The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Táin Bó Cúalnge

W. 4529.1It was then came 2to them2 great1 Menn son of Salcholga, he from Renna ('the Waterways') of the Boyne 3in the north.3 Twelvea men 4with many-pointed weapons,4 that was his number. It was thus they came, and two spear-heads on each shaft with them, a spear-head on the top and a spear-head at the butt, so that it made no difference whether they wounded the hosts with the points or with the butts. They offered three attacks upon the hosts. Three times their own number fell at their hands and there fell twelve men of the people of Menn, 5so that there remained alive of them but Menn alone.5 But Menn himself was 6sorely6 wounded in the strait, so that blood ran crimson on him 7and his followers too were crimsoned.7 Then said the men of Erin: "Red is this shame," said they, "for Menn son of Salcholga, that his people, 8twelve men,8 should be slain and destroyed and he himself wounded till blood ran crimson red upon him." Hence here is the 'Reddening Shame of Menn,' 9the name of this tale on the Spoil of the Kine of Cualnge.9

Then said the men of Erin, it would be no dishonour for Menn son of Salcholga to leave the camp and quarters, and that the hosts would go a day's journey back to the W. 4542. north again, and that Menn should cease his weapon-featsa on the hosts till Conchobar arose out of his 'Pains' and battle would be offered them at Garech and Ilgarech 1on the day of the great battle when the men of Erin and of Ulster would meet together in combat in the great battle of the Cualnge Cow-spoil,1 as the druids and soothsayers and the knowers of the men of Erin had foretold it.