The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Tain Bo Cualnge Part 55

"Beautiful is the arrangement of that hair so that it makes three coils down behind over his shoulders. Even as a thread of gold it seems, when its hue has been wrought over the edge of an anvil; or like to the yellow of bees whereon s.h.i.+nes the sun on a summer's day is the s.h.i.+ning of each single hair of his hair. Seven toes he has on each of his feet and seven fingers on each of his hands and the brilliance of a very great fire is around his eye.

"Befitting him is the charioteer beside him, with curly, jet-black hair, shorn broad over his head. A cowled garment around him, open at the elbows.

A horse-whip, very fine and golden in his hand, and a light-grey cloak wrapped around him, and a goad of white silver in his hand. He plies the goad on the horses whatever way would go the deed-renowned warrior that is in the chariot."[2]

[2-2] YBL. 38b, 21-44.

And Cuchulain reached the ford. Ferdiad waited on [W.3387.] the south side of the ford; Cuchulain stood on the north side. Ferdiad bade welcome to Cuchulain. "Welcome is thy coming, O Cuchulain!" said Ferdiad. "Truly spoken meseemed thy welcome till now," answered Cuchulain; "but to-day I put no more trust in it. And, O Ferdiad," said Cuchulain, "it were fitter for me to bid thee welcome than that thou should'st welcome me; for it is thou that art come to the land and province wherein I dwell; and it is not fitting for thee to come to contend and do battle with me, but it were fitter for me to go to contend and do battle with thee. For before thee in flight are my women and my boys and my youths, my steeds and my troops of horses, my droves, my flocks and my herds of cattle."

"Good, O Cuchulain," spake Ferdiad; "what has ever brought thee out to contend and do battle with me? For when we were [1]together[1] with Scathach and with Uathach and with Aife, [2]thou wast not a man worthy of me, for[2] thou wast my serving-man, even for arming my spear and dressing my bed." "That was indeed true," answered Cuchulain; "because of my youth and my littleness did I so much for thee, but this is by no means my mood this day. For there is not a warrior in the world I would not drive off this day [3]in the field of battle and combat."[3]

[1-1] Stowe.

[2-2] Stowe.

[3-3] Stowe.

[4]It was not long before they met in the middle of the ford.[4] And then it was that each of them cast sharp-cutting reproaches at the other, renouncing his friends.h.i.+p; and Ferdiad spake these words there, and Cuchulain responded:--

Ferdiad: "What led thee, O Cua, To fight a strong champion?

Thy flesh will be gore-red O'er smoke of thy steeds!

Alas for thy journey, A kindling of firebrands; In sore need of healing, If home thou shouldst reach!"

Cuchulain: [W.3417.] "I'm come before warriors Around the herd's wild Boar,[a]

Before troops and hundreds, To drown thee in deep.

In anger, to prove thee In hundred-fold battle, Till on thee come havoc, Defending thy head!"

Ferdiad: "Here stands one to crush thee, 'Tis I will destroy thee, [1]...[1]

From me there shall come The flight of their warriors In presence of Ulster, That long they'll remember The loss that was theirs!"

Cuchulain: "How then shall we combat?

For wrongs shall we heave sighs?

Despite all, we'll go there, To fight on the ford!

Or is it with hard swords, Or e'en with red spear-points, Before hosts to slay thee, If [2]thy[2] hour hath come?"

Ferdiad: "'Fore sunset, 'fore nightfall-- If need be, then guard thee-- I'll fight thee at Bairche, Not bloodlessly fight!

The Ulstermen call thee, 'He has him!' Oh, hearken!

The sight will distress them That through them will pa.s.s[b]!"

Cuchulain: "In danger's gap fallen, At hand is thy life's term; On thee plied be weapons, Not gentle the skill!

One champion will slay thee; We both will encounter; No more shalt lead forays, [3]From this day till Doom!"[3]

Ferdiad: [W.3457.] "Avaunt with thy warnings, Thou world's greatest braggart; Nor guerdon nor pardon, [1]Low warrior for thee![1]

'Tis I that well know thee, Thou heart of a cageling This lad merely tickles-- Without skill or force!"

Cuchulain: "When we were with Scathach, For wonted arms training, Together we'd fare forth, To seek every fight.

Thou wast my heart's comrade.

My clan and my kinsman; Ne'er found I one dearer; Thy loss would be sad!"

Ferdiad: [LL.fo.84a.] "Thou wager'st thine honour Unless we do battle; Before the c.o.c.k croweth, Thy head on a spit!

Cuchulain of Cualnge, Mad frenzy hath seized thee All ill we'll wreak on thee, For thine is the sin!"

[4-4] YBL. 39a. 14.

[a] That is, King Conchobar.

[1-1] A line has dropped out here in the MS., and cannot be reconstructed, since the stanza is found only in LL. For this reason the meaning of the following line is uncertain.

[2-2] Reading with YBL. 39a, 34.

[B] Literally, 'it will go over and through them!'

[3-3] Translating from YBL. fo. 39a, 41.

[1-1] Literally, '(For) thou art not a bush (i.e. a hero) over a bush (hero).'

"Come now, O Ferdiad," cried Cuchulain, "not meet was it for thee to come to contend and do battle with me, because of the instigation and intermeddling of Ailill and Medb, [2]and because of the false promises that they made thee. Because of their deceitful terms and of the maiden have many good men been slain.[2] And all that came [3]because of those promises of deceit,[3] neither profit nor success did it bring them, and they have fallen by me. And none the more, [4]O Ferdiad,[4] shall it win victory or increase of fame for thee; and, [5]as they all fell,[5] shalt thou too fall by my hand!" Thus he spake, [W.3486.] and he further uttered these words and Ferdiad hearkened to him:--

"Come not nigh me, n.o.ble chief, Ferdiad, comrade, Daman's son.

Worse for thee than 'tis for me; Thou'lt bring sorrow to a host!

"Come not nigh me 'gainst all right; Thy last bed is made by me.

Why shouldst thou alone escape From the prowess of my arms?

"Shall not great feats thee undo, Though thou'rt purple, h.o.r.n.y-skinned?

And the maid thou boastest of, Shall not, Daman's son, be thine!

"Finnabair, Medb's daughter fair, Great her charms though they may be, Fair as is the damsel's form, She's for thee not to enjoy!

"Finnabair, the king's own child, Is the lure, if truth be told; Many they whom she's deceived And undone as she has thee!

"Break not, weetless, oath with me; Break not friends.h.i.+p, break not bond; Break not promise, break not word; Come not nigh me, n.o.ble chief!

"Fifty chiefs obtained in plight This same maid, a proffer vain.

Through me went they to their graves; Spear-right all they had from me!

"Though for brave was held Ferbaeth, With whom was a warriors' train, In short s.p.a.ce I quelled his rage; Him I slew with one sole blow!

"Srubdare--sore sank his might-- Darling of the n.o.blest dames, Time there was when great his fame-- Gold nor raiment saved him not!

"Were she mine affianced wife, Smiled on me this fair land's head,[a]

I would not thy body hurt.

Right nor left, in front, behind!"

[2-2] Stowe, and, similarly, Eg. 209 and Eg. 106.

[3-3] Stowe, and, similarly, Eg. 209 and Eg. 106.

[4-4] Stowe, and, similarly, Eg. 209 and Eg. 106.