The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Tain Bo Cualnge Part 45

[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.

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XVIIc

[1]THE ACCOUNT OF THE APPEARANCE OF CUCHULAIN[1]

[W.2706.] [2]Early[2] 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 [3]wild,[3] 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 [4]son of Boefoltach ('Of little possessions') son of Morfoltach ('Of great possessions') son of Red Neil macRudhraidi.[4] 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 [1]silvered bronze or of[1] 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 s.h.i.+ning. A [2]striped[2] chest-jacket of silk on his skin, fairly adorned with borders and braidings and tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs 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, [3]with five wheels of gold on it,[3] with a rim of pure white silver around it. A gold-hilted hammered sword [4]with ivory guards, raised high at his girdle[4] 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. [5]This then was a night's attack for Cuchulain on the hosts of four of the five provinces of Erin.[5] Medb hid her face beneath a shelter of s.h.i.+elds 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 [6]of Connacht[6] besought the men of Erin to lift them up on the flat of the s.h.i.+elds above the warriors' shoulders; [7]and the women [8]of Munster[8] clomb on the men[7] 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.

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XVIId

DUBTHACH'S JEALOUSY[a]

[W.2749.] [1]And Dubthach's wife prayed to be lifted to regard the form of Cuchulain.[1] Then it was that jealousy, ill-will and envy possessed Dubthach Doel ('the Black-tongue')[b] of Ulster because of his wife [2]in regard to Cuchulain; for he saw his wife climb on the men to get a glimpse of Cuchulain;[2] 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!

[3]"If this be the Twisted one, Men shall soon be slain by him; 'Neath his feet shall corpses lie; Under bushes mantles white![3]

"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!