The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Táin Bó Cúalnge

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 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 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, 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 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 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 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 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 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 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; 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 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 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 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 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."

VII.THE YOUTHFUL EXPLOITS OF CUCHULAIN

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 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 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 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. 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 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, 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.' 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

VIIaTHE SLAYING OF THE SMITH'S HOUND BY CUCHULAIN, AND THE REASON HE IS CALLED CUCHULAIN

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 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. 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 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 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!"

VIIb. ¹THE TAKING OF ARMS BY CUCHULAIN AND^{1 2}THE SLAYING OF THE THREE SONS OF NECHT SCENE IS NOW TOLD HERE²

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 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?" 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 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 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 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," 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 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 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. 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?" 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 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 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 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," 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 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 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. 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.