The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Táin Bó Cúalnge, page 229 by Unknown
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r force!"
Cuchulain: "When we were with Scathach,
For wonted arms training, Together we'd fare forth, To seek every fight. Thou wast my heart's comrade. My clan and my kinsman; Ne'er found I one dearer; Thy loss would be sad!"
Ferdiad: [LL.fo.84a.] "Thou wager'st thine honour
Unless we do battle; Before the cock croweth, Thy head on a spit! Cuchulain of Cualnge, Mad frenzy hath seized thee All ill we'll wreak on thee, For thine is the sin!"
[4-4] YBL. 39a. 14.
[a] That is, King Conchobar.
[1-1] A line has dropped out here in the MS., and cannot be reconstructed, since the stanza is found only in LL. For this reason the meaning of the following line is uncertain.
[2-2] Reading with YBL. 39a, 34.
[B] Literally, 'it will go over and through them!'
[3-3] Translating from YBL. fo. 39a, 41.
[1-1] Literally, '(For) thou art not a bush (i.e. a hero) over a bush (hero).'
"Come now, O Ferdiad," cried Cuchulain, "not meet was it for thee to come to contend and do battle with me, because of the instigation and intermeddling of Ailill and Medb, [2]and because of the false promises that they made thee. Because of their deceitful terms and of the maiden have many good men been slain.[2] And all that came [3]because of those promises of deceit,[3] neither profit nor success did it bring them, and they have fallen by me. And none the more, [4]O Ferdiad,[4] shall it win victory or increase of fame for thee; and, [5]as they all fell,[5] shalt thou too fall by my hand!" Thus he spake, [W.3486.] and he further uttered these words and Ferdiad hearkened to him:--
"Come not nigh me, noble chief,
Ferdiad, comrade, Daman's son.
Worse for thee than 'tis for me;
Thou'l