The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Táin Bó Cúalnge

2Lugaid spake: "Let one of you be ready on the morrow to go against that other." "There shall not any one at all be found to go," quoth Ailill, "unless guile be used. Whatever man comes to you, give him wine, so that his soul may be glad, and let him be told that that is all the wine that has been brought to Cruachan: 'It would grieve us that thou shouldst drink water in our camp.' And let Finnabair be placed on his right hand and let him be told, 'She shall go with thee if thou bring us the head of the Contorted.'" So a summons was sent to each warrior, one on each night, and those words used to be told him. Cuchulain killed every man of them in turn. At length no one could be got to attack him.2

W. 2197.3"Good,3 my master Laeg," 4said Cuchulain,4 "go for me to the camp of the men of Erin to hold converse with Lugaid 5macNois,5 6my friend, my companion and my foster-brother,6 7and bear him a greeting from me and bear him my blessing, for he is the one man that keeps amity and friendship with me on the great hosting of the Cattle-raid of Cualnge.7 And discover 8in what way they are in the camp,8 whether or no anything has W. 2199. happened to Ferbaeth,a 1whether Ferbaeth has reached the camp;1 2and inquire for me if the cast I made a while ago reached Ferbaeth or did not reach, and if it did reach him,2 ask who 3of the men of Erin3 comes to meet me 4to fight and do battle with me at the morning hour early4 on the morrow."

Laeg proceeds to Lugaid's tent. Lugaid bids him welcome. 5"Welcome to thy coming and arrival, O Laeg," said Lugaid.5 "I take that welcome as truly meant," Laeg replied. "It is truly meant for thee," quoth Lugaid, 6"and thou shalt have entertainment here to-night."6 7"Victory and blessing shalt thou have," said Laeg; "but not for entertainment am I come, but7 to hold converse with thee am I come from 8thine own friend and companion and8 foster-brother, 9from Cuchulain,9 that thou mayest tell me whether Ferbaeth 10was smitten."10 "He was," answered Lugaid, "and a blessing on the hand that smote him, for he fell dead in the valley a while ago." "Tell me who 11of the men of Erin11 comes to-morrow to 12combat and12 fight with Cuchulain 13at the morning hour early on the morrow?"13 "They are persuading a brother of mine own to go meet him, a foolish, haughty arrogant youth, yet dealing stout blows and stubborn. 14And he has agreed to do the battle and combat.14 And it is to this end they will send him to fight Cuchulain, that he, my brother, may fall at his hands, so that I myself must then go to avenge him upon Cuchulain. But I will not go there till the very day of doom. Larinè great-grandson W. 2211. of Blathmac is that brother. 1And, do thou tell Cuchulain to come to Ferbaeth's Glen and1 I will go 2thither2 to speak with Cuchulain about him," said Lugaid.

3Laeg betook him to where Cuchulain was.3 Lugaid's two horses were taken and his chariot was yoked to them 4and4 he came 5to Glen Ferbaeth5 to his tryst with Cuchulain, so that a parley was had between them. 6The two champions and battle-warriors gave each other welcome.6 Then it was that Lugaid spake: 7"There is no condition that could be promised to me for fighting and combating with thee," said Lugaid, "and there is no condition on which I would undertake it, but7 they are persuading a brother of mine to come fight thee 8on the morrow,8 to-wit, a foolish, dull, uncouth youth, dealing stout blows. 9They brought him into the tent of Ailill and Medb and he has engaged to do the battle and combat with thee.9 10He is befooled about the same maiden.10 And it is for this reason they are to send him to fight thee, that he may fall at thy hands, 11so that we two may quarrel,11 and to see if I myself will come to avenge him upon thee. But I will not, till the very day of doom. And by the fellowship that is between us, 12and by the rearing and nurture I bestowed on thee and thou didst bestow on me, bear me no grudge because of Larinè.12 Slay not my brother 13lest thou shouldst leave me brotherless."13

"By my conscience, truly," cried Cuchulain, 14kill him I will not, but14 the next thing to death will I inflict on him. 15No worse would it be for him to die than what I W. 2222. will give him."15 "I give thee leave. 1It would please me well shouldst thou beat him sorely,1 for to my dishonour he comes to attack thee."

Then 3on the next day3 it was that Larinè son of Nos, 4brother of Lugaid king of Munster,4 was summoned to the tent of Ailill and Medb, and Finnabair was placed by his side. It was she that filled up the drinking-horns for him and gave him a kiss with each draught that he took and served him his food. "Not to every one with Medb is given the drink that is poured out for Ferbaeth or for Larinè," quoth Finnabair; "only the load of fifty wagons of it was brought to the camp."a

5Medb looked at the pair. "Yonder pair rejoiceth my heart," said she.5 "Whom wouldst thou say?" asked 6Ailill.6 "The man yonder, 7in truth,"7 said she. "What of him?" asked Ailill. "It is thy wont to set the mind on that which is far from the purpose (Medb answered). It were more becoming for thee to bestow thy thought on the couple in whom are united the greatest distinction and beauty to be found on any road in Erin, namely Finnabair, 8my daughter,8 and Larinè macNois. 9'Twould be fitting to bring them together."9 "I regard them as thou dost," answered Ailill; 10"I will not oppose thee herein. He shall have her if only he brings me the head of Cuchulain."a "Aye, bring it I will," said Larinè.10 W. 2235. It was then that Larinè shook and tossed himself with joy, so that the sewings of the flock bed burst under him and the mead of the camp was speckled with its feathers.

1They passed the night there.1 Larinè longed for day with its full light 2to go2 to attack Cuchulain. At the early day-dawn on the morrow he came, 3and the maiden came too to embolden him,3 and he brought a wagon-load of arms with him, and he came on to the ford to encounter Cuchulain. The mighty warriors of the camp and station considered it not a goodly enough sight to view the combat of Larinè; only the women and boys and girls, 4thrice fifty of them,4 went to scoff and to jeer at his battle.

Cuchulain went to meet him at the ford and he deemed it unbecoming to bring along arms 5or to ply weapons upon him,5 so Cuchulain came to the encounter unarmed 6except for the weapons he wrested from his opponent.6 7And when Larinè reached the ford, Cuchulain saw him and made a rush at him.7 Cuchulain knocked all of Larinè's weapons out of his hand as one might knock toys out of the hand of an infant. Cuchulain ground and bruised him between his arms, he lashed him and clasped him, he squeezed him and shook him, so that he spilled all the dirt out of him, 8so that the ford was defiled with his dung8 9and the air was fouled with his dust9 and an 10unclean, filthy10 wrack of cloud arose in the four airts wherein he was. Then from the middle of the ford Cuchulain hurled Larinè far from him across through the camp 11till he fell into Lugaid's two hands11 at the door of the tent of his brother. W. 2252. Howbeit 1from that time forth1 2for the remainder of his life2 he never got up without a 3sigh and a3 groan, and 4he never lay down without hurt, and he never stood up without a moan;4 5as long as he lived5 he never ate 6a meal6 without plaint, and never thenceforward was he free from weakness of the loins and oppression of the chest and without cramps and the frequent need which obliged him to go out. Still he is the only man that made escape, 7yea though a bad escape,7 after combat with Cuchulain on the Cualnge Cattle-raid. Nevertheless that maiming took effect upon him, so that it afterwards brought him his death. Such then is the Combat of Larinè on the Táin Bó Cualnge.