Early Irish Myths and Sagas (24 page)

When the sons of Mil Espáne reached Ériu, their wisdom circumvented the Túatha Dé Danand. Ériu was left to the division of Amorgen Glúnmár son of Mil, for he was a king’s poet and a king’s judge; Amorgen divided Ériu into two parts, giving the part under the ground to the Túatha Dé Danand and the other part to the sons of Mil Espáne, his own people.

The Túatha Dé Danand went into the hills – the region of the Síde – then, and they submitted to the Síde under the ground. But they left behind, in each province of Ériu, five of their number to incite the sons of Mil to battle and combat and strife and slaughter. They were particularly careful to leave five men in the province of Ulaid: Brea son of Belgan in Drommanna Breg, Redg Rotbél in Slemna Mage Ítha, Tindell son of Boclachtnae in Slíab Edlicon, Grici in Crúachu Aí and Gulban Glass in Bend Gulbain Guirt maicc Ungairb. These men aroused discontent among the Ulaid over the province’s division into three parts, and they did this when the province was at its best – at the time of Conchubur son of Fachtnae Fáthach. The two who shared the province with Conchubur were his own fosterlings: Cú Chulaind son of Súaltaim and Findtan son of Níall Níam-glonnach at Dún Dá Bend. This is the division that was imposed upon the province: from Cnocc Úachtair Forcha, which is now called Uisnech Mide, to the very centre of Tráig Baile was Cú Chulaind’s share, while Conchubur’s third
extended from Tráig Baile to Tráig Tola and Findtan’s from Tráig Tola to Rind Semni and Latharnai.

The province was thus divided into thirds for a year, or until Conchubur held the feis of Samuin at Emuin Machae. One hundred vats of every kind of drink were provided, and Conchubur’s officers said that the excellence of the feast was such that all the chieftains of Ulaid would not be too many to attend. And this is the plan that Conchubur devised: to send Lebarcham to Cú Chulaind at Dún Delga and Findchad Fer Bend Uma son of Fróeglethan to Findtan son of Níall Níamglonnach at Dún Dá Bend.

Lebarcham arrived at Dún Delga and told Cú Chulaind to go and speak with his dear foster-father at Emuin Machae. At that time, Cú Chulaind was giving a great feast for the people of his own territory, and he said that he would not go but would attend to his own people. But Emer Foltchaín, the daughter of Forgall Manach and one of the six best women in Ériu, said that he should not stay but should rather go to speak with his foster-father Conchubur.

Cú Chulaind ordered his horses harnessed, then, and his chariot yoked. ‘The horses are harnessed, and the chariot is yoked,’ said Lóeg. ‘Do not delay, or an evil hour may blot your valour. Step into the chariot when you please.’ Cú Chulaind seized his war gear and leapt into the chariot; he took the straightest roads and the shortest ways to Emuin Machae, and there Senchae son of Ailill came to greet him, saying ‘Always welcome your arrival, O chief of prosperity of the host of Ulaid, salmon of valorous weaponry of the Goídil, dear, many-hosted, crimson-fisted son of Deichtine.’

‘The welcome of a man asking a present that,’ said Cú Chulaind. ‘It is, indeed,’ said Senchae son of Ailill. ‘Name the present,’ said Cú Chulaind. ‘I will provided that I have a proper guarantee,’ answered Senchae. ‘Then name your guarantors, in return for a counter-present for me,’ said Cú
Chulaind. ‘The two Conalls and Lóegure,’ said Senchae, ‘that is, Conall Ánglonnach son of Íriel Glúnmár and Conall Cernach son of Amorgen and Lóegure Londbúadach.’ These guarantors sufficed to secure the present, in return for a counter-present for Cú Chulaind.

‘What guarantors do you ask for your counter-present?’ Senchae then asked. ‘Three young, noble, valorous lads,’ said Cú Chulaind. ‘Cormac Cond Longes son of Conchubur, Mess Ded son of Amorgen and Echu Cendgarb son of Celt-chair.’ ‘This is my request, then,’ said Senchae, ‘that you give the third of Ulaid that is in your possession to Conchubur for a year.’ ‘If the province were the better for being in his possession,’ said Cú Chulaind, ‘that would not be difficult, for he is a well-spring of authority; there is no refuting or contradicting him, and he descends from the kings of Ériu and Albu. But if the province is not better, then we will have a skirmish of little boys, and he will be returned to his own third.’

After that, Findtan son of Níall Níamglonnach arrived. The most excellent druid Cathub took charge and greeted him, saying ‘Welcome your arrival, fair, noble youth, chief warrior of the great province of Ulaid. Against you neither reavers nor raiders nor foreign plunderers strive, man who guards the borders of the province.’

‘The welcome of a man asking a present that,’ said Findtan. ‘It is, indeed,’ said Cathub. ‘Name it, that you may have it,’ said Findtan. ‘I will provided that I have a proper guarantee,’ replied Cathub. ‘Then name your guarantors, in return for a counter-present for me,’ said Findtan. ‘Celtchair son of Uthechar, Uma son of Remanfissech from Fedan Chúailnge and Errge Echbél from Brí Errgi,’ said Cathub, and these guarantors sufficed. ‘What guarantors do you ask for your counter-present?’ asked Cathub. ‘The three sons of Uisliu of great deeds,’ said Findtan, ‘the three torches of
valour of Europe: Noísiu and Aindle and Arddán.’ These guarantors were ratified by both parties.

After that, they went to An Téte Brecc, the house where Conchubur was. ‘Conchubur is now king of Ulaid,’ Cathub said, ‘for Findtan has yielded his third.’ ‘So has Cú Chulaind,’ said Senchae. ‘In that case,’ said Cú Chulaind, ‘let Conchubur come to drink and make merry with me, for that is my counter-request.’ ‘What guarantees and assurances do I have when that is permitted to be said?’ asked Findtan. Everyone’s guarantors came forth savagely, then, and the fighting was so fierce that nine were wounded and nine bleeding and nine at the point of death between one side and the other. But Senchae son of Ailill rose and shook his peacemaking branch, and the Ulaid fell silent. ‘Why such quarrelling?’ he asked. ‘Conchubur will not be king of Ulaid for a year yet.’ ‘We will do as you wish,’ said Cú Chulaind, ‘provided that you do not intervene at the end of the year.’ ‘That I will not,’ said Senchae. Cú Chulaind held him to that promise. They remained three days and three nights, drinking up Conchubur’s feast until they had finished it; then they returned to their own houses and strongholds and fine dwellings.

Anyone who arrived at the end of the following year would have found Conchubur’s province a well-spring of justice and abundance, without a single dwelling waste, empty or desolate, from Rind Semni and Latharnai to Cnocc Úachtair Forcha to Dub and Drobaís, and without a single son usurping the place of his father and grandfather – everyone served his proper lord. At this time, then, fair words passed between Cú Chulaind and Emer. ‘It seems to me,’ said Emer, ‘that Conchubur is now high king of Ériu.’ ‘No harm if he is,’ replied Cú Chulaind. ‘You must prepare a king’s feast for him, then, for he will be king always,’ Emer said. ‘That will be done,’ said Cú Chulaind.

The feast was prepared, and there were one hundred vats of every kind of drink. At the same time, though, Findtan son of Níall Níamglonnach decided to prepare a feast, with one hundred vats of every kind of drink. Work on both feasts began on the same day, and work on both concluded the same day. Both men harnessed their horses and yoked their chariots the same day, but Cú Chulaind was the first to arrive at Emuin. He was just unyoking his horses when Findtan arrived, so that he entered Emuin before Findtan; thus, he was already inviting Conchubur to his feast when Findtan entered. ‘What guarantees and assurances do I have when that is permitted to be said?’ Findtan asked. ‘We are here,’ said the sons of Uisliu, and they rose. ‘I myself,’ said Cú Chulaind, ‘am not without guarantees.’

With that, the Ulaid rose savagely to take arms, and, since Senchae did not dare to intervene, they began to fight. Conchubur could do no more than leave the royal house to them, and he was followed out by a son of his whose name was Furbude and whom Cú Chulaind had fostered. Conchubur drew this lad aside and said ‘Son, you have the power to make peace among the Ulaid.’ ‘How?’ asked the lad. ‘By weeping and lamenting before your foster-father, Cú Chu laind,’ Conchubur answered, ‘for never has he been in strife or combat that he did not think of you.’

Furbude returned, then, and he wept and lamented before Cú Chulaind until the latter asked him what was wrong. Furbude replied ‘Just when the province is a well-spring of abundance, you are destroying it for the sake of a single night.’ ‘I have given my word,’ said Cú Chulaind, ‘and it will not be contravened.’ ‘I have sworn my oath,’ said Findtan, ‘and I will not leave until the Ulaid come with me tonight.’ ‘I have an excellent solution for you, if I be permitted to speak,’ said Senchae son of Ailill. ‘The first half of the night with Findtan, the second half with Cú Chulaind –
that will alleviate the lad’s sorrow.’ ‘I will permit that,’ said Cú Chulaind. ‘I also will accept it,’ said Findtan.

The Ulaid rose about Conchubur, then, and he sent messengers out to invite the people of the province to Findtan’s feast. Conchubur himself went, in the company of the Cráebrúad, to Dún Dá Bend and the house of Findtan son of Níall Níamglonnach. All the Ulaid assembled at the feast, so that there was not a man from the smallest hamlet who did not attend. Each king came with his queen, each lord with his lady, each musician with his proper mate, each hospitaller with his female companion; but they were attended to as well as if only a small company had arrived. Lovely, well-built, finely appointed sleeping chambers were prepared. Beautiful, lofty balconies were strewn with rushes and fresh rushes, and there were long houses for the hosts, broad, capacious cooking houses, and a broad-entranced, multicoloured hostel, wide and high and handsome, with four comers and four doors, where the chieftains of Ulaid, men and women, might assemble and drink and make merry. Choice portions of food and drink were served them, so that sustenance for one hundred men reached every nine guests. Conchubur ordered the drinking house by deeds and divisions and families, by grades and arts, and by gentle manners, all towards the fair holding of the feast. Servers came to serve, cupbearers to pour, doorkeepers to guard the doors. Musicians came to play and sing and amuse. Poems and tales and encomia were recited, and jewels and gems and treasures were distributed.

It was then that Cú Chulaind said to Lóeg son of Ríanga-bur: ‘Go outside, good Lóeg, and examine the stars, and determine if midnight has arrived, for you have often waited and watched for me at the boundaries of distant lands.’ Lóeg went out, then, and he watched and waited until it was midnight; then he returned to the house and said
‘Midnight now, O Cú of the feats.’ When Cú Chulaind heard that, he told Conchubur, for he was sitting in the hero’s seat beside the king. Conchubur rose with a bright, shining buffalo horn, and the Ulaid fell silent when they saw their king standing. They were so quiet, a needle falling from the ridge pole to the floor could have been heard. It was geiss for the Ulaid to speak before their king did, but it was also geiss for the king to speak before his druids did. Thus, the most excellent druid Cathub said ‘What is it, Conchubur, noble high king of Ulaid?’ ‘Cú Chulaind here thinks it time to go to his feast,’ Conchubur replied. ‘Does he wish to earn the collective blessing of the Ulaid by leaving the young and the weak and the women behind?’ asked Cathub. ‘I do,’ said Cú Chulaind, ‘provided that our champions and warriors and fighters and singers and poets and musicians come with us.’

The Ulaid rose as one, then, and they went out on to the hard-turfed green. ‘Good friend Lóeg,’ said Cú Chulaind, ‘set a leisurely pace for the chariot.’ Lóeg possessed the three virtues of charioteering: turning round, backing up straight and leaping over chasms. ‘Good friend Lóeg,’ Cú Chulaind then said, ‘put the goad of battle to the horses’, whereupon Cú Chulaind’s horses broke into a warlike white leap. The horses of the Ulaid followed their example, and this is the road they took: on to the green of Dún Dá Bend, past Cathir Osrin, Lí Thúaga and Dún Rígáin to Ollarba in Mag Machae, past Slíab Fúait and Áth na Forare to Port Nóth Con Culaind, past Mag Muirthemni and Crích Saithni, across Dubad, across the rush of the Bóand and into Mag mBreg and Mide, into Senmag Léna in Mucceda, into Cláethar Cell, across the Brosnas of Bladma, with Berna Mera ingine Trega (today called Bernán Ele) on their left and Slíab nEblinni ingine Gúare on their right, across Findsruth (today called Aband Úa Cathbad), into Machare Már na
Muman, through Lár Martini and the territory of the Smer-tani, with the bright crags of Loch Gair on the right, across the rush of the Máig and into Clíu Máil maicc Úgaine, into Crích na Dési Bice, into the land of Cú Ruí son of Dáre. Every hill over which they travelled they levelled, so that flat glens were left behind; in every wood through which they passed the iron wheels of their chariots sliced through the roots of the great oaks, so that level plains were left behind; in every stream and ford and estuary they crossed, their horses’ knees splashed the water out, so that for a great distance and for a long time afterwards the streams and fords and estuaries were left bare-stoned and bone dry.

At that time, Conchubur, king of Ulaid, said ‘Never before have we taken this route from Dún Dá Bend to Dún Delga.’ ‘Indeed not,’ said Bricriu. ‘But a whisper is clearer to us than a shout is to anyone else: in fact, we seem not to be within the borders of Ulaid at all.’ ‘We give our word,’ said Senchae son of Ailill, ‘that we are not.’ ‘We give our word, as well,’ said Conall. At that, the Ulaid charioteers tightened the bits in the mouths of their horses, from first chariot to last, and Conchubur said ‘Who will find out for us what territory we are in?’ ‘Who but Cú Chulaind,’ said Bricriu, ‘for he has boasted that there is no district in which he has not slaughtered one hundred men.’ ‘I am responsible, Bricriu,’ Cú Chulaind said, ‘and I will go.’