Early Irish Myths and Sagas - Jeffrey Gantz [103]
The three went to the house of Bude, then, and told him of the contention over which they had come and of their wish for a judgement. ‘Was a judgement not given you by Ailill and Medb at Crúachu?’ Bude asked. ‘Indeed, it was, but yonder men did not accept it,’ said Cú Chulaind. ‘Indeed, we do not,’ said Lóegure and Conall, ‘for the judgement that was given is no judgement at all.’ ‘Not easy for anyone to judge those who will not accept the judgement of Ailill and Medb,’ said Bude. ‘But I have someone who will undertake to judge you – Úath son of Imoman, who lives by the lake. Go to him, and he will decide.’ This Úath son of Imoman was a man of great power: he could change into any form he wished, and he could perform druidry and discharge claims of mutual obligation. He was the spectre after which Belach Muni in tSiriti was named, and he was called a spectre because of his ability to transform himself into any shape.
The heroes went to Úath’s lake, then, and Bude accompanied them as a witness. They told Úath why they had come; he replied that he would undertake to judge them but that they would have to accept his judgement. They agreed to accept it, and he took their pledges. Then he said ‘I will propose a bargain, and he who fulfils it with me is he who will bear off the champion’s portion.’ ‘What sort of bargain?’ they asked. ‘I have an axe,’ he replied. ‘Let one of you take it in his hand and cut off my head today, and I will cut off his head tomorrow.’
Lóegure and Conall said that they would not undertake that bargain, for, though he might have the power to remain alive after being beheaded, they did not. Thus, they refused the bargain. (Other books say, however, that they accepted the proposal: Lóegure cut the man’s head off the first day but avoided him thereafter, and Conall did the same.) Cú Chulaind, however, said that he would undertake the bargain so that the champion’s portion might be his. Lóegure and Conall said that, if he fulfilled that bargain with Úath, they would not contest his right to the champion’s portion, and he accepted their pledges. Then he pledged to fulfill the bargain. Oath stretched his neck out on a stone (after first casting spells in the edge of the blade), and Cú Chulaind took the axe and cut off his head. Úath rose, took his axe, put his head on his chest and returned to his lake.
The following day, Úath reappeared, and Cú Chulaind stretched his neck out on the stone. Three times Úath drew the axe down on Cú Chulaind’s neck, and each time the blade was reversed. ‘Rise, Cú Chulaind,’ he said, then, ‘for you are king of the warriors of Ériu, and the champion’s portion is yours, without contest.’ The three heroes returned to Emuin after that, but Lóegure and Conall did not accept the judgement that had been given to Cú Chulaind, and so the same strife arose regarding the champion’s portion. It was the advice of the Ulaid that the three go to Cú Ruí for judgement, and they agreed to that.
The following morning, then, the three heroes went to Cú Ruí’s stronghold; they unyoked their chariots at the entrance and went into the royal house and were welcomed by Bláthnait daughter of Mend, for she was Cú Ruí’s wife. Cú Ruí himself was not there that night, but he had known that they were coming, and he had instructed his wife what to do with the heroes until he returned from Scythia. From the time that he took arms until his death, Cú Ruí never reddened his sword in Ériu, and the food of Ériu did not pass his lips once he had reached the age of seven, for Ériu could not contain his strength and valour and courage and pride and fame and supremacy. Bláthnait followed his instructions in washing and bathing the heroes, in serving them intoxicating drink and in providing them excellent beds; and the three men were greatly pleased. When it came time to go to bed, she said that one of them would have to watch over the stronghold each night until Cú Ruí returned and that Cú Ruí had said that the watch should be taken in order of age. Whatever part of the world