The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Tain Bo Cualnge Part 23

Then spake Ailill to his charioteer Cuillius: "Find out for me to-day Medb and Fergus. I wot not what hath led them to keep thus together. I would fain have a token from thee." Cuillius went where Medb and Fergus wantoned.

The pair dallied behind while the warriors continued their march. Cuillius stole near them and they perceived not the spy. It happened that Fergus'

sword lay close by him. Cuillius drew it from its sheath and left the sheath empty. Then Cuillius betook himself to Ailill. "Well?" said Ailill.

"Well, then," replied [3]Cuillius;[3] "thou knowest the signification of this token. As thou hast thought," continued Cuillius, "it is thus I discovered them, lying together." "It is so, then." Each of them laughs, at the other. "It is well so," said Ailill; "she had no choice; to win his help on the Tain she hath done it. Keep the sword carefully by thee," said Ailill; "put it beneath thy seat in the chariot and a linen cloth wrapped round it."

[3-3] LU. 930.]

When Fergus got up to take his sword, "Alas!" cried he. "What aileth thee?"

Medb asked. "An ill deed have I done Ailill," said he. "Wait thou here till I come out of the wood," said Fergus, "and wonder not though it be long till I come." It happened that Medb knew not of the loss of the sword.

Fergus went out taking his charioteer's sword with him in his hand, and he fas.h.i.+oned a sword from a tree in the wood. Hence is Fid Mor Thruailli ('Great Scabbard-Wood') in Ulster.

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

[a] Here follows in LU. and YBL. 946-1020, Eg. 1782, a most difficult pa.s.sage, rendered more obscure by the incorporation of glossarial notes into the body of the text. It is almost incapable of translation; it consists of a dialogue or series of repartees during a game of chess, in which Ailill taunts Fergus on the episode just narrated and Fergus replies.

Cuchulain came so that he was before Ath Cruinn ('the Ford of the Cronn').

"O master Laeg," he cried to his driver, "here are the hosts for us." "I swear by the G.o.ds," said the charioteer, "I will do a mighty feat in the eyes of chariot-fighters, in quick spurring-on of the slender steeds; with yokes of silver and golden wheels shall they be urged on (?) in triumph.

Thou shalt ride before heads of kings. The steeds I guide will bring victory with their bounding." "Take heed, O Laeg," said Cuchulain; "hold the reins for the great triumph of Macha, that the horses drag thee not over the ma.s.s at the ... (?) of a woman. Let us go over the straight plain of these ... (?). I call on the waters to help me," cried Cuchulain. "I beseech heaven and earth and the Cronn above all."

Then the Cronn opposes them,[a]

Holds them back from Murthemne, Till the heroes'[b] work is done On the mount of Ocaine![c]

[a] That is, the men of Erin.

[b] That is, Cuchulain and Laeg.

[c] See above, page 97.

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

Mane son of Ailill and Medb marched in advance of the rest. Cuchulain slew him on the ford and thirty hors.e.m.e.n of his people were drowned. Again Cuchulain laid low twice sixteen warriors of theirs near the stream. The warriors of Erin pitched their tents near the ford. Lugaid son of Nos [1]grandson of Lomarc[1] Allcomach went to parley with Cuchulain. Thirty hors.e.m.e.n were with him. "Welcome to thee, O Lugaid," cried Cuchulain.

"Should a flock of birds graze upon the plain of Murthemne, thou shalt have a wild goose with half the other. Should fish come to the falls or to the bays, thou shalt have a salmon with as much again. Thou shalt have the three sprigs, even a sprig of cresses, a sprig of laver, and a sprig of sea-gra.s.s; there will be a man to take thy place at the ford." "This welcome is truly meant," replied Lugaid; "the choice of people for the youth whom I desire!" "Splendid are your hosts," said Cuchulain. "It will be no misfortune," said Lugaid, "for thee to stand up alone before them."

"True courage and valour have I," Cuchulain made answer. "Lugaid, my master," said Cuchulain, "do the hosts fear me?" "By the G.o.d," Lugaid made answer, "I swear that no one man of them nor two men dares make water outside the camp unless twenty or thirty go with him." "It will be something for them," said Cuchulain, "if I begin to cast from my sling. He will be fit for thee, O Lugaid, this companion thou hast in Ulster, [1]if the men oppose me one by one.[1] Say, then, what wouldst thou?" asked Cuchulain. "A truce with my host." "Thou shalt have it, provided there be a token therefor. And tell my master Fergus that there shall be a token on the host. Tell the leeches that there shall be a token on the host, and let them swear to preserve my life and let them provide me each night with provision."

[1-1] LU. 1041.

[1-1] Literally, 'if there oppose me the strength of each single man.'

Lugaid went from him. It happened that Fergus was in the tent with Ailill.

Lugaid called him out and reported that (proposal of Cuchulain's) to him.

Then Ailill was heard:[a]

[a] The sense of this proposal of Ailill's, omitted in the translation (LU. 1064-1069 and Eg. 1782), is not clear.

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

Cuchulain struck him with a stone so that he killed him. Hence is Ath Cuillne ('Ford of Destruction') in Cul Airthir.'[2]

[3-3] 'Lugaid,' LU. 1069.

[4-4] YBL. 1075; but, 'they would be twenty nights there, as other books say,' LU.

[2-2] LU. and YBL. 916-1197, omitting 1079-1091.

[Page 104]

IX

THE PROPOSALS

[W.1603.] The four grand provinces of Erin proceeded till they pitched camp and took quarters in Druim En ('Birds' Ridge') in the land of Conalle Murthemni, [1]and they slept there[1] that night, [2]as we said before,[2]

and Cuchulain held himself at Ferta Illergaib ('the Burial-mound on the Slopes') hard by them that night, and he, Cuchulain, shook, brandished and flourished his weapons that night. [3]Every night of the three nights they were there he made casts from his sling at them, from Ochaine nearby,[3] so that one hundred warriors of the host perished of fright and fear and dread of Cuchulain. [4]"Not long will our host endure in this way with Cuchulain," quoth Ailill.[4] Medb called upon Fiachu son of Ferfebe of the Ulstermen to go parley with Cuchulain, to come to some terms with him.

"What terms shall be given him?" asked Fiachu son of Ferfebe. "Not hard to answer," Medb replied: "He shall be recompensed [5]for the loss of his lands and estates,[5] for whosoever has been slain of the Ulstermen, so that it be paid to him as the men of Erin adjudge [6]according to the will of the Ulstermen and of Fergus and of the n.o.bles of the men of Erin who are in this camp and encampment.[6] Entertainment shall be his at all times in Cruachan; wine and [W.1614.] mead shall be poured [LL.fo.70a.] out for him. [1]He shall have from the plain of Ai the equal of the plain of Murthemne and the best chariot that is in Ai and the equipment of twelve men. Offer, if it please him more, the plain wherein he was reared and thrice seven bondmaids.[1] And he shall come into my service and Ailill's, for that is more seemly for him than to be in the service of the lordling with whom he is, [2]even of Conchobar son of Fachtna Fathatch.[2]

[1-1] LU. and YBL. 1097.

[2-2] LU. and YBL. 1098.

[3-3] LU. and YBL. 1100-1101.

[4-4] LU. and YBL. 1100-1102.

[5-5] H. 2. 17.

[6-6] H. 2. 17.

[1-1] LU. and YBL. 1103-1105.

[2-2] H. 2. 17.

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

Then came Fiachu son of Ferfebe to converse with Cuchulain. Cuchulain bade him welcome. "[3]Welcome thy coming and thine arrival, O Fiachu," said Cuchulain.[3] "I regard that welcome as truly meant," [4]said Fiachu.[4]

"It is truly meant for thee" [5]replied Cuchulain[5]; "[6]and thou shalt have a night of hospitality this night." "Victory and a blessing attend thee, O fosterling," replied Fiachu. "Not for hospitality am I come, but[6]

to parley with thee am I come from Medb, [7]and to bring thee terms."[7]

"What hast thou brought with thee?" "Thou shalt be recompensed for whatsoever was destroyed of Ulster which shall be paid thee as best the men of Erin adjudge. Entertainment shalt thou enjoy in Cruachan; wine and mead shall be poured out for thee and thou shalt enter the service of Ailill and Medb, for that is more seemly for thee than to be in the service of the lordling with whom thou art." "Nay, of a truth," answered Cuchulain, "I would not sell my mother's brother[a] for any other king!" "Further,"

[8]continued Fiachu,[8] "that [W.1627.] thou comest to-morrow to a tryst with Medb and Fergus in Glenn Fochaine.

[3-3] H. 2. 17.

[4-4] H. 2. 17.

[5-5] H. 2. 17.