The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Tain Bo Cualnge Part 63

"Look at this b.l.o.o.d.y wound for me, too, my good Fingin," said Cethern.

Fingin looked into the b.l.o.o.d.y wound. "The joint deed of two brothers is here," said the leech. "'Tis indeed true," replied Cethern. "There came upon me two leading, king's warriors. Yellow hair upon them; dark-grey mantles with fringes, wrapped around them; leaf-shaped brooches of silvered bronze in the mantles over their b.r.e.a.s.t.s; broad, grey lances in their hands." "Ah, but we know that pair," quoth Cuchulain; "Cormac Colomon rig ('King's pillar') is the one, and Cormac son of Mael Foga, of the bodyguard of Ailill and Medb (the other). What they sought was that thou shouldst fall at their hands."

"Look at this b.l.o.o.d.y wound for me too, O Fingin my master," said Cethern.

[LL.fo.90b.] Fingin looked into that b.l.o.o.d.y wound. "The a.s.sault of two brothers is here," said the leech. "Aye then, 'tis true," answered Cethern.

"There came upon me two tender youths there; very much alike were they; curly [1]dark[1] hair on the one of them; curly yellow hair on the other; two green cloaks wrapped around them; two bright-silver brooches in the cloaks over their b.r.e.a.s.t.s; two tunics of smooth yellow silk [2]with hoods and red embroidery[2] next their skin; [3]two[3] white-hilted swords at their belts; two bright s.h.i.+elds having the likenesses of beasts in white silver they bore; two five-p.r.o.nged spears with veins of all-white silver in their hands." "Ah, but we know that pair," quoth Cuchulain; "Mane 'Like to his mother' and Mane 'Like to his father,' two sons of Ailill and Medb; and it would be matter of victory, [W.4377.] triumph and boasting to them, hadst thou fallen at their hands."

[1-1] YBL. 42a, 28.

[2-2] YBL. 42a, 30-31.

[3-3] Stowe.

"Look at this b.l.o.o.d.y wound for me, too, O Fingin my master," said Cethern.

"There came upon me a pair of young warriors of the Fian there. A brilliant appearance, stately-tall and manlike, they had; wonderful garments from far-away countries upon them. Each of them thrust [1]the spear he had[1] at me. [2]Then[2] I thrust [3]this spear[3] through each of them." Fingin looked into the b.l.o.o.d.y wound. "Cunning are the b.l.o.o.d.y wounds they inflicted upon thee," said the leech; "they have severed the strings of thy heart within thee, so that thy heart rolls about in thy breast like an apple in motion or like a ball of yarn in an empty bag, and there is no string at all to support it; [4]and there is no means to cure thee or to save thee,[4] and no healing can I effect here." "Ah, but we know those twain,"

quoth Cuchulain; "a pair of champions from Norway who, [5]because of their cunning and violence,[5] have been sent particularly by Ailill and Medb to slay thee; for not often does one ever issue alive from their combats, and it would be their will that thou shouldst fall at their hands."

[1-1] Stowe.

[2-2] Stowe.

[3-3] Stowe and YBL. 42a, 1.

[4-4] Stowe.

[5-5] Stowe.

"Look upon this b.l.o.o.d.y wound for me too, my good Fingin," said Cethern.

Fingin looked at that b.l.o.o.d.y wound in like manner. "Why, the alternate woundings of a son and his father we behold here," answered the leech.

"Yea, it is so," quoth Cethern; "two tall men, red as torches, came upon me there, with diadems of burnished gold upon them; kingly garments they wore; gold-hilted, hammered swords at their girdles, with scabbards of pure-white silver, [6]with a cunningly ornamented and delicate embossing[6] and supports of mottled gold outside upon them. "Ah, but we know that pair,"

quoth Cuchulain; "Ailill and his [W.4399.] son are they, Mane 'That embraces the traits of them all.' They would deem it victory and triumph and a boast shouldst thou fall at their hands."

[6-6] Stowe.

Thus far the "b.l.o.o.d.y Wounds" of the Tain.

"Speak, O Fingin prophetic leech," spake Cethern son of Fintan; "what verdict and what counsel givest me now?" "This verily is what I say to thee," replied Fingin the prophetic leech: "Count not on thy big cows for yearlings this year; for if thou dost, it is not thou that will enjoy them, and no profit will they bring thee." "This is the judgement and counsel the other surgeons did give me, and certain it is it brought them neither advantage nor profit, and they fell at my hands; and none the more will it bring thee advantage or profit, and thou shalt fall at my hands!" And he gave Fingin a strong, stiff kick with his foot, and sent him between the chariot's two wheels [1]and the creaking of the chariot might be heard afar off.[1]

[1-1] Stowe.

"Oh, but vicious is the kick from the old warrior," cried Cuchulain; [2]"'twould be more fitting if thou shouldst ply it on foes than on leech!"[2] Hence, from this saying, is the name Uachtar Lua ('the Height of the Kick') in the land of Ross from then until this day.

[2-2] YBL. 42a, 50-51.

Nevertheless [LL.fo.91a.] Fingin the prophet-leech gave his choice to Cethern son of Fintan: A long illness for him and afterwards to obtain help and succour, or a red[a] healing for the s.p.a.ce of three days and three nights, so that he might then employ his strength on his enemies. What Cethern son of Fintan chose was a red healing for the s.p.a.ce of three days and three nights, to the end that he might then vent [3]his anger and[3]

strength on his enemies. For what he said was that there would not be found after him any one he would rather have vindicate or avenge him than himself. [W.4420.] Thereupon Fingin the prophetic leech asked of Cuchulain a vat of marrow wherewith to heal and to cure Cethern son of Fintan.

Cuchulain proceeded to the camp and entrenchment of the men of Erin, and whatsoever he found of herds and flocks and droves there he took away with him. And he made a marrow-mash of their flesh and their bones and their skins; and Cethern son of Fintan was placed in the marrow-bath till the end of three days and three nights. And his flesh began to drink in the marrow-bath about him and the marrow-bath entered in within his stabs and his cuts, his sores and his many wounds. Thereafter he arose from the marrow-bath at the end of three days and three nights, [1]and he slept a day and a night after taking in the marrow.[1] [2]"I have no ribs more,"

said Cethern; "put the ribs of the chariot-box into me." "Thou shalt have it," Cuchulain made answer.[2] It was thus Cethern arose, with a slab of the chariot pressed to his belly so that his entrails and bowels would not drop out of him. [3]"Had I my own weapons," said Cethern, "the story of what I would do would live forever!"[3]

[a] That is, 'extreme or drastic.'

[3-3] Stowe.

[1-1] YBL. 42b, 7.

[2-2] YBL. 42b, 8-9.

[3-3] YBL. 42b, 10-11.

That was the time when his wife came from the north, from Dun da Benn ('Fort of the two Gables'), and she brought his sword with her, even Finna daughter of Eocho. [4]"What seest thou?" asked Cethern.[4] [5]"Meseems,"

answered Cuchulain, "'tis the chariot of little Finna, Eocho's daughter, thy wife, that comes nigh us."[5] [6]And they saw the woman, with the arms in the chariot.[6] Cethern son of Fintan [7]seized his arms[7] and proceeded to attack the men of Erin, [8]with the chariot-box bound around his back, for he was not the stronger therefor.[8] But this is to be added: They sent a warning before him; Ithall,[a] physician of Ailill and Medb, had remained as one dead of [W.4436.] the great stun [1]from the blow of Cethern[1] among the bodies of the other leeches for a long s.p.a.ce and time, [2]and continued in that state till then; at last he rose and rushed to the encampment,[2] [3]and he, the leech that had alone escaped from Cethern, brought the alarm to the camp.[3]

[4-4] YBL. 42b, 13.

[5-5] YBL. 42b, 14.

[6-6] YBL. 42b, 16.

[7-7] YBL. 42b, 17.

[8-8] YBL. 42b, 18-19.

[a] See above, page 272.

[1-1] Stowe.

[2-2] Stowe.

[3-3] YBL. 42b, 20.

"Hark, ye men of Erin," shouted the leech; "Cethern son of Fintan comes to attack you, now that he has been healed and cured by Fingin the prophetic leech, and take ye heed of him!" Thereat the men of Erin [4]in fear[4] put Ailill's dress and his golden shawl [5]and his regal diadem[5] on the pillar-stone in Crich Ross, that it might be thereon that Cethern son of Fintan should first give vent to his anger on his arrival. [6]Eftsoons[6]

Cethern [7]reached the place where he[7] saw those things, namely Ailill's dress and his golden shawl around the standing-stone in Crich Ross, and he, being unaware and weetless, conceived it to be Ailill himself that was in it. And he made a rush at it like a blast of wind and drave the sword through the stone pillar till it went up to its pommel, [8]so that his fist went through it after the sword.[8] "Deceit is here," cried Cethern son of Fintan, "and on me have ye worked this deceit. And I swear an oath, till there be found among ye [9]of the men of Erin[9] one that will put yon royal dress about him and the golden shawl, I will not stay my hand from them, slaughtering and destroying withal!"

[4-4] YBL. 42b, 22.

[5-5] Stowe.

[6-6] Stowe.

[7-7] Stowe

[8-8] YBL. 42b, 24.

[9-9] Stowe.

Mane Andoe son of Ailill and Medb heard that, and he put [10]his father's[10] royal raiment about him and the golden shawl [11]and the diadem on his head, and he s.n.a.t.c.hed them up in his chariot before him[11]

and dashed off through the midst of the men of Erin. Cethern son of Fintan pursued him closely and hurled his s.h.i.+eld the length of a cast at him, [W.4454.] so that the chiselled rim of the s.h.i.+eld clave him[a] to the ground, with chariot, driver, and horses. [1]When the men of Erin saw that,[1] they surrounded Cethern on every side [2]and made him a victim of spears and lances,[2] so that he fell at their hands in the strait wherein he was. Wherefore 'Cethern's Strait-Fight and the b.l.o.o.d.y Wounds of Cethern'

[3]is the name of this tale.[3]