Early Irish Myths and Sagas - Jeffrey Gantz [90]
Outside, their enemies were holding a council. ‘Who should speak with them and be the first to go inside?’ asked a youth. ‘I will go,’ said Lopán. Lopán went inside, then, taking nine men with him, and he said ‘A warrior’s deed, warriors.’ ‘Man against man – that is a warrior’s deed,’ said Triscoth. ‘True enough. Triscoth as spokesman for the Ulaid? No other worthy spokesman?’ said Lopán. But Triscoth looked balefully at him, and the soles of Lopán’s feet turned deathly white.
After that, Fer Calliu came into the house with nine men. ‘A warrior’s deed, warriors!’ he said. ‘Man against man – that is a warrior’s deed,’ said Triscoth, and he looked bale-fully at Fer Calliu until the soles of the latter’s feet turned deathly white.
After that, Míanach Anaidgned entered the house with nine men. ‘Those on the floor seem pale to us,’ he said. Triscoth looked at him, but Míanach said ‘Look at me and see if I die.’ Triscoth seized him, then, and hurled him against the three nines that had entered the house, and not one of those men left alive.
After that, the host gathered about the house to take it from the Ulaid, and the Ulaid overturned the house so that it fell upon three hundred of the host. The fighting broke out, then, and it lasted until the middle of the following day; and the Ulaid were, routed, for they were few in number. Ailill watched this from his dwelling in the fort, and he said ‘The tales of the Ulaid were tales to be told until today. I was told that there were no youths in Ériu to equal them, but today I see in them nothing but shame. It is an old proverb that no battle is fought without a king; a battle fought round me, however, would not long endure. But I may not fight them, for that would violate my honour.’
With that, Cú Chulaind bounded through the troop and attacked them three times. Furbude Fer Bend son of Con-chubur also assailed them, but his enemies would not strike at him because of his great beauty. ‘Why do you not attack him?’ said one man. ‘Not pleasing the little games of this magnificent fellow. I swear by what my people swear by, if he had a head of gold, I would still slay the man who slew my brother.’ But Furbude cast his spear at the man and killed him. Thereafter, the Erainn were routed, so that only three of them escaped; the Ulaid plundered the fort, but they spared Ailill and his seven sons, none of whom had fought. Since that time, Temuir Lúachra has not been inhabited.
Crumthand Níad Náir, of the Erainn, escaped. To the west, at the Lemuin, he encountered the female satirist Riches, who was his foster-mother. ‘Was my son left?’ she asked. ‘He was,’ Crumthand replied. ‘Come with me, and I will avenge him,’ she said. ‘How will you do that?’ Crumthand asked. ‘You will slay Cú Chulaind in return,’ Riches said. ‘How will I do that?’ Crumthand asked. ‘Not difficult that,’ she said. ‘If you can use your two hands you will need nothing else, for you will find him all ready for you.’
Riches went out after the host, then, and she found Cú Chulaind up ahead at a ford in Crích Úaithne. She took her clothes off in front of Cú Chulaind, and he turned his face to the ground that he might not see her nakedness. ‘Attack now, Crumthand,’ she said. ‘There is a man coming at you,’ said Lóeg. ‘Indeed not,’ said Cú Chulaind, ‘for, while the woman is in that state, I may not rise.’ Lóeg took a stone