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By Root 632 0

and Áth na Mórrígna to Cáerthend Clúana Dá Dam and into Clithar Fidbude, into Commur Cetharsliged, past Dún Delga, across Mag Slicech and west towards Slíab Breg. There, a great mist fell, thick and dark and impenetrable, so that he could not see his way. ‘Let us stay here until the fog lifts,’ he said to his charioteer, and he leapt down from the chariot. His charioteer was putting the horses out in a nearby meadow when he saw a giant man coming towards him, not a handsome fellow, either, but broad-shouldered, fat-mouthed, puffy-eyed, short-toothed, horribly wrinkled, beetle-browed, horrible and angry, strong, violent, ruthless, arrogant, destructive, snorting, big-sinewed, strong-forearmed, brave, rough and rustic. Cropped black hair he had, and a dun garment on him, and his rump swelled out under his tunic; there were filthy old shoes on his feet, and on his back he carried a great, heavy club, the size of a mill shaft. ‘Whose horses are these, boy?’ he asked, looking fierce. ‘The horses of Lóegure Búadach these,’ answered the lad. ‘True,’ said the giant, ‘and it is a good man whose horses these are.’ As he said this, he took his club and gave the lad a blow from head to toe. At that, Lóegure came and said ‘Why did you strike my charioteer?’ ‘As punishment for trespassing in my meadow,’ replied the giant. ‘I will meet you myself,’ said Lóegure, and they fought until Lóegure fled back to Emuin, leaving his horses and his charioteer and his weapons behind.

Not long afterwards, Conall Cernach took the same route and arrived at the same plain where the druidic mist had fallen upon Lóegure. The same thick, dark, heavy clouds confronted Conall, so that he could see neither the sky nor the ground. He leapt down, then, and his charioteer turned the horses out into the same meadow, and soon they saw the giant coming towards them. The giant asked the lad who his master was, and the lad answered ‘Conall Cernach.’ ‘A good man he,’ said the giant, and he raised his club and gave the lad a blow from head to toe. The lad cried out, and Conall came running; Conall and the giant wrestled, but the latter had the stronger holds, so Conall fled, just as Lóegure had done, leaving behind his horses and his charioteer and his weapons.

After that, Cú Chulaind took the same route and arrived at the plain where the dark mist fell, just as before; he leapt down, Lóeg turned the horses out into the meadow. Soon Lóeg saw the giant coming towards him and asking him who his master was, and he answered ‘Cú Chulaind.’ ‘A good man he,’ said the giant, and he struck Lóeg with his club. Lóeg cried out, and Cú Chulaind came and wrestled with the giant; they pounded away at each other until the giant was worsted and forfeited his horses and chariot. Cú Chulaind took these, and his opponent’s weapons, and bore them back to Emuin Machae in great triumph, presenting them as evidence of his victory.

‘Yours is the champion’s portion,’ Bricriu then said to Cú Chulaind, ‘for it is clear that no one else’s deeds deserve comparison with yours.’ But Lóegure and Conall said ‘Not true, Bricriu. We know that it was one of his friends from the Síde who came to play tricks on us and do us out of the champion’s portion. We will not acknowledge his superiority on that account.’ Conchubur and Fergus and the Ulaid failed to resolve the dispute, so they decided to seek out either Cú Ruí son of Dáre or Ailill and Medb at Crúachu. The Ulaid assembled in council to discuss the pride and haughtiness of the three champions, and their decision was that the three should go to the house of Ailill son of Mágu and Medb in Crúachu for a judgement as to the champion’s portion and the dispute of the women.

Handsome and graceful and effortless the procession of the Ulaid to Crúachu; Cú Chulaind, however, lagged behind the hosts, for he was entertaining the women of Ulaid with his feats of nine apples and nine javelins and nine knives, no one feat interfering with either of the others. His charioteer, Lóeg son of Ríangabur, went to where he was performing these feats and said ‘Pitiful