The Wooing of Ferb

Tochmarc Feirbe
Book of Leinster
Version A

Translated by A. H. Leahy

ere we show how the third troop was equipped — even the troop wherein Mani was. Fifty chestnut horses were in it — they were big of body and of wondrous size — also fifty white horses with chestnut ears — their tails were long, and the manes and the tails were dyed to the colour of purple. On each horse was a bridle of two reins, shells of gold ornamented one of the reins and shells of silver were on the other. The bits of them all were of gold and of silver. At the neck of each horse hung a round plate of gold, to which little bells had been fastened, and the bells, as they swung to the horses' tread, chimed together in music as sweetly as lute strings struck by a master's hand. Each pair of horses was yoked to a chariot of white bronze, whose rim was made of silver and gold ; fifty caparisons of purple, with threads of silver run through them, were bound to the bodies of the chariots : they had golden buckles to fasten them, and hung over the rims, marvellous figures were embroidered thereon. Fifty graceful youths with fair countenances stood in these fifty chariots ; amongst them there was none who was not the son of a king and a queen, and of a hero and warrior of Connaught. They were clothed in fifty purple cloaks, whose borders were adorned with silver and gold ; there were four bronze ears on every cloak, and each was fastened with a clasp of red gold purified in the fire. Close fitting garments, woven with silk, and with fastenings of glowing yellow gold, were girded on their white bodies. Fifty silver bucklers for the fight hung on their backs, the rims of the bucklers were of gold, and they were adorned with many kinds of carbuncles and with costly stones of every colour. Two gleams of valour shone from the five-pointed spears that were in the hand of each man of them ; there were fifty rivets of white bronze and of gold upon every spear. If from each of these heroes a bushel of gold had been due, the rivets of his lance had been enough for the full payment of the debt. Each of the spears had about it rings of gold purified in the fire, and rested on a socket of carbuncles, which, in like fashion to the spears, had been embellished with many coloured costly stones. They shone in the night like the beams of the sun. At their belts hung fifty long swords ; the hilts of the swords were of tooth, adorned with gold and with silver ; the scabbards were of white silver. In their hands were fifty whips of white bronze with clasps of gold upon them.

Very beautiful and splendid was the young prince whom they accompanied ; long were his cheeks, radiant and broad was his countenance. Long, curling, and golden was his hair, and it fell to his shoulders ; proud and glowing were his eyes, blue, and clear as the crystal. Like to the tops of the woods in May, or to the foxglove of the mountain, was each of his cheeks. You might fancy that a rain of pearls had fallen into his mouth, and that his lips were twin branches of coral. White as the new-fallen snow of the night was his neck, and such was the fashion of his skin. Seven dogs of the chase surrounded his chariot, with chains of silver upon them, and an apple of gold on every chain, and the tinkle of the apples on the chains made a pleasant music. No colour can be imagined that was not upon the dogs that were with him. Seven buglers with bugles of silver and gold went with the dogs ; many coloured were the garments in which they were clad, and yellow was their hair. Before them went three Druids with crowns of silver on their heads ; their mantles were of many colours, their shields were of copper, and the rims of the shields were brass. They were attended by three harp-players in purple cloaks, each of them kingly to look upon.

In this fashion then they came to Croghan, and three times they paraded upon the plain of Croghan. They parted from Medb and from Ailill, and they turned to the road for the journey to Rath Ini. "Fair is the start that you make," said Briccriu, as he saw them go, "but will you look so fair when you return ? for that I cannot tell."

"By the journey before us," said Mani, "shall the riddle you set us be solved !"

"Right well do I know," answered Briccriu, "that one day is enough for your march ; nor for a night will you dare to remain within the kingdom of Conchobar to hold therein your feast."

"Now I pledge you my word," answered Mani, "that till for three days and three nights we have kept our feast at Dun Geirg, we turn not again to Croghan." No longer did he tarry to bandy words, but he gat him on his way for the journey.

Now when the news of their coming arrived at Dun Geirg, they commenced to prepare for the reception of the bridal party. The houses were strewn with fair-leaved, green-leaved birches, and with a deep litter of fresh rushes. And Ferb sent her friend and playmate, Findchoem, who was the daughter of Erg, that she might go with the woman who acted as herald, and observe the coming of that party in what fashion they came. Not long was the time that she needed. And when she had well beheld the host, and had noted their array, she hastened and came with sure tidings to the bower where Ferb was, and thus she spoke to her

"I see," said she, "a host come to this burg ; and never, since Conchobar has ruled in Emain, hath come nor shall come to the end of time a fairer host or one more skilled in dainty feats than this that comes across the plain. It seemed to me that I was in a sweet orchard of apples, such was the fragrance that came from their garments when they were waved by the gentle breeze that swept across them. And for the feats and the frolics shown by the prince that is among them, never before saw I the like. He casts his staff for the distance of a spear cast in front of him, his dogs springing behind, in such fashion that there are the dogs bounding between the staff and the ground, there is the prince leaning over between the staff and the sky, and the staff falleth not to the ground, for together between them they seize it."

The people of Dun Geirg pressed around as the party approached, so that sixteen of the beholders were stifled at the viewing of it. And they leapt from their chariots at the gate of the burg, and the chariots were let down, and their horses were unyoked, and they came into the castle, and a right fair welcome was bid them, and preparations were made for a goodly bath. They gave them that bath in the great hall of the warriors that was hard by the castle ; and presently noble supplies came in to them of all those kinds of excellent provisions that can be found on the ridge of the earth.

But, while yet they had joy in the pleasure of the feast, a fierce and violent blast of wind arose ; and it shook the whole hill on which the castle stood, and the house of wood, wherein the guests were, quaked at the blast ; so that the shields fell from their hooks, and the spears from their places, and the tables were moved like the leaves in a forest of oak. The young men were astonished, and Gerg demanded of the Druid who attended upon Mani what this wind should betide. And to him answered Ollgaeth the Druid of Mani:

"Truly," said he, "to me it seemeth that no good omen is this with which we have come hither for the courtship this evening. Conchobar shall come upon you ; beware of his coming, and at the dawn of the morning Medb shall be defeated in battle, whilst you all shall perish, as many as are within this house." And he made thereupon the following poem — a model for future times :

I

A din raised by the wind, dreadful the alarm !***
Certain is the warning, the man shall triumph I
A spear through Gerg !
The cast of the spear of the charioteer through the loins
of the king, a deed with poison.
Blood shall drip from the shoulders of the men.
Spear against spear I
The shield shall roar from heavy blows dealt by white hands.
Corpses shall be in the bed of the cairn. Men shall die !
Death of the son of the king from the lance of the king !
sharp deeds shall be (done).
High memorial over the stubborn bodies, melancholy the tale !
Badb shall destroy them, wild strength shall be (shown),
it is a breach in the power of Medb,
Murders in abundance, rout of the army !
Sorrowful is the din of the wind !

"If ye be obedient to my counsel," said the Druid, "this very night shall ye depart from the castle." And Mani was wroth, and with anger he rebuked the Druid for the words which he had spoken ; and "No cause," said Gerg, "is there why ye should be in terror for him of whom he hath warned you, since no muster of heroes or of warriors from Ulster hath Conchobar with him at all. Even were you not here to defend yourselves," said he, "I myself with my two sons would give battle to Conchobar." And they lifted up their fallen weapons, and they paid no heed to the words which the Druid had spoken.

Now as Conchobar in the morning of that day lay asleep in Emain, his queen, Mugain Etanchaitrech, the daughter of Eocho Fedlech, lying beside him, he saw a fair woman who came to him as he lay on his couch. Her bearing was the bearing of a queen ; her hair was golden and wavy, and was braided into a tress coiled about her head. Through a thin robe, woven of silken threads, shone her white skin, a soft and glossy kerchief of green silk lay on her neck. Two sandals of white bronze, rounded in front, appeared between her tender feet and the ground.

"All blessings be on thee, O Conchobar," said she.

"Tell me," said Conchobar, "what this vision showeth to me."

"In seven years from this night," said the lady, "shall the Raid of the Kine of Cualgne be accomplished, and the land of Ulster shall be laid waste, and the Dun Bull of Cualgne shall be driven off, and the son of the man who shall do these deeds, even Mani Morgor, the son of Ailill and Medb, he hath come hither for his wedding with Ferb, the daughter of Gerg of Glenn Geirg, three times fifty is the number of his companions. Make ready," said she, "three times fifty of the men of the Fomorians to match them, and victory shall be with thee." Up sprang Conchobar, and he waked his queen and told her of his vision.

"Truly," said Mugain the Queen, "there hath been enough of strife already betwixt us and the men of Connaught."

"Nevertheless," said Conchobar, "it is a certain thing that, even if we hold back from the war, the Raid of which she hath spoken shall be accomplished.” "Take counsel with Cathbad," said Mugain, "and the counsel that he giveth to thee, let that be what thou Shalt follow."

Upon that Conchobar spoke to Cathbad on the matter, desiring him to give him a prophetic reply. And he made thereon the first lines of a poem, and Cathbad replied to him, and the poem runs as follows :

II

Conchobar
Find out by your art, O good Cathbad !
what disquietude is in my mind,
what great distraction is before me
O Cathbad, O Druid of Emain !

Cathbad
O Conchobar of the heroes !
O dignified king of Ulster I
Many heroes shall fall therefrom
that will be the omen shown in your vision.

Conchobar
Name all the evil that shall come therefrom !
Produce the truth of prophecy !
Speak not a lie from fear of danger
for no Druid is your equal.

Cathbad
Mani shall fall who is elevated above every disgrace
the son of Medb of Cruachan-Mag.
And on account of the deed of the complaint shall fall
three times fifty of his companions.

All the troops from fair Cruachan
they escape not back from you.
Then so much the greater is your glory ;
guard yourself with vigilance and find it.

"In safety shalt thou return, O king," said he, "with triumph and conquest and fame."

Now it happened that at that time Cathach the catheaded, Uimor's daughter, had arrived in Emain. A famous warrior was she ; and from the land of Spain she had come to Emain for the love that she bore to Cuchulainn, and she joined with Conchobar for that war. Also there joined with him three men of renown who came of the race of the Fomorians — famous were they for their cruelty — namely, Siabarchenn, the son of Suilremar, and Berngal the Freckled, and Buri of the Cruel Speech. Thither came also Facen, the son of Dublongsech, who was of the race of the men who of old time dwelled in the land of Ulster, and Fabric, called Fabric of the venomous tooth, who came from the Greater Asia, and Foras, the slayer of his brother, who dwelt in the island of Man. And Conchobar marched away, three times fifty warriors who surrounded these chiefs being with him, and he took none of the Ulstermen with him, save himself only, and Brod his charioteer, and Imrinn the Druid, who was the son of Cathbad. And none of these warriors had a servant with him save that servant of Conchobar only, but they had their shields on their backs, and their bright green spears in their hands, and their heavy hardstriking swords at their belts. Yet they were not to be despised on account of their numbers, the pride of their souls was great. And when they had come to such place that the castle of Gerg could be seen by them, they saw a vast and heavy cloud that brooded over the castle. The one end of the cloud was black as coal, and its middle was red and the other end was green. Whereupon Conchobar spoke to Imrinn the Druid.

"Tell me, O Imrinn," said he, "what omen signifieth that cloud that we see over the castle."

"Truly," said Imrinn, "it signifieth a night-long contest and death for this night." Then he made the following poem of lyric verse :

III

Dark cloud of poison
green ***
red two-edged blade,
death compelling !
For sides shall be cut to pieces,
hands shall be dislocated,
bodies shall be lacerated,
necks shall be made bare
in the house of Gerg
from the time of the death-dealing ninth hour
even to the middle of the day !
Grave-beds on the ground !
A young man it is who distributes the blackness of death.

Conchobar then advanced and drew towards the castle. Now there was at that time a brazen vat set up in the house, which in later times was known by the name of the Ol-guala, and it was filled with wine. From the hand of the cupbearer a polished drinking vessel fell into the vat, so that three ripples were formed therein, and the ripples flowed over the rim. Then thus spoke Ollgaeth the Druid :

IV

"Woe," said the Druid, brod in airigid.
Not long is the time ere it is in the hands of strangers,
for troops shall be grievously wounded,
warriors shall be destroyed,
houses shall be demolished,
Emain shall find a cry,
single combats shall be appointed,
day and night,
between the troop of Gerg and that of Conchobar
in this house to-night.
Not with good fortune did the mother bear a son
who is in this house to-night.

Conchobar came to the door, and his foreign warriors, as their custom was, raised their cry of havock round about the castle. And Gerg arose, and with him his two sons — to wit, Conn the victorious and Cobhtach of the fair skin, and they caught hold of their weapons. And Gerg said to Mani, "Do then leave us Ulstermen to ourselves to decide this matter, that thou mayest see which of us is the more valiant. We are all bound in honour to see to thy safety, and it would be no hurt to thee should we all fall here together. And if it should indeed be that it is for us that death hath here been decreed, then do thou win the mastery in this place if so be that thou art able." Gerg and his two sons then went out, and his people with him. And they set them to defend the burg, and after that to go outside and to fight against Conchobar, and for a long time they let in none behind them. Now on a time Gerg went across the threshold to meet the foremost of those who pressed forward, and eagerly they strove to cut that hero off from the fortress, and in all directions and on all sides sword cuts and thrusts fell upon him as he stood outside the castle. And it followed that during this attack five of the Fomorians fell at the hand of Gerg, also by him fell Imrinn the Druid, who was the son of Cathbad, and Gerg struck the head from his shoulders, and he took the head with him and he made for the door. Then came Cathach the cat-headed between Gerg and the door, and a sharp hot contest she gave him. Nevertheless Gerg struck off her head, and he took it with him into the house where Mani was, though he himself had been sorely wounded. And he threw the head from him in front of Mani, and he sat him down upon a couch, and he sighed grievously and bade them give him to drink. And Conchobar came up with his people, so that they were on the outside of the stockade. They held their shields in their left hands over their heads, and with their right hands they tore down the stockade ; and they strode across it, so that they were on the soil of that burg ; thus they had a good door made for them after that they had broken the rampart.

Thereupon Brod — the servant aforementioned of Conchobar — hurled one of the two spears that he had in his hand ; and the spear flew into the house, and it went through the shield that was on the breast of king Gerg, and into his tender flesh, so that a cross was made by the spear as it passed through his body after piercing his heart, also it passed through Airidech the servant of Gerg, so that both fell lifeless. Conchobar then turned him to attack the followers of Gerg throughout the castle, so that thirty fighting men of Gerg's people fell at his single hand, besides what fell by the hands of his followers. And many of the people also fell at their hands.

Then Nuagel arose, the daughter of Erg, she who was the wife of Gerg, and she raised her three bitter cries of grief, and she took the head of her man into her lap.

"Truly," said she, "a great deed do I reckon that deed which the servant Brod hath wrought, in that he hath slain Gerg in his own palace. And many," said she, "will lament thee ; and though it was in thy daughter's quarrel that thou art fallen, many were the maidens to whom thou thyself wert dear." And loudly she gave testimony of this, and thus she commenced her lay :

V

Gerg is this who lies here.
Through the fault of his daughter it is,
through her fault is he here,
the magnificent one, struck down in the battle.

Great was the war that Gerg undertook,
a warrior (active) as a youth, white, red with weapons,
a man noble, magnificent, manly,
expert, handsome, truly wise.

Who is the hero that was better than Gerg ?
What heather did not boil with wrath ?
Where is the host that would not lament your death ?
that would not break out into lamentation for you without ceasing ?

Sorrow for me to see you on your bed of death,
O beautiful, fair-haired Gerg !
O friend of hosts at all times,
sad it is for me that you are dead.

Before us in Glenn Geirg,
by Loch Ane and by Irard,
and by those springs in the south lands,
many were the women whose love you found.

You were a friend to every host ;
each was obedient to your will ;
dear to each was your friendly word ;
it is certain that you were a good counsellor.

Great were your legal sentences,
stately your assemblies.
You were a king who showed kindness to your lords,
you were bloody in real war.

Your house was great and well known,
though therein befell your wound ;
there has he killed you in the place of the king ;
although it has been done, yet it was blasphemous.

Brod has slain you and it became him not
so that through you he thrust through Airidech,
you yourself and your servant thus
at one time are fallen.

Great was the deed of the servant though an impious onewhat
Brod has done was a mischief —
to slay a king of kings before his time.
He has slain us and him.

Now after these things had been done the two sons of Gerg, namely Cobhtach of the fair skin and Conn the victorious, strove to hold the castle, and deadly was the fight that was fought before they gave way. Nor did the might of Mani permit him to bide still in his place, or to hold back from avenging his father-in-law against the men of Ulster. He arose, and he took his great battle-shield upon him, and his two smooth sharp spears into his hand, and his heavy hard-striking sword at his belt ; and three times fifty of his comrades rose together with him. It were no easy thing to restrain him ; the mind and the nature of each of these heroes was swollen with pride, the hearts of them all overflowed with their arrogance, greatly they longed and desired to do some doughty deed.

Stately, love-worthy, and of gallant bearing was the king's son that went before them ; though to the eyes of an older man he seemed but a boy, he showed himself afterward to be a warrior of great valour. Pleasant was he in the banqueting-hall, and stubborn in the strife ; he was a snake full of poison ; he was wary of the craft of his enemies ; he was the flame of war ; he was a fit match for a foe that rose up against him ; he was liberal with his treasure ; he could show compassion to the wounded ; he could blaze up at an insult ; he stood like a firm-rooted rock against violence ; he could overwhelm wild might like a billow of justice ; he was swift as a roebuck ; he was steadfast as an oak ; he was the head of the three provinces of Connaught in battle and wounding ; he was their chief in assemblies, their distributor of treasure, and their good material for an accomplished king.

He held it to be dishonourable that any man at all in the world should come with numbers no greater than his own and take the house where he was ; therefore he and his warriors chased the Fomorians, and they drove them from the palace. In that hour the hand of Mani was not the hand of a healer, for nine of the men of the Fomorians fell at his first attack. And then to the front of the fight came the pirate of Greater Asia — even Fabric of the venomous tooth ; and upon the press of people that were before him came blows, and destruction, and confusion, and death ; nor could any resist him till he came to that part of the battle where Mani was. Then those two set shield against shield, and they strove with each other in a strife that lasted till the middle of the night ; and Fabric dealt Mani three grievous wounds, and Mani smote the head off him after that he had grown weary in the strife. And as to Conchobar, the might of a hero was his, for at his hand fell thirty valiant men of the people of Gerg, and with them fell the son of Gerg, even Conn the victorious. Thus on either side the army rushed to the attack ; almost it seemed that the toes on their feet warred together in the strife. Throughout the castle the warriors stood knee deep in blood, and through the surrounding country was heard the splintering of the shields and the bucklers, and the whirr of the bright green lances, and the clash of the sharp hard swords, and the shattering of skulls in the slaughter, and the cries of the warriors who were overcome in a strife that was greater than they could endure.

Now, after the death of the chief of the Fomorians, Mani met Facen, the son of Dublongsech, and for a long time they fought, and Facen fell at the end of that fight. Also at the hand of Cobhtach the fair-skinned, who was the son of Gerg, died Siaburchenn, the son of Suilremuir. But Mani and Cobhtach were forced into the royal palace after their people had suffered defeat, and they held that palace bravely and manfully till the morning, nor could any enter in of those who fought against them.

At the end of this night, the same woman who had brought the message to Conchobar went on her way, and came to Medb, where she lay asleep on her couch at Cruachan Ay, and thus she addressed her : "Hadst thou the gift of prophecy, O Medb," said she, "thou wouldest not be sleeping !"

"What then hath happened?" said the queen. "Conchobar," said the woman, "hath all but gained the victory over Mani, and Mani shall fall at his hand. Arise, and thou shalt avenge him." Then she made the first lines of a poem, and Medb, while she slept, replied to her :

VI

The Badb
O Medb, why lie you in sleep ?
Do you know how it is with you ?
If you be skilled in prophecy
it should be time for you to arise.

Medb
O white lady, fair with brilliancy,
what is this dreadful tale that you tell me ?
Who are the foes that have come hither?
What is the condition of the men ? what their names ?

The Badb
Conchobar, the head of heroes,
the much-conquering, high king of Ulster,
holds not back his ardour and fury
that he may destroy Glenn Geirg to-night.

Medb
Where is the place where Gerg and Mani are ?
Are they not in the same place?
If that be so, not easy is that destruction
for the troops of the house of Conchobar !

The Badb
Though high is the mind of Mani,
on account of the beauty of his handsome form,
he has not the might on his head
for the raid to-night to the glen.

Medb
If Mani More is slain
it will lead to the perishing of troops, to the defeat of hosts.
Heroes shall rise in bravery
in Cruachan as well as in Emain.

The Badb
Raise thyself and avenge thy son,
assemble the province of Connaught.
Thou shalt cruelly cut asunder troops
when thou awakest, O Medb !

Thereupon Medb awoke, and she waked Ailill, and she told him of the vision which she had seen ; and afterwards she recounted it to her people.

"I know well that there is no truth in that story," said Briccriu. But when Fiannamail, the son of Fergus Forderg, even the son of him that was the steward of Croghan, heard the news, he waited not for any other, but departed before Medb was ready, for Mani was his foster-brother ; now the eighth place among the youths of Connaught belonged to Fiannamail. Medb selected seven hundred armed men, the best that could at the time be found in Croghan. Then came Donnell the Red, surnamed Donnell of the broad countenance, the son of Duban, who was the son of Ingamain ; he was the best warrior under shield and sword and spear to be found in the province of Connaught, and he also was foster-brother to Mani. And he followed on the track of Fiannamail in front of all the others ; thirty warriors had he with him, and the name of each one of them was Donnell IVIaev also followed with her host behind Donnell and his men. Thus far runs the tale of the Vision of Medb, and the cause of the war that she made.

Now we return to tell of the doom of Mani. He held the palace till sunrise, and pleasant was the dawn of the day ; but no cheerful or pleasant rest for him and his foes had been found that night. And when those two warring hosts saw each other by daylight, they bethought them anew of their quarrel, each of them desiring to do each other hurt, and thus began Conchobar to urge on his followers to the fight : "Had it been Ulstermen that I had with me," said he, "this battle would not have been fought in such fashion as it hath been by the Fomorians." Courage rose high in the hearts of all the Fomorians as they heard this rebuke, and stubbornly and vehemently they rushed to the fight, and they ceased not from it till they had entered through the door of the royal palace. The palace into which they had come was fair and of great renown ; evil and sad was the fate that befell it. There were therein a hundred tables of silver, and three hundred of braa, and three hundred of white bronze. There were, moreover, thirty drinking bowls, with white silver from Spain on the rims of the bowls. Also there were two hundred drinking horns made from the horns of oxen, with chasings of gold and of silver, and thirty beakers of silver and thirty of brass. And at the wall there was a bed-place with fair white linen sheets, wondrous designs were woven upon them.

Then came both those hosts together into the midst of the house, and much of death befell. Cobhtach the fair-skinned, he who was the son of Gerg, after that he had smitten the Fomorians, came to that part of the fight where Berngal the Freckled was raging and smiting the heads off the warriors of Connaught. And Berngal became weary in the strife, and he fell by the hand of Cobhtach. In another part of the palace Buri of the Cruel Speech died at the hand of Mani, who then fell into a wild frenzy, and raged among the Fomorians throughout the palace, thirty falling at his hand. But when that valiant hero Conchobar, the ever-victorious in war, saw the fury of Mani, he turned to meet him, and Mani awaited him, vigilant in his wrath ; and they fought a long time together, and they trampled nine young men under foot. Mani hurled his spear the breadth of a spear-cast with wrath and fury, so that it made a cross passing through the body of Conchobar. And as Conchobar struggled to draw out the spear, Mani wounded him again with the bright green spear that was in his hand. And Brod came up to aid Conchobar, and Mani fetched him three grievous wounds, and Brod was after that unfit for war. Conchobar turned him again upon Mani, and overwhelmed him with crushing blows, so that he fell lifeless and dead. Then he began to hew down upon all sides the men that were round him, so that they fell foot to foot and neck to neck throughout the palace. Moreover it so chanced that of the thrice fifty warriors who came with Conchobar into that house, none escaped alive save himself and Brod, and although these two came out, yet they came not out unhurt. And Cobhtach, the son of Gerg, fled from out of the castle, and Conchobar chased him. And as he followed him over the plain, the maiden, namely Ferb, the daughter of Gerg, came, and with her her comrade who had brought her the news of the coming of Mani. They came together to the place where Mani lay in his gore, a bloody disfigured form ; and she mourned and she wept.

"Truly," said she, "thou art lonely now, yet on many nights, as I reckon, thou hast had the fellowship of many.” And she sang this lament while she made testimony for him :

VII

O boy, your couch is red
****
Evil the sign with which you came from your house.
A token will it be of tears for your kindred.

Many are they to whom you brought evil
in the night, there you were on your couch.
O son of Medb (lady ruler) of her tribe !
O lofty twig of high honour !

Son of Ailill, who is not weak,
Not of you the deeds that you have boasted for yourself!
Sad it is for my heart and my body
that you there for ever lie.

O boy, the most dexterous that I have seen !
Thou wert a rod of gold on the cushion !
When also thy meeting with any one took place
it was yet this — thy last meeting.

Your hand was rough in war,
you were {iarsla .?) of the Fomorians.
Great was the thundering of your blows on the head,
Many were the men upon whom you fell.

Your colour was beautiful, lovely,
You were mindful, fulfilling your duty.
You were light over every valley.
Many were the men upon whom you fell.

Fitting for me was sorrow for you
on account of our meeting, though it came not to that.
Not less on that account my love, without lamentation
even if from you my ill luck springs.

It hurts me that you lie here
O my lad I O son of Medb !
and it hurts my own heart
the same fate that awaits you.

It was seldom for you to be without your weapons
until it had befallen you to be stiff in death.
The bright shining spear has wounded you grievously,
and another has transfixed you.

And the cruel sword has cut you to pieces,
and a rain of blood has fallen down your cheeks.
And they took all about you,
all the warriors that were of one troop.

Ah ! what were they for me
who have not seen my chief of sorrows ?
My loved one, my chosen out of the crowd,
and my man worth good treasure.

He is my man of worth for all my days,
Mani More, the son of Ailill.
I will die therefore, to be in want of him,
that he will not come to be perceived by my senses,

His purple robe of kingly state
much its (sight) puts me in grief,
No one took it away from him
after that he had taken weapons to brandish them.

He himself on the floor of the house,
and his hand since it has been cut off,
and his spear, into a hero he thrust it,
and his head in the hand of Conchobar.

And his sword, heavy, hard-striking, stout,
took Conchobar from him in the distance ;
and his shield there where it fell from him
for the defence of his people.

Three times fifty warriors round him—
'Tis sad that they all went for nothing.
Great their sighs when he took them ;
while they defended him they are fallen.

He himself was a hero — it is no lie —
he distributed much treasure ;
Not a little thing it is that he has fallen for
while he defended his people.

He lies there in grisly manner,
the young man of Connaught with the flower of his army.
Woe for his people — bright gleaming honour —
and woe for his fair companion !

I can do nothing for you,
for it is an evil deed that has been done to me.
My heart is broken therefor
while I look upon you, O boy !

Then came Fiannamail, the son of Fergus Forderg, to the castle, and three times fifty was the number of the warriors that were with him. And a herald who preceded him gave to Ferb the news of his coming, and to Fiannamail he brought back a sad message to tell him of the deeds which had been done. Fiannamail immediately flew into a rage, and sought eagerly for tidings of where Conchobar was to be found, and he and Ferb between them made this song :

VIII

Ferb
Fiannamail comes here to us,
he was sought for by us :
how good also his demeanour in the house.
He is for ever separated from his kindred.

Fian
O maiden, the message is painful
that you send sharply provoking me,
"That I have lost my kindred." Much was the valour
it it is here that they are fallen.

Ferb
These are your kindred —
yet without that you can discover them.
They have slain, they have been slain far and wide
it was a war of blood-red foes.

Fian
And Mani, is he in life ?
my comrade, my companion,
my king, my chief in the house,
my fair, well-loved friend.

Ferb
Bitter to me is what you say,
O champion Fiannamail !
You are in error without a doubt,
here you shall find his last bed.

Fian
Make it known to me — wrath has mastered me —
if you know it, O fair Ferb !
tell me the place where is
Mani More, the son of Ailill.

Ferb
Ochone ! Ochone !
Do you know it not, Fiannamail ?
Mani is fallen,
and with him all his forces.

Fian
Who has caused the cruel war ?
Who has glittered (in arms) at the overthrow ?
and who has slain Mani ?
and are they in like place ?

Ferb
The Ulster men came from the North
With their might of red-sworded war ;
so that they took the house against us,
with three times fifty bold warriors.

Fian
The tale shall go against the men of Ulster,
they are guilty without being hurt.
They shall be slain west and east,
if the men of Connaught yet remain in life.

Ferb
I give you my assurance,
O Fiannamail, since you are very skilful,
that of the Ulster men — without concealment —
only a single pair came back alive.

Fian
Who are the two who came back ?
What is the condition of the men? what their names ?
and whither are they gone from hence
who have done a great thing for our hurt ?

Ferb
Conchobar and Brod, without deceit,
are they who have come back from the battle ;
two spears through Conchobar himself,
and three of them through Brod, not far from that.

Fian
Who has wounded Conchobar the crooked ?
Who has put him into an evil state ?
Not lucky his going without prohibition,
if he has a desire for healing !

Ferb
Mani it was who wounded Conchobar —
two spears ! it was not an appointment
He killed Mani thereafter.
That is the truth about him, Fiannamail.

After this Fiannamail pushed forward in pursuit of Conchobar, and to meet him came Niall the fair-headed, who was the son of Conchobar, and with him a hundred armed men of Conchobar's household, who were seeking where the king might be. A hot, wild battle was fought between them, and as the upshot thereof, Fiannamail, overcome by the numbers against him, was vanquished, nor did he reap advantage from the equal number on his own side, for he fell lifeless and dead ; yet thirty of his foes fell by his single arm alone. And then the maiden, namely Ferb, turned her and looked at the young warriors of Connaught.

"Truly," said she, "do I reckon that it is not owing to lack of valour or of skill that you died ; nay, but you, overcome by the numbers against you, were vanquished ; yet," said she, "an equal number of your foes have been slain by you, even though you also have fallen." And she sang the following song :

IX

Sad is this, you young men of Connaught.
There is no down to your cushions.
Your springing is a springing without (footstep ?).
You have found yourseh^es struck by a blow over the eyes.

What army was fairer than you were,
and better for noble strife ?
Your form was a glorious form ;
your life thread is a bitter masterless possession.

The thread of your eyes is broken.
You have found the drink of conquest, of death poison.
Stubborn for them was the strife with you —
the war departed in cold bodies.

You have slain a hundred armed men.
For you the noble dog has torn (them) in pieces.
Your tale is stubborn and a cause of strife.
It is a fore-token of tears in dreadful manner.

Sorrowful is my knowledge of you,
while I shed tears and lament.
Dear were it for me to go with you
and to be burnt to ashes.

You were the fairest troop in Ireland.
Young men of Connaught, I lament you,
Each who has killed you, he is not stately,
I see ***

Great was your host in war
against the Fomorians.
Many women are there who will cry "uch" and "ach"
behind the very proud.

Proudly you came into the house ;
you had no vassal for father.
Since you had accepted the privilege of the chiefs
it was not suitable for you to fly !

You have feasted the Badb, the pale one,
amidst the weapons ; sufficient your boldness.
The young men of Connaught with beauty
are men in a heavy state of sorrow.

Then came Donnell the Red, the son of Duban — he that was called Donnell of the broad countenance — and he arrived at the foot of the hill upon which the castle stood.

"Donnell the Red, the son of Duban," said the maiden who had been Kerb's messenger, "is a trusty man in all matters where the spear and the sword can avail. Dauntless in the hour wherein valiant deeds are done is each of those who have come hither, and mighty would have been the aid that Donnell would have lent to his foster-brother had it been his fortune to come hither while Mani was yet in life." And when the maiden Ferb heard that, she went out that she might meet Donnell, and much she incited him to the fight, and she made a part of a song, and Donnell Derg of the broad countenance, he made answer to her :

X

Ferb
O Donnell, son of dear Duban !
O hawk of dangerous valour !
since you are dauntless for the sake of a deed of fame,
your foster-brother has been killed.

Donnell
Though Mani the warrior is fallen,
yet he surpassed all his contemporaries
in skill, in valour, in glory,
in honour, and clemency.

Ferb
This is not the deed of a hero that you do
sighs, crying of woe, and laments !
Since Mani will not return after that
it were better to go valiantly against his foes.

Donnell
I will be a fiery bull in the war.
I will make blood spring through the skin.
I will give many incessant blows
to Conchobar the red-sworded.

Ferb
Not too much would be that Conchobar the fair
should die, as vengeance for Mani the courageous ;
For there will not come, and there is not born
The equal of Mani in Croghan !

Donnell
Conchobar, though great his glory,
and Niall and Feradach
are vengeance for Mani — a sharp hewing in pieces.
My hand shall slay them, O Ferb !

Ferb
If you it were, O Donnell Derg,
whom the Ulstermen had slain for the sake of Ferb,
so would the revenge taken for you be glorious
in the tale of Mani, the doer of great deeds.

Donnell
Since he himself it is who is dead,
Mani Morgor with the greatness of a warrior,
I will not go westwards to my home
while any of the Ulstermen live !

Ferb
It would be peace for my good heart,
it would be a comfort for my soul,
if all the Ulstermen were destroyed for the deed they have done,
by your violent hand, O Donnell !

No long time had Donnell to wait, for he saw a great host coming towards him, in which were four hundred armed men, and their leader was Feradach of the long hand, who was the son of Conchobar. Each of these foes set themselves against the other. Then Donnell, finding himself overcome by the numbers against him, fell into a rage ; fifty warriors fell at his single hand ; and all the men of his following were slain, while he himself twice succeeded in wounding Feradach. But with murder his foes strove against him, and Feradach struck off his head, and he raised the shout of victory ; moreover, the heads of all his companions were struck off, and loudly the cries of triumph were raised by the victors. And that maiden went back to the castle, and she entered in ; and as her eyes fell upon Mani she was overwhelmed with her grief. "Hideous," said she, "is that which hath befallen us, oh youth ; and it is on your account that in sorrow I will die, although my father and his son also have died in your quarrel, and methinks that yet more of slaughter shall there be when Medb shall have come." And she made the following lament in her sorrow :

XI

Sorrowful is it, O son of Medb!
O beautiful and skilful youth,
Bloody and red is your skin,
from you has our ill fortune come.

It is through you that my father has been slain
he was a good warrior, a good vassal.
Through you has his son been slain ;
not easy for me to forget it.

Through you has much evil been done.
I have learnt by its appearance that it is due to you.
Much evil shall follow therefrom
for the people of Mani and of Ferb.

My heart is broken on this account
at the sight of your bed of death.
A curse on the hand that has cut you to pieces
and has brought you to an evil bed.

Many are the maidens to whom you shall give sorrow,
many ladies — that you, oh marvellously skilful youth, art dead.
Many are the assemblies who shall lament for you
and because you are missing, you alone.

You were till now beautiful,
with your young dogs at the chase ;
lofty was your mind,
on account of the beauty of your handsome form.

You are ugly now,
pale are your hands,
Methinks that woe should be to him who will not lament,
your head is off your body.

Evil is the tidings which shall be carried westward
to Finnabair of the fair hostages ;
The message about her brother is full of grief for her,
and that he is wanting to the fair Ferb.

Ailill and Medb from the plains of Mag Ai,
they will not remain in life.
The appearance of thy cheeks is terribly changed.
I am not one who has not had a sufficiency of misery.

Then came to the side of Conchobar his two sons, even Niall and Feradach. And Medb drew nigh till she was in sight of the field of battle, and seven hundred warriors was the following that she had with her. She formed her troops into a compact and stubborn band, and she raised weapons fit for the battle before her ; and she made straight for Conchobar to take vengeance on him for the death of her son and of the people that were with him. And although Conchobar was full of wounds and of hurts, yet he was not minded to give way and to retire before Medb, but he advanced eagerly to seek her out till those two stood face to face. Each then commenced to deal out blows and mutilation and destruction, and to hew down and to crush and to slay ; and the "Piercer of the ranks of War" was by Medb carried into the battle host of Ulster, so that five men fell at her hand besides the two sons of Conchobar, even Niall the fair-headed and Feradach of the long hand. And on the other side Conchobar began to rend asunder the remaining part of her host, and to tear and to slay like a wrathful wounded lioness among swine, so that quickly had he found his healing from his wounds, after which, as it were, great pieces of flesh, full of blood, fell from him in the greatness of the wrath that had seized him after his two sons had been slain.

Then Medb was defeated ; and three times fifty mightily valiant warriors of her people fell in the fight, and her guards, as their custom was, bore her safely back ; and Conchobar followed hard upon her routed host till he passed beyond Mag Ini. Then back he turned him, and he made for the castle of Gerg with the intent to lay it in ruins. Thereupon the people of Gerg gathered together, and Cobhtach of the fair-skin, who was the son of Gerg, led them to the fight ; a violent and a wellmatched battle they fought in defence of their fortress. But Conchobar rushed upon them like a wolf among sheep, and he and Cobhtach fought in single combat, and Cobhtach fell in that fight, and then fell also all of his people that were doomed to death. And Conchobar took with him whatsoever he found there of gold and of silver and of white bronze and of horn and of beakers and of vessels and of weapons and of apparel. He took with him also the brazen vat that stood in the house, which when full of beer was wont to be sufficient for the whole land of Ulster, and this is that vat which by the men of Ulster was called the 01 Guala or Coal-vat, since a fire of coals (guail; was wont to be in that house in Emain in which that vat was drunk. And from it hath been named Loch Guala Umai in the island of Daim, which is in the realm of Ulster ; for underneath the lake unto this day is that vat, hidden in a secret place. Also Conchobar took with him the queen, even Nuagel, the daughter of Erg, and her daughter Ferb, and three times fifty maidens with her. And immediately after this, Ferb and her maidens all died from the sorrow that they felt at the death of the young man Mani ; Nuagel also died of grief for the death of her husband and her two sons. And they dug a grave for Ferb, and a pillar of stone was erected for her, and her name was written upon it in letters of Ogham, and a monument of stone was made, so that Duma Ferbe is the name that is now for Raith Ini — in the north-west doth that monument stand.

Conchobar returned to Emain with victory and triumph, and to Mugain he related his tale from the beginning to the end ; and he gave command to his bard Ferchertne, the son of Dergerdne, who was the son of Garb, who was the son of Fer Rossa the Red, who was the son of Rury, that he should forthwith make a great poem which should serve as a model to future times, and should preserve the memory of that tale. He then sang the poem that now follows ; and he prophesied that in future days, by means of the tale he had told, should men unravel the threads of the story of the Tain bo Cualgne :

XII

The vision of Conchobar the upright,
The son of Cathbad, the valiant, fair and great,
The high king of Ulster — an unhurt journey.
*******

Conchobar there lay on a night
in sleep — it was not a light sleep ;
there saw he Something come to him : a woman
to him on his couch.

Purple-red her robe with figures of gold,
this was her apparel — -she was not indigent —
silken stripes upon her head,
a high diadem of gold round about it.

To him spoke the woman with renown,
"Good is the sign, O Conchobar !
Honour and fortune for thee
from every side since thou art illustrious."

"What is the next thing for us ?"
said the son of Nessa, the noble of race.
"Say to me, oh woman of brightness,
How long is it to the war?"

"Seven full years from to-night
thou shalt be compelled to gather to one place,
with boys and women — an honour that shall slay them —
for the sake of the Dun of Cualgne, rich in wars."

"Who carries it off — give an answer without a lie —
who has undertaken the war to the death?"
"The high army of Ireland manoeuvres
under Ailill of the plain of Cruachan."

"That wish I not, it is a track that is not good,"
said Conchobar, the head of war.
"Is there another glorious meeting,
O woman, yellow haired, white limbed?"

"There is a renowned deed ; food to eat on the way,
and there is no need to watch for a lie ;
the son of that man, he comes to you without shame,
Mani More, he who is praised by warriors.

"He is come to sleep with Ferb,
with the daughter of Gerg of Glenn Geirg,
with three times fifty warriors, a real design,
this is their number, no false reckoning.

"At the ninth hour, quite clear is my speech,
is the setting forth of the feast;
there they delay together,
O king of great and fair Emain."

"In what numbers should we go — an expedition without blame?"
said Conchobar the upright one, the fair shaped.
"Bring against them — a speech without treason —
three times fifty of the Fomorians.

"You shall have triumph with valour,
Conchobar, greatly rich in wars.
I will take the glorious story on me,
O king of great and fair Emain."

Conchobar waked thereat
and awoke his queen.
He told her what had appeared to him
by a revelation without falsehood.

His wife with bounty spoke to him,
Mugain, rich in honour, of great wisdom.
"It is yet enough what has already happened
between us and Connaught."

Conchobar spoke, the bright glorious,
the lordly ruler of war,
"Tis certain that, although we abide in our house,
Connaught will come to us."

"Since fate has directed you to go
I will not hold you back by force,
O lord of Ulster, with ornament of the army,
may you come again to complete victory."

Thereupon Conchobar departed thither
with the self-same numbers — it was no lie —
to Raith Ini, a valiant gathering,
where Gerg dwelt, to whom the royal burg belonged.

When they were come to the renowned feast,
the weaponed troop with clear motive,
they entered in — marvellous was their orderthrough
the door of the great castle.

Conchobar went into the court ;
three times fifty warriors — a strength that was known —
he left his people outside
in his strategy — a skilful plan.

A brazen vessel in the house of the king
that was there filled with wine,
he approached — a speech (was not) —
The son of Nessa, renowned in strife.

"Woe," said the Druid,
who turned not away from the king's side,
"I have known***
Brod ane in airidig."

There was no delay on that ;
then Brod threw his spear
so that it went through Gerg in his house,
and through the beaker.

Conchobar came into the house
with three times fifty warriors,
so that he struck the head from Mani
with his seven times twenty.

Conchobar left behind him in the house
his people in the manner of war ;
Beside himself and Brod
none of them escaped to report of it.

The same woman, westwards to Medb,
spoke a message that was not long :
"Conchobar has slain thy son.
Evil the hour when he went to the war with him."

Medb went forth from the west to war
with seven hundred men with weapons.
They warred face to face
on the plains of Ulster against Conchobar.

Medb slew there on the plain
seven men in the manner of war
with her own hand, better than any hero,
including the two sons of Conchobar.

Thereafter Medb was defeated westwards,
so that it was damage to her possessions,
whilst she left behind ; so was it
seven times twenty bold warriors with valour.

They went thereupon to the burg ;
the proud men of Ulster, they filled the walls,
they laid waste whatever was therein
with a crowd ***

They fought a fight with blood,
the people of Gerg there against the Ulster men,
so that they all killed each other,
king and kingly lord.

There died — noble were the men
seven fair haired, seven dark haired, seven black haired.
Of the men who filled the castle
(they slew) thirty fair men whose name was Fergus.

Thirty nobles named Murethach
who held out to the end of the war,
thirty Falbe, thirty Fland,
a noble thirty named Donnell.

Thirty Cobhtach, thirty Cond,
thirty — all dark men — named Corpre,
thirty Falbe, thirty Fland,
a fair thirty named Oengus.

Thenceforward altogether
of the eager men of hero strength and valour
there is no one that knows the end,
they were all in weakness.

All these — mighty was the clamour
through the shrieks of the followers with heavy terror —
round their lords who fought the fight
they in that hour are fallen.

A prelude to the fair Tain bo Cualgne,
it will be for an enlargement of the combat,
and from the vision originates
the death of Mani More, the son of Medb.

Great the deeds that therefrom arise
though the vision was terrifying ;
Gerg fell with his host,
the lusty lord of hospitality.

Conchobar came with victory,
the son of Nessa, whom great hosts honoured,
to Emain Macha — a glorious deed :
so that the vision has revealed itself.

Sources : A. H. Leahy, The Courtship of Ferb, David Nutt, London 1902