Before VII. THE YOUTHFUL EXPLOITS OF CUCHULAIN
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Dunn, Joseph
Men and arms have I enough
To attend Cuchulain here!"
Fergus:
"Thou shalt need them, Medb of Ai,
Men and arms for battle hard,
With the grey steed'sb horseman brave.
All the night and all the day!"
Medb:
"I have kept here in reserve
Heroes fit for fight and spoil;
Thirty hundred hostage-chiefs,
Leinster's bravest champions they.
Fighting men from Cruachan fair,
Braves from clear-streamed Luachair,
Four full realms of goodly Gaels
Will defend me from this man!"
Fergus:
"Rich in troops from Mourne and Bann,
Blood he'll draw o'er shafts of spears;
He will cast to mire and sand
These three thousand Leinstermen.
With the swallow's swiftest speed,
With the rush of biting wind,
So bounds on my dear brave Hound,
Breathing slaughter on his foes!"
Medb:
"Fergus, should he come 'tween us,
To Cuchulain bear this word:
He were prudent to stay still;
Cruachan holds a check in store."
Fergus:
"Valiant will the slaughter be
Badb's wild daughterc gloats upon.
For the Blacksmith's Hound will spill
Showers of blood on hosts of men!"
W. 540. After this lay the men of the four grand provinces of Erin marched 1on the morrow1 over Moin Coltna ('the Marsh of Coltain') eastwards that day; and there met them eight score deer 2in a single herd.2 The troops spread out and surrounded and killed them so that none of them escaped.
But there is one event to add: Although the division of the Galian had been dispersed 3among the men of Erin,3 4wherever there was a man of the Galian, it was he that got them, except4 five deer only which was the men of Erin's share thereof, so that one division took all the eight score deer.
5Then they proceed to Mag Trega and they unyoke there and prepare their food. It is said that it is there that Dubthach recited this stave:—
"Grant ye have not heard till now,
Giving ear to Dubthach's fray: