The Demoniac Chariot of Cu Chulaind

SiaburCharpat Con Culaind
Lebor Na h-Uidre

Trans. J. O'Beirne Crowe

atric went to Temair for the enjoining of belief upon the King of Eriu, that is, upon Loegaire, son of Niall, for it is he who was King of Eriu the time : for he would not believe the Lord ; though he used to be preached to him. Loegaire said to Patric : "By no means shall I believe in thee or in God, until thou shalt awaken Cu Chulaind for me under dignity, as he is recorded in stories, that I may see him, and that I may address him in my presence here : it is after that I shall believe in thee." "That matter is possible for God," says Patric.

A messenger comes afterwards from the Lord to Patric, that they should remain until the morrow on the rampart of the Rath, that is, of Temair, and that Cu Chulaind would come to them there. It is after that accordingly Loegaire went to converse with Patric, after the appearance of Cu Chulaind to him in his chariot. Patric said to Loegaire : "Whether has something appeared to thee ?" "There has, indeed [something] appeared to me," says Loegaire, "and I have not power for the relation of it, unless thou wilt sign, and unless thou wilt consecrate my mouth." "I shall not," says Patric, "sign thy mouth, until I shall have my demand : I shall, however, make a sign on the air which comes out of thy mouth, in order that thou mayest tell the appearance which appeared to thee.''

"As I was, indeed," says Loegaire, " a-going over Slope of the Chariot to the Hill of the Sid of the Plain, in the Plateau of the Assembly in the Plain of Mac Indoc, I saw the cold, piercing wind, like a bi-brow spear : little that it took not our hair from our heads, and that it went not through ourselves to earth. I asked the wind from Benen," says Loegaire. "Benen said to me : 'That is the wind of hell after the opening of it before Cu Chulaind.' We saw then the heavy fog which dropped upon us. I asked that heavy fog also of Benen. Benen said they were the breaths of men and of horses that were traversing the plain before me.

"We saw then the great raven-flock above us above : the country was full of them, and it was among the clouds of heaven they were for their height. I asked that matter of Benen. Benen said they were sods from the shoes of the horses that were under Cu Chulaind's chariot. As we were there after that we saw the forms of the horses through the mist, and of the men in the easy chariot. A charioteer behind them on high ; a spirit chieftain ; horses that ride paths.

"I saw afterwards the two horses co-large, co-beautiful, but only with a difference of figure and of colour ; co-fleet, co-symmetrical, of co-action, hoof-broad, back-broad, pointed, high-head, active, snout-thin, wreathful, effective, colour-beautiful, very lofty, very vehement, very speckled. They are head-small, very high, very conspicuous, very nimble. Breast-red, large-lipped, large-eyed, sleek, firm, easily-yoked, sharp, vigorous, powerful, curl-maned, symmetrical, fair, curl-haired.

"A large chariot after that pair. Two black firm wheels : two symmetrical over-lapping rims : hard, sword-straight shafts. Two beautiful, pliant reins : a pole of white silver with a withe ofjindruine. A strong, ridged, very golden yoke. A purple hood : green furnishing.

"A hero there in that chariot : a black, thick head of hair : smoothness on it on him : I should imagine, it is a cow that licked it. A grey, jerking eye in his head. A purple-blue tunic about him of borders of all-white gold-withe. A brooch of red gold on his breast : it extended over each of his two shoulders. A white, hooded cloak about him, with a flashing red border. A sword of gold-hilt in arrangement of rest on his two thighs : a broad, grey spear on a shaft of wild ash in his hand. A subsharp, aggressive dart near it. A purple shield with an even circle of silver, with loop-animals of gold above his two shoulders. 1 should think it was a shower of pearls that was flung into his head. Blacker than the side of a black cooking-spit each of his two brows : redder than ruby his lips.

"A charioteer in front of him in the chariot : a certain very slender, prone-long, very speckled person. Very curled, very red hair on his head-top : a wreath of findruine on his forehead, that should not allow his hair about his face. On his two ears spheres of gold, into which his hair was collected. A winged little cloak about him with an opening on its two elbows. Goadlets of red gold in his hand, from which he was hurrying on his horses. It seems to me it was Cu Chulaind arid Loeg, his charioteer, that were in it, and that it was Dub-sain-glend and Liath Macha that were under the chariot."

"Dost thou believe God henceforth, Loegaire," says Patric, "since Cu Chulaind has come to converse with thee ?" "If it is Cu Chulaind I have seen, I think too short he was a-conversing with me." "God is powerful," says Patric : "If it is he who was in it, he will come to converse with thee again."

As they were there after that, they saw the chariot coming in the plain towards them with its two horses, and Loeg, son of Riangabra, in his charioteering and Cu Chulaind in his warrioring. Twenty-seven feat-figures above them in mid-air :

The Noise-feat of Nine, that is the Feat of Cat, and the Feat of Cuar, the Feat of Daire : the Blind-feat of Birds, Leap over Poison, and Bed-folding of a brave Champion, and Bellows-dart, and Stroke with quickness, and Ardour of Shout, and Hero's scream, and Wheel-feat, and Edge-feat, and Apple-feat, and Noise-feat, and Ascent by rope, and Straightening of body on Spear-point, and binding of a noble champion, and Return-stroke, and Stroke with measure. In respect to the charioteer, the holding of the reins confounds all speech : he is above evaporations and breathings.

Cu Chulaind went to converse with Patric, and saluted him : it is then he said :

"I beseech, holy Patric,
In thy presence that I may be,
That thou wouldst bring me with speed
Into the Lands of the Living.

"Believe in God and in holy Patric, Loegaire, that a wave of earth may not dash over thee, for it is not a demon that has come to thee : it is Cu Chulaind, son of Soalta. For, a world for every champion is law or earth : every quiet one's is concealment, every hero's is earth, every holy one's is heaven : for of the order of demons is every thing thou ponderest on : it is the world of each in turn that thou chariotest." Cu Chulaind was silent, and Loegaire did not speak.

"Who chariots the Brega, Loegaire ? Who sits their slopes? Who watches their fords ? Whom do their wives elope with ? Whom do their daughters love ?" "What is that inquiry to me and to thee ?" says Loegaire. "There was a time, Loegaire, it was I who used to go among them, who used to go around them, who used to keep them together. I was their little hound whom they used to love : whom with high spirits they used to play about. There was a time, Loegaire, it was I who used to go to their great attacks, who used to burst their great contests. I was the battle-victorious, grunting, screaming, wrist-red, palm-broad, brave Cu Chulaind, who used to be on the wealthy plain of Murthemne. Believe in God and in Patric, Loegaire, for it is not a demon that has come to thee. but Cu Chulaind, son of Soalta."

"If it is Cu that is in it," says Loegaire, "he shall tell us of his great deeds." "That is true, Loegaire," says Cu Chulaind. "I was the destroyer of hostageship in the reception of the fords of my territories : I was strong-striking on heroes and great hosts. I used to hunt the fleet herds of my enemies in the full rushries, until I used to leave their flocks live-dead in the mountains after the slaying by equal combat of the men who used to be over them."

"If those deeds are thus, as thou recountest, the deeds of a hero were with thee : they were not the deeds of Cu."

"That is true, Loegaire," he says :

"I was not a hound of taking of a Les,
I was a hound of taking of a deer :
I was not a hound of a forbidden trotter,
I was a hound strong for combat.
I was not a hound of round licking of leavings,
I was a hound of visiting of troops :
I was not a hound of watching of calves,
I was a hound of watching of Emain."

"If those deeds are as thou recountest them, the deeds of a hero were with thee."

"That is true, O Loegaire," says Cu Chulaind : "the deeds of a hero were with me :

" I was a hero, I was a leader,
I was the charioteer of a large chariot :
I was gentle to gentle,
I was retributive against dishonor.

"I was the innocent of my enemies : I was not the poison-tongue of my territories. I was the casket of every secret for the maidens of the Ulaid. I was a child with children : I was a man with men. It was for correction I used to labour. I was good against my satirizing : I was better for praising."

"If it is Cu Chulaind that is in it," says Loegaire, "he shall tell us a portion of the great risks he risked." "That is true, Loegaire," says Cu Chulaind.

I

" I used to hunt their great flocks
With hardy Conchobar :
It was in a foreign territory
I used to vision each victory.

II

" I played on breaths
Above the horses' steam :
There used be broken before me
Great battles every side.

III

" I broke contests
On the champions of the territories :
I was the sword-red hero
After the slaying of the hosts.

IV

"I broke edge-feats
On the points of their swords :
I reached their great plunders,
Be it through drivings of fire !

V

"Another journey I went
Loegaire, but that was an hour !
That I might give great battles
Against Lochland on the north.

VI

"A certain hero in it met me.
After I had come on journey :
Thirty cubits in height
That was his size !

VII

"After that I attacked him,
After we had fought three times :
I flung off his head in the battle,
So that the king fell.

VIII

"After that there fell
A great defect of them :
Seven fifties of every single battle,
When their number was taken.

IX

"It is after that that I bound
On them, for their share,
Seven hundred talents of white silver,
With seven hundred talents of gold
That was the tribute.

X

"A journey I went, Loegaire,
For plunder to the Land of Scath :
Dun Scaith in it with its locks of irons-
I laid hand upon it.

XI

"Seven walls about that city
Hateful was the fort :
A rampart of irons on each wall,
On that were nine heads.

XII

Doors of irons on each flank
Against us not great defences :
I struck them with rny leg,
Until I drove them into fragments.

XIII

"There was a pit in the dun,
Belonging to the king, it is related
Ten serpents burst
Over its border it was a deed !

XIV

"After that I attacked them,
Though very vast the throng,
Until I made bits of them,
Between my two fists.

XV

"A house full of toads,
They were let fly at us :
Sharp, beaked monsters,
They stuck in my snout.

XVI

"Fierce, draconic monsters.
To us they used to fall :
Strong their witchery,
Horse-tribe though [they] explained them,

XVII

"After that I attacked them,
When it was that a rush was made on me :
I ground them until they were particles
Between my two palms.

XVIII

"There was a caldron in that dun,
The calf of the three cows :
Thirty joints in its stomach
It was not a charge for it.

XIX

"They used to frequent that caldron
Delightful was the contest :
They used not to go from it on any side,
Until they used to leave it full.

XX

"There was much of gold and silver in it
Wonderful was the find :
That caldron was given
By the daughter of the king.

XXI

"The three cows we carried off
They strong-swim the sea :
There was a duad's load of gold
With each upon his shoulder.

XXII

"After we had come upon the ocean,
Which was vast by the north,
My curach's crew were drowned
By the hard storm.

XXIII

"After that I floated them,
Though it was a clear danger :
An ennead each of my two hands,
Thirty on my head [or, on my back].

XXIV

"Eight upon my two thighs
They clung to me from my body :
It was in that manner I swam the ocean
Until I was in the harbour.

XXV

"What I suffered of trouble,
O Loegaire, on sea and land ;
More severe for me was a single night
With the Demon with rage.

XXVI

"My little body was scarred
With Lugaid the victory :
Demons carried off my soul
Into the red charcoal.

XXVII

"I played on them the swordlet,
The bellows-dart industriously :
I was in my concert-victory,
With the Demon in pain !

XXVIII

"Powerful was my heroism,
My sword it was hard :
The Demon crushed me with one finger
Into the red charcoal !

XXIX

"The kings who sway their kingdoms,
Though they be with greatness of their power,
They avail nothing with God's son,
But ***

XXX

"The hosts of the Ulaid around Conchobar
Brave the champions
The demons are scourging them,
In hell they are sorrowful.

XXXI

"Save the king, Mac Nessa,
For contention for Mary's Son,
In the pains of hell are
The most of the heats of steam [champions],

XXXII

"It was well it went for thy word, Loegaire,
To Patric a request once,
That he would bring me from hell,
So that for me is its victory.

XXXIII

"It is a great victory for Goedil,
Let the host hear
[Every one] who will believe in Patric,
In heaven will not be wretched.

XXXIV

"Though I should not believe, Loegaire,
In Patric, the Ulaid would believe him :
****
****

XXXV

"It is my instruction to every one
Parting with sin, with iniquity :
Every one who believes in Patric,
Will go into the Land of the Saints.

XXXVI

"Every king's son, be it heard,
Of the Ulaid in Ere,
Who would believe in Patric quickly-
Great would be his strength.

XXXVII

"I shall give a blessing on Patric,
To make their number abound
In every single point in Ere
Where their seed will be.

XXXVIII

"It is a great victory for Goedil,
The host should hear:
Every one who will believe in Patric,
In heaven will not be wretched.

XXXIX

"It is a great distance since I died
Great was the horror !
It is great power that has brought me
To meet the tribes.

XL

"It is long since I parted with horses,
With a chariot with its beauty :
It is great power that has brought me
As them seest me.

XLI

"These horses, O Loegaire,
Of running of races with victory-
It is Patric who revivified them,
So that it is they that are swift.

XLII

"This chariot thou seest
Behind the horses :
It is Patric that formed it,
So that it is it that is best.

XLIII

"With the dress, with the armour :
With the array of feat :
It is a great distance since I died,
Since I parted with it !

XLIV

"The great host which thou hast assembled,
That is in its beauty :
Patric would kill them quickly,
So that they would not be alive !

XLV

"He would revivify them again
Great would be the bound
So that they would be in continual life
In front of the clans !

XLVI

"Thou seest me, Loegaire,
Thou addressest me clear
Unless thou believest Patric
Thou wilt be in pain.

XLVII

"Though thine were the continual life
Of earth with its beauty,
Better is a single reward in heaven
With Christ son of the living God.

XLVIII

"I beseech, holy Patric,
In thy presence that I may come,
That thou wouldst bring me with speed
Into the land which thou drivest about.

"Believe in God and in holy Patric, O Loegaire, that a wave of earth may not come over thee. It will come, there is no doubt, unless thou believest in God and in holy Patric, for it is not a demon that has come to thee : it is Cu Chulaind, son of Soalta." That thing was accordingly verified : earth came over Loegaire¹ : heaven is declared for Cu Chulaind. Now Loegaire believed in Patric in consequence.

Now, great was the power for Patric, that is, the awakening of Cu Chulaind after his being nine fifty years in earth, that is, from the reign of Conchobar Mac Nessa (it is he who was born in co-birth with Christ) to the end of the reign of Loegaire, son of Niall, son of Eocha Mug-medon, son of Muredach Tirech, son of Fiachra Roptine, son of Corpre Liffechar, son of Cormac Ulfadach, son of Art Oen-fher, son of Con Cet-chathach, son of Fedelmid Recht-mar, son of Tuathal Techtmar, son of Feradach Find-fachtnach, son of Crimthand Niad Nar, son of Lugaid Riabn Derg. A foster son this to Cu Chulaind, son of Soalda.

1. This is Loegaire the Druid, whom the writer confounds with "Loegaire the king," for it was the former who was swallowed up by the earth. In the tract, entitled "The Conversion of Loegaire," in Leb. na hUidre, it is stated that at "the prayer of Patric the earth swallowed Loegare Drui."

création : 30/10/2009

Sources : J. O'Beirne Crowe, The Journal of the Royal Historical and Archeological Association of Ireland