Early Irish Myths and Sagas - Jeffrey Gantz [58]
The first exploit recalls the opening episode of the Welsh tale ‘Peredur’: a naive, callow youth leaves his unwilling mother (he does not have a father, possibly because his real father is understood to be either royal or divine) and goes forth to find his proper companions (the boy troop of Emuin Machae in the one case, the knights of King Arthur’s court in the other). Cú Chulaind’s feats with his ball and hurley and toy javelin and his complete dominance over the boy troop are superhuman and at the same time pure play; Peredur, though merely precocious, is yet more mature, for, as well as outrunning deer, he dispatches enemy knights and even kisses women.
The second extract explains how Cú Chulaind once saved Conchubur in battle. Even at this early stage of the Ulster Cycle, Conchubur’s role has deteriorated; and already Cú Chulaind, as his sister’s son, appears as his natural heir.
The third extract explains how Sétantae came to be known as Cú Chulaind. Such stories are common in Irish saga, but this explanation is unusually convincing – why else would a young hero be called the ‘Hound of Culand’? The mystery is rather in why the central character of the Ulster Cycle, a figure whose divine origin is manifest, should have been given a name so much more appropriate to a mortal hero, especially when his original name suits him so well. In the case of both Pryderi and Cú Chulaind, there are objections to the new name: Rhiannon asks whether her son’s own name does not suit him better, while Cú Chulaind himself expresses a preference for his original name; but, in each case, the advice of a wise elder (the Chieftain of Dyved in the Welsh tale, Cathub in the Irish one) prevails.
The fourth extract seems modelled on the tradition that Achilles chose a short life in order to win great fame. The episode at the end, where Cú Chulaind is seized by his ríastarthae, or battle fury, and has to be cooled off in vats of water, is entirely typical of him, as is his shyness in the presence of bare-breasted women.
The antiquity of these extracts is open to doubt: the mythic element is slight, and there is considerable humour.
The Birth of Cú Chulaind
‘In truth, he was reared by his mother and his father at Airgdech in Mag Muirthemni,’ said Fergus. ‘There he was told of the fame of the boys at Emuin Machae, for three fifties of boys play there. Conchubur enjoys his sovereignty thus: one third of the day watching the boys play, one third playing fidchell and one third drinking until he falls asleep. Although we are in exile because of him, there is not in Ériu a greater warrior.
‘Cú Chulaind entreated his mother, then, to let him go to the boys. “You are not to go,” she replied, “until one of the champions of Ulaid can accompany you.” “Too long to wait, that,” Cú Chulaind answered. “Just tell me in which direction Emuin lies.” “To the north, there, and the path is dangerous,” said his mother. “Slíab Fúait lies between you and Emuin.” “Even so, I will try it,” said Cú Chulaind. He went forth, then, with his toy javelin and his toy shield and his hurley and his ball. He would throw his javelin on ahead and then catch it before it could strike the ground.
‘When he reached Emuin, he went to the boys without first securing their protection – at that time, no one went to the playing field without a guarantee that the boys would protect him. Cú Chulaind was unaware of this. “The boy outrages us,” said Follomon son of Conchubur, “and yet we know he is of the Ulaid.” The boys warned Cú Chulaind off, but he defeated them. They threw their three fifties of javelins at him, but he stopped every one with his toy shield. They threw their three fifties of balls at him, but he caught them all against his chest. They threw their three fifties of hurleys at him, but he warded them off and took an armful on