The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Táin Bó Cúalnge 17 – Dunn · Verses Across
Literature · Historical Fiction
The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Táin Bó Cúalnge 17Chapter 16
18
Literature · Historical Fiction
The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Táin Bó Cúalnge 17
Chapter 16
DunnEnglish
THE VIOLATION OF THE AGREEMENT
Then were five men sent against Cuchulain on the morrow to contend with him and he killed them, so that they fell by his hand, and 'the Five of Cenn Cursighi' was their name. [W.2400.] Then it was that Medb despatched six men at one and the same time to attack Cuchulain, to wit: Traig ('Foot') and Dorn ('Fist') and Dernu ('Palm'), Col ('Sin') and Accuis[a] ('Curse') and Eraise ('Heresy'), three druid-men and three druid-women, their three wives. Cuchulain attacked them, the six of them, and struck off their six heads, so that they fell at his hands on this side of Ath Tire Moire ('Big Land's Ford') at Methe and Cethe.
[1-1] This heading is supplied by Windisch.
[2-2] Eg. 93.
[a] LU. 1764, H. 2. 17 and Eg. 93 have for this, Mebul, 'Shame.'
[3-3] LU. 1767.
[4-4] Stowe.
[5-5] LU. 1766-1767.
Then it was that Fergus demanded of his sureties that fair-dealing should not be broken with Cuchulain. And it was there that Cuchulain was at that time, that is, at Delga Murthemni. Then Cuchulain killed Fota in his field, Bomailce on his ford, Salach in his homestead, Muine in his fort, Luar in Lethbera, Fertoithle in Toithle. These are the names of these lands forever, every place in which each man of them fell.
[6-6] LU. and YBL. 1759-1760.
[7-7] LU. 1761-1765.
Forasmuch as covenant and terms of single combat had been broken with Cuchulain, Cuchulain took his sling in hand that day and began to shoot at the host from Delga ('the Little Dart') in the south, in Murthemne. Though [W.2406.] numerous were the men of Erin on that day, not one of them durst turn his face southwards towards Cuchulain, towards the side where he was between Delga and the sea, whether dog, or horse, or man. So that he slew an hundred warriors till came the bright hour of sunrise on the morrow.
[8-8] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[1-1] Stowe.
[2-2] LU. and YBL. 1745.
[3-3] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
XVIa
THE HEALING OF THE MORRIGAN
[W.2410.] Great weariness came over Cuchulain after that night, and a great thirst, after his exhaustion. Then it was that the Morrigan, daughter of Emmas, came from the fairy dwellings, in the guise of an old hag, with wasted knees, long-legged, blind and lame, engaged in milking a tawny, three-teated milch cow before the eyes of Cuchulain.[a] And for this reason she came in this fashion, that she might have redress from Cuchulain. For none whom Cuchulain ever wounded recovered therefrom without himself aided in the healing. Cuchulain, maddened with thirst, begged her for a milking. She gave him a milking of one of the teats and straightway Cuchulain drank it. "May this be a cure in time for me, old crone," quoth Cuchulain, "and the blessing of gods and of non-gods upon thee!" said he; and one of the queen's eyes became whole thereby. He begged the milking of another teat. She milked the cow's second teat and gave it to him and he drank it and said, "May she straightway be sound that gave it." Then her head was healed so that it was whole. He begged a third drink [W.2418.] of the hag. She milked the cow's third teat and gave him the milking of the teat and he drank it. "A blessing on thee of gods and of non-gods, O woman! Good is the help and succour thou gavest me." And her leg was made whole thereby. Now these were their gods, the mighty folk: and these were their non-gods, the folk of husbandry. And the queen was healed forthwith. "Well, Cuchulain, thou saidst to me," spake the Morrigan, "I should not get healing nor succour from thee forever." "Had I known it was thou," Cuchulain made answer, "I would never have healed thee." Or, it may be Drong Conculainn ('Cuchulain's Throng') on Tarthesc is the name of this tale in the Reaving of the Kine of Cualnge.
[1-1] LU. fo. 77a, in the margin.
[2-2] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[3-3] Eg. 93.
[4-4] LU. and YBL. 1748.
[5-5] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[6-6] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[a] Reading fiadnaisse.
[7-7] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[8-8] Eg. 93.
[9-9] Stowe.
[10-10] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[11-11] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[12-12] LU. and YBL. 1753.
[1-1] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[2-2] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[3-3] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[4-4] H. 2. 17 and Eg. 93.
[5-5] LU. and YBL 1755.
[6-6] A gloss incorporated in the text of LL., LU., YBL., Stowe, H. 2. 17. and Eg. 93.
[7-7] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[8-8] Eg. 93.
[9-9] LU. and YBL. 1755-1758.
[10-10] Eg. 93.
Then it was she alighted in the form of a royston crow on the bramble that grows over Grelach Dolair ('the Stamping-ground of Dolar') in Mag Murthemni. "Ominous is the appearance of a bird in this place above all," quoth Cuchulain. Hence cometh Sge nah Einchi ('Crow's Bramble') as a name of Murthemne.
[11-11] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
Then Medb ordered out the hundred armed warriors of her body-guard at one and the same time to assail Cuchulain. Cuchulain attacked them all, so that they fell by his hand at Ath Ceit Cuile ('Ford of the First Crime'). "It is a dishonour for us that our people are slaughtered in this wise," quoth Medb. "It is not the first destruction that has befallen us from that same man," replied Ailill. Hence Cuilenn Cind Duni ('The Destruction of the Head [W.2426.] of the Dun') is henceforth the name of the place where they were, the mound whereon Medb and Ailill tarried that night. Hence Ath Cro ('Gory Ford') is the name of the ford where they were, and Glass Cro ('River of Gore') the name of the stream. And fittingly, too, because of the abundance of gore and blood that went with the flow of the river.
[12-12] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[13-13] LU. 1768.
[14-14] LU. 1769.
[1-1] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[2-2] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17, and, similarly, LU. 1771.
