The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Táin Bó Cúalnge 18 – Dunn · Verses Across
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The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Táin Bó Cúalnge 18The Great Rout on the Plain of Murthemne Followeth Here Below
18
Literature · Historical Fiction
The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Táin Bó Cúalnge 18
The Great Rout on the Plain of Murthemne Followeth Here Below
DunnEnglish
[W.2431.] That night the warriors of four of the five grand provinces of Erin pitched camp and made their station in the place called Breslech Mor ('the Great Rout') in the Plain of Murthemne. Their portion of cattle and spoils they sent on before them to the south to the cow-stalls of Ulster. [LL.fo.76a.] Cuchulain took station at Ferta ('the Gravemound') at Lerga ('the Slopes') hard by them. And his charioteer kindled him a fire on the evening of that night, namely Laeg son of Riangabair. Cuchulain saw far away in the distance the fiery glitter of the bright-golden arms over the heads of four of the five grand provinces of Erin, in the setting of the sun in the clouds of evening. Great anger and rage possessed him at their sight, because of the multitude of his foes, because of the number of his enemies and opponents, and because of the few that were to avenge his sores and his wounds upon them.
[1-1] Eg. 93.
[2-2] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
Then Cuchulain arose and he grasped his two spears and his shield and his sword. He shook his shield and brandished his spears and wielded his sword and sent out the hero's shout from his throat, so that the fiends and goblins and sprites of the glens and demons of the air gave answer for the fearfulness of the shout that he lifted on [W.2444.] high, until Nemain, which is Badb, brought confusion on the host. The warriors of the four provinces of Erin made such a clangour of arms with the points of their spears and their weapons that an hundred strong, stout-sturdy warriors of them fell dead that night of fright and of heartbreak in the middle of the camp and quarters of the men of Erin at the awfulness of the horror and the shout which Cuchulain lifted on high.
[3-3] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[4-4] Translating from Stowe, H. 2. 17 and Eg. 93.
[1-1] Stowe, and LL., in the margin.
[2-2] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[3-3] Eg. 93.
As Laeg stood there he descried something: A single man coming from the north-eastern quarter athwart the camp of the four grand provinces of Erin making directly for him. "A single man here cometh towards us now, Cucucan," cried Laeg. "But what manner of man is he?" Cuchulain asked. "Not hard to say," Laeg made answer. "A great, well-favoured man, then. Broad, close-shorn hair upon him, and yellow and curly his back hair. A green mantle wrapped around him. A brooch of white silver[a] in the mantle over his breast. A kirtle of silk fit for a king, with red interweaving of ruddy gold he wears trussed up on his fair skin and reaching down to his knees. A great one-edged sword in his hand. A black shield with hard rim of silvered bronze thereon. A five-barbed spear in his hand. A pronged bye-spear beside it. Marvellous, in sooth, the feats and the sport and the play that he makes. But him no one heeds, nor gives he heed to any one. No one shows him courtesy nor does he show courtesy to any one, like as if none saw him in the camp of the four grand provinces of Erin." "In sooth, O fosterling," answered Cuchulain, "it is one of my friends of fairy kin that comes to take pity upon me, because they know the great distress wherein I am now all alone against the four grand provinces of Erin on the Plunder of the Kine of [W.2463.] Cualnge, killing a man on the ford each day and fifty each night, for the men of Erin grant me not fair fight nor the terms of single combat from noon of each day."
[4-4] Eg. 93.
[a] 'Of gold,' Eg. 93.
[5-5] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[6-6] Stowe.
[7-7] Stowe.
[1-1] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
Now in this, Cuchulain spoke truth. When the young warrior was come up to Cuchulain he bespoke him and condoled with him for the greatness of his toil and the length of time he had passed without sleep. "This is brave of thee, O Cuchulain," quoth he. "It is not much, at all," replied Cuchulain. "But I will bring thee help," said the young warrior. "Who then art thou?" asked Cuchulain. "Thy father from Faery am I, even Lug son of Ethliu." "Yea, heavy are the bloody wounds upon me; let thy healing be speedy." "Sleep then awhile, O Cuchulain," said the young warrior, "thy heavy fit of sleep by Ferta in Lerga ('the Gravemound on the Slopes') till the end of three days and three nights and I will oppose the hosts during that time." He examined each wound so that it became clean. Then he sang him the 'men's low strain' till Cuchulain fell asleep withal. It was then Lug recited the Spell-chant of Lug.
[2-2] Stowe.
[3-3] LU. 1803-1807, and, similarly, Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[4-4] LU. 1810-1811.
[5-5] LU. fo. 78a, in the margin; also in H. 2. 17. and Eg. 93.
Accordingly Cuchulain slept his heavy fit of sleep at 'the Gravemound on the Slopes' till the end of three days and three nights. And well he might sleep. Yet as great as was his sleep, even so great was his weariness. For from the Monday before Samain[a] ('Summer-end') even to the Wednesday after Spring-beginning,[b] Cuchulain slept not for all that space, except for a brief snatch after mid-day, leaning against his spear, and his head on his [W.2475.] fist, and his fist clasping his spear, and his spear on his knee, [LL.fo.76b.] but hewing and cutting, slaying and destroying four of the five grand provinces of Erin during that time.
[a] Hallowtide, the first of November and the beginning of winter.
[b] I.e. Candlemas. Stowe contains a Christian addition: 'to the feast of Brigit;' that is, the first of February.
Then it was that the warrior from Faery laid plants from the fairy-rath and healing herbs and put a healing charm into the cuts and stabs, into the sores and gaping wounds of Cuchulain, so that Cuchulain recovered during his sleep without ever perceiving it.
[1-1] LU. 1826.
XVIIa
THE SLAUGHTER OF THE YOUTHS OF ULSTER[a]
[W.2482.] That was the time the youths came out of the north from Emain Macha to the help of Cuchulain. Thrice fifty boys of the sons of the kings of Ulster, accompanying Follomain, Conchobar's son, and three battles they offered to the hosts, so that thrice their number fell and the youths also fell, save Conchobar's son Follomain. Follomain vowed that never till the very day of doom and of life would he return to Emain unless he should bring Ailill's head with him together with the diadem of gold that was on it. That was no easy thing for him to achieve, for the two sons of Bethe son of Ban--the two sons of Ailill's foster-mother and foster-father to whom King Ailill's diadem had been entrusted--attacked and wounded Follomain, so that he fell by their hands. This then is the Massacre of the youths of Ulster and of Follomain son of Conchobar.
[a] The LU. version of this episode was given above under XIIe, page 143.
[1-1] Stowe.
[2-2] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[3-3] Eg. 93.
Touching Cuchulain, he remained in his sound, heavy sleep till the end of three days and three nights at the 'Gravemound on the Slopes.' Thereafter Cuchulain arose from his sleep. He passed his hand over his face and he became as a wild[b] wheel-thunder (?) from his crown to the ground, and he felt his courage strengthened, and he would have [W.2497.] been able to go into an assembly or on a march or to a tryst with a woman or to an ale-house or into one of the chief assemblies of Erin. "How long am I asleep now, young warrior?" Cuchulain asked. "Three days and three nights," the young warrior made answer. "Woe is me for that!" quoth Cuchulain. "Why so?" asked the young warrior. "For that the hosts have not been attacked in that time," answered Cuchulain. "Nay, not so were they spared," the young warrior made answer. "I would fain inquire who then attacked them?" Cuchulain asked. "The youths came hither out of the north from Emain Macha, thrice fifty boys accompanying Follomain, Conchobar's son, and they the sons of the kings of Ulster. And three battles they offered the hosts in the space of the three days and three nights wherein thou wast till now asleep, and thrice their number are fallen at their hands and the youths themselves are fallen except Follomain alone, Conchobar's son. And Follomain vowed that never till the very day of doom and of life would he return north to Emain Macha till he carried off Ailill's head with the diadem of gold which was on it. Howbeit not such was his luck, for he fell at the hands of the two sons of Bethe son of Ban, after engaging in battle with them."
[b] Literally, 'crimson.'
[1-1] Eg. 93.
[2-2] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[3-3] Stowe.
"Alas, that I was not there in my strength!" cried Cuchulain; "for had I been in my strength the youths would not have fallen, as now they have, and Follomain would not have perished." "But this avow, O Cucan,"[a] said the young warrior; "it is no reproach to thine honour and no disgrace to thy valour." "Bide here this night with us, young warrior," said Cuchulain, "that together we avenge the youths on the hosts." "Nay then, I may not tarry," answered the [W.2515.] young warrior. "Why so?" asked Cuchulain. "Easy to say," replied the young warrior; "for however prodigious the deeds of valour and skill in arms one may perform in thy company, not on him will fall the glory nor the honour nor the fame but on thyself. For this reason will I not tarry with thee, but do thou thyself try thy feats of arms and the strength of thy hands alone on the hosts, for not with them is the power over thy life on this occasion."
[4-4] Stowe.
[a] A pet name for Cuchulain.
[5-5] Eg. 93.
[1-1] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[2-2] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
Then the young warrior from Faery went from him and they knew not what way he had gone. "Good, O my master Laeg," said Cuchulain; "together we will go to avenge the youths on the hosts." "I will go with thee," Laeg made answer. "And the scythed chariot, my friend Laeg," said Cuchulain. "Canst thou get it ready? If thou canst get it ready and hast its equipment, make it ready, and if its equipment is not at hand, make it not ready."
[3-3] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
XVIIb
THE SCYTHED CHARIOT
[W.2525.] Thereupon the charioteer arose and donned his yeoman's suit for charioteering. Of this [LL.fo.77a.] yeoman's suit for charioteering, this is what he put on him: His soft kirtle of skin which was light and airy, which was smooth and sparkling, which was stitched and of buckskin, so that it hindered not the movements of his arms outside. Over that he put outside an over-mantle of raven's feathers, which Simon Magus had made as a gift for Darius Nero, king of the Romans. Darius bestowed it upon Conchobar; Conchobar gave it to Cuchulain; Cuchulain presented it to Laeg son of Riangabair, his charioteer. The same charioteer took the crested, plated, four-bordered battle-cap with variety of every colour and every figure, reaching down over the middle of his shoulders behind. It was an adornment for him and not an encumbrance. With his hand he placed the red-yellow frontlet--like one red-golden strip of glowing gold smelted over the edge of an anvil--on his forehead as a token of charioteering, to distinguish him from his master. He opened the hobbles that fastened his steeds and grasped his gold-mounted goad in his right hand. In his left hand he seized the lines, that is, the bridle-reins of his horses for restraining his steeds before performing his charioteering.
[1-1] Eg. 93.
[2-2] Stowe and LU. 1874.
[3-3] H. 2. 17 and Eg. 93, instead of, 'Darius.'
[4-4] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[5-5] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[W.2542.] He next threw the iron-sheathed gold-bedecked coats of mail over his horses, so that they covered them from forehead to forehand. The chariot was studded with dartlets, lancelets, spearlets, and hardened spits, so that every portion of the frame bristled with points in that chariot and every corner and end and point and face of that chariot was a passage of laceration.
[1-1] There is a gap in the MS., and these words are supplied from the context.
[2-2] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
Then cast he a spell of concealment over his horses and over his fellow, so that they were not visible to any one in the camp, while all in the camp were visible to them, and over this veil of protection he wounded each one and through it and behind it. Well indeed was it that he cast that charm, for on that day the charioteer had to perform the three gifts of charioteership, namely leaping over a cleft in the ranks, unerring driving, and the handling of the goad.
[3-3] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
Then arose the champion and battle-warrior and the instrument of Badb's corpse-fold[a] among the men of the earth,[c] Cuchulain son of Sualtaim, and he donned his war-dress of battle and fight and combat. To that war-dress of battle and fight and combat which he put about him belonged seven and twenty[b] waxed, board-like, equally close skin-tunics which were girded by cords and swathings and ropes on his fair skin, to the end that his wit and reason might not become deranged when the violence of his nature came over him.
[4-4] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[a] That is, the piled up bodies of the slain.
[c] 'Of Erin,' Eg. 93.
[b] 'Eight and twenty,'. Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
Over him he put on the outside his battle-girdle of a champion, of tough, tanned, stout leather cut from the forequarters of seven ox-hides of yearlings, so that it reached from the slender parts of his waist to the stout part under [W.2562.] his arm-pits. He was used to wear it to keep off spears and points and irons and lances and arrows. For in like manner they would bound back from it as if from stone or rock or horn they rebounded. Then he took his silken, glossy trews with their band of spotted pale-gold against the soft lower parts of his loins. His brown, well-sewn kilt of brown leather from the shoulders of four ox-hides of yearlings, with his battle-girdle of cow-skins, he put underneath over the shining silken trews on the outside, so that it covered him from the slender part of his waist to the thick part of his thighs and reached up to the battle-belt of the hero. Then the king-hero [LL.fo.77a.] and king-warrior seized his battle-arms of battle and fight and combat. This is what belonged to those warlike weapons of battle: He took his eight little swords together with the bright-faced, tusk-hilted straightsword along with his quiver; he took his eight little spears besides his five-pronged spear; he took his eight little darts together with his javelin with its walrus-tooth ornaments; he took his eight little shafts along with his play-staff; he took his eight shields for feats together with his dark-red bent-shield, whereon a show-boar could lie in its hollow boss, with its very sharp, razor-like, keen-cutting, hard iron rim all around it, so that it would cut a hair against the stream because of its sharpness and fineness and keenness. When the young warrior would perform the edge-feat withal, it was the same whether he cut with his shield or his spear or his sword. Next he put round his head his crested war-helm of battle and fight and combat, wherein were four carbuncle-gems on each point and each end to adorn it, whereout was uttered the cry of an hundred young warriors with the long-drawn wail from each of its angles and corners. [W.2583.] For this was the way that the fiends, the goblins and the sprites of the glens and the demons of the air screamed before and above and around him, what time he went forth for the shedding of blood of heroes and champions, exulting in the mighty deeds wrought underneath it. His veil of concealment was thrown over him then, of raiment from Tir Tairngire ('the Land of Promise') which had been brought to him as a gift by Manannan son of Ler ('the Sea') from the king of Tir na Sorcha ('the Land of Light'), his foster-father in magic. His fair, purple-red fan was placed in front of his face. Past it and through it and over it everything was visible to him and no one wounded him past it nor through it nor over it.
[1-1] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[2-2] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[3-3] LU. 1914.
[4-4] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[5-5] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[1-1] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[2-2] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[3-3] Stowe and LU. 1927.
[4-4] Eg. 93.
Then took place the first twisting-fit and rage of the royal hero Cuchulain, so that he made a terrible, many-shaped, wonderful, unheard of thing of himself. His flesh trembled about him like a pole against the torrent or like a bulrush against the stream, every member and every joint and every point and every knuckle of him from crown to ground. He made a mad whirling-feat of his body within his hide. His feet and his shins and his knees slid so that they came behind him. His heels and his calves and his hams shifted so that they passed to the front. The muscles of his calves moved so that they came to the front of his shins, so that each huge knot was the size of a soldier's balled fist. He stretched the sinews of his head so that they stood out on the nape of his neck, and as large as the head of a month-old child was each of the hill-like lumps, huge, incalculable, vast, immeasurable.
[5-5] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[6-6] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
He next made a ruddy bowl of his face and his countenance. He gulped down one eye into his head so that it [W.2603.] would be hard work if a wild crane succeeded in drawing it out on to the middle of his cheek from the rear of his skull. Its mate sprang forth till it came out on his cheek, so that it was the size of a five-fist kettle, and he made a red berry thereof out in front of his head. His mouth was distorted monstrously and twisted up to his ears. He drew the cheek from the jaw-bone so that the interior of his throat was to be seen. His lungs and his lights stood out so that they fluttered in his mouth and his gullet. He struck a mad lion's blow with the upper jaw on its fellow so that as large as a wether's fleece of a three year old was each red, fiery flake which his teeth forced into his mouth from his gullet. There was heard the loud clap of his heart against his breast like the yelp of a howling bloodhound or like a lion going among bears. [LL.fo.78a.] There were seen the [a]torches of the Badb,[a] and the rain clouds of poison, and the sparks of glowing-red fire, blazing and flashing in hazes and mists over his head with the seething of the truly-wild wrath that rose up above him. His hair bristled all over his head like branches of a redthorn thrust into a gap in a great hedge. Had a king's apple-tree laden with royal fruit been shaken around him, scarce an apple of them all would have passed over him to the ground, but rather would an apple have stayed stuck on each single hair there, for the twisting of the anger which met it as it rose from his hair above him. The Lon Laith ('Champion's Light') stood out of his forehead, so that it was as long and as thick as a warrior's whetstone, so that it was as long as his nose, till he got furious handling the shields, thrusting out the charioteer, destroying the hosts. As high, as thick, as strong, as steady, as long as the sail-tree of some huge [W.2623.] prime ship was the straight spout of dark blood which arose right on high from the very ridgepole of his crown, so that a black fog of witchery was made thereof like to the smoke from a king's hostel what time the king comes to be ministered to at nightfall of a winter's day.
[1-1] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[2-2] Stowe.
[3-3] Reading with Stowe.
[4-4] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[5-5] Reading with Eg. 93.
[a-a] A kenning for 'swords.'
[6-6] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[7-7] LU. 1958-1959.
When now this contortion had been completed in Cuchulain, then it was that the hero of valour sprang into his scythed war-chariot, with its iron sickles, its thin blades, its hooks and its hard spikes, with its hero's fore-prongs, with its opening fixtures, with its stinging nails that were fastened to the poles and thongs and bows and lines of the chariot, lacerating heads and bones and bodies, legs and necks and shoulders.
[1-1] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
It was then he delivered over his chariot the thunder-feat of a hundred and the thunder-feat of two hundred and the thunder-feat of three hundred and the thunder-feat of four hundred, and he ceased at the thunder-feat of five hundred. For he did not deem it too much that such a great number should fall by his hand at his first onset and first battle-assault on four of the five grand provinces of Erin, while avenging on them the slaughter of the youths and of Follomain son of Conchobar, In such wise fared he forth for to seek his foes, and he drove his chariot in a wide circuit round about the hosts of the four grand provinces of Erin. And he led his chariot a heavy way. The chariot's iron wheels sank into the ground so that the earth dug up by the iron wheels might have served for a dun and a fortress, so did the chariot's iron wheels cut into the ground. For in like manner the clods and boulders and rocks and the clumps and the shingle of the earth arose up outside on a height with the iron wheels. It was for this cause he made this circling hedge of the Badb [W.2646.] round about the hosts of four of the five grand provinces of Erin, that they might not escape him nor get away before he would come on them to press a reprisal for the boys. And he went into the midst of the ranks and mowed down huge walls of the corpses of his foes and enemies and opponents in a great circle round about the host. And he made the onslaught of a foe amongst foes upon them, so that they fell sole to sole, neck to neck, arm to arm, elbow to elbow, and rib to rib, such was the closeness of their bodies, and there were pools of ruddy blood where they moved. Thrice again in this manner he circled them round, so that he left them in beds of six in a great ring around them, even the soles of three to the backs of three men in a circle around the camp. Hence Sessrech Breslige ('Great sixfold Slaughter')[a] is the name of this event on the Tain, and it is one of the three unreckonable events of the Tain, which were, to wit, Sessrech Breslige, Immslige Glennamnach ('the Mutual Slaying at Glennamain'), and the battle of Garech [LL.fo.78b.] and Ilgarech; only that here, hound and horse and man were one to him in the great rout on Mag Murthemni that night avenging the youths on four of the five grand provinces of Erin.
[2-2] Eg. 93.
[3-3] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[4-4] Stowe.
[5-5] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[1-1] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[2-2] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[3-3] LU. 1996.
[a] Or, 'Ploughland of the Great Slaughter.'
[4-4] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
What others say is that Lug son of Ethliu fought on Cuchulain's side at the Sessrech Breslige.
Their number is not known and it cannot be reckoned how many fell there of the rabble rout, but only their chiefs have been counted. Here below are their names, to wit:--
The two Cruad, two Calad, two Cir, two Ciar, two Ecell, three Cromm, three Cur, three Combirge, four Feochar, four Furachar, four Casse, four Fota, five Caur, five Cerman, [W.2679.] five Cobtach, six Saxan, six Duach, six Dare, six Dunchadh, six Daimiach, seven Rochad, seven Ronan, seven Rurthech, eight Rochlad, eight Rochtad, eight Rindach, eight Corpre, eight Malach, nine Daigith, nine Dare, nine Damach, ten Fiach, ten Fiacach, ten Fedlimid.
[1-1] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[2-2] LU. and YBL. 2010.
Ten and six-score[b] kings, leaders and men of the land, Cuchulain laid low in the great slaughter on the Plain of Murthemne, besides a countless horde of dogs and horses and women and boys and children and common folk; for there escaped not a third man of the men of Erin without a wound or a hurt or a blueing or a reddening or a lump or a mark or breaking of thigh or of leg or of shinbone, without having hip-bone broken or half his skull or an eye hurt, or without an enduring mark for the course of his life. And he left them then after inflicting that battle upon them, without having his blood drawn or wound brought on himself or on his charioteer or on either of his horses.
[b] 'Nineteen and nine-score,' H. 2. 17 and Eg. 93.
[3-3] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[4-4] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[5-5] LU., edition of Strachan and O'Keeffe, page 72, note 19.
XVIIc
THE ACCOUNT OF THE APPEARANCE OF CUCHULAIN
[W.2706.] Early the next morning Cuchulain came to observe the host and to display his comely, beautiful form to the matrons and dames and girls and maidens and poets and men of art,[a] for he did not consider it an honour nor becoming, the wild, proud shape of magic which had been manifested to them the night before. It was for that then that he came to exhibit his comely, beautiful form on that day.
[1-1] LU. fo. 81a, in the margin.
[2-2] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[a] A general term for poets, singers, seers and druids.
[3-3] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
Truly fair was the youth that came there to display his form to the hosts, Cuchulain, to wit son of Sualtaim son of Boefoltach ('Of little possessions') son of Morfoltach ('Of great possessions') son of Red Neil macRudhraidi. Three heads of hair he wore; brown at the skin, blood-red in the middle, a golden-yellow crown what thatched it. Beautiful was the arrangement of the hair, with three coils of hair wound round the nape of his neck, so that like to a strand of thread of gold was each thread-like, loose-flowing, deep-golden, magnificent, long-tressed, splendid, beauteous-hued hair as it fell down over his shoulders. A hundred bright-purple windings of gold-flaming red gold at his neck. A hundred salmon-coloured (?) cords strung with carbuncles as a covering round his head. Four spots on either of his two cheeks, even a yellow spot, and a green spot, and a blue spot, [W.2722.] and a purple spot. Seven jewels of the eye's brilliance was either of his kingly eyes. Seven toes to either of his two feet. Seven fingers to either of his two hands, with the clutch of hawk's claw, with the grip of hedgehog's talon in every separate one of them.
[4-4] H. 2. 17.
He also put on him that day his fair-day dress. To this apparel about him belonged, namely, a beautiful, well-fitting, purple, fringed, five-folded mantle. A white brooch of silvered bronze or of white silver incrusted with burnished gold over his fair white breast, as if it were a full-fulgent lantern that eyes of men could not behold [LL.fo.79a.] for its resplendence and crystal shining. A striped chest-jacket of silk on his skin, fairly adorned with borders and braidings and trimmings of gold and silver and silvered bronze; it reached to the upper hem of his dark, brown-red warlike breeches of royal silk. A magnificent, brown-purple buckler he bore, with five wheels of gold on it, with a rim of pure white silver around it. A gold-hilted hammered sword with ivory guards, raised high at his girdle at his left side. A long grey-edged spear together with a trenchant bye-spear for defence, with thongs for throwing and with rivets of whitened bronze, alongside him in the chariot. Nine heads he bore in one of his hands and ten in the other, and these he brandished before the hosts in token of his prowess and cunning. This then was a night's attack for Cuchulain on the hosts of four of the five provinces of Erin. Medb hid her face beneath a shelter of shields lest Cuchulain should cast at her that day.
[1-1] YBL. 2040.
[2-2] YBL. 2043.
[3-3] LU. and YBL. 2045.
[4-4] LU. and YBL. 2046.
[5-5] LU. and YBL. 2050.
Then it was that the maidens of Connacht besought the men of Erin to lift them up on the flat of the shields above the warriors' shoulders; and the women of Munster clomb on the men to behold the aspect of [W.2746.] Cuchulain. For they marvelled at the beautiful, comely appearance he showed them that day compared with the low, arrogant shape of magic in which they had seen him the night before.
[6-6] LU. and YBL. 1205.
[7-7] LU. and YBL. 2052.
[8-8] YBL, added later above the line.
XVIId
DUBTHACH'S JEALOUSY[a]
[W.2749.] And Dubthach's wife prayed to be lifted to regard the form of Cuchulain. Then it was that jealousy, ill-will and envy possessed Dubthach Doel ('the Black-tongue')[b] of Ulster because of his wife in regard to Cuchulain; for he saw his wife climb on the men to get a glimpse of Cuchulain; and he counselled the hosts to act treacherously towards Cuchulain and to entrap him, even to lay up an ambush around him on all sides to the end that he might fall by them. And he spake these words:--
"If this be the Twisted one,
By him shall men's bodies fall;
Shrieks there shall be round the liss;
Deeds to tell of shall be wrought!
"Stones shall be on graves from him;
Kingly martyrs shall increase.
Not well have ye battle found
On the slopes with this wild Hound!
"If this be the Twisted one,
Men shall soon be slain by him;
'Neath his feet shall corpses lie;
Under bushes mantles white!
"Now the Wildman's form I see,
Nine[c] heads dangling by his side;
Shattered spoils he has, behold;
Ten[d] heads as his treasure great!
[W.2766.] "And your women, too, I see,
Raise their heads above the lines;
I behold your puissant queen
Makes no move t'engage in fight!
"Were it mine to give advice,
Men would be on every side,
That they soon might end his life;
If this be the Twisted one!"
[a] This superscription is not found in the MSS.
[1-1] Eg. 93.
[b] Literally, 'the Chafer (or Scorpion?).'
[2-2] Stowe.
[3-3] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.
[c] 'Eight,' LU. and YBL. 2060.
[d] 'Nine,' LU. and YBL. 2061, H. 2. 17 and Eg. 93.
Fergus macRoig heard this and he deemed it an outrage that Dubthach should counsel how to betray Cuchulain to the hosts. And he reached him a strong, sharp kick with his foot away from him, so that Dubthach struck with his mouth against the group outside. And Fergus reproached him for all the wrongs and iniquities and treachery and shameful deeds he had ever done to the Ulstermen of old and anew. And then he spake these words:--
"If this 'Black-tongue' Dubthach be,
Let him skulk behind the hosts;
No good hath he ever wrought,
Since he slew the princesses![a]
"Base and foul, the deed he wrought:
Fiachu, Conchobar's son, he slew.
No more fair was heard of him:
Carbre's death, Fedilmid's son!
"Ne'er for Ulster's weal doth aim
Lugaid's son, Casruba's scion;[b]
Such is how he acts to men:
Whom he stabs not he incites!
"Ulster's exiles it would grieve
If their beardless boy[c] should fall.
If on you come Ulster's troops
They will make your herds their spoil!
"Strewn afar your herds will be
By the rising Ulstermen.
Tales there'll be of mighty deeds
That will tell of far-famed queens!
[W.2800.] "Corpses will be under foot,
Food there'll be at ravens' rests;
Bucklers lying on the slopes;
Wild and furious deeds increase!
"I behold just now your wives
Raise their heads above the ranks.
I behold your puissant queen
Moves not to engage in war!
[LL.fo.79b.] "Valour none nor generous deed
Comes from Lugaid's craven son;
Nor will kings see lances red,
If this 'Black-tongue' Dubthach be!"
[a] The reference is to the maidens of Emain Macha slain by Dubthach in punishment for the death of the sons of Usnech.
[b] That is, Dubthach.
[c] That is, Cuchulain.
[1-1] LU. and YBL. 2077.
[2-2] Reading: Betit buind fri brannfossaib.
[3-3] This quatrain is almost identical with the one translated on page 199.
Thus far 'The Scythed Chariot.'[a]
[a] A very obscure and fragmentary passage in LU. and YBL. (lines 2083-2106, edition of Strachan and O'Keeffe, lacking in Eg. 93, Revue Celtique, tome xv, page 204), consisting of a series of short strains in rosc spoken in turn by Ailill, Medb, Gabran the poet, and Fergus, is omitted in the translation.
