The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Tain Bo Cualnge Part 46

"Ne'er for Ulster's weal doth aim Lugaid's son, Casruba's scion;[b]

Such is how he acts to men: Whom he stabs not he incites!

"Ulster's exiles it would grieve If their beardless boy[c] should fall.

If on you come Ulster's troops They will make your herds their spoil!

"Strewn afar your herds will be By the rising Ulstermen.

Tales there'll be of mighty deeds That will tell of far-famed queens!

[W.2800.] [1]"Corpses will be under foot,[1]

[2]Food there'll be at ravens' rests;[2]

Bucklers lying on the slopes; Wild and furious deeds increase!

[3]"I behold just now your wives Raise their heads above the ranks.

I behold your puissant queen Moves not to engage in war![3]

[LL.fo.79b.] "Valour none nor generous deed Comes from Lugaid's craven son; Nor will kings see lances red, If this 'Black-tongue' Dubthach be!"

[a] The reference is to the maidens of Emain Macha slain by Dubthach in punishment for the death of the sons of Usnech.

[b] That is, Dubthach.

[c] That is, Cuchulain.

[1-1] LU. and YBL. 2077.

[2-2] Reading: _Bet.i.t buind fri brannfossaib_.

[3-3] This quatrain is almost identical with the one translated on page 199.

Thus far 'The Scythed Chariot.'[a]

[a] A very obscure and fragmentary pa.s.sage in LU. and YBL. (lines 2083-2106, edition of Strachan and O'Keeffe, lacking in Eg. 93, _Revue Celtique_, tome xv, page 204), consisting of a series of short strains in _rosc_ spoken in turn by Ailill, Medb, Gabran the poet, and Fergus, is omitted in the translation.

[Page 201]

XVIII

[1]THE SLAYING OF OENGUS SON OF OENLAM[1]

[W.2814.] Then it was that a very bold young warrior of the Ulstermen came nigh the hosts; his bye-name was Oengus son of Oenlam Gabe ('the One-handed Smith'). And he drove the hosts before him from Moda Loga, which at that time was called Lugmud, to Ath da Fert ('the Ford of the Two Gravemounds') in Sliab Fuait. [2]And he suffered them not to go by, but he showered them with stones.[2] What scholars say is: If Oengus son of Oenlam Gabe had fought them in single combat, [3]two-thirds of[3] the host would have fallen before that by him in single battle [4]at Emain Macha.[4] Howbeit it was by no means so that they acted, but they attacked him from ambush on every side, till he fell at their hands [5]in unequal fight[5] at Ath da Fert in Sliab Fuait.

[1-1] LU. fo. 82a, in the margin.

[2-2] LU. and YBL. 2135-2136.

[3-3] Stowe.

[4-4] LU. and YBL. 2137.

[5-5] LU. and YBL. 2139.

[Page 202]

XVIIIa

HERE NOW IS TOLD THE MISTHROW AT BELACH EOIN.

[W.2823.] Then came to them Fiacha Fialdana ('the Generous and Intrepid') of the Ulstermen to speak with the son of his mother's sister, namely with Mane Andoe ('the Unslow') of the Connachtmen. And thus he came, and Dubthach Doel ('the Black Tongue') of Ulster with him. It was in this wise that Mane Andoe came, and Doche son of Maga along with him. When now Doche macMagach espied Fiacha Fialdana, he straightway hurled a spear at him, but so that it went through his own friend, through Dubthach Doel of Ulster.

Then Fiacha Fialdana hurled a spear at Doche macMagach, so that it went through his own friend, through Mane Andoe of Connacht. Thereupon said the men of Erin: "A mishap in throwing," they said, "is what hath happened to the men, for each of them to kill his friend and nearest relation." Hence this is ent.i.tled Imroll Belaig Eoin ('the Misthrow at Bird-pa.s.s'). And 'the Other Misthrow at Bird-pa.s.s' is another name for it.

[1]Or it may be this from which cometh Imroll Belaig Eoin: The hosts proceed to Belach Eoin ('Bird-pa.s.s'). Their two troops wait there.

Diarmait macConchobar of the Ulstermen comes from the north. "Let a horseman start from you," cries Diarmait, "that Mane may come with one man to parley with me, and I will go with another man to parley with him." A while thereafter they meet "I am come," says Diarmait, "from Conchobar, with commands to Ailill and Medb that they let the cows go and make good all the ill they have done here and bring hither the bull[a] from the west to meet the other bull,[b] to the end that they may encounter, since Medb has pledged it." "I will go," says Mane, "to tell them." He takes this message to Medb and Ailill. "This cannot be had of Medb," Mane reported.

"Let us make a fair exchange of arms, then," says Diarmait, "if perchance that pleaseth thee better." "I am content," replies Mane. Each of them casts his spear at the other so that both of them die, and hence the name of this place is Imroll Belaig Eoin. Their forces rush upon one another.

Three-score of each force fall. Hence is Ard in Dirma ('the Height of the Troop').[1]

[1-1] LU. and YBL. 2114-2128.

[a] The 'White-horned.'

[b] The 'Brown of Cualnge.'

[Page 204]

XVIIIb

HERE NOW FOLLOWETH THE DISGUISING OF TAMON

[W.2837.] Then said the men of Erin to Tamon the fool that he should don the garments of Ailill and the king's golden shawl, and go to the ford that was close before them. So he put the garments and golden shawl of Ailill upon him. [1]Ailill's people placed the king's diadem on the head of Tamon the fool, for Ailill dared not wear it himself,[1] and he went on to the ford under their eyes. The men of Erin began to scoff and to shout and jeer at him. "It is a disguising of Tamon ('a Stump') for thee, O Tamon the fool," they cried, "with the dress and the golden shawl of Ailill upon thee!" When Cuchulain saw him, it seemed to him in his ignorance and lack of knowledge that it was Ailill himself that was there. And he slung a stone from his staff-sling at him so that [2]his head was broken thereby[2]

and Tamon the fool was smitten lifeless where he was on the ford. Hence Ath Tamuin ('the Ford of a Stump') [3]is the name of that ford ever since[3]

and 'the Disguising of Tamon' [4]is the name of the tale.[4]