took arms; in his seventeenth year he is at this time."⁴ "How so!" exclaimed Medb. "Is there even now amongst the Ulstermen one his equal in age that is more redoubtable than he?" "We have not found there ⁵a man-at-arms that is harder,^{5 6}nor a point that is keener, more terrible nor quicker,⁶ nor a more bloodthirsty wolf, ⁷nor a raven more flesh-loving,⁷ nor a wilder warrior, nor a match of his age that would reach to a third or a fourth ^*LL. fo. 62a. the likes of Cuchulain. Thou findest not there," Fergus went on, "a hero his peer, ⁸nor a lion that is fiercer, nor a plank of battle,⁸ nor a sledge of destruction, ⁹nor a gate of combat,⁹ nor a doom of hosts, nor a contest of valour that would be of more worth than Cuchulain. Thou findest not there one that could equal his age and his growth, ¹⁰his dress^{10 11}and his terror,¹¹ his size and his splendour, ¹²his fame and his voice, his shape and his power,¹² his form and his speech, his strength and his feats and his valour, ¹³his smiting, his heat and his anger,¹³ his dash, his assault and attack, his dealing of 45 W. 857. doom and affliction, his roar, his speed, his fury, his rage, and his quick triumph with the feat of nine men on each sword's point^a above him, like unto Cuchulain."

"We make not much import of him," quoth Medb. "It is but a single body he has; he shuns being wounded; he avoids being taken. They do say his age is but that of a girl to be wed. ¹His deeds of manhood have not yet come,¹ nor will he hold out against tried men, this young, beardless elf-man of whom thou spokest." ²"We say not so,"² replied Fergus, "for manful were the deeds of the lad at a time when he was younger than he ³now³ is."

W. 865. "Now this lad was reared in the house of his father and mother at Dairgthech¹ ('the Oak House' (?)), namely, in the plain of Murthemne, and the tales of the youths of Emain were told to him. ²For there are ³always³ thrice fifty boys at play there," said Fergus.² "Forasmuch as in this wise Conchobar passed his reign ever since he, the king, assumed his sovereignty, to wit: As soon as he arose, forthwith in settling the cares and affairs of the province; thereafter, the day he divided in three: first, the first third he spent a-watching the youths play games of skill and of hurling; the next third of the day, a-playing draughts and chess, and the last third a-feasting on meat and ⁴a-quaffing⁴ ale, till sleep possessed them all, the while minstrels and harpers lulled him to sleep. For all that I am a long time in banishment because of him, I give my word," said Fergus, "there is not in Erin nor in Alba a warrior the like of Conchobar."

"And the lad was told the tales of the boys and the boy-troop in Emain; and the child said to his mother, he would go to have part in the games on the play-field of Emain. "It is too soon for thee, little son," said his mother; "wait till there go with thee a champion of the champions of 47 W. 880. Ulster, or some of the attendants of Conchobar to enjoin thy protection and thy safety on the boy-troop." "I think it too long for that, my mother," the little lad answered, "I will not wait for it. But do thou show me what place lies Emain ¹Macha."^{1 2}"Northwards, there;² it is far away from thee," said his mother, "the place wherein it lies, ³and the way is hard.³ Sliab Fuait lies between thee and Emain." "At all hazards, I will essay it," he answered.

"The boy fared forth and took his playthings with him. ⁴His little lath-shield⁴ he took, and his hurley of bronze and his ball of silver; and he took his little javelin for throwing; and his toy-staff he took with its fire-hardened butt-end, and he began to shorten the length of his journey with them. He would give the ball a stroke ^*LL. fo. 62b. with the hurl-bat, so that he sent it a long distance from him. Then with a second throw he would cast his hurley so that it went a distance no shorter than the first throw. He would hurl his little darts, and let fly his toy-staff, and make a wild chase after them. Then he would catch up his hurl-bat and pick up the ball and snatch up the dart, and the stock of the toy-staff had not touched the ground when he caught its tip which was in the air.

"He went his way to the mound-seat of Emain, where was the boy-troop. Thrice fifty youths were with Folloman, Conchobar's son, at their games on the fair-green of Emain.

"The little lad went on to the play-field into the midst of the boys, and he whipped the ball between his two legs away from them, nor did he suffer it to travel higher up than the top of his knee, nor did he let it lower down than his ankle, and he drove it and held it between his two legs and not one of the boys was able to get a prod nor a stroke nor a blow nor a shot at it, so that he carried it over the 48 W. 904. brink of the goal away from them. ¹Then he goes to the youths without binding them to protect him. For no one used to approach them on their play-field without first securing from them a pledge of protection. He was weetless thereof.¹

"Then they all gazed upon him. They wondered and marvelled. "Come, boys!" cried Folloman, Conchobar's son, ²"the urchin insults us.² Throw yourselves all on yon fellow, and his death shall come at my hands; for it is geis among you for any youth to come into your game, without first entrusting his safety to you. And do you all attack him together, for we know that yon wight is some one of the heroes of Ulster; and they shall not make it their wont to break into your sports without first entrusting their safety and protection to you."

"Thereupon they all set upon him together. They cast their thrice fifty hurl-bats at the poll of the boy's head. He raises his single toy-staff and wards off the thrice fifty hurlies, ³so that they neither hurt him nor harm him,^{3 4}and he takes a load of them on his back.⁴ Then they throw their thrice fifty balls at the lad. He raises his upper arm and his forearm and the palms of his hands ⁵against them⁵ and parries the thrice fifty balls, ⁶and he catches them, each single ball in his bosom.⁶ They throw at him the thrice fifty play-spears charred at the end. The boy raises his little lath-shield ⁷against them⁷ and fends off the thrice fifty play-staffs, ⁸and they all remain stuck in his lath-shield.^{8 9}Thereupon contortions took hold of him. Thou wouldst have weened it was a hammering wherewith each hair was hammered into his head, with such an uprising it rose. Thou wouldst have weened it was a 49 spark of fire that was on every single hair there. He closed one of his eyes so that it was no wider than the eye of a needle. He opened the other wide so that it was as big as the mouth of a mead-cup.^a He stretched his mouth from his jaw-bones to his ears; he opened his mouth wide to his jaw so that his gullet was seen. The champion's light rose up from his crown.⁹

W. 919. "It was then he ran in among them. He scattered fifty king's sons of them over the ground underneath him ¹before they got to the gate of Emain.¹ Five^b of them," Fergus continued, "dashed headlong between me and Conchobar, where we were playing chess, even on Cennchaem ('Fair-head') ²the chessboard of Conchobar,² on the mound-seat of Emain. The little boy pursued them to cut them off. ³Then he sprang over the chessboard after the nine.³ Conchobar seized the little lad by the wrists. "Hold, little boy. I see 'tis not gently thou dealest with the boy-band." "Good reason I have," quoth the little lad. ⁴"From home, from mother and father I came to play with them, and they have not been good to me.⁴ I had not a guest's honour at the hands of the boy-troop on my arrival, for all that I came from far-away lands." "How is that? Who art thou, ⁵and what is thy name?"⁵ asked Conchobar. "Little Setanta am I, son of Sualtaim. Son am I to Dechtirè, thine own sister; and not through thee did I expect to be thus aggrieved." "How so, little one?" said Conchobar. "Knewest thou not that it is forbidden among the boy-troop, that it is geis for them for any boy to approach them in their land without first claiming his protection from them?" "I knew it not," said the lad. 50 W. 932. "Had I known it, I would have been on my guard against them." "Good, now, ye boys," Conchobar cried; "take ye upon you the protection of the little lad." "We grant it, indeed," they made answer.

"The little lad went ^*LL. fo. 63a. ¹into the game again¹ under the protection of the boy-troop. Thereupon they loosed hands from him, and once more he rushed amongst them ²throughout the house.² He laid low fifty of their princes on the ground under him. Their fathers thought it was death he had given them. That was it not, but stunned they were with front-blows and mid-blows and long-blows. "Hold!" cried Conchobar. "Why art thou yet at them?" "I swear by my gods whom I worship" (said the boy) "they shall all come under my protection and shielding, as I have put myself under their protection and shielding. Otherwise I shall not lighten my hands off them until I have brought them all to earth." "Well, little lad, take thou upon thee the protection of the boy-troop." "I grant it, indeed," said the lad. Thereupon the boy-troop went under his protection and shielding.

"³Then they all went back to the play-field, and the boys whom he had overthrown there arose. Their nurses and tutors helped them.

"Now, once upon a time," continued Fergus, "when he was a gilla, he slept not in Emain Macha till morning." "Tell me," Conchobar said to him, "why sleepest thou not ⁴in Emain Macha, Cuchulain?"⁴ "I sleep not, unless it be equally high at my head and my feet." Then Conchobar had a pillar-stone set up at his head and another at his feet, and between them a bed apart was made for him.

"Another time a certain man went to wake him, and 51 the lad struck him with his fist in ¹the neck or in¹ the forehead, so that it drove in the front of his forehead on to his brain and he overthrew the pillar-stone with his forearm." "It is known," exclaimed Ailill, "that that was the fist of a champion and the arm of a hero." "And from that time," continued Fergus, "no one durst wake him, so that he used to wake of himself.

"Then, another time, he played ball on the play-field east of Emain, and he was alone on one side against the thrice fifty boys. He always worsted in every game in the east (?) in this way. Thereafter the lad began to use his fists on them, so that fifty boys of them died thereof. He took to flight then, till he took refuge under the cushion of Conchobar's couch. The Ulstermen sprang up all around him. I, too, sprang up, and Conchobar, thereat. The lad himself rose up under the couch, so that he hove up the couch and the thirty warriors that were on it withal, so that he bore it into the middle of the house. Straightway the Ulstermen sat around him in the house. We settled it then," continued Fergus, "and reconciled the boy-troop to him afterwards.

"The broil of war arose between Ulster and Eogan son of Durthacht. The Ulstermen go forth to the war. The lad Setanta is left behind asleep. The men of Ulster are beaten. Conchobar and Cuscraid Menn ('the Stammerer') of Macha are left on the field and many besides them. Their groans awaken the lad. Thereat he stretches himself, so that the two stones are snapped that are near him. This took place in the presence of Bricriu yonder," Fergus added. "Then he gets up. I meet him at the door of the liss, I being severely wounded. "Hey, God keep thy life,^a O Fergus my master," says he; "where is Conchobar?" "I know not," I answer. Thereupon he goes out. The night is dark. He makes for the battlefield, 52 until he sees before him a man and half his head on him and half of another man on his back. "Help me, Cuchulain," he cries; "I have been stricken, and I bear on my back half of my brother. Carry it for me a while." "I will not carry it," says he. Thereupon the man throws the load at him. Cuchulain throws it back from him. They grapple with one another. Cuchulain is overthrown. Then I heard something. It was Badb^a from the corpses: "Ill the stuff of a warrior that is there under the feet of a phantom." Thereat Cuchulain arises from underneath him, and he strikes off his head with his playing-stick and proceeds to drive the ball before him over the field of battle.

"Is my master Conchobar on this battle-field?" That one makes answer. He goes towards him, to where he espies him in a ditch and the earth piled around him on both sides to hide him. "Wherefore art thou come to the battle-field?" Conchobar asks; "is it that thou mightst see mortal terror there?" Then Cuchulain lifts him out of the ditch. The six strong men of Ulster that were with us could not have lifted him out more bravely. "Get thee before us to yonder house," says Conchobar, ¹"to make me a fire there." He kindles a great fire for him. "Good now," quoth Conchobar,¹ "if one would bring me a roast pig, I would live." "I will go fetch it," says Cuchulain. Thereupon he sallies out, when he sees a man at a cooking-pit in the heart of the wood. One of his hands holds his weapons therein, the other roasts the pork. Ill-favoured, indeed, is the man. For the which, Cuchulain attacks him and takes his head and his pig with him. Conchobar eats the pig then. "Let us go to our house," says Conchobar. They meet Cuscraid son of Conchobar and there were heavy wounds on him. Cuchulain carries him on his back. The three then proceed to Emain Macha.

"Another time the Ulstermen were in their 'Pains.' 53 Now, there was no 'Pains' amongst us," Fergus continued, "in women or boys, nor in any one outside the borders of Ulster, nor in Cuchulain and his father. ¹It was for this reason no one dared shed the blood of the men of Ulster, for that the 'Pains' fell on the one that wounded them.¹ There came thrice nine men from the Isles of Faiche. They pass over our rear fort, the whiles we are in our 'Pains.' The women scream in the fort. The youths are in the play-field. They come at the cry. When the boys catch sight of the swarthy men, they all take to flight save Cuchulain alone. He hurls the hand-stones and his playing-staff at them. He slays nine of them and they leave fifty wounds on him and proceed thence on their journey.³

W. 947. "A youngster did that deed," Fergus continued, "at the close of five years after his birth, when he overthrew the sons of champions and warriors at the very door of their liss and dûn. No need is there of wonder or surprise, ²if he should do great deeds,² if he should come to the confines of the land, if he should cut off the four-pronged fork, if he should slay one man or two men or three men or four men, when there are seventeen full years of him now on the Cattle-lifting of Cualnge." ⁴"In sooth, then, we know that youth," spoke out Conall Cernach ('the Victorious'), "and it is all the better we should know him, for he is a fosterling of our own."⁴

W. 956. Then it was that Cormac Conlongas son of Conchobar spake: "Again that little lad performed a second deed in the following year." "What deed was that?" asked Ailill.

¹"A goodly smith there was in the land of Ulster, Culann the Smith, by name.¹ He made ready a feast for Conchobar and set out for Emain to invite him. He made known to him that only a few should come with him, that he should bring none but a true guest along, forasmuch as it was not a domain or lands of his own that he had, but ²the fruit of his two hands,² his sledges and anvils, his fists and his tongs. Conchobar replied that only a few would go to him.

"Culann went back to the stithy to prepare and make ready meat and drink ³in readiness for the king.³ Conchobar sat in Emain till it was time to set out ⁴for the feast,⁴ till came the close of the day. The king put his fine, light travelling apparel about him, ⁵and went with fifty chariot-chiefs of those that were noblest and most illustrious of the heroes,⁵ and betook him to the boys ⁶before starting,⁶ to bid them farewell. ⁷It was always 55 W. 968. his custom to visit and revisit them when going and coming, to seek his blessing of the boys.⁷ Conchobar came on to the fair-green, and he saw a thing that astounded him: Thrice fifty boys at one end of the green and a single boy at the other, and the single boy won the victory at the goal and at hurling from the thrice fifty boys. When it was at hole-play they were—a game of hole that used to be played on the fair-green of Emain—and it was their turn to drive and his to keep guard, he would catch the thrice fifty balls just outside of the hole, and not one went by him into the hole. When it was their turn to keep guard and his to drive, he would send the thrice fifty balls into the hole without fail, ¹and the boys were unable to ward them off.¹ When it was at tearing off each other's garments they played, he would strip off them their thrice fifty suits ²so that they were quite naked,² and they were not able all of them to take as much as the brooch from his mantle. When it was at wrestling they were, he would throw those same thrice fifty boys to the ground under him, and they did not succeed all of them around him in lifting him up. Conchobar looked with wonder at the little lad. "O, ye youths," cried ^*LL. fo. 63b. Conchobar. "Hail to the land whence cometh the lad ye see, if the deeds of his manhood shall be such as are those of his boyhood!" "Tis not just to speak thus," exclaimed Fergus; "e'en as the little lad grows, so will his deeds of manhood grow with him." "The little lad shall be called to us, that he may come with us to enjoy the feast to which we go." The little lad was summoned to Conchobar. "Good, my lad," said Conchobar. "Come thou with us to enjoy the feast whereto we go, ³for thou art a guest."³ "Nay, but I will not go," the little boy answered. "How so?" asked Conchobar. 56 W. 990. "Forasmuch as the boys have not yet had their fill of games and of sport, and I will not leave them till they have had enough play." "It is too long for us to await thee till then, little boy, and by no means shall we wait." "Go then before us," said the little boy, "and I will follow after ye." "Thou knowest naught of the way, little boy," said Conchobar. "I will follow the trail of the company and of the horses and chariots."

"Thereafter Conchobar came to the house of Culann the Smith. The king was waited upon and all were shown honour, as befitted their rank and calling and privileges, nobility and gentle accomplishment. Straw and fresh rushes were spread out under them. They commenced to carouse and make merry. Culann inquired of Conchobar: "Hast thou, O king, appointed any to come after thee this night to this dûn?" "No, I appointed no one," replied Conchobar, for he had forgotten the little lad whom he had charged to come after him. "Why so?" asked Conchobar. "An excellent bloodhound have I, ¹that was brought from Spain.^{1 2}There are three^a chains upon him, and three men at each chain. Because of our goods and our cattle he is slipped and the liss is closed.² When his dog-chain is loosed from him, no one dares approach the same cantred with him to make a course or a circuit, and he knows no one but myself. The power of hundreds is in him for strength." Then spake Conchobar, "Let the dûn be opened for the ban-dog, that he may guard the cantred." The dog-chain is taken off the ban-dog, and he makes a swift round of the cantred. And he comes to the mound whereon he was wont to keep guard of the stead, and there he was, his head couched on his paws, and wild, untameable, furious, savage, ferocious, ready for fight was the dog that was there.

W. 1013. "As for the boys: They were in Emain until the time came for them to disperse. Each of them went to the house of his father and mother, of his foster-mother and foster-father. Then the little lad went on the trail of the party, till he reached the house of Culann the Smith. He began to shorten the way as he went with his play-things. ¹He threw his ball and threw his club after it, so that it hit the ball. The one throw was no greater than the other. Then he threw his staff after them both, so that it reached the ball and the club before ever they fell.^{1 2}Soon the lad came up.² When he was nigh to the green of the fort wherein were Culann and Conchobar, he threw all his play-things before him except only the ball. The watch-dog descried the lad and bayed at him, so that in all the countryside was heard the howl of the watch-hound. And not a division of feasting was what he was inclined to make of him, but to swallow him down at one gulp past the cavity ^*LL. fo. 64a. of his chest and the width of his throat and the pipe of his breast. ³And it interfered not with the lad's play, although the hound made for him.³ And the lad had not with him any means of defence, but he hurled an unerring cast of the ball, so that it passed through the gullet of the watch-dog's neck and carried the guts within him out through his back door, and he laid hold of the hound by the two legs and dashed him against a pillar-stone ⁴that was near him, so that every limb of him sprang apart,⁴ so that he broke into bits all over the ground.^a Conchobar heard the yelp of the ban-dog. ⁵Conchobar and his people could not move; they weened they would not find the lad alive before them.⁵ "Alas, O warriors," cried Conchobar; "in no good luck 58 W. 1029. have we come to enjoy this feast." "How so?" asked all. "The little lad who has come to meet me, my sister's son, Setanta son of Sualtaim, is undone through the hound." As one man, arose all the renowned men of Ulster. Though a door of the hostel was thrown wide open, they all rushed in the other direction out over the palings of the fortress. But fast as they all got there, faster than all arrived Fergus, and he lifted the little lad from the ground on the slope of his shoulder and bore him into the presence of Conchobar. ¹They put him on Conchobar's knee. A great alarm arose amongst them that the king's sister's son should have been all but killed.¹ And Culann came out, and he saw his slaughter-hound in many pieces. He felt his heart beating against his breast. Whereupon he went into the dûn. "Welcome thy coming, little lad," said Culann, "because of thy mother and father, but not welcome is thy coming for thine own sake. ²Yet would that I had not made a feast."² "What hast thou against the lad?" queried Conchobar. "Not luckily for me hast thou come to quaff my ale and to eat my food; for my substance is now a wealth gone to waste, and my livelihood is a livelihood lost ³now after my dog.^{3 4}He hath kept honour and life for me.⁴ Good was the friend thou hast robbed me of, ⁵even my dog,⁵ in that he tended my herds and flocks and stock for me; ⁶he was the protection of all our cattle, both afield and at home."⁶ "Be not angered thereat, O Culann my master," said the little boy. ⁷"It is no great matter,⁷ for I will pass a just judgement upon it." "What judgement thereon wilt thou pass, lad?" Conchobar asked. "If there is a whelp of the breed of that dog in Erin, he shall be reared by me till he be fit to do 59 W. 1049. business as was his sire. ¹Till then¹ myself will be the hound to protect his flocks and his cattle and his land ²and even himself² in the meanwhile. ³And I will safeguard the whole plain of Murthemne, and no one will carry off flock nor herd without that I know it."³

""Well hast thou given judgement, little lad," said Conchobar. "In sooth, we ⁴ourselves⁴ could not give one that would be better," said Cathba.^a "Why should it not be from this that thou shouldst take the name Cuchulain, ('Wolfhound of Culann')?" "Nay, then," answered the lad; "dearer to me mine own name, Setanta son of Sualtaim." "Say not so, lad," Cathba continued; "for the men of Erin and Alba shall hear that name and the mouths of the men of Erin and Alba shall be full of that name!" "It pleaseth me so, whatever the name that is given me," quoth the little lad. Hence the famous name that stuck to him, namely Cuchulain, after he had killed the hound that was Culann's the Smith's.

"A little lad did that deed," ^*LL. fo. 64b. added Cormac Conlongas son of Conchobar, "when he had completed six years after his birth, when he slew the watch-dog that hosts nor companies dared not approach in the same cantred. No need would there be of wonder or of surprise if he should come to the edge of the marches, if he should cut off the four-pronged fork, if he should slay one man or two men or three men or four men, now when his seventeen years are completed on the Cattle-driving of Cualnge!"

W. 1068. "The little lad performed a third deed in the following year," said Fiachu son of Firaba. "What deed performed he?" asked Ailill.

"Cathba the druid was ³with his son, namely Conchobar son of Ness,³ imparting ⁴learning⁴ to his pupils in the north-east of Emain, and eight^{a 5}eager⁵ pupils in the class of druidic cunning were with him. ⁶That is the number that Cathba instructed.^{6 7}One of them⁷ questioned his teacher, what fortune and presage might there be for the day they were in, whether it was good or whether it was ill. Then spake Cathba: "The little boy that takes arms ⁸this day⁸ shall be splendid and renowned ⁹for deeds of arms^{9 10}above the youths of Erin ¹¹and the tales of his high deeds shall be told¹¹ forever,¹⁰ but he shall be short-lived and fleeting." Cuchulain overheard what he said, though far off at his play-feats south-west of Emain; and he threw away all his play-things and hastened to Conchobar's sleep-room ¹²to ask for arms.¹² "All 61 W. 1077. good attend thee, O king of the Fenè!" cried the little lad. "This greeting is the speech of one soliciting something of some one. What wouldst thou, lad?" said Conchobar. "To take arms," the lad made answer. "Who hath advised thee, little boy?" asked Conchobar. "Cathba the druid," said the lad. "He would not deceive thee, little boy," said Conchobar. Conchobar gave him two spears and a sword and a shield. The little boy shook and brandished the arms ¹in the middle of the house¹ so that he made small pieces and fragments of them. Conchobar gave him other two spears and a shield and a sword. He shook and brandished, flourished and poised them, so that he shivered them into small pieces and fragments. There where were the fourteen^a suits of arms which Conchobar had in Emain, ²in reserve in case of breaking of weapons or² for equipping the youths and the boys—to the end that whatever boy assumed arms, it might be Conchobar that gave him the equipment of battle, and the victory of cunning would be his thenceforward—even so, this little boy made splinters and fragments of them all.

""Truly these arms here are not good, O Conchobar my master," the stripling cried. "Herefrom cometh not what is worthy of me." Conchobar gave him his own two spears and his shield and his sword. He shook and he brandished, he bent and he poised them so that tip touched butt, and he brake not the arms and they bore up against him, ³and he saluted the king whose arms they were.³ "Truly, these arms are good," said the little boy; "they are suited to me. Hail to the king whose arms and equipment these are. Hail to the land whereout he is come!"

"Then Cathba the druid chanced to come into the tent, and what he said was, "Hath he yonder taken arms?" 62 W. 1101. Cathba asked. "Aye, then, it must be," Conchobar answered. "Not by ¹his¹ mother's son would I wish them to be taken this day," said Cathba. "How so? Was it not thyself advised him?" Conchobar asked. "Not I, in faith," replied Cathba. "What mean'st thou, bewitched elf-man?" cried Conchobar ²to Cuchulain.² "Is it a lie thou hast told us?" ^*LL. fo. 65a. "But be not wroth ³thereat,³ O my master Conchobar," said the little boy. ⁴"No lie have I told;⁴ for yet is it he that advised me, ⁵when he taught his other pupils this morning.⁵ For his pupil asked him what luck might lie in the day, and he said: The youth that took arms on this day would be illustrious and famous, ⁶that his name would be over the men of Erin for ever, and that no evil result would be on him thereafter,⁶ except that he would be fleeting and short-lived. ⁷To the south of Emain I heard him, and then I came to thee."⁷ "That I avow to be true," spake Cathba. ⁸"Good indeed is the day,⁸ glorious and renowned shalt thou be, ⁹the one that taketh arms,⁹ yet passing and short lived!" "Noble the gift!" cried Cuchulain. ¹⁰"Little it recks me,¹⁰ though I should be but one day and one night in the world, if only the fame of me and of my deeds live after me!"

"¹¹ Another day one of them asked of the druids for what that day would be propitious. "The one that mounts a chariot to-day," Cathba answered, "his name will be renowned over Erin for ever." Now Cuchulain heard that. He went to Conchobar and said to him, "O Conchobar my master, give me a chariot!" He gave him a chariot.¹¹ 63 W. 1113. "Come, lad, mount the chariot, for this is the next thing for thee."

"He mounted the chariot. ¹He put his hands between the two poles of the chariot,¹ and the first chariot he mounted withal he shook and tossed about him till he reduced it to splinters and fragments. He mounted the second chariot, so that he made small pieces and fragments of it in like manner. Further he made pieces of the third chariot. There where were the seventeen^a chariots which Conchobar kept for the boy-troop and youths in Emain, the lad made small pieces and fragments of them and they did not withstand him. "These chariots here are not good, O my master Conchobar," said the little boy; "my merit cometh not from them." "Where is Ibar^b son of Riangabair?" asked Conchobar. "Here, in sooth, am I," Ibar answered. "Take with thee mine own two steeds for him yonder, and yoke my chariot." Thereupon the charioteer took the horses and yoked the chariot. Then the little boy mounted the chariot ²and Conchobar's charioteer with him.² He shook the chariot about him, and it withstood him, and he broke it not. "Truly this chariot is good," cried the lad, "and this chariot is suited to me." ³The charioteer turned the chariot under him.³ "Prithee, little boy," said Ibar, ⁴"come out^c of the chariot now⁴ and let the horses out on their pasture." "It is yet too soon, O Ibar," the lad answered. ⁵"The horses are fair. I, too, am fair, their little lad.^{5 6}Only⁶ let us go on a circuit of Emain to-day ⁷and thou shalt have a reward therefor,⁷ to-day being my first day of 64 W. 1132. taking arms, to the end that it be a victory of cunning for me."

"Thrice they made the circuit of Emain. "Leave the horses now to their grazing, O little boy," said Ibar. "It is yet too soon, O Ibar," the little lad answered; "let us keep on, that the boys may give me a blessing to-day the first day of my taking arms." They kept their course to the place where the boys were. "Is it arms he yonder has taken?" each one asked. "Of a truth, are they." "May it be for victory, for first wounding and triumph. But we deem it too soon for thee to take arms, because thou departest from us at the game-feats." "By no means will I leave ye, but for luck I took arms this day." "Now, little boy, leave the horses to their grazing," said Ibar. "It is still too soon for that, O Ibar," the lad answered. ¹"Ply the goad on the horses," said he. "What way, then?" the charioteer asked. "As far as the road shall lead," answered Cuchulain.¹ "And this great road winding by us, what way leads it?" the lad asked. "What is that to thee?" Ibar answered. "But thou art a pleasant wight, I trow, little lad," quoth Ibar. "I wish, fellow, to inquire about the high-road of the province, what stretch it goes?" "To Ath na Foraire ('the Ford of Watching') in Sliab Fuait it goes," Ibar answered. "Wherefore is it called 'the Ford of Watching,' knowest thou?" "Yea, I know it well," Ibar made answer. "A stout warrior of Ulster is on watch and on guard there ²every day,² so that there come no strange youths into Ulster to challenge them to battle, and he is a champion to give battle in behalf of the whole province. Likewise if men of song leave the Ulstermen ^*LL. fo. 65b. and the province in dudgeon, he is there to soothe them by proffering treasures and valuables, and so to save the honour of the province. Again, if men of song 65 W. 1155. enter the land, he is the man that is their surety that they win the favour of Conchobar, so that songs and lays made for him will be the first to be sung after their arrival in Emain." "Knowest thou who is at the ford to-day?" "Yea, I know," Ibar answered; "Conall Cernach ('the Triumphant'), the heroic, warlike son of Amargin, royal champion of Erin," Ibar answered. "Thither guide us, fellow, that so we reach the ford."

"Onwards they drove into sight of the ford where was Conall. ¹Now it fell to Conall Cernach to guard the province that day. For each champion of Ulster spent his day on Sliab Fuait to protect him that came with a lay or to fight with a warrior, so that some one would be there to meet him, in order that none might come to Emain unperceived.¹ "Are those arms he yonder has taken?" asked Conall. "Of a truth, are they," Ibar made answer. "May it be for victory and for triumph and first wounding," said Conall; "but we think it too soon for thee to take arms, because thou art not yet capable of deeds. Were it surety he needed, he that should come hither," he continued, "so wouldst thou furnish a perfect warrant amongst the Ulstermen, and the nobles of the province would rise up to support thee in the contest." "What dost thou here, O Conall my master?" asked the lad. "Watch and ward of the province, lad, I keep here," Conall made answer. "Do thou go home now, O master Conall," said the lad, "and leave me the watch and guard of the province to keep here." "Say not so, little son," replied Conall; ²"'twould be enough, were it to protect one that came with a song; were it to fight with a man, however, that is still too soon for thee²; thou art not yet able to cope with a goodly warrior." "Then, will I keep on to the south," 66 W. 1172. said the little boy, "to Fertas ('the Bank') of Loch Echtrann for a while; ¹champions are wont to take stand there;¹ perchance I may redden my hands on friend or on foe this day." "I will go, little boy," said Conall, "to save thee, that thou go not alone ²into peril² on the border." "Not so," said the lad. "But I will go," said Conall; "for the men of Ulster will blame me for leaving thee to go alone on the border."

"Conall's horses were caught for him and his chariot was yoked and he set out to protect the little boy. When Conall came up abreast of him, Cuchulain felt certain that, even though a chance came to him, Conall would not permit him to use it. He picked up a hand-stone from the ground which was the full of his grasp. He hurled it from him ³from his sling³ the length of a stone-shot at the yoke of Conall's chariot, so that he broke the chariot-collar^a in two and thereby Conall fell to the ground, so that the nape of his neck went out from his shoulder. "What have we here, boy?" asked Conall; ⁴"why threwest thou the stone?"⁴ "It is I threw it to see if my cast be straight, or how I cast at all, or if I have the stuff of a warrior in me." "A bane on thy cast and a bane on thyself as well. E'en though thou leavest thy head this time with thine enemies, I will go no further to protect thee." "'Twas what I craved of thee," answered he; "for it is geis amongst you men of Ulster to proceed, after a mishap has befallen your chariots. ⁵Go back^{5 6}to Emain,^{6 7}O Conall, and leave me here to keep watch." "That pleaseth me well," replied Conall.⁷ Conall turned back northwards again to the Ford of Watching. ⁸Thereafter Conall Cernach went not past that place.⁸

W. 1192. As for the little boy, he fared southwards to Fertas Locha Echtrann. He remained there till the end of the day ¹and they found no one there before them.¹ "If we dared tell thee, little boy," spoke Ibar, "it were time for us to return to Emain ^*LL. fo. 66a. now; for dealing and carving and dispensing of food is long since begun in Emain, and there is a place assigned for thee there. Every day it is appointed thee to sit between Conchobar's feet, while for me there is naught but to tarry among the hostlers and tumblers of Conchobar's household. ²For that reason,² methinks it is time to have a scramble^a among them." "Fetch then the horses for us." The charioteer fetched the horses and the lad mounted the chariot. "But, O Ibar, what hill is that there now, the hill to the north?" the lad asked. "Now, that is Sliab Moduirn," Ibar answered. ³"Let us go and get there," said Cuchulain. Then they go on till they reach it.^{3 4}When they reached the mountain, Cuchulain asked,⁴ "And what is that white cairn yonder on the height of the mountain?" "And that is Finncharn ('the White Cairn') of Sliab Moduirn," Ibar answered. "But yonder cairn is beautiful," exclaimed the lad. "It surely is beautiful," Ibar answered. "Lead on, fellow, till we reach yonder cairn." "Well, but thou art both a pleasant and tedious inquisitor, I see," exclaimed Ibar; "but this is my first ⁵journey and my first⁵ time with thee. It shall be my last time till the very day of doom, if once I get back to Emain."

"Howbeit they went to the top of the hill. "It is pleasant here, O Ibar," the little boy exclaimed. "Point out to me Ulster on every side, for I am no wise acquainted with the land of my master Conchobar." The horseman 68 W. 1211. pointed him out Ulster all around him. He pointed him out the hills and the fields and the mounts of the province on every side. He pointed him out the plains and the dûns and the strongholds of the province. "'Tis a goodly sight, O Ibar," exclaimed the little lad. "What is that indented, angular, bordered and glenny plain to the south of us?" "Mag Breg," replied Ibar. "Tell thou to me the buildings and forts of that plain." The gilla taught him ¹the name of every chief dûn between Temair and Cenannas,¹ Temair and Taltiu, Cletech and Cnogba and Brug ('the Fort') of Mac ind Oc. ²He pointed out to him then² the dûn of the ³three³ sons of Necht Scenè ('the Fierce'): ⁴Foill and Fandall and Tuachall, their names;^{4 5}Fer Ulli son of Lugaid was their father, and Necht ⁶from the mouth of the⁶ Scenè was their mother. Now the Ulstermen had slain their father; it was for that reason they were at war with Ulster.⁵ "But are those not Necht's sons, that boast that not more of the Ulstermen are alive than have fallen at their hands?" "The same, in sooth," answered the gilla. "On with us to the dûn of the macNechta," cried the little boy. "Alas, in truth, that thou sayest so," quoth Ibar; ⁷"'tis a peril for us."^{7 8}"Truly, not to avoid it do we go," answered Cuchulain.⁸ "We know it is an act of great folly for us to say so, but whoever may go," said Ibar, "it will not be myself." "Living or dead, go there thou shalt," the little boy cried. "'Tis alive I shall go to the south," answered Ibar, "and dead I shall be left at the dûn, I know, even at the dûn of the macNechta."

"They push on to the dûn ¹and they unharness their horses in the place where the bog and the river meet south 69 W. 1227. of the dûn of the macNechta.¹ And the little boy sprang out of the chariot onto the green. Thus was the green of the dûn, with a pillar-stone upon it and an iron band around that, and a band for prowess it was, and there was a writing in ogam at its joint, and this is the writing it bore: 'Whoever should come to the green, if he be a champion, it is geis for him to depart from the green without giving challenge to single combat.¹ The lad deciphered the writing and put his two arms around the pillar-stone. Just as the pillar-stone was with its ring, he flung it ²with a cast of his hand² into the moat, so that a wave passed over it. "Methinks," spake Ibar, "it is no better now than to be where it was. And we know thou shalt now get on this green the thing thou desirest, even the token of death, yea, of doom and destruction!" ³For it was the violation of a geis of the sons of Necht Scenè to do that thing.³ "Good, O Ibar, spread the chariot-coverings and its skins for me that I may ^*LL. fo. 66b. snatch a little sleep." "Woe is me, that thou sayest so," answered the gilla; "for a foeman's land is this and not a green for diversion." ⁴And Cuchulain said to the gilla, "Do not awaken me for a few but awaken me for many."⁴ The gilla arranged the chariot-coverings and its skins ⁵under Cuchulain, and the lad fell asleep on the green.⁵

"Then came one of the macNechta on to the fair-green, to wit, Foill son of Necht. ⁶Then was the charioteer sore afraid, for he durst not waken him, for Cuchulain had told him at first not to waken him for a few.⁶ "Unyoke not the horses, gilla," cried Foill. "I am not fain to, at all," answered Ibar; "the reins and the lines are still in my hand." "Whose horses are those, then?" Foill asked. 70 W. 1246. "Two of Conchobar's horses," answered the gilla; "the two of the dappled heads." "That is the knowledge I have of them. And what hath brought these steeds here to the borders?" "A tender youth that has assumed arms amongst us ¹to-day for luck and good omen,"¹ the horseboy answered, "is come to the edges of the marshes to display his comeliness." "May it not be for victory nor for triumph, ²his first-taking of arms,"² exclaimed Foill. ³"Let him not stop in our land and let the horses not graze here any longer.³ If I knew he was fit for deeds, it is dead he should go back northwards to Emain and not alive!" "In good sooth, he is not fit for deeds," Ibar answered; "it is by no means right to say it of him; it is the seventh year since he was taken from the crib. ⁴Think not to earn enmity,"^a Ibar said further to the warrior; "and moreover the child sleepeth."⁴

"The little lad raised his face from the ground and drew his hand over his face, and he became as one crimson wheelball from his crown to the ground. ⁵"Not a child am I, at all, but it is to seek battle with a man that this child here is come.⁵ Aye, but I am fit for deeds!" the lad cried. ⁶"That pleaseth me well," said the champion;⁶ "but more like than what thou sayest, meseemeth, thou art not fit for deeds." "Thou wilt know that better if we go to the ford. But, go fetch thy weapons, for I see it is in the guise of a churl thou art come, and I slay nor charioteers nor grooms nor folk without arms." The man went apace after his arms. ⁷"Now⁷ thou shouldst have a care for us against yonder man ⁸that comes to meet thee,⁸ little lad," said Ibar. "And why so?" 71 W. 1262. asked the lad. "Foill son of Necht is the man thou seest. Neither points nor edges of weapons can harm him." "Not before me shouldst thou say that, O Ibar," quoth the lad. "I will put my hand to the lath-trick for him, namely, to the apple of twice-melted iron, and it will light upon the disc of his shield and on the flat of his forehead, and it will carry away the size of an apple of his brain out through the back of his head, so that it will make a sieve-hole outside of his head, till the light of the sky will be visible through his head."

"Foill son of Necht came forth. Cuchulain took the lath-trick in hand for him and threw it from him the length of his cast, so that it lighted on the flat of his shield and on the front of his forehead and carried away the bulk of an apple of his brain out through the back of his head, so that it made a sieve-hole thereof outside of his head, till the light of the sky might be seen through his head. ¹He went to him then¹ and struck off the head from the trunk. ²Thereafter he bore away his spoils and his head with him.²

"Then came the second son out on the green, ³his name³ Tuachall ('the Cunning') son of Necht. "Aha, I see thou wouldst boast of this deed," quoth Tuachall. "In the first place I deem it no cause to boast for slaying one champion," said Cuchulain; "thou shalt not boast of it this time, for thou shalt fall by my hand." "Off with thee for thine arms, then, for 'tis not as a warrior thou art come." The man rushed after his arms. "Thou shouldst have a care for us against yon man, lad," said Ibar. "How so?" the lad asked. "Tuachall son of Necht is the man thou beholdest. ⁴And he is nowise miss-named, for he falls not by arms at all.⁴ Unless thou worstest him with the first blow or with the first shot or with the first touch, ^*LL. fo. 67a. thou wilt not worst him 72 W. 1283. ever, because of his craftiness and the skill wherewith he plays round the points of the weapons." "That should not be said before me, O Ibar," cried the lad. ¹"I swear by the god by whom my people swear, he shall never again ply his skill on the men of Ulster.¹ I will put my hand on Conchobar's well-tempered lance, on the Craisech Nemè ('the Venomous Lance'). ²It will be an outlaw's hand to him.² It will light on the shield over his belly, and it will crush through his ribs on the farther side after piercing his heart in his breast. That would be the smiting cast of an enemy and not the friendliness of a fellow countryman!^a From me he shall not get sick-nursing or care till the brink of doom."

"Tuachall son of Necht came forth on the green, and the lad laid his hand on Conchobar's lance against him, and it struck the shield above his belly and broke through the ribs on the farther side after piercing his heart within his breast. He struck off his head or ever it reached the ground. ³Thereafter Cuchulain carried off his head and his spoils with him to his own charioteer.³

"Then came the youngest of the sons forth on the green, namely, Fandall son of Necht. "Fools were the folk who fought with thee here," cried Fandall. "How, now!" cried the lad. "Come down to the pool, where thy foot findeth not bottom." Fandall rushed on to the pool. "Thou shouldst be wary for us of him, little boy," said Ibar. "Why should I then?" asked the lad. "Fandall son of Necht is the man whom thou seest. For this he bears the name Fandall ('the Swallow'): like a swallow or weasel^b he courseth the sea; the swimmers of the world 73 W. 1302. cannot reach him." "Thou shouldst not speak thus before me, O Ibar," said the lad. ¹"I swear, never again will he ply that feat on the men of Ulster.¹ Thou knowest the river that is in our land, in Emain, the Callann. When the boys frequent it with their games of sport and when the water is not beneath them, ²if the surface is not reached by them all,² I do carry a boy over it on either of my palms and a boy on either of my shoulders, and I myself do not even wet my ankles under the weight of them."

"They met upon the water ³and they engaged in wrestling upon it,³ and the little boy closed his arms over Fandall, so that the sea came up even with him, and he gave him a deft blow with Conchobar's sword and chopped off his head from the trunk, and left the body to go down with the stream, and he carried off the head ⁴and the spoils⁴ with him.

"Thereupon Cuchulain went into the dûn and pillaged the place and burned it so that its buildings were no higher than its walls. And they turned on their way to Sliab Fuait and carried the three heads of Necht's sons with them. ⁵Soon Cuchulain heard the cry of their mother after them, of Necht Scenè, namely."^{5 6}"Now I will not give over my spoils," cried Cuchulain, "till I reach Emain Macha." Thereupon Cuchulain and Ibar set out for Emain Macha with their spoils. It was then Cuchulain spoke to his charioteer: "Thou didst promise us a good run," said Cuchulain, "and we need it now because of the storm and pursuit that is after us." Forthwith they hasten to Sliab Fuait. Such was the speed of the course they held over Breg, after the urging of the charioteer, that the horses of the chariot overtook the wind and the birds in 74 W. 1317. their flight and Cuchulain caught the throw he had cast from his sling or ever it reached the ground.

"When they came to Sliab Fuait⁶ they espied a herd of wild deer before them. "What are those many cattle, O Ibar, those nimble ones yonder?" asked the lad; "are they tame or are they other deer?" "They are real wild deer, indeed," Ibar answered; "herds of wild deer that haunt the wastes of Sliab Fuait." ¹"Which," asked Cuchulain, "would the men of Ulster deem best, to bring them dead or alive?" "More wonderful, alive," answered the charioteer; "not every one can do it so; but dead, there is none of them cannot do it. Thou canst not do this, carry off any of them alive." "Truly I can," said Cuchulain.¹ "Ply the goad for us on the horses ²into the bog,² to see can we take some of them." The charioteer drove a goad into the horses. It was beyond the power of the king's overfat steeds to keep up with the deer. ³Soon the horses stuck in the marsh.³ The lad got down from the chariot and ⁴as the fruit of his run and his race, in the morass which was around him,⁴ he caught two of the swift, stout deer. He fastened them to the back poles and the bows and the thongs of the chariot.

"They continued their way to the mound-seat of Emain, where they saw flocks of white swans flying by them. "What are those birds there, O Ibar?" the lad asked; "are yonder birds tame ^*LL. fo. 67. or are they other birds?" "Indeed, they are real wild birds," Ibar answered; "flocks of swans are they that come from the rocks and crags and islands of the great sea without, to feed on the plains and smooth spots of Erin." "Which would be stranger ⁵to the Ulstermen,⁵ O Ibar, for them to be fetched alive to Emain or dead?" asked the lad. "Stranger far, alive," 75 W. 1333. Ibar answered, "for not every one succeeds in taking the birds alive, ¹while they are many that take them dead."¹ Then did the lad perform one of his lesser feats upon them: ²he put a small stone in his sling,² so that he brought down eight^a of the birds; and then he performed a greater feat: ³he threw a large stone at them³ and he brought down sixteen^b of their number. ⁴With his return stroke all that was done.⁴ He fastened them to the hind poles and the bows and the thongs and the ropes and the traces of the chariot.

""Take the birds along with thee, O Ibar," cried the lad ⁵to his charioteer. If I myself go to take them," he added, "the wild deer will spring upon thee."⁵ "I am in sore straits," answered Ibar; "⁶I find it not easy to go."⁶ "What may it be?" asked the lad. "Great cause have I. ⁷The horses have become wild, so that I cannot go by them.⁷ If I stir at all from where I am, the chariot's iron wheels will cut me down ⁸because of their sharpness⁸ and because of the strength and the power and the might of the career of the horses. If I make any move, the horns of the deer will pierce and gore me, ⁹for the horns of the stag have filled the whole space between the two shafts of the chariot."⁹ "Ah, no true champion art thou any longer, O Ibar," ¹⁰said the lad;^{10 11}"step thus from his horn.^{11 12}I swear by the god by whom the Ulstermen swear,¹² because of the look I shall give at the horses they will not depart from the straight way; at the look I shall give at the deer they will bend their heads in fear and awe of me; ¹³they will not dare move,¹³ and 76 W. 1346. it will be safe for thee e'en though thou goest in front of their horns." ¹And so it was done. Cuchulain fastened the reins.^{1 2}Then^{2 3}the charioteer^{3 4}went and collected the birds, and he bound them to the hind poles and to the thongs and the traces of the chariot.^{4 5}Thus it was that he proceeded to Emain Macha: the wild deer behind his chariot, and the flock of swans flying over the same, and the three heads of the sons of Necht Scenè ⁶and the jewels, treasures and wealth of their enemies arranged⁶ in his chariot.⁵

"⁷Thereupon⁷ they went on till ⁸bravely, boldly, battle-victoriously, boastingly, blade-redded,⁸ they reached ⁹the fair plain of⁹ Emain. It was then Lebarcham, ¹⁰the watch in Emain Macha,^{10 11}came forth and¹¹ discerned them, she, the daughter of Aue ('Ear') and of Adarc ('Horn') ¹²and she hastened to Conchobar's house, her eye restless in her head and her tongue faltering in her jaw.¹² "A single chariot-fighter is here, ¹³coming towards Emain Macha,"¹³ cried Lebarcham, "and his coming is fearful. The heads of his foes all red in his chariot with him. Beautiful, all-white birds he has hovering around in the chariot. With him are wild, untamed deer, bound and fettered, shackled and pinioned. And ¹⁴I give my word,¹⁴ if he be not attended to this night, ¹⁵blood will flow over Conchobar's province by him and¹⁵ the youths of Ulster will fall by his hand." "We know him, that chariot-fighter," spake Conchobar; "¹⁶belike it is¹⁶ the little gilla, my sister's son, who went to the edge of the marches ¹⁷at the beginning of the day,¹⁷ 77 W. 1355. who has reddened his hands and is still unsated of combat, and unless he be attended to, all the youths of Emain will fall by his hand." ¹Soon he turned the left^a side of his chariot towards Emain, and this was geis for Emain. And Cuchulain cried, "I swear by the god by whom the Ulstermen swear, if a man be not found to engage with me, I will spill the blood of every one in the dûn!"¹

"And this was the counsel they agreed to follow: to let out the womenfolk to meet the youth, namely, thrice fifty women, even ten and seven-score bold, stark-naked women, at one and the same time, and their chieftainess, Scannlach ('the Wanton') before them, to discover their persons and their shame^b to him. ²"Let the young women go," said Conchobar, "and bare their paps and their breasts and their swelling bosoms, and if he be a true warrior he will not withstand being bound, and he shall be placed in a vat of cold water until his anger go from him."^{2 3}Thereupon³ the young women all ⁴arose and⁴ marched out, ⁵and these are the names of those queens: Sgamalus and Sgannlach and Sgiathan, Feidlim and Deigtini Finnchas, and Finngheal and Fidniam and Niam, daughter of Celtchar son of Uthechar⁵; and they discovered their nakedness and all their shame to him. ⁶"These are the warriors that will meet thee to-day," quoth Mugain, wife of Conchobar son of Ness.⁶ The lad hid his face from them and turned his gaze on the chariot, that he might not see the nakedness or the shame of the women.^c Then the lad was lifted out of the chariot. He was placed in three vats of cold water to extinguish his wrath; and the first vat into which he was put burst its staves and its hoops like the cracking of nuts around him. 78 W. 1367. The next vat ¹into which he went^{1 2}boiled with bubbles as big as fists² therefrom. The third vat ³into which he went,³ some men might endure it and others might not. Then the boy's wrath went down.

"⁴Thereupon he came out,⁴ and his ⁵festive⁵ garments were put on him ⁶by Mugain the queen.⁶ His comeliness appeared on him ^*LL. fo. 68a. and he made a crimson wheel-ball of himself from his crown to the ground. ⁷A shout was raised at the bluish purple about him.^{7 8}Beautiful then was the lad^{8 9}that was raised up in view.⁹ Seven toes he had to each of his two feet, and seven fingers to each of his two hands, and seven pupils to each of his two kingly eyes, and seven gems of the brilliance of the eye was each separate pupil. Four spots of down on either of his two cheeks: a blue spot, a purple spot, a green spot, a yellow spot. Fifty strands of bright-yellow hair from one ear to the other, like to a comb of birch twigs or like to a brooch of pale gold in the face of the sun. A clear, white, shorn spot was upon him, as if a cow had licked it. A ¹⁰fair, laced¹⁰ green^a mantle about him; a silver pin therein ¹¹over his white breast, so that the eyes of men could not look at it for its gleam and its brightness.¹¹ A ¹²hooded¹² tunic of thread of gold about him. ¹³A magnificent, fair-coloured, dark purple shield he bore. Two hard, five-pointed spears in his hand. A diadem of gold round his head.¹³ And the lad was seated between the two feet of Conchobar, ¹⁴and that was his couch ever after,¹⁴ and the king began to stroke his close-shorn hair.

W. 1381. "A mere lad accomplished these deeds at the end of seven years after his birth," ¹continued Fiachu son of Fiarba;¹ "for he overcame heroes and battle-champions at whose hands two-thirds of the men of Ulster had fallen, and these had not got their revenge on them until that scion rose up for them. No need then is there of wonder or of surprise, though he came to the border, though he slew one man or two men or three men or four men, ²though he cut off the four-headed pole with one cut and one blow of his shining sword² when now are fulfilled his seventeen years at the time of the Táin Bó Cúalnge."

³Albeit gladness, joy and happiness was the part of the men of Ulster for that, sorrow, grief and unhappiness was the part of the men of Erin, for they knew that the little lad that had done those deeds in the time of his boyhood, it would be no wonder if he should do great deeds of valour in the time of his manhood.³

These, accordingly, are some of the youthful exploits of Cuchulain on the Raid for the Kine of Cualnge, and the Prologue of the Tale, and the Names of the Roads and the March of the Host up to this Point.

The Story proper is this which follows now.

"Let us fare forth now," quoth Ailill. Thereafter they reached Mag Mucceda ('the plain of the Swineherd.') Cuchulain lopped off an oak that was before him in that place and set an ogam-writing on its side. This is what was on it: 'That no one should pass by till a chariot-warrior with a chariot should overleap it.'

They pitch there their tents and proceed to leap over the oak in their chariots. Thereat thirty horses fall and thirty chariots are broken. Now, Belach Anè ('the Pass of Sport') is the name of that place forever.

They bide there till morning. Fraech ²son of Fidach² was summoned to them. "Help us, O Fraech," spake Medb; "deliver us from the strait we are in. Rise up for us to meet Cuchulain, if perchance thou wilt fight him."

Betimes in the morning, with nine men Fraech went out from thence till he arrived at Ath Fuait, when he saw the youth Cuchulain bathing in the river. "Bide here," spake Fraech to his people, "till I fight with yonder man; he is not good in the water," said he. He doffs his clothes and goes into the water to meet him. "Come not before me," cried Cuchulain; "it shall be thy death and it would grieve me to kill thee." "Nay, but I will go," answered Fraech, "so that we come together in the water, and it behoves thee to engage with me." "Settle that as seemeth thee good," 81 Cuchulain made answer. "Each of us with his arms round the other," said Fraech. They fall to wrestling for a long time in the water and Fraech is thrust under. Cuchulain brings him above again. "This time," spake Cuchulain, "wilt thou acknowledge that I saved thee?" "I will not," Fraech answered. Cuchulain thrusts him under again, so that Fraech is destroyed. He is placed on the ground. His people bear the body ¹⁰with them¹⁰ to the camp. Ath Fraeich ('Fraech's Ford') is the name of that ford for ever. All the army keen ²their² Fraech, till they see a troop of women, in green tunics standing over the corpse of Fraech son of Fidach. These women bear him into the fairy dwelling. Sid Fraeich ('Fraech's Mound') is the name of the Elfmound ever since.

Fergus leaps over the oak-stump in his ³own³ chariot ⁴and knocks off its head.^{4 5}According to another version,⁵ they proceed till they reach ⁶Ath Meislir.⁶ Cuchulain destroys six of them there, namely, ⁷Meislir et reliqua,^{7 8}the six Dungals of Irrus.⁸

They go thence to Fornocht. Medb had a whelp named Baiscnè. Cuchulain made a cast at him, so that he struck off his head. Now, Druim ('Ridge') is the name of that place ever after.¹

⁹According to another version, however, it is there that the youth who was in the chariot by the side of Medb and the pet bird were slain by the casts, but, according to this version, that happened after the slaying of Orlam.⁹

W. 1393. The four grand provinces of Erin set forth on the morrow eastwards over Cronn ('the Round'), which is a mountain. Cuchulain had gone out before them, till he came upon the charioteer of Orlam son of Aililla and of Medb. This was at Tamlacht Orlaim ('Orlam's Gravestone') ¹a little to the¹ north of Disert Lochaid ('Lochat's Hermitage'). The charioteer was engaged in cutting chariot-poles from a holly-tree in the wood. ²But according to another version it is the hind pole of Cuchulain's chariot that was broken and it was to cut a pole he had gone when Orlam's charioteer came up.^{2 3}According to this version, it was the charioteer who was cutting the pole.³

⁴Not long was the battle-victorious Hound there when he heard a sound and an uproar.⁴ "Behold, O Laeg," cried Cuchulain; "⁵who of the host of the foe have come into this land to carry off a share of cattle and booty from the province wherein they came?⁵ How bold are the ways of the Ulstermen, if it be they that cut down the woods in this fashion in the face of the men of Erin. But, ⁶check the horses and hold the chariot.⁶ Tarry thou here a little, till I know who cuts down the woods in this manner." Then Cuchulain went on till he came up to ⁷Orlam's⁷ charioteer, 83 W. 1401. ¹to stop him; he thought he was one of the men of Ulster.¹ "What dost thou here, gilla?" asked Cuchulain. "Indeed, then," answered the gilla, "I cut chariot-poles from this holm, because our chariots were broken yesterday in pursuit of that famous wildling, namely Cuchulain. And for thy manhood's sake, young warrior, pray come to my aid, so that that famous Cuchulain come not upon me." "Take thy choice, gilla," said Cuchulain, "to gather or to trim them, either." "I will see to gathering them, for it is easier," ²the gilla answered.² Cuchulain started to cut the poles and he drew them between the forks of his feet and his hands against their bends and their knots, so that he made them smooth and straight and slippery and trimmed; he polished them so that not even a midge could find footing thereon when he had passed them away from him. Then full sure the gilla gazed upon him. "Far then, meseems, from fitting is the task I put on thee. ³And for love of thy valour,³ who art thou, say, O warrior?" the gilla asked, ⁴for he was sore affrighted.⁴ "That same renowned Cuchulain am I of whom thou spakest ⁵a while ago⁵ in the morning." "Woe is me then, by reason of this," cried the gilla; "for this am I lost forever." ^*LL. fo. 68b. ⁶"Whence comest thou ⁷and who art thou⁷?" Cuchulain asked. "Charioteer am I of Orlam, Ailill's son and Medb's,"^{6 8}said he.^{8 9}"Fear nothing;⁹ I will not slay thee at all, boy," said Cuchulain; "for I slay nor charioteers nor horseboys nor persons unarmed. But, prithee, where is thy master, ¹⁰gilla¹⁰?" "Over yonder by the trench, ¹¹with his back to the pillar-stone,¹¹" answered the gilla. "Off with thee thither to him and bear him a warning that he be on his guard. For if we meet he shall fall by my hand."

W. 1419. Thereupon the charioteer repaired ¹by one way¹ to his master, ²and Cuchulain went by another,² and fast as the gilla sped to Orlam, faster still Cuchulain did reach him ³and offered him combat³ and he struck off his head, and raising it aloft displayed it to the men of Erin, ⁴and he flourished it in the presence of the host.^{4 5}Then he put the head on the charioteer's back and said, "Take this with thee, and so go to the camp. Unless thou goest so, a stone out of my sling will reach thee."

When the charioteer came nigh to the camp he took the head from his back and told his adventures to Ailill and Medb. "It is not the same, this exploit and the catching of birds," quoth she. "And he told me" (said the boy), "unless I brought it on my back to the camp, he would break my head with a stone."^{5 6}Hence Leaca Orlaim ('Orlam's Flagstones') to the north of Disert Lochaid is the name of the place where he fell. Tamlachta ('Gravestones') is another name for it, and it is for this reason it is so called because of the little gravestones and the violent deaths which Cuchulain worked on it."⁶

W. 1425. Then came the three macArach on to the ford at Ard Ciannacht to encounter Cuchulain: Lon ('Ousel'), Uala ('Pride'), and Diliu ('Deluge');—Meslir ('Lir's Fosterling'), and Meslaoc ('Hero's Fosterling'), and Meslethain ('Lethan's Fosterling') were the names of their charioteers. This is why they came to engage with Cuchulain, for the deed he had done the day before they deemed past bearing, when the two sons of Nera son of Nuatar, son of Tacan, were slain at Ath Gabla ('Fork-ford'), and Orlam, Ailill's son and Medb's, was slain withal and his head displayed to the men of Erin, so that ²their desire was² to kill Cuchulain in the same manner ³in revenge for him,^{3 4}and that they should be the ones to rid the host of that pest⁴ and bring his head with them to set it aloft. They went into the wood and cut off three ⁵great⁵ white-hazel wood-strips (and put them) into the hands of their charioteers, so that the six of them might engage in battle at one and the same time with Cuchulain. Cuchulain turned on them and smote their six heads from them. Thus fell the macArach at the hands of Cuchulain, ⁶because they observed not fair fight with him. At that same time Orlam's charioteer was between Ailill and Medb. Cuchulain slung a stone at him, so that it broke his head and his brains came out over his ears. Fertedil was his name. Hence it is not true that Cuchulain slew no charioteers. Albeit he slew them not without fault.⁶

W. 1439. There came also Lethan ('the Broad') to his ford on the Nith in the land of Conalle Murthemni, to fight with Cuchulain. ²He was angered at what Cuchulain had wrought.² He came upon him at the ford. Ath Carpait ('Chariot-ford') is the name of the ford where they fought, for their chariots were broken in the combat on the ford. It is there that Mulcha, ³Lethan's charioteer,³ fell on the ⁴shoulder of the⁴ hill between the two fords, ⁵for he had offered battle and combat to Laeg son of Riangabair.⁵ Hence it is called Guala Mulchi ('Mulcha's Shoulder') ever since. It is there, too, that Cuchulain and Lethan met, and Lethan fell at Cuchulain's hands and he smote his head from his neck on the ford and left it therewith, that is, he left the head with the trunk. Wherefore the name of the ford ⁶of the Nith⁶ was called Ath Lethain ('Lethain's Ford') ever since in the district of Conalle Murthemni.

Then came ⁷unto them⁷ the Crutti Cainbili ('the Tuneful Harpers'), from Ess Ruaid in the north to amuse them, ⁸out of friendship for Ailill and Medb.⁸ They opined it was to spy upon them ⁹they were come⁹ from Ulster. ¹⁰When they came within sight of the camp of the men of Erin, fear, terror, and dread possessed them,¹⁰ and the hosts pursued 87 W. 1450. them as never men pursued, far and wide, till they escaped them in the shapes of deer near the standing stones at Lia Mor ('Great Stone') ¹in the north.¹ For though they were known as the 'Mellifluous Harpers' they were ²druids,² men of great cunning and great power of augury and magic.

W. 1456. Then Cuchulain made a threat ²in Methè² that wherever he saw Medb he would cast a stone at her and that it would not go far from the side of her head. That he also fulfilled. In the place where he saw Medb west of the ford he cast a stone from his sling at her, so that it killed the pet bird that was on her shoulder. Medb passed over the ford eastwards, and again he cast a stone from his sling at her east of the ford, so that it killed the tame squirrel that was on her shoulder. Hence the names of those places are still, Meide in Togmail ('Squirrel's Neck') and Meide ind Eoin ('Bird's Neck'). And Ath Srethe ('Ford of the Throw') is the name of the ford over which Cuchulain cast the stone from his sling.

³Then Reuin was drowned in his lake. Hence is Loch Reuin. "Your companion is not afar off from you," cried Ailill to the Manè. They stood up and looked around. When they sat down again, Cuchulain struck one of them so that his head was split. "It is well it was thou hast essayed that; thy^a mirth was not seemly," quoth Manè the fool; "it is I would have taken his head off." Cuchulain flung a stone at him, so that his head was split. Thus 89 these people were slain: Orlam, first of all, on his hill; the three sons of Arach^a on their ford; Fertidil in his ... (?); Maenan on his hill. "I swear by the god by whom my people swear," cried Ailill; "the man that scoffs at Cuchulain here I will make two halves of. But above all let us hasten our way by day and by night," Ailill continued, "till we come to Cualnge. That man will slay two-thirds of your host in this fashion."³

¹Then did the men of Erin deliberate about going to ravage and lay waste Mag Breg and Meath and the plain of Conall and the land of Cuchulain; and it was in the presence of Fergus macRoig they discussed it.¹

W. 1465. The four grand provinces of Erin moved out on the morrow, and began to harry the plains of Breg and Murthemne. And the sharp, keen-edged anxiety ^*LL. fo. 69a. for Cuchulain came over his fosterer Fergus. And he bade the men of Erin be on their guard that night, for that Cuchulain would come upon them. And here again he sang in his praise, as we wrote it before,^b and he uttered the lay:—

After this lay, that was the day that Donn ('the Brown Bull') of Cualnge came into the land of Marginè ¹to Sliab Culinn¹ and with him fifty heifers of the heifers ²of Ulster;² and there he was pawing and digging up the earth in that place, ³in the land of Marginè, in Cualnge;³ that is, he flung the turf over him with his heels. ⁴While the hosts were marching over Mag Breg, Cuchulain in the meanwhile laid hands on their camps.⁴ It was on the same day that the Morrigan, daughter of Ernmas, ⁵the prophetess⁵ of the fairy-folk, came ⁶in the form of a bird,⁶ and she perched on the standing-stone in Temair of Cualnge giving the Brown Bull of Cualnge warning ⁷and lamentations⁷ before the men of Erin. Then she began to address him and what she said was this: "Good, now, O luckless one, thou Brown Bull of Cualnge," so spake the Morrigan; "take heed; for the men of Erin. ⁸are on thy track and seeking thee⁸ and they will come upon thee, and ⁹if thou art taken⁹ they will carry thee away to their camp ¹⁰like any ox on a raid,¹⁰ unless thou art on thy guard." And she commenced to give warning to him in this fashion, ¹¹telling him he would be slain on the Táin, and she delivered this judgement¹¹ and spake these words aloud:^a—

"Knows not the restless Brown of the ¹²truly deadly¹² 91 W. 1502. fray that is not uncertain?—A raven's^a croak—The raven that doth not conceal—Foes range your checkered plain—¹Troops on raids¹—I have a secret—Ye shall know ... The waving fields—The deep-green grass ... and rich, soft plain—Wealth of flowers' splendour—Badb's cow-lowing—Wild the raven—Dead the men—A tale of woe—Battle-storms^b on Cualnge evermore, to the death of mighty sons—Kith looking on the death of kin!"

²When the Brown Bull of Cualnge heard those words² he moved on to Glenn na Samaisce ('Heifers' Glen') in Sliab Culinn ('Hollymount') ³in the north of Ulster,³ and fifty of his heifers with him, ⁴and his herdsman accompanied him; Forgemen was the name of the cowherd.^{4 5}And he threw off the thrice fifty boys who were wont to play on his back and he destroyed two-thirds of the boys.⁵ This was one of the magic virtues of the Brown Bull of Cualnge: Fifty heifers he would cover every day. These calved before that same hour on the next day and such of them that calved not ⁶at the due time⁶ burst with the calves, because they could not suffer the begetting of the Brown Bull of Cualnge. One of the magic virtues of the Brown Bull of Cualnge were the fifty ⁷grown⁷ youths who engaged in games, ⁸who⁸ on his fine back ⁹found room⁹ every evening ¹⁰to play draughts and assembly^c and leaping¹⁰; ¹¹he would not put them from him nor would he totter under them.¹¹ Another of the magic virtues of the Brown Bull of Cualnge was the hundred warriors 92 W. 1535. he screened from the heat and the cold under his shadow and shelter. Another of the magic virtues of the Brown Bull of Cualnge was that no goblin nor boggart nor sprite of the glen dared come into one and the same cantred with him. Another of the magic virtues of the Brown Bull of Cualnge was his musical lowing every evening as he returned to his haggard, his shed and his byre. It was music enough and delight for a man in the north and in the south, ¹in the east and the west,¹ and in the middle of the cantred of Cualnge, the lowing he made at even as he came to his haggard, his shed, and his byre. These, then, are some of the magic virtues of the Brown Bull of Cualnge.

Thereupon on the morrow the hosts proceeded among the rocks and dunes of the land of Conalle Murthemni. ³Cuchulain killed no one from Sailè ('the Sea') around Dorthè in the land of Conalle, until he reached Cualnge. At that time Cuchulain was in Cuincè, ²that is a mountain.² He had threatened that, where he would see Medb, he would hurl a stone at her head. It was not easy to do this, for it was thus Medb went, with half the host around her and their canopy of shields over her head.³ And Medb ordered a canopy of shields to be held over her head in order that Cuchulain might not strike her from the hills or hillocks or heights. Howbeit on that day, no killing nor attack came from Cuchulain upon the men of Erin, in the land of Murthemne among the rocks and dunes of Conalle Murthemni.

W. 1552. The warriors of four of the five grand provinces of Erin bided their time in Redè Lochè in Cualnge and pitched camp and took quarters therein for that night. Medb bade her fair handmaiden from amongst her attendants to go for her to the river for water for drinking and washing. Lochè was the name of the maiden. Thereupon Lochè went, and fifty^a women in her train and the queen's diadem of gold on her head. And Cuchulain ²espied them and he^{2 3}put a stone on his sling and³ cast ^*LL. fo. 69b. a stone from his ⁴staff⁴-sling at her, so that he broke the diadem of gold in three pieces and killed the maiden on her plain. Thence is Redè Lochè ('the Plain of Lochè') in Cualnge. For Cuchulain had thought, for want of acquaintance and knowledge, that it was Medb that was there.

⁵From Finnabair of Cualnge the hosts divided and set the country on fire. They gathered all their women and boys and girls and cattle in Cualnge together so that they all were in Finnabair. "Ye have not fared well," quoth Medb; "I see not the bull amongst you." "He is not in the land at all," replied every one. They summoned Lothar, the cowherd, to Medb. "Where, thinkest thou, is the bull?" she asked. "I have great fear to tell," said 94 the cowherd. "The night," said he, "that the Ulstermen fell into their 'Pains,' the Donn went and three score heifers along with him; and he is at Dubcaire Glinni Gat ('the Black Corrie of the Osier-glen')." "Rise," said Medb, "and take a withy between each two of you." And they do accordingly. Hence is the name, Glenn Gatt, of that glen.

Then they led the bull to Finnabair. In the place where the bull saw Lothar, the cowherd, he attacked him, and soon he carried his entrails out on his horns and together with his thrice fifty heifers he attacked the camp, so that fifty warriors perished. Hence this is the Tragical Death of Lothar on the Táin ¹and the Finding of the Bull according to this version.^{1 2}Thereafter the bull went from them away from the camp and they knew not whither he had gone from them and they were ashamed. Medb asked the cowherd if he might know where the bull was. "I trow he is in the wilds of Sliab Culinn."² Then they turned back ravaging Cualnge and they found not the bull there.⁵

W. 1563. ²Early² on the morrow the hosts continued their way ³to lay waste the plain of Murthemne and to sack Mag Breg and Meath and Machaire Conaill ('Conall's Plain') and the land of Cualnge. It was then that the streams and rivers of Conalle Murthemni rose to the tops of the trees, and the streams of the Cronn rose withal, until the hosts arrived at Glaiss Cruinn ('Cronn's Stream').³ And they attempted the stream and failed to cross it ⁴because of the size of its waves,^{4 5}so that they slept on its bank.⁵ And Cluain Carpat ('Chariot-meadow') is the name of the first place where they reached it. This is why Cluain Carpat is the name of that place, because of the hundred^a chariots which the river carried away from them to the sea. Medb ordered her people that one of the warriors should go try the river. And ⁶on the morrow⁶ there arose a great, stout, ⁷wonderful⁷ warrior of the ⁸particular⁸ people of Medb ⁹and Ailill,⁹ Uala by name, and he took on his back a massy rock, ¹⁰to the end that Glaiss Cruinn might not carry him back.¹⁰ And he went to essay the stream, and the stream threw him back dead, lifeless, with his 96 W. 1571. stone on his back ¹and so he was drowned.¹ Medb ordered that he be lifted ²out of the river then^{2 3}by the men of Erin³ and his grave dug ⁴and his keen made⁴ and his stone raised ⁵over his grave,⁵ so that it is thence Lia Ualann ('Uala's Stone') ⁶on the road near the stream⁶ in the land of Cualnge.

Cuchulain clung close to the hosts that day provoking them to encounter and combat. ⁷Four and seven score kings fell at his hands at that same stream,⁷ and he slew a hundred of their ⁸armed,^{8 9}kinglike⁹ warriors around Roen and Roi, the two chroniclers of the Táin. ¹⁰This is the reason the account of the Táin was lost and had to be sought afterwards for so long a time.¹⁰

Medb called upon her people to go meet Cuchulain in encounter and combat ¹¹for the sake of the hosts.¹¹ "It will not be I," and "It will not be I," spake each and every one from his place. "No caitiff is due from my people. Even though one should be due, it is not I would go to oppose Cuchulain, for no easy thing is it to do battle with him."

¹²When they had failed to find the Donn Cualnge,¹² the hosts kept their way along the river ¹³around the river Cronn to its source,¹³ being unable to cross it, till they reached the place where the river rises out of the mountains, and, had they wished it, they would have gone between the river and the mountain, but Medb would not allow it, so they had to dig and hollow out the mountain. 97 W. 1585. before her in order ¹that their trace might remain there forever and¹ that it might be for a shame and reproach to Ulster.

²They tarried there three days and three nights till they had dug out the earth before them.² And Bernais ('the Gap') of the ⁴Foray of Medb and the Gap of the⁴ Foray of Cualnge is another name for the place ever since, for it is through it the drove afterwards passed. ³There Cuchulain killed Cronn and Coemdele and ...³

The warriors of the four grand provinces of Erin pitched camp and took quarters that night at Belat Aileain ('the Island's Crossway'). Belat Aileain was its name up to then, but Glenn Tail ('Glen of Shedding') is henceforth its name because of the abundance of curds and of milk ⁵and of new warm milk⁵ which the droves of cattle and the flocks ⁶of the land of Conalle and Murthemne⁶ yielded there ⁷that night⁷ for the men of Erin. And Liasa Liac ('Stone Sheds') is another name for it ⁸to this day,⁸ and it is for this it bears that name, for it is there that the men of Erin raised cattle-stalls and byres for their herds and droves ⁹between Cualnge and Conalle.^{9 10}Botha is still another name for it, for the men of Erin erected bothies and huts there.¹⁰

The four of the five grand provinces of Erin took up the march until they reached the Sechair ¹¹in the west on the morrow.¹¹ Sechair was the name of the river hitherto; Glaiss Gatlaig ('Osier-water') is its name henceforward. ¹²And Glaiss Gatlaig rose up against them.¹² Now this is the reason it had that name, for it was in osiers and ropes that the men of Erin brought 98 W. 1599. their flocks and droves over across it, and the entire host let their osiers and ropes drift with the stream after crossing. Hence the name, Glaiss Gatlaig. ¹Then they slept at Druim Fenè in Conalle. These then are their stages from Cualnge to the plain (of Conalle Murthemni) according to this version. Other authors ²of this Work² and other books aver that they followed another way on their journeyings from Finnabair to Conalle.¹

²After every one had come with their spoils and they were all gathered in Finnabair of Cualnge, Medb spake: "Let the camp be divided here," said Medb; "the foray cannot be caried on by a single road. Let Ailill with half his force go by Midluachair. We and Fergus will go by Bernas Bo Ulad ('the Pass of the Cattle of Ulster')." "Not fair is the part that has fallen to us of the force," said Fergus; "the cattle cannot be driven over the mountain without dividing." This then is done. Hence cometh Bernas Bo Ulad ('the Pass of the Cattle of Ulster').

Then spake Ailill to his charioteer Cuillius: "Find out for me to-day Medb and Fergus. I wot not what hath led them to keep thus together. I would fain have a token from thee." Cuillius went where Medb and Fergus wantoned. The pair dallied behind while the warriors continued their march. Cuillius stole near them and they perceived not the spy. It happened that Fergus' sword lay close by him. Cuillius drew it from its sheath and left the sheath empty. Then Cuillius betook himself to Ailill. "Well?" said Ailill. "Well, then," replied ³Cuillius;³ "thou knowest the signification of this token. As thou hast thought," continued Cuillius, "it is thus I discovered them, 100 lying together." "It is so, then." Each of them laughs, at the other. "It is well so," said Ailill; "she had no choice; to win his help on the Táin she hath done it. Keep the sword carefully by thee," said Ailill; "put it beneath thy seat in the chariot and a linen cloth wrapped round it."

When Fergus got up to take his sword, "Alas!" cried he. "What aileth thee?" Medb asked. "An ill deed have I done Ailill," said he. "Wait thou here till I come out of the wood," said Fergus, "and wonder not though it be long till I come." It happened that Medb knew not of the loss of the sword. Fergus went out taking his charioteer's sword with him in his hand, and he fashioned a sword from a tree in the wood. Hence is Fid Mor Thruailli ('Great Scabbard-Wood') in Ulster.

"Let us hasten after our comrades," said Fergus. The forces of all came together in the plain. They raised their tents. Fergus was summoned to Ailill for a game of chess. When Fergus entered the tent Ailill laughed at him.^a

Cuchulain came so that he was before Ath Cruinn ('the Ford of the Cronn'). "O master Laeg," he cried to his driver, "here are the hosts for us." "I swear by the gods," said the charioteer, "I will do a mighty feat in the eyes of chariot-fighters, in quick spurring-on of the slender steeds; with yokes of silver and golden wheels shall they be urged on (?) in triumph. Thou shalt ride before heads of kings. The steeds I guide will bring victory with their bounding." "Take heed, O Laeg," said Cuchulain; "hold the reins for the great triumph of Macha, that the horses drag thee not over the mass at the ... (?) of a woman. 101 Let us go over the straight plain of these ... (?). I call on the waters to help me," cried Cuchulain. "I beseech heaven and earth and the Cronn above all."

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

Manè son of Ailill and Medb marched in advance of the rest. Cuchulain slew him on the ford and thirty horsemen of his people were drowned. Again Cuchulain laid low twice sixteen warriors of theirs near the stream. The warriors of Erin pitched their tents near the ford. Lugaid son of Nos ¹grandson of Lomarc¹ Allcomach went to parley with Cuchulain. Thirty horsemen were with him. "Welcome to thee, O Lugaid," cried Cuchulain. "Should a flock of birds graze upon the plain of Murthemne, thou shalt have a wild goose with half the other. Should fish come to the falls or to the bays, thou shalt have a salmon with as much again. Thou shalt have the three sprigs, even a sprig of cresses, a sprig of laver, and a sprig of sea-grass; there will be a man to take thy place at the ford." "This welcome is truly meant," replied Lugaid; "the choice of people for the youth whom I desire!" "Splendid are your hosts," said Cuchulain. "It will be no misfortune," said Lugaid, "for thee to stand up alone before them." "True courage and valour have I," Cuchulain made answer. "Lugaid, my master," said Cuchulain, "do the hosts fear me?" "By the god," Lugaid made answer, "I swear that no one man of them nor two men dares make water outside the camp unless twenty or thirty go with him." "It will be something for them," said Cuchulain, "if I begin to 102 cast from my sling. He will be fit for thee, O Lugaid, this companion thou hast in Ulster, ¹if the men oppose me one by one.¹ Say, then, what wouldst thou?" asked Cuchulain. "A truce with my host." "Thou shalt have it, provided there be a token therefor. And tell my master Fergus that there shall be a token on the host. Tell the leeches that there shall be a token on the host, and let them swear to preserve my life and let them provide me each night with provision."

Lugaid went from him. It happened that Fergus was in the tent with Ailill. Lugaid called him out and reported that (proposal of Cuchulain's) to him. Then Ailill was heard:^a

"I swear by the god, I cannot," said ³Fergus,³ "unless I ask the lad. Help me, O Lugaid," said Fergus. "Do thou go to him, to see whether Ailill with a division may come to me to my company. Take him an ox with salt pork and a keg of wine." Thereupon Lugaid goes to Cuchulain and tells him that. "'Tis the same to me whether he go," said Cuchulain. Then the two hosts unite. They remain there till night, ⁴or until they spend thirty nights there.⁴ Cuchulain destroyed thirty of their warriors with his sling. "Your journeyings will be ill-starred," said Fergus (to Medb and Ailill); "the men of Ulster will come out of their 'Pains' and will grind you down to the earth and the gravel. Evil is the battle-corner wherein we are." He proceeds to Cul Airthir ('the Eastern Nook'). Cuchulain slays thirty of their heroes on Ath Duirn ('Ford of the Fist'). Now they could not reach Cul Airthir till night. Cuchulain killed 103 thirty of their men there and they raised their tents in that place. In the morning Ailill's charioteer, Cuillius to wit, was washing the wheel-bands in the ford. Cuchulain struck him with a stone so that he killed him. Hence is Ath Cuillne ('Ford of Destruction') in Cul Airthir.'²

W. 1603. The four grand provinces of Erin proceeded till they pitched camp and took quarters in Druim En ('Birds' Ridge') in the land of Conalle Murthemni, ¹and they slept there¹ that night, ²as we said before,² and Cuchulain held himself at Ferta Illergaib ('the Burial-mound on the Slopes') hard by them that night, and he, Cuchulain, shook, brandished and flourished his weapons that night. ³Every night of the three nights they were there he made casts from his sling at them, from Ochaine nearby,³ so that one hundred warriors of the host perished of fright and fear and dread of Cuchulain. ⁴"Not long will our host endure in this way with Cuchulain," quoth Ailill.⁴ Medb called upon Fiachu son of Ferfebè of the Ulstermen to go parley with Cuchulain, to come to some terms with him. "What terms shall be given him?" asked Fiachu son of Ferfebè. "Not hard to answer," Medb replied: "He shall be recompensed ⁵for the loss of his lands and estates,⁵ for whosoever has been slain of the Ulstermen, so that it be paid to him as the men of Erin adjudge ⁶according to the will of the Ulstermen and of Fergus and of the nobles of the men of Erin who are in this camp and encampment.⁶ Entertainment shall be his at all times in Cruachan; wine and 105 W. 1614. mead shall be poured ^*LL. fo. 70a. out for him. ¹He shall have from the plain of Ai the equal of the plain of Murthemne and the best chariot that is in Ai and the equipment of twelve men. Offer, if it please him more, the plain wherein he was reared and thrice seven bondmaids.¹ And he shall come into my service and Ailill's, for that is more seemly for him than to be in the service of the lordling with whom he is, ²even of Conchobar son of Fachtna Fathatch.²

Accordingly this was the greatest word of scorn and insult spoken on the Cow-Raid of Cualnge, to make a lordling of the best king of a province in Erin, even of Conchobar.

Then came Fiachu son of Ferfebè to converse with Cuchulain. Cuchulain bade him welcome. "³Welcome thy coming and thine arrival, O Fiachu," said Cuchulain.³ "I regard that welcome as truly meant," ⁴said Fiachu.⁴ "It is truly meant for thee" ⁵replied Cuchulain⁵; "⁶and thou shalt have a night of hospitality this night." "Victory and a blessing attend thee, O fosterling," replied Fiachu. "Not for hospitality am I come, but⁶ to parley with thee am I come from Medb, ⁷and to bring thee terms."⁷ "What hast thou brought with thee?" "Thou shalt be recompensed for whatsoever was destroyed of Ulster which shall be paid thee as best the men of Erin adjudge. Entertainment shalt thou enjoy in Cruachan; wine and mead shall be poured out for thee and thou shalt enter the service of Ailill and Medb, for that is more seemly for thee than to be in the service of the lordling with whom thou art." "Nay, of a truth," answered Cuchulain, "I would not sell my mother's brother^a for any other king!" "Further," ⁸continued Fiachu,⁸ "that 106 W. 1627. thou comest to-morrow to a tryst with Medb and Fergus in Glenn Fochaine.

¹Therewith Fiachu left behind a wish for long life and health with Cuchulain.¹

Accordingly, early on the morrow, Cuchulain set forth for Glenn Fochaine. Likewise Medb and Fergus went to meet him. And Medb looked narrowly at Cuchulain, and her spirit chafed her at him that day, for no bigger than the bulk of a stripling did he seem to her. "Is that yonder the renowned Cuchulain thou speakest of, O Fergus?" asked Medb, ²"of whom it is said amongst ye Ulstermen that there is not in Erin a warrior for whom he is not a match and mighty combat?" "Not in Erin alone, did we say," Fergus made answer; "but there is not in the world a warrior for whom he is not a match and mighty combat."² And Medb began to address Fergus and she made this lay:—

Medb:

Fergus:

Medb:

Fergus:

"Accost Cuchulain, O Fergus," said Medb. "Nay, then," quoth Fergus, "but do thou accost him thyself, for ye are not asunder here in the valley, in Glenn Fochaine." 107 W. 1653. And Medb began to address Cuchulain and she made a lay, ¹to which he responded:¹

Medb:

Cuchulain:

Medb:

Cuchulain:

Medb:

Cuchulain:

Medb:

When this lay was finished, Cuchulain accepted none of the terms which she had offered. In such wise they parted in the valley and withdrew in equal anger on the one side and on the other.

The warriors of four of the five grand provinces of Erin pitched camp and took quarters for three days and three nights at Druim En ('Birds' Ridge') in Conalle Murthemni, but neither huts nor tents did they set up, nor did they 108 W. 1688. engage in feasts or repasts, nor sang they songs nor carols those three nights. And Cuchulain destroyed a hundred of their warriors every night ere the bright hour of sunrise on the morrow.

LL. fo. 70b. "Our hosts will not last long in this fashion," said Medb, "if Cuchulain slays a hundred of our warriors every night. Wherefore is a proposal not made to him and do we not parley with him?" "What might the proposal be?" asked Ailill. "Let the cattle that have milk be given to him and the captive women from amongst our booty. And he on his side shall check his staff-sling from the men of Erin and give leave to the hosts to sleep, ¹even though he slay them by day."¹ "Who shall go with that proposal?" Ailill asked. "Who," answered Medb, "but macRoth the ²chief² runner!" "Nay, but I will not go," said macRoth, "for I am in no way experienced and know not where Cuchulain may be, ³and even though I should meet him, I should not know him.³" "Ask Fergus," quoth Medb; "like enough he knows ⁴where he is.⁴" "Nay, then, I know it not," answered Fergus; "but I trow he is ⁵in the snow⁵ between Fochain and the sea, taking the wind and the sun after his sleeplessness last night, killing and slaughtering the host single handed." And so it truly was. ⁶Then on that errand to Delga macRoth set forth, the messenger of Ailill and Medb. He it is that circles Erin in one day. There it is that Fergus opined that Cuchulain would be, in Delga.⁶

Heavy snow fell that night so that all the ⁷five⁷ provinces of Erin were a white plane with the snow. And Cuchulain doffed the seven-score waxed, boardlike tunics which were used to be held under cords and strings next his skin, in order that his sense might not be deranged when 109 W. 1709. the fit of his fury came on him. And the snow melted for thirty feet all around him, because of the intensity of the warrior's heat and the warmth of Cuchulain's body. And the gilla ¹remained a good distance from him for he¹ could not endure to remain near him because of the might of his rage and the warrior's fury and the heat of his body. "A single warrior approacheth, O Cuchulain," cried Laeg ²to Cuchulain.² "What manner of warrior is he?" asked Cuchulain. "A brown, broad-faced, handsome fellow; ³a yellow head of hair and a linen ornament round it³; a splendid, brown, ⁴hooded⁴ cloak, ⁵with red ornamentation,⁵ about him; a fine, bronze pin in his cloak; a leathern three-striped doublet next his skin; two gapped shoes between his two feet and the ground; a white-hazel dog-staff in one of his hands; a single-edged sword with ornaments of walrus-tooth on its hilt in the other. "Good, O gilla," quoth Cuchulain, "these be the tokens of a herald. One of the heralds of Erin is he to bring me message and offer of parley."

Now was macRoth arrived at the place where Laeg was, "⁶How now⁶! What is thy title as vassal, O gilla? "macRoth asked. "Vassal am I to the youth up yonder," the gilla made answer. MacRoth came to the place where Cuchulain was. ⁷Cuchulain was sitting in the snow there up to his two hips with nothing about him ... his mantle.⁷ "⁸How now⁸! What is thy name as vassal, O warrior?" asked macRoth. "Vassal am I to Conchobar son of Fachtna Fathach, ⁹son of the High King of this province."⁹ "Hast not something, ¹⁰a name¹⁰ more special than that?" "Tis enough for the nonce," answered Cuchulain. "Haply, thou knowest where I might find that famous Cuchulain of whom the men 110 W. 1729. of Erin clamour now on this foray?" "What wouldst thou say to him that thou wouldst not to me?" asked Cuchulain. "To parley with him am I come on the part of Ailill and Medb, with terms and friendly intercourse for him." "What terms hast thou brought with thee for him?" "The milch-kine and the bondwomen of the booty he shall have, and for him to hold back his staff-sling from the hosts, for not pleasant is the thunder-feat he works every evening upon them." "Even though the one thou seekest were really at hand, he would not accept the proposals thou askest." "¹How so, then," said macRoth¹; "for the Ulstermen, as amends for their honour and in reprisal for injuries and satires and hindrances ²and for bands of troops and marauders,² will kill ³for meat in the winter³ the milch-cows ye have captured, should they happen to have no yeld cattle. And, what is more, they will bring their bondwomen to bed to them, and thus will grow up a base progeny on the side of the mothers in the land of Ulster, ⁴and loath I am to leave after me such a disgrace on the men of Ulster.⁴

MacRoth went his way back ⁵to the camp of the men of Erin to where Ailill and Medb and Fergus were.⁵ "What! Didst thou not find him?" Medb asked. "Verily, ⁶I know not, but⁶ I found a surly, angry, hateful, wrathful gilla ⁷in the snow⁷ betwixt Fochain and the sea. Sooth to say, I know not if he were Cuchulain." "Hath he accepted these proposals ⁸from thee?"⁸ "Nay then, he hath not." And macRoth related ⁹unto them all his answer,⁹ the reason why he did not accept them. "It was he himself with whom thou spakest," said Fergus.

"Another offer shall be made him," said Medb. "What is the offer?" asked Ailill. "There shall be given to him 111 W. 1747. the yeld cattle and the noblest of the captive women of the booty, and his sling shall be checked from the hosts, for not pleasant is the thunder-feat he works on them every evening." "Who should go make this covenant?" ¹said they.¹ "Who but macRoth ²the king's envoy,"^{2 3}said every one.³ "Yea, I will go," said macRoth, "because this time I know him."

⁴Thereupon⁴ macRoth ⁵arose and⁵ came to parley with Cuchulain. "To parley with thee am I come this time ⁶with other terms,⁶ for I wis it is thou art the renowned Cuchulain." "What hast thou brought with thee now?" ⁷Cuchulain asked.⁷ "What is dry of the kine and what is noblest of the captives ⁸shalt thou get,⁸ and hold thy staff-sling ^*LL. fo. 71a. from the men of Erin and suffer the men of Erin to go to sleep, for not pleasant is the thunder-feat thou workest upon them every evening." "I accept not that offer, because, as amends for their honour, the Ulstermen will kill the dry cattle. For the men of Ulster are honourable men and they would remain wholly without dry kine and milch-kine. They would bring their free women ye have captured to the querns and to the kneading-troughs and into bondage and ⁹other⁹ serfdom ¹⁰besides.^{10 11}This would be a disgrace.¹¹ Loath I should be to leave after me this shame in Ulster, that slave-girls and bondmaids should be made of the daughters of kings and princes of Ulster." "Is there any offer at all thou wilt accept this time?" ¹²said macRoth¹² "Aye, but there is," answered Cuchulain. "Then wilt thou tell me the offer?" asked macRoth. "By my word," Cuchulain made answer, "'tis not I that will tell you." "It is a question, then," said macRoth. "If there be among you in the camp," said Cuchulain, "one that knows the terms I demand, let 112 W. 1766. him inform you, ¹and I will abide thereby."¹ "And if there be not?"² said macRoth. "If there be not," said Cuchulain,² "let no one come near me any more with offers or with friendly intercourse ³or concerning aught other injunction,³ for, whosoever may come, it will be the term of his life!"

MacRoth came back ⁴to the camp and station of the men of Erin, to where Ailill, Medb, and Fergus were,⁴ and Medb asked his tidings. "Didst thou find him?" Medb asked. "In truth, I found him," macRoth replied. "Hath he accepted ⁵the terms?"⁵ "He hath not accepted," replied macRoth. "⁶How so;" said Ailill,⁶ "is there an offer he will accept?" "There is one, he said," ⁷answered macRoth.⁷ "Hath he made known to thee this offer?" "This is his word," said macRoth, "that he himself would not disclose it to ye." "'Tis a question, then," said Medb. "But" (macRoth continued), "should there be one in our midst that knows his terms, that one would tell it to me." "And if there be not," ⁸said Ailill. "And if there be not,"⁸ (answered macRoth), "let no one go seek him any more. But, there is one thing I promise ⁹thee,"⁹ said macRoth; "even though the kingdom of Erin were ¹⁰given me¹⁰ for it, I for one would not go ¹¹on these same legs to that place¹¹ to parley with him ¹²again."^{12 13}"Belike, Fergus knows," quoth Ailill.¹³ Therewith Medb looked at Fergus. "What are the terms yonder man demands, O Fergus? "Medb asked. ¹⁴"I know what the man meant to disclose.¹⁴ I see no advantage at all for ye in the terms he demands," Fergus replied. "¹⁵But¹⁵ what are those terms?" asked Medb. "¹⁶Not difficult to say," replied Fergus.¹⁶ "That a single champion of 113 W. 1782. the men of Erin ¹be sent¹ to fight ²and contend² with him every day. The while he slayeth that man, the army will be permitted to continue its march. Then, when he will have slain that man, another warrior shall be sent to meet him on the ford. Either that, or the men of Erin shall halt and camp there till sunrise's bright hour in the morning. ³And, by the ford whereon his single-handed battle and fight takes place, the cattle shall not be taken by day or by night, to see if there come to him help from the men of Ulster. And I wonder," continued Fergus, "how long it will be till they come out of their 'Pains.'^{3 4}Whatever Ulstermen are injured or wounded nearby him, your leeches shall heal them and ye shall not be paid for the price of their healing. Whatever daughter of kings or of princes of the men of Erin shall love him, ye shall bring her to him together with her purchase and bride-price.⁴ And further, Cuchulain's food and clothing shall be provided by you, ⁵so long as he will be⁵ on this expedition." ⁶"Good, O Fergus,"⁶ asked Ailill,^{a 7}"will he abate aught of these terms?" "In sooth, will he," replied Fergus; "namely, he will not exact to be fed and clothed by you, but of himself will provide food and clothing."⁷

"By our conscience," said Ailill, "this is a grievous proposal." "What he asks is good," replied Medb; "and he shall obtain those terms, for we deem it easier to bear that he should have one of our warriors every day than a hundred every night." "Who will go and make known those terms to Cuchulain?" "Who, then, but Fergus?" replied Medb. "⁸Come now, O Fergus," said Medb; "take upon thee to fulfil and make good those terms to him."⁸ "Nevermore!" said Fergus. "Why not?" asked Ailill. ⁹"I fear ye will not make true and fulfil them for 114 W. 1792. me." "They will truly be fulfilled," said Medb.⁹ (Then said Fergus:) "Bonds and covenants, pledges and bail shall be given for abiding by those terms and for their fulfilment towards Cuchulain." "I abide by it," said Medb, and she fast bound Fergus to them in like manner.

W. 1798. Fergus' horses were brought and his chariot was hitched ²and Fergus set forth on that errand.² And two horses were brought for Etarcumul son of Fid and of Lethrinn, a soft youth of the people of Medb and of Ailill. ³Now Etarcumul followed Fergus.³ "Whither goest thou?" Fergus demanded. "We go with thee," Etarcumul made answer. ⁴"And why goest thou with me?" asked Fergus.⁴ "To behold the form and appearance of Cuchulain, and to gaze upon him, ⁵for he is unknown to me."⁵ "Wilt thou do my bidding," said Fergus, "thou wilt in no wise go thither." "Why shall I not, pray?" ⁶"I would not have thee go," said Fergus; "and it is not out of hatred of thee, only I should be loath to have combat between thee and Cuchulain.⁶ Thy light-heartedness, ⁷thy haughtiness and thy pride⁷ and thine overweeningness (I know), but (I also know) the fierceness and valour and hostility, the ⁸violence and vehemence⁸ of the youth against whom thou goest, ⁹even Cuchulain.⁹ And methinks ye will have contention before ye part. ¹⁰No good will come from your meeting."¹⁰ "Art thou not able to come between us ¹¹to protect me?"¹¹ 116 W. 1806. "I am, to be sure," Fergus answered, "provided thou thyself seek not the combat¹ and treat not what he says with contempt."¹ "I will not seek it," ²said Etarcumul,² "till the very day of doom!"

Then they went their ways ³in two chariots to Delga,³ to come up to Cuchulain where Cuchulain was between Fochain and the sea. ⁴There it is that he was that day, with his back to the pillar-stone at Crich Rois,⁴ playing draughts with Laeg, ⁵to wit, his charioteer.^{5 6}The back of his head was turned towards them that approached and Laeg faced them.⁶ And not a ⁷living⁷ thing entered the ⁸entire⁸ plain without Laeg perceiving it and, notwithstanding, he continued to win every other game of draughts from Cuchulain. "A lone warrior cometh towards us ⁹over the plain,^{9 10}my master¹⁰ Cucuc," spake Laeg. "What manner of warrior?" queried Cuchulain. ¹¹"A fine, large chariot is there," said he.^{11 12}"But what sort of chariot?"¹² "As large as one of the chief mountains that are highest on a great plain appears to me ^*LL. fo. 71b. the chariot that is under the warrior; ¹³and I would liken to the battlements of one of the vast, royal seats of the province the chariot that is in the trappings of those horses;¹³ as large as one of the noble trees on a main fort's green meseems the curly, tressed, fair-yellow, all-golden hair hanging loose around the man's head; a purple mantle fringed with thread of gold ¹⁴wrapped¹⁴ around him; a golden, ornamented brooch in the mantle ¹⁵over his breast;^{15 16}a bright-shining, hooded shirt, with red embroidery of red gold trussed up on his white 117 W. 1819. skin;¹⁶ a broad and grey-shafted lance, ¹perforated from mimasc^a to 'horn,'¹ flaming red in his hand; over him, a bossed, plaited shield, ²curved, with an engraved edge of silvered bronze,^{2 3}with applied ornaments of red gold thereon,³ and a boss of red gold; a lengthy sword, as long as the oar⁴ of a huge currach ⁵on a wild, stormy night,^{5 6}resting on the two thighs⁶ of the great haughty warrior that is within the chariot.⁴"

"Holla! Welcome the coming of this guest to us!" cried Cuchulain. "We know the man; it is my master Fergus that cometh hither. ⁷Empty is the great paddle that my master Fergus carries," said Cuchulain; "for there is no sword in its sheath but a sword of wood. For I have heard," Cuchulain continued, "that Ailill got a chance at him and Medb as they lay, and he took away Fergus' sword from him and gave it to his charioteer to take care of, and the sword of wood was put into its sheath."⁷

"Yet another single chariot-fighter I see coming towards us. With fulness of skill and beauty and splendour his horses speed." ⁸"A young, tender gilla in armour is in the chariot.⁸" "One of the youths of the men of Erin is he, O my master Laeg," responded Cuchulain. "To scan my appearance and form is that man come, for I am renowned amongst them in the midst of their camp, ⁹and they know me not at all."⁹

Fergus came up ¹⁰to where Cuchulain was¹⁰ and he sprang from the chariot, and Cuchulain bade him ¹¹a hearty¹¹ welcome. ¹²"Welcome to thine arrival and thy coming, O my master Fergus!" cried Cuchulain; "and a night's 118 W. 1831. lodging shalt thou have here this night."^{12 1}"Thy hospitality and eke thy welcome¹ I take for true," Fergus responded. "Verily, it is truly meant for thee," said Cuchulain; "for comes there a brace of birds into the plain, thou shalt have a wild goose with half the other. If fish rise to the river-mouths, ²to the stones or waterfalls,² thou shalt have a salmon with as much again. Thou shalt have a handful of watercress and a handful of sea-grass and a handful of laver ³and a drink from the sand^{3 4}afterwards.⁴ If thou hast a fight or combat ⁵with warrior before thee,⁵ I myself will go in thy stead to the ford. ⁶I will bear the fight that thou mayest return safe to the camp and the fort of the men of Erin on the morrow,^{6 7}and thou shalt lie on a litter of fresh rushes till heavy sleep and slumber come on thee,^{7 8}and I will watch and guard thee as long as thou sleepest."⁸ "Well, then, ⁹mayest thou have victory and blessing, O fosterling," said Fergus.⁹ "We know of what sort is thy hospitality on this occasion, on the Cow-spoil of Cualnge. ¹⁰But, not to claim that are we come,^{10 11}a night's hospitality of thee, but to fulfil and make good the terms thou askest.¹¹ As for this compact which thou hast asked of the men of Erin, single-handed combat with one man, thou shalt have it. It is for that I am come, to bind thee thereto, and do thou take it upon thee." "I pledge myself truly," said Cuchulain, ¹³provided fair play and single-handed combat be granted to me.¹³ "And, O, my master Fergus, ¹⁴do thou take upon thee the pact," said Cuchulain. "I bind myself to it," replied Fergus.¹⁴ 119 W. 1841. And no longer than that did he remain in parley, lest the men of Erin should say they were betrayed or deserted by Fergus for his disciple. Fergus' two horses were brought and his chariot was harnessed and he went back.

Etarcumul tarried behind gazing for a long time at Cuchulain. "At what starest thou, gilla?" asked Cuchulain. "I look at thee," said Etarcumul. "In truth then, thou hast not far to look," said Cuchulain. ¹"There is no need of straining thine eye for that; not far from thee within sight, thine eye seeth what is not smaller than I nor bigger.¹ If thou but knewest how angered is the little creature thou regardest, myself, to wit! And how then do I appear unto thee gazing upon me?" "Thou pleasest me as thou art; a comely, ²shapely,² wonderful, beautiful youth thou art, with brilliant, striking, various feats. Yet as for rating thee where goodly warriors are or forward youths or heroes of bravery or sledges of destruction, we count thee not nor consider thee at all. ³I know not why thou shouldst be feared by any one. I behold nothing of terror or fearfulness or of the overpowering of a host in thee. So, a comely youth with arms of wood and with showy feats is all thou art!"^{3 4}"Though thou revilest me,"⁴ said Cuchulain, "it is a surety for thee that thou camest from the camp under the protection of Fergus, ⁵as thou well knowest.⁵ For the rest, I swear by my gods whom I worship, were it not for the honour of Fergus, it would be only bits of thy bones and shreds of thy limbs, ⁶thy reins drawn and thy quarters scattered⁶ that would be brought back to the camp ⁷behind thy horses and chariot!"⁷ "But threaten me no longer 120 W. 1858. in this wise, ¹Cuchulain¹!" ²cried Etarcumul;² "for the ³wonderful³ terms thou didst exact of the men of Erin, ⁴that fair play and⁴ combat with one man ⁵should be granted thee,⁵ none other of the men of Erin but mine own self will come to-morrow ⁶at morn's early hour on the ford⁶ to attack thee."

"Come out, then," ⁷said Cuchulain,⁷ "and howso early thou comest, thou wilt find me here. I will not fly before thee. ⁸Before no man have I put foot in flight till now on the Plunder of the Kine of Cualnge and neither will I fly before thee!"⁸

Etarcumul returned ⁹from Methè and Cethè,⁹ and began to talk with his driver. "I must needs fight with Cuchulain to-morrow, gilla," said Etarcumul, ¹⁰"for I gave my word to go."¹⁰ "'Tis true, thou didst," quoth the charioteer. ^*LL. fo. 72a. "Howbeit, I know not wilt thou fulfil it." "But what is better ¹¹for us,¹¹ to fulfil it to-morrow or forthwith to-night?" "To our thinking," said the gilla, "albeit no victory is to be won by fighting to-morrow, there is still less to be gained by fighting to-night, for thy combat ¹²and hurt¹² is the nearer." "¹³Be that as it may," said he¹³; "turn the ¹⁴horses and¹⁴ chariot back again ¹⁵from the hill¹⁵ for us, gilla, ¹⁶till we go to the ford of combat,¹⁶ for I swear by the gods whom I worship, I will not return ¹⁷to the camp¹⁷ till the end of life and time, till I bring with me the head of that young wildling, ¹⁸even¹⁸ the head of Cuchulain, for a trophy!"