50 BRICRIU'S FEAST

said Conchubar, " if we do not consult together against this man."

On that, all the chief men met together in council, and it is what Sencha advised : " It is best for you to get securities from Bricriu, as you have to go along with him ; and put eight swordsmen around him, to make him leave the house as soon as he has laid out the feast for you." So Ferbenn Ferbeson, son of Conchubar, brought the answer to Bricriu. " I am satisfied to do that," said Bricriu. With that the men of Ulster set out from Emain, host, troop, and company under king, chief, and leader, and it was a good march they all made together to Dun-Rudraige.

Then Bricriu set himself to think how with the securities that were given for him, he could best manage to set the men of Ulster one against the other. After he had been thinking a while, he went over to Laegaire Buadach, son of Connad, son of Iliath. " All good be with you, Laegaire, Winner of Battles, you mighty mallet of Bregia, you hot hammer of Meath, you flame-red thunderbolt, what hinders you from getting the championship of Ireland for ever?" "If I want it I can get it," said Laegaire. " You will be head of all the champions of Ireland," said Bricriu, "if you do as I advise." " I will do that, indeed," said Laegaire.

" Well," said Bricriu, " if you can get the Champion's Portion at the feast in my house, the championship of Ireland will be yours for ever. And the Champion's Portion of my house is worth fighting for," he said, '' for it is not the portion of a fool's house. There goes with it a vat of good wine, with room enough in it to hold three of the brave men of Ulster ; with that a seven-year-old boar, that has been fed since it was born on no other thing but fresh milk, and fine meal in spring-time, curds and sweet milk in summer, the kernel of nuts and wheat

BRICRIU'S TREACHERY 51

in harvest, beef and broth in the winter ; with that a seven-year-old bullock that never had in its mouth, since it was a sucking calf, either heather or twig tops, but only sweet milk and herbs, meadow hay and corn ; along with that, five-score wheaten cakes made with honey. That is the Champion's Portion of my house. And since you are yourself the best hero among the men of Ulster," he said, " it is but right to give it to you ; and that is my wish, you to get it. And at the end of the day, when the feast is spread out, let your chariot-driver rise up, and it is to him the Champion's Portion will be given." " There will be dead men if that is not done," said Laegaire. Then Bricriu laughed, for he liked to hear that.

When he had done stirring up Laegaire Buadach, he went on till he met with Conall Cearnach. " May good be with you, Conall," he said. " It is you are the hero of fights and of battles ; it is many victories you have won up to this over the heroes of Ulster. By the time the men of Ulster cross the boundary of a strange country, it is three days and three nights in advance of them you are, over many a ford and river ; it is you who protect their rear coming back again, so that no enemy can get past you or through you, or over you. What would hinder you from being given the Champion's Portion of Emain to hold for ever ? " Great as was his treachery with Laegaire, he showed twice as much in what he said to Conall Cearnach.

When he had satisfied himself that Conall was stirred up to a quarrel, he went on to Cuchulain. " May all good be with you, Cuchulain, conqueror of Bregia, bright banner of the Life, darling of Emain, beloved by wives and by maidens, Cuchulain is no nickname for you to-day, for you are the champion of the men of Ulster ; it is you keep off their great quarrels and disputes ; it is you get justice for every man of them ; it is you have what all the men of Ulster are wanting in ; all the men

52 BRICRIU'S FEAST

of Ulster acknowledge that your bravery, your valour, and your deeds are beyond their own. Why, then, would you leave the Champion's Portion for some other one of the men of Ulster, when not one of them would be able to keep it from you ? "

" By the god of my people," said Cuchulain, " whoever comes to try and keep it from me will lose his head." With that Bricriu left them and followed after the army, as if he had done nothing to stir up a quarrel at all.

After that they came to the feasting-houses and went in, and every one took his place, king, prince, landowner, swordsman, and young fighting man. One half of the house was set apart for Conchubar and his following, and the other half was kept for the wives of the heroes of Ulster.

And there were attending on Conchubar in the front part of the house Fergus, son of Rogh ; Celthair, son of Uthecar ; Eoghan, son of Durthact ; the two sons of the king, Fiacha and Fiachaig ; Fergus, son of Leti ; Cuscraid, the Stutterer of Macha ; Sencha, son of Ailell ; the three sons of Fiachach, that is Rus and Dare and Imchad ; Muinremar, son of Geirgind ; Errge Echbel ; Amergin, son of Ecit ; Mend, son of Salchah ; Dubthach Doel Uladh, the Beetle of Ulster ; Feradach Find Fectnach ; Fedelmid, son of Hair Cheting ; Furbaide Ferbend ; Rochad, son of Fathemon ; Laegaire Buadach ; Conall Cearnach ; Cuchulain ; Conrad, son of Mornai ; Ere, son of Fedelmid ; lollan, son of Fergus ; Fintan, son of Nial ; Cethern, son of Fintan ; Factna, son of Sencad ; Conla the False ; Ailell the Honey-Tongued ; the chief men of Ulster, with the young men and the songmakers.

While the feast was being spread out, the musicians and players made music for them. As soon as Bricriu had spread the feast with its well-tasting, savoury meats, he was ordered by his sureties to leave the hall on the

THE CHAMPION'S PORTION 53

moment ; and they rose up with their drawn swords in their hands to put him out. So he and his followers went out, and when he was on the threshold of the house he turned and called out : " The Champion's Portion of my house is not the portion of a fool's house ; let it be given to whoever you think the best hero of Ulster." And with that he left them.

Then the distributers rose up to divide the food, and the chariot-driver of Laegaire Buadach, Sedlang, son of Riangabra, rose up and said to them, " Let you give the Champion's Portion to Laegaire, for he has the best right to it of all the young heroes of Ulster."

Then Id, son of Riangabra, chariot-driver to Conall Cearnach, rose up, and bade them to give it to his master. But Laeg, son of Riangabra, said, " It is to Cuchulain it must be brought ; and it is no disgrace for all the men of Ulster to give it to him, for it is he is the bravest of you all." " That is not true," said Conall, and Laegaire said the same.

With that they got up upon the floor, and put on their shields and took hold of their swords, and they attacked and struck at one another till the one half of the hall was as if on fire with the clashing of swords and spears, and the other half was as white as chalk with the whiteness of the shields. There was fear on the whole gathering ; all the men were put from their places, and there was great anger on Conchubar himself and on Fergus, son of Rogh, to see the injustice and the hardship of two men fighting against one, Conall and Laegaire both together attacking Cuchulain ; but there was no one among the men of Ulster dared part them till Sencha spoke to Conchubar. " It is time for you to part these men," he said.

With that, Conchubar and Fergus came between them, and the fighters let their hands drop to their sides. " Will you do as 1 advise ? " said Sencha.

54 BRICRIU'S FEAST

" We will do it," they said. " Then my advice is," said Sencha, " for this night to divide the Champion's Portion among the whole gathering, and after that to let it be settled according to the judgment of Ailell, king of Connaught, for it will be better for the men of Ulster, this business to be settled in Cruachan."

So with that they sat down to the feast again, and gathered round the fire and drank and made merry.

All this time Bricriu and his wife were in their upper room, and from there he had seen how things were going on in the great hall. And he began to search his mind how he could best stir up the women to quarrel with one another as he had stirred up the men. When he had done searching his mind, it just chanced as he could have wished, that Fedelm of the Fresh Heart came from the hall with fifty women after her, laughing and merry. Bricriu went to meet her. " All good be with you to-night, wife of Laegaire Buadach. Fedelm of the Fresh Heart is no nickname for you, with respect to your appearance and your wisdom and your family. Conchubar, king of Ulster, is of your kindred ; Laegaire Buadach is your husband. I would not think well of it that any of the women of Ulster should go before you into the hall, for it is at your heel that all the other women of Ulster should walk. If you go first into the hall to-night, you will be queen over them all for ever and ever."

Fedelm went on after that, the length of three ridges from the hall.

After that there came out Lendabair, the Favourite, daughter of Eoghan, son of Durthact, wife of Conall Cearnach.

Bricriu came over to her, and he said, " Good be with you, Lendabair ; and that is no nickname, for you are the favourite and the darling of the men of the

THE RACE OF THE WOMEN 55

whole world, because of the brightness of your beauty. As far as your husband is beyond the whole world in bravery and in comeliness, so far are you before the women of Ulster." Great as his deceit was in what he said to Fedelm, it was twice as great in what he said to Lendabair.

Then Emer came out and fifty women after her. " Health be with you, Emer, daughter of Forgall Manach, wife of the best man in Ireland ! Emer of the Beautiful Hair is no nickname for you ; the kings and princes of Ireland are quarrelling with one another about you. So far as the sun outshines the stars of heaven, so far do you outshine the women of the whole world in form, and shape, and birth, in youth, and beauty, and nicety, in good name, and wisdom, and speech." However great his deceit was towards the other women, it was twice as much towards Emer.

The three women went on then till they met at one spot, three ridges from the house, but none of them knew that Bricriu had been speaking to the other. They set out then to go back to the house. Their walk was even and quiet and easy on the first ridge ; hardly did one of them put her foot before the other. But on the next ridge their steps were closer and quicker ; and when they came to the ridge next the house, it was hardly one of them could keep up with the other, so that they took up their skirts nearly to their knees, each one trying to get first into the hall, because of what Bricriu had said to them, that whoever would be first to enter the house, would be queen of the whole province. And such was the noise they made in their race, that it was like the noise of forty chariots coming. The whole palace shook, and all the men started up for their arms, striking against one another.

" Stop," said Sencha, " it is not enemies that are coming, it is Bricriu has set the women quarrelling

56 BRICRIU'S FEAST

By the god of my people ! " he said, " unless the hall is shut against them, those that are dead among us will be more than those that are living." With that the doorkeepers shut the doors. But Emer was quicker than the other women, and outran them, and put her back against the door, and called to the doorkeepers before the other women came up, so that the men rose up, each of them to open the door before his own wife, so that she might be the first to come within.

" It is a bad night this will be," said Conchubar ; and he struck the silver rod he had in his hand against the bronze post of the hall, and they all sat down. " Quiet yourselves," said Sencha ; " it is not a war of arms we are going to have here, it is a war of words." Each woman then put herself under the protection of her husband outside, and then there followed the war of words of the women of Ulster.

Fedelm of the Fresh Heart was the first to speak, and it is what she said :

" The mother who bore me was free, noble, equal to my father in rank and in race ; the blood that is in me is royal ; I was brought up like one of royal blood. I am counted beautiful in form and in shape and in appearance ; I was brought up to good behaviour, to courage, to mannerly ways. Look at Lacgaire, my husband, and what his red hand does for Ulster. It was by himself alone its boundaries were kept from the enemies that were as strong as all Ulster put together ; he is a defence and a protection against wounds ; he is beyond all the heroes ; his victories are greater than their victories. Why should not I, Fedelm, the beautiful, the lovely, the joyful, be the first to step into the drinking-hall to-night?"

Then Lendabair spoke, and it is what she said :

" I myself have beauty too, and good sense and good

THE WAR OF WORDS 57

carnage ; it is I should walk into the hall with free, even steps before all the women of Ulster.

" For my husband is pleasant Conall of the great shield, the Victorious ; he is proud, going with brave steps up to the spears of the fight ; he is proud coming back to me after it, with the heads of his enemies in his hands.

" He brings his hard sword into the battle for Ulster ; he defends every ford or he destroys it to keep out the enemy ; he is a hero will have a stone raised over him.

" The son of noble Amergin, who can speak against his courage or his deeds? It is Conall who leads the heroes.

" All eyes look on the glory of Lendabair ; why would she not go first into the hall of the king?"

Then Emer spoke, and it is what she said :

"There is no woman comes up to me in appearance, in shape, in wisdom ; there is no one comes up to me for goodness of form, or brightness of eye, or good sense, or kindness, or good behaviour.

" No one has the joy of loving or the strength of loving that I have ; all Ulster desires me ; surely I am a nut of the heart. If I were a light woman, there would not be a husband left to any of you to-morrow.

" And my husband is Cuchulain. It is he is not a hound that is weak ; there is blood on his spear, there is blood on his sword, his white body is black with blood, his soft skin is furrowed with sword cuts, there are many wounds on his thigh.

" But the flame of his eyes is turned westward ; he is the strong protector ; his chariot is red, its cushions are red ; he fights from over the ears of horses, from over the breath of men ; he leaps in the air like a salmon when he makes his hero leap ; he does strange feats, the dark feat, the blind feat, the feat of nine ; he breaks

58 BRICRIU'S FEAST

down armies in the hard fight ; he saves the life of proud armies ; he finds joy in the terror of the ignorant.

" Your fine heroes of Ulster are not worth a stalk of grass compared with my husband, Cuchulain, letting on to have a woman's sickness on them ; he is like the clear red blood, they are like the scum and the leavings, worth no more than a stalk of grass.

"Your fine women of Ulster, they are shaped like cows and led like cows, when they are put beside the wife of Cuchulain."

"When the men in the hall heard what the women said, Laegaire and Conall made a rush at the wall, and broke a plank out of it at their own height, to let their own wives in. But Cuchulain raised up that part of the house that was opposite to his place, so that the stars and the sky could be seen through the wall. By that opening Emer came in with the fifty women that waited on her, and with them the women that waited on the other two. None of the other women could be compared at all with Emer, and no one at all could be compared with her husband. And then Cuchulain let the wall he had lifted fall suddenly again, so that seven feet of it went into the ground, and the whole house shook, and Bricriu's upper room was laid flat in such a way that Bricriu himself and his wife were thrown into the dirt among the dogs. " My grief," cried Bricriu, " enemies are come in ! " And he got up quickly and took a turn round, and he saw that the hall was now crooked and leaning entirely to one side. He clapped his hands together and went inside, but he was so covered with dirt that none of the Ulster people could know him, it was only by his way of speaking they made out who he was.

Then he said, from the middle of the floor, " It is a pity I ever made a feast for you, men of Ulster.

THE CROOKED WALL 59

My house is more to me than everything else I have. I put geasa^ that is, bonds, on you, not to drink or to eat or to sleep till you leave my house the same way as you found it." At that, all the men of Ulster went out and tried to pull the house straight, but they did not raise it by so much as a hand's breadth.

" What are we to do ? " they said. " There is nothing for you to do," said Sencha, "but to ask the man that pulled it crooked to set it straight again."

Upon that they bid Cuchulain to put the wall up straight again, and Bricriu said, "O king of the heroes of Ireland, unless you can set it up straight, there is no man in the world can do it." And all the men of Ulster begged and prayed of Cuchulain to settle the matter. And that they might not have to go without food or drink, Cuchulain rose up and tried to lift the house with a tug, and he failed. Anger came on him then, and the hero light shone about him, and he put out all his strength, and strained himself till a man's foot could find place between each of his ribs, and he lifted the house up till it was as straight as it was before. After that they enjoyed the feast, with the chief men on the one side round about Conchubar, High King of Ulster, and their wives on the other side — Fedelm of the Nine Shapes (nine shapes she could take on, and each shape more beautiful than the other), and Findchoem, daughter of Cathbad, wife of Amergin of the Iron Jaw, and Devorgill, wife of Lugaid of the Red Stripes, besides Emer, and Fedelm of the Fresh Heart, and Lendabair ; and it would be too long to count and to tell of all the other noble women besides.

There was soon a buzzing of words in the hall again, with the women praising their men, as if to stir up another quarrel between them. Then Sencha, son of

6o BRICRIU'S FEAST

Ailell, got up and shook his bell branch, and they all stopped to listen to him, and then to quiet the women he said :

" Have done with this word-fighting, lest you drive the men of Ulster to grow white-faced in the anger and the pride of battle with one another.

" It is through the fault of women the shields of men are broken, heroes go out to fight and struggle with one another in their anger.

" It is the folly of women brings men to do these things, to bruise what they cannot bind up again, to strike down what they cannot raise up again. Wives of heroes, keep yourself from this."

But Emer answered him, and it is what she said :

"It is right for me to speak, Sencha, and I the wife of the comely, pleasant hero, who is beyond all others in beauty, in wisdom, in speaking, since the learning that was easy to him is done with.

'■ No one can do his feats, the over-breath feat, the apple feat, the ghost feat, the screw feat, the cat feat, the red-whirling feat, the barbed-spear feat, the quick stroke, the fire of the mouth, the hero's cry, the wheel feat, the sword-edge feat ; no one can throw himself against hard-spiked places the way he does.

" There is no one is his equal in youth, in form, in brightness, in birth, in mind, in voice, in bravery, in boldness, in fire, in skill ; no one is his equal in hunting, in running, in strength, in victories, in greatness. There is no man to be found who can be put beside Cuchulain."

" If it is truth you are speaking, Emer," said Conall Cearnach, " let this lad of feats stand up, that we may see them."

" I will not," said Cuchulain. " I am tired and broken to-day, I will do no more till after I have had food and sleep." It was true what he said, for it was on

THE GREY OF MACHA 6i

that morning he had met with the Grey of Macha by the side of the grey lake at Slieve Fuad. When it came out of the lake, Cuchulain slipped his hands round the neck of the horse, and the two of them struggled and wrestled with one another, and in that way they went all round Ireland, till late in the day he brought the horse home to Emain. It was in the same way he got the Black Sainglain from the black lake of Sainglen.

And Cuchulain said : " To-day myself and the Grey of Macha have gone through the great plains of Ireland, Bregia of Meath, the seashore marsh of Muirthemne Macha, through Moy Medba, Currech Cleitech Cerna, Lia of Linn Locharn, Per Femen Fergna, Curros Domnand, Ros Roigne, and Eo. And now I would sooner eat and sleep than do any other thing. But I swear by the gods my people swear by," he said, " I would be ready to fight with any man of you if I had but my fill of food and of sleep." " Well," said Bricriu, " this has gone on long enough. Let food and drink be brought, and let the women's war be put a stop to till the feast is done."

They did so, and it was a pleasant time they had till the end of three days and three nights.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP OF ULSTER

A FTER they were gone back to Emain after Bricriu's feast, a quarrel began between Conall and Lacgaire and Cuchulain about the Champion's Portion, and Conchubar and the chief men of Ulster came between them to settle it. And Conchubar bade them to go to Cruachan in Connaught, to have the matter judged by Ailell and by Maeve. " And if that fails you," he said, " what you have to do is to go to Curoi, son of Daire, at Slieve Mis, in Munster. And it is a true judgment he will give, for he is just and fairminded, his house is open to guests, his hand is good in battle, in leading he is a king. He will give you a right judgment, but it is only a brave man will ask it from him, for he is wise in all sorts of enchantments, and can do things that no other man can do."

" We will go first to Cruachan," said Cuchulain. " I agree to that," said Laegaire. " Let us go then," said Conall Cearnach. " Let horses be brought, and your chariot yoked, Conall," said Cuchulain ; " and go on the first." " I would not like that," said Conall. " That is no wonder," said Cuchulain, " for every one knows the awkwardness of your horses, and the unsteadiness of your chariot ; it is so heavy that each of the wheels raises the sod on each side wherever it goes, the way

CUCHULAIN AND THE WOMEN 63

that for the length of a year it is easy for the men of Ulster to know the track it has left after it."

" Do you hear that, Laegaire ? " said Conall. " It is for you to go first." " Do not begin to mock at me," said Laegaire, " for I am good at crossing fords, and I am ready to go up and face a storm of spears before any man. But do not put me beside chariot kings till I practise going through hard and narrow places, and racing against single chariots, till the champion of a single chariot will be afraid to pass me."

With that Laegaire had his chariot yoked, and leaped into it. He drove over Magh da Gabal, the Plain of the Two Forks, over Bernaid na Foraire, the Gap of the Watch, over the Ford of Carpat Fergus, over the Ford of the Morrigu, to Caerthund Cluana da Dam, the Rowan Meadow of the Two Oxen, in the Fews of Firbuide ; by the four ways, past Dundealgan, across Magh Slicech, the Peeled Plain, westward by Bregia. And it was not long till Conall Cearnach followed after him, and many of the chief men of Ulster with them.

But Cuchulain stayed behind the others, amusing the women of Ulster with his feats. He did nine feats with apples, nine with spears, and nine with knives, without ever letting one touch the other. And he took three times fifty needles from the women, and threw them up, one after the other, so that each needle went into the eye of the other, and in that way they were all joined together. Then he gave every woman her needle back into her own hand.

But Laeg, son of Riangabra, went to look for him, and reproached him, and said : " You pitiful squinter, your couragehas gone from you ! The Champion's Portion is lost to you, the men of Ulster have got to Cruachan before this." " I never thought of it, my Laeg," said Cuchulain ; " but yoke the chariot for me now." So Laeg yoked it, and they set out on their journey. By

64 CHAMPIONSHIP OF ULSTER

that time the men of Ulster were come to Magh Breagh, the Fine Meadow ; but Cuchulain, after he was roused up by Laeg, travelled so fast, and the Grey of Macha and the Black Sainglain went racing in such a way with his chariot across the whole province of Conchubar, across Slieve Fuad and the plain of Bregia, that he came up with the others before they came to Cruachan.

The noise the whole troop made was so great, going at such speed as they did, that a great shaking came on Cruachan, and the arms fell from the racks to the ground, and the whole of the dun began to shake, so that every man was trembling like a rush in a stream. On that Maeve said : " Since the day I first came to Cruachan I never before heard thunder, there being no clouds in the sky." Then Findabair of the Fair Eyebrows, daughter of Ailell and of Maeve, went up, for she had a bird's sight, to her sunny parlour over the great door of the fort, to tell them what was coming. " Dear mother," she said, " I see a chariot coming over the plain." " Tell me what is its appearance," said Maeve, " and the colour of its horses, and the appearance of the man that sits in it." " I see well," said Findabair, " the two horses that are in the chariot. Two fiery dappled greys, of the one colour, shape, and goodness, having the one speed, keeping the one pace ; their ears pricked, their heads high, their nostrils broad, foreheads broad, manes and tails curled, thin-sided, wide-chested, galloping together. The chariot is made of fine wood with wicker-work newly polished, the yoke curved, with silver ornaments on it ; it has two black wheels, soft looped yellow reins. I see in the chariot a big stout man, with reddish yellow hair, with long forked beard. He has a soft purple coat about him, and it striped with bright gold. His bronze shield is edged with gold ; there is a five-pronged javelin at his wrist, a cover of strange birds' feathers over his head."

CONALLCEARNACH 65

" I know well who that man is," said Maeve, and it is what she said : " A companion of kings, an old bestower of victories, a storm of war, a flame of judgment, a long knife of victory that will cut us to pieces, mighty Laegaire of the Red Hand. His sword cuts through men as a knife cuts through a leek ; his stroke is the back stroke of the wave to the land. And I swear by the gods my people swear by," she said, " if it is in anger and for fighting Laegaire Buadach is coming at us, that as leeks are cut close to the ground with a sharp knife, the same way we will be cut down, as many of us as are in Cruachan, unless v/e smooth down his anger by giving in to everything he asks."

" Good mother," said Findabair, " I see another chariot as good as the first coming over the plain." " Tell me what is its appearance," said Maeve.

" I see," she said, " yoked to the chariot, on the one side a red horse, taking strong, high strides across fords and splashes, over banks and gaps, over plains and hollows, with the quickness of birds that the quick eye loses in following. On the other side a bay horse of great strength ; it is at full speed he races over the plain, between stones and hard places ; he finds no hindrance in the land of oaks, hurrying on his way. A chariot of fine wood with wicker-work, on two wheels of bright bronze ; its pole bright with silver, its frame very high and creaking, having a curved, firm yoke, with looped yellow reins.

" In the chariot a fair man, with wavy, hanging hair ; his face white and red, his vest clean and white, his cloak blue and crimson, his shield brown with yellow bosses, its edge worked with bronze. In his hand a bright spear ; a cover of the feathers of strange birds over the wicker frame of his chariot."

" I know who that man is," said Maeve, and she said then : " The growling of a lion ; a flame that can cut

66 CHAMPIONSHIP OF ULSTER

like a sharpened stone ; he heaps head on head, battle on battle. As a trout is cut upon red sandstone, so would the son of Finchoem cut us if he came on us in anger.

" For, by the oath of my people," she said, " as a speckled fish is beaten upon a shining red stone with iron rods, so would we be broken by Conall Cearnach, if he came against us."

" I see another chariot coming over the plain," said Findabair. " Tell me what its appearance is," said Maeve. " I see two horses of the one size and beauty, the one fierceness and speed, with ears pricked, heads high, spirited and powerful, with fine nostrils, wide foreheads, mane and tail curled, leaping together. The one grey, handsome, with broad thighs, eager, leaping, thundering, and trampling. As he goes, his fierce hoofs throw up sods of earth like a flock of swift birds after him. As he gallops on his way, he breathes out a blast of hot breath, a fire comes from his curbed jaws. The other, dark, small-headed, well-shaped, broadhoofed, thin-sided, high-couraged, broad-backed, surefooted, spirited ; he takes long strides in the race ; he leaps over streams, he throws off heaviness, he crosses the plains of the middle valley. They come together with fast, joyful steps, moving over the plain like a swift mountain mist, or like the speed of a hill hind, or like a hare on level ground, or like the rushing of a loud wind in winter.

''The chariot is of fine wood with wicker-work, having two iron wheels, a bright silver pole with bronze ornaments, a frame very high and creaking strengthened with iron, a curved yoke overlaid with gold, two soft looped yellow reins.

" I see in the chariot a dark, sad man, comeliest of the men of Ireland. A pleated crimson tunic about him, fastened at the breast with a brooch of inlaid gold ; a long-sleeved linen cloak on him with a white hood

CUCHULAIN AND LAEG 67

embroidered with flame-red gold. His eyebrows as black as the blackness of a spit, seven lights in his eyes, seven colours about his head, love and fire in his look. Across his knees there lies a gold-hilted sword, there is a blood-red spear ready to his hand, a sharp- tempered blade with a shaft of wood. Over his shoulders a crimson shield with a rim of silver, overlaid with shapes of beasts in gold.

" There is before him in the chariot a driver, a very thin, tall, freckled man ; very bright red hair, kept back from his face with a golden thread, a cup of gold at each side of his head. A short cloak about him with sleeves opening at the two elbows ; in his hand a goad of red gold to guide his horses."

" That is truly a drop before a downpour," said Maeve. " I know well who that man is." And it is what she said : " Like the sound of an angry sea, like a great moving wave, with the madness of a wild beast that is vexed, he leaps through his enemies in the crash of battle, they hear their death in his shout. He heaps deed upon deed, head upon head ; his is a name to be put in songs. As fresh malt is ground in the mill, so shall we be ground by Cuchulain.

" For I swear by the oath of my people," she said, " that as a mill of ten spokes grinds very hard malt, so he, with only himself, would grind us to dust and to gravel, if we had the whole province with us, unless his anger and his heat go down.

"And what way are the rest of the men of Ulster coming ? " she said. And Findabair answered her, and it is what she said : " Hand to hand, arm to arm, side to side, shoulder to shoulder, wheel to wheel, axle to axle, that is the way they are coming. Their horses are coming on us like thunder on the roof, like heavy waves stirred by the storm ; the trampling of their feet makes the earth sh^ke under them,"

68 CHAMPIONSHIP OF ULSTER

And Maeve said, " Let our women be ready before them with vats of cold water ; let the beds be made ready, bring the best of food, the best of ale. Open the courtyard, have a welcome before them, and surely they will not harm us."

Then Maeve went out by the high door of the dun into the courtyard, and three times fifty young girls attending her, with three vats of cold water to cool the heat of the three heroes in front of the rest. And she gave them their choice, would each man have a house for himself, or would they have one house for the three ? " A house for each to himself," said Cuchulain. And when the rest of the men of Ulster came, Ailell and Maeve with their whole household went out and bade them welcome. "We are well pleased with the welcome," said Sencha for them.

After that, they all came into the fort and into the palace. They went round from one door to the other, and there was room for them all, and the musicians were playing music while everything was being made ready. And Conchubar, and Fergus, son of Rogh, were in Ailell's division, with nine others along with them, and there was a great feast made ready then, and they stopped there the length of three days and three nights.

At the end of that time Ailell asked Conchubar what was the business that had brought them there. And Sencha told him the whole story, about the quarrel of the women as to who should walk first, and the quarrel of their husbands for the Champion's Portion. " And they were not satisfied to be judged by any one but yourself," he said. Ailell did not seem to be well pleased at that. " Indeed, it was no friend of mine that left this judgment on me," he said. "There is no better judge than yourself," said Sencha. "Well," said Ailell, "you must give me time to think upon it." " Do not make too much delay," said Sencha, " for we cannot spare

THETHREECATS 69

our heroes long from us." " Three days and three nights will be enough for me," said Ailell. " That much will not break friendship," said Sencha.

With that the men of Ulster went home to Emain, leaving Laegaire and Conall and Cuchulain to be judged by Ailell, and they left their blessing with Ailell and with Maeve, and their curse with Bricriu, because it was he had first started the quarrel.

That night the three heroes were given as good a feast as before, but they were put to eat it in a room by themselves. When night came on, three enchanted monsters, with the shape of cats, were let out from the cave that was in the hill of the Sidhe at Cruachan, to attack them. When Conall and Laegaire saw them, they got up into the rafters, leaving their food after them, and there they stayed till morning. Cuchulain did not leave his place, but when one of the monsters came to attack him, he gave a blow of his sword at its head ; but the sword slipped off as if from a stone. Then the monster stayed quiet, and Cuchulain sat there through the night watching it. With the break of day the cats were gone, and Ailell came in and saw what way the three heroes were. " Are you not satisfied to give the Championship to Cuchulain, after this ? " he said. " We are not," said Conall and Laegaire ; " it is not against beasts we are used to fight, but against men."

Then Maeve said to them, " Go and spend the night with my foster-father, Ercol, and his wife Garmna." So they went, but first they were given their choice of food for their horses. Conall and Laegaire chose oats two years old for theirs, but Cuchulain chose barley grain for his. Then they set out, racing all the way, and Cuchulain winning the race.

Ercol and Garmna bade them welcome, and they knew it was to try them they had been sent there, so

JO CHAMPIONSHIP OF ULSTER

they sent them out that night, one after the other, to fight with the witches of the valley.

Laegaire went first, but he could not stand against them, and he came back, and left his arms and his clothes with them.

Then Conall went, and he was driven back, and left his spear with them, but he brought his sword that was his best weapon away with him.

Then Cuchulain went down into the valley and the witches screamed at him and attacked him, and he and they fought together till his spear was in splinters, his shield broken and his ^clothes torn off him. The witches were beating him and getting the better of him, but Laeg saw it, and he called out. " O Cuchulain," he said^ " you poor coward, you squinting clown ! Your courage is gone from you, witches to be beating you ! " Then great anger came on Cuchulain, and he turned on the witches and cut and gashed them till the valley was filled with their blood, and he brought away their cloaks of battle with him, and went back to the house where his comrades were. And Garmna and her daughter Buan made much of him and bade him welcome.

They slept there that night, and the next day Ercol challenged them to come one by one, each man with his horse, to fight against himself and his horse. Laegaire was the first to go against him, and his horse was killed by Ercol's horse, and he himself was overcome by Ercol, so that he took to flight, and did not stop till he got back to Cruachan, and he brought the story there that both his companions had been killed by Ercol. Conall was the next to run away, after his horse being killed by Ercol's horse ; and his servant Rathand was drowned in the river as he ran, and it takes its name after him, Snam Rathand, from that day.

But the Grey of Macha killed Ercol's horse, and Cuchulain put down Ercol and tied him behind his

MAEVE'S TREACHERY 71

chariot and set out for Cruachan. And Buan, Garmna's daughter, ran out after the chariot for love of Cuchulain to follow him. And she knew the track of his chariot, for it was no roundabout track it used to take, but to be breaking through gaps or going over them ; and in following it at last she gave a great leap and fell, and her forehead struck against a rock, and she died ; and it is from this the place was given the name of Buan's Grave.

And when Conall and Cuchulain got back to Cruachan, they found the people of the dun keening them, for by the report Laegaire brought, they were sure they had been killed.

Then Ailell went to his inner room, and leaned his back against the wall, for he was not quiet in his mind, and he knew there was danger in whatever judgment he might give ; and he had not eaten or slept for three days and three nights. Then Maeve said to him, " It is a coward you are, and if you do not settle this matter I will settle it myself" " It is hard for me to give judgment," said Ailell, " it is a misfortune for any one to have to do it." " It is easy enough," said Maeve, " for Laegaire and Conall Cearnach are as different as bronze and silver, and Conall Cearnach and Cuchulain are as different as silver and red gold."

After a while, when Maeve had searched her mind, Laegaire Buadach was called to her. " Welcome, Laegaire Buadach," she said, " it is right for you to have the Champion's Portion. We give you the headship of the heroes of Ireland from this out, and the Champion's Portion, and along with that this cup of bronze, having a bird in raised silver on the bottom. Take it with you as a token of the judgment, but let no one see it till you come to Conchubar and his Red Branch at the end of the day. When the Champion's Portion is set out, then bring out your cup in the presence of all the great men

72 CHAMPIONSHIP OF ULSTER

of Ulster, and not one of them will dispute it with you any more, for they will know by this token that the Championship has been given to you." With that, the cup was given to him with its full of rich wine, and he drank it off at a draught. " Now you have the Championship," said Maeve ; " and I wish you may enjoy it a hundred years at the head of all Ulster."

So Laegaire left her, and Conall Cearnach was called up to the queen. " Welcome, Conall Cearnach," she said ; " it is right for us to give you the Champion's Portion, and a silver cup along with it, having a bird on the bottom in raised gold." And she said the same to him as she had said to Laegaire before.

Then Conall went away, and a messenger was sent to bring Cuchulain. " Come up to speak with the king and queen," said the messenger.

Cuchulain was playing chess at the time with Laeg, his chariot-driver. " I am not a fool to be mocked at," he said, and he hurled one of the chessmen at the messenger, and hit him between the eyes, so that it is hardly he could get back to Ailell and Maeve.

" By my word," said Maeve, " this Cuchulain is hard to deal with." And then she came down herself to Cuchulain, and put her two arms round his neck. " Give your flattery to some other one," said Cuchulain.

But Maeve said, "Great son of Ulster, flame of the heroes of Ireland, there is no flattery in our mind when it is you we have to do with. P'or if all the heroes of Ireland should come here, it is to you we would give the Champion's Portion, for as to bravery and a great name, and as to youth and great deeds, it is well-known that you are far beyond all the men of Ireland."

Cuchulain rose up then, and went with Maeve into the palace, and Ailell gave him a great welcome. And he was given a gold cup full of wine, and it having on the bottom of it a bird in precious stones. " Now, you

THETHREECUPS 73

have the Championship," said Maeve, " and it is my wish you may enjoy it a hundred years at the head of all the heroes of Ulster." "And besides that," Ailell and Maeve said, " it is our judgment, that as much as you are beyond the heroes of Ulster, so far is your wife beyond their wives. And we think it right that she should walk before all the women of Ulster when they go together into the drinking-hall."

Then Cuchulain drank at one draught the full of the cup, and bade farewell to the king and the queen and the whole household. And he went till he came to Emain Macha at the end of the day. And there was no one among the men of Ulster would venture to ask news of any of the three until the time came to eat and to drink in the great hall.

When the feast was laid out, they all stopped thqir arguing and their talking, and gave themselves up to eating and to enjoyment. It was Sualtim, son of Roig, father of Cuchulain, was attending the feast that night, and Conchubar's great vat had been filled for it. The distributers began serving out the meat, but at first they kept back the Champion's Portion. Then Dubthach of the Chafer Tongue said, " Why is not the Champion's Portion given to one of these three heroes that are come back from Cruachan ? They must surely have brought some token with them, that we may know which one is to have it."

Upon that, Laegaire Buadach rose up and held out the bronze cup with the silver bird on it. " The Champion's Portion is mine," he said, "and no one can dispute it with me."

" That is not so," said Conall Cearnach ; " here is my token. Yours is a bronze cup but mine is a silver cup. You see by the difference in them it is to me the Champion's Portion belongs."

" It belongs to neither of you," said Cuchulain, and

74 CHAMPIONSHIP OF ULSTER

he rose up and he said, " It was only to deceive you and to keep up the quarrel between us, the king and queen we went to gave you those. It is to me the Champion's Portion belongs, for you see my token, that it is far above the others."

With that he lifted high up the cup of red gold, with the bird on it of precious stones, and all the men in the feasting-hall saw it. " It is I myself that will get the Championship," he said, " if I get fair play." " It is yours indeed," said Conchubar, and Fergus, and all the chief men. " It is yours by the judgment of Ailell and Maeve." " I swear by the oath of my people," said Laegaire, " that the cup you have with you was not given to you, but bought. You gave riches and treasures for it to Ailell and Maeve, the way the Championship would not go to any other person ; but by my hand of valour," he said, "that judgment shall not stand."

Then, with their swords drawn, they sprang at one another, but Conchubar went between them, and then they let down their hands and sheathed their swords. "It is best," said Sencha, "for you to go to Curoi for judgment." " We agree to that," said they.

So on the morning of the morrow, the three — Cuchulain, Conall, and Laegaire — set out for Curoi's dun. At the gate of the dun they unyoked their chariots, and they went into the courtyard, and Blanad, daughter of Mind, Curoi's wife, gave them a good welcome. Curoi was not at home that night, but knowing, by his enchantments, they would come, he had left instructions with his wife how to entertain them ; and she did according to his wish, giving them water for washing, and drinks for refreshing, and beds of the best, so that they were well satisfied.

When bedtime came, Blanad told them they were each to take a night to watch the fort, till Curoi would

THE GREAT SHADOW 75

come back. " And it is what he said, that you should take your turn according to age."

Now in whatever part of the world Curoi was, he made a spell every night over the dun, so that it went round like a mill, and no entrance could be found in it after the setting of the sun.

The first night Laegaire Buadach took the watch, for he was the oldest of the three. As he was keeping watch, towards the end of the night he saw a great shadow coming towards him from the sea westward. Very huge and ugly and terrible he thought it, and it took the shape of a giant and reached up to the sky, and the shining of the sea could be seen between its legs. It is how it came, its hands full of what had the appearance of stripped oaks, and each of them enough for a load for six horses ; and he hurled one of them at Laegaire, but it went past him. He did this two or three times, but the beam did not reach either the skin or the shield of Laegaire. Then Laegaire hurled a spear at him, and it did not hit him.

He stretched out his hand then to Laegaire, and the length of it reached across the three ridges that were between them while they were throwing at one another, and he gripped hold of him. Big and strong as Laegaire was, he fitted like a child of a year old into his hand. The giant turned him round between his two palms as a chessman is turned in a groove, and then he threw him half dead over the wall of the fort, into a heap of mud. There was no opening there, and the people inside the dun thought he had leaped over from outside, as a challenge to the others to do the same.

There they stayed until the end of the day, and at the fall of night Conall went out to take the watch, as he was older than Cuchulain. Everything happened as it did to Laegaire the first night. And when the third night came, Cuchulain went into the seat of the watch.

76 CHAMPIONSHIP OF ULSTER

When midnight was come he heard a noise, and by the light of the cold moon he saw nine grey shapes coming towards him over the marsh. " Stop," said Cuchulain, "who is there? If they are friends, let them not stir; if they are enemies, let them come on." Then they raised a great shout at him, and Cuchulain rushed at them and attacked them, so that the nine fell dead to the ground, and he cut their heads off and made a heap of them, and sat down again to keep the watch. Another nine and then another shouted at him, but he made an end of the three nines, and made one heap of their heads and their arms.

While he was watching on through the night, tired and down-hearted, he heard a sound rising from the lake, like the sound of a very heavy sea. However tired he was, his mind would not let him keep quiet, without going to see what was the cause of that great noise he heard. Then he saw a great worm coming up from the lake, and it raised itself into the air over him and made for the dun, and opened its mouth, and it seemed to him that one of the houses would fit into its gullet.

Then Cuchulain with one leap reached its head and put his arm round its neck, and stretched his hand across its gullet, and tore the monster's heart out and threw it to the ground. Then the beast fell down, and Cuchulain hacked it with his sword, and made little bits of it, and brought the head along with him to the heap of skulls.

He was sitting there, towards the break of day, worn out and discouraged, and he saw the great shadow shaped like a giant coming to him westward from the sea. " This is a bad night," he said. "It will be worse for you yet," said Cuchulain. Then he threw one of the beams at Cuchulain, but it passed by him, and he did that two or three times, but it did not reach either his shield or his skin. Then he stretched out his hand to grip Cuchulain as he did the others, but Cuchulain

CUCHULAIN'S LEAP yj

leaped his salmon leap at the head of the monster, with his drawn sword, and broug^ht him down. '' Life for life, Cuchulain," he said, and with that he vanished and was no more seen.

Then Cuchulain wondered to himself how his fellows had made their leap over the fort, for the wall was big and broad and high, and twice he tried it and failed. Then anger came on him, and he went a good way back and made a run, and with the dint of the anger that was on him, and the courage of his heart and of his mind, he hardly took the dew off the tips of the grass in the run, and he made one leap over the wall, and lit in the middle, at the door of the house. Then he went in through the door and gave a sigh. And Blanad, wife of Curoi, said, " That is not the sigh of a beaten man, but a conqueror's sigh of triumph." For the daughter of the King of the Isle of the Men of Falga knew well all Cuchulain had gone through that night.

" The Champion's Portion must go now to Cuchulain," she said to the others ; " for you see by this that you are not equal to him." " We do not agree to that," said they ; " for we know it was one of his friends among the Sidhe came to put us down and to put us out of the Championship. We will not give up for that," they said.

Then she gave them a message she had from Curoi, that the three champions were to go back to Emain, until he would bring his judgment there himself So they bade her farewell, and went back to the Red Branch.

It was a good while after this, as the men of Ulster were in Emain* tired after the gathering and the games, Conchubar and Fergus, son of Rogh, with the chief men, went from the field of sports outside, and sat down in the house of the Red Branch ; but Cuchulain was not

7S CHAMPIONSHIP OF ULSTER

there that night, or Conall Cearnach, but all the rest of the chief heroes were in it.

As they were sitting there towards evening, and the day wearing to its close, they saw a big awkward fellow, very ugly, coming to them into the hall. It seemed to them as if none of the men of Ulster could reach to half his height. He was frightful to look at ; next his skin he had an old cow's hide, and a grey cloak around him, and over him he had a great spreading branch the size of a winter shed under which thirty cattle could find shelter. Ravenous yellow eyes he had, and in his right hand an axe weighing fifty cauldrons of melted metal, its sharpness such that it would cut through hairs, if the wind would blow them against its edge.

He went over and leaned against the branched beam that was beside the fire.

" Who are you at all ? " said Dubthach of the Chafer Tongue. " Is there no other place for you in the hall that you come up here ? Is it to be candlestick to the house you want, or is it to set the house on fire you want ? "

" Uath, the Stranger, is my name," said he ; " and neither of those things is the thing I want. The thing I want is the thing I cannot find, and I after going through the world of Ireland and the whole world looking for it, and that is a man that will keep his word and will hold to his agreement with me."

" What agreement is that ? " said Fergus. " Here is this axe," he said, " and the man into whose hands it is put is to cut off my head to-day, I to cut his head off to-morrow. And as you men of Ulster have a name beyond the men of all other countries for strength and skill, for courage, for greatness, for highmindedness, for behaviour, for truth and generosity, for worthiness, let you find one among you that will hold to bis word

UATH, THE STRANGER 79

and keep to his bargain. Conchubar I put aside because of his kingship, and Fergus, son of Rogh, for the same reason. But outside these two, come, whichever of you will venture, he to cut off my head to-night, I to cut off his head to-morrow night."

" It is not right for dishonour to be put on a whole province," said Fergus, " for the want of one man that will keep his word." " Sure there is no champion here after these two are left out," said Dubthach. " By my word, there will be one this moment," said Laegaire, and he leaped out on the floor of the hall. " Stoop down, clown, that I may cut off your head to-night, you to cut off mine to-morrow night." " By the oath of my people," said Dubthach, " it is no good prospect you have if the man killed to-night comes to kill you to-morrow."

Then Uath put spells on the edge of the axe and laid his neck down on a block, and Laegaire struck a blow across it with the axe, till it went into the block underneath, and the head fell on the floor and the house was filled with the blood. But presently Uath rose up and gathered his head and his axe to his breast and went out from the hall, his neck streaming with blood, so that there was terror on all the people in the house.

" I swear," said Dubthach, " if this stranger, being killed, comes back to-morrow night, he will not leave a man alive in Ulster."

Back he came the next night to have his agreement kept. But Laegaire's heart failed him, and he was nowhere to be found. But Conall Cearnach was in the hall, and he said he would make a new agreement with him. So all happened the same as the night before, but when Uath came the next day, it was the same with Conall as with Laegaire, his heart failed hinrj when it came to the keeping of his bargain.

8o CHAMPIONSHIP OF ULSTER

Cuchulain was there that night when Uath came in and began to reproach and to mock at them all. " As for you, men of Ulster," he said, " all your courage and your daring is gone from you ; you covet a great name, but you are not able to earn it. Where is that poor squinting fellow that is called Cuchulain," he said, " till I see if his word is any better than the word of the others ? " "I will keep my word without any agreement," said Cuchulain. " That is likely, you miserable fly, it is in great fear of death you are."

On that, Cuchulain made a leap towards him and gave him a blow with the axe, and hurled his head to the top rafter of the hall, so that the whole house shook.

On the morrow the men of Ulster were watching Cuchulain to see if he would break his word to the stranger, as the others had done. As Cuchulain sat there waiting for him, they saw that he was very down - hearted, and they made sure his life was at its end, and that they might as well begin keening him. And then Cuchulain said to Conchubar, and there was hanging of the head on him, " Do not go from this till my agreement is fulfilled, for death is coming to me, but I would sooner meet with death than break my word,"

They were there till the close of day, and then they saw Uath coming. " Where is Cuchulain ? " he said. " Here I am," he answered. "It is dull your speech is to-night," saicl the stranger ; " it is in great fear of death you are. But however great your fear, you have not failed me."

Then Cuchulain went to him and laid his head on the block. " Stretch out your head better," said he. " You are keeping me in torment," said Cuchulain ; " put an end to me quickly. For last night," he said, " by my oath, I made no delay with you." Then he

CUROrS DECISION 8i

stretched out his neck, and Uath raised his axe till it reached the rafters of the hall, and the creaking of the old hide that was about him, and the crashing of the axe through the rafters, was like the loud noise of a wood in a stormy night. But when the axe came down, it was with its blunt side, and it was the floor it struck, so that Cuchulain was not touched at all. And all the chief men of Ulster were standing around looking on, and they saw on the moment that it was no strange clown was in it, but Curoi, son of Daire, that had come to try the heroes through his enchantments.

" Rise up, Cuchulain," he said. " Of all the heroes of Ulster, whatever may be their daring, there is not one to compare with you in courage and in bravery and in truth. The Championship of the heroes of Ireland is yours from this out, and the Champion's Portion with it, and to your wife the first place among all the women of Ulster. And whoever tries to put himself before you after this," he said, " I swear by the oath my people swear by, his own life will be in danger."

With that he left them. And this was the end of the Women's War of Words, and of the quarrel among the heroes for the Championship of Ulster.