“These were the things that the child took in his hand. His hurley of brass and his ball of silver in one hand, his throwing javelin and his toy spear in the other. Away he went then, and as he went, this would he do to make the way seem short. He would place his ball on the ground and strike it with his hurley, driving it before him ever so far; then he flung the hurley after it, driving that as far again; then, always running on, he threw his javelin, and last of all his spear. Then he would make a playful rush after them, pick up the hurley, ball, and javelin as he ran, while, before ever the spear’s tip touched the earth, he had caught it by the other end. Thus on he ran, scarce feeling tired, so engrossed was he in the game.
“At last Cuchulain reached Emain, and sought out the palace of the King and the playing-field where the boys were practising, three times fifty in number, under the charge of Follaman, one of Conor’s younger sons; the King himself being present, watching the game.
“The youths had been practising martial exercises, but when Cuchulain came up they were hurling on the green. Without waiting for anyone, the little fellow dived in amongst them and took a hand in the game. He got the ball between his legs and held it there; not suffering it to travel higher up than his knees or lower than his ankle-joints, so making it impossible for any of them to get a stroke at it, or in any way to touch it. In this way he got it gradually nearer and nearer the end of the field; then with one effort he lifted it up and sent it home over the goal. In utter amazement the whole corps looked on. But Follaman their captain cried—‘Good now, boys, all together meet this youngster who has come in we know not whence, and kill him on the spot as he deserves. The boy insults us that he comes amongst us without placing himself under the protection of some chief’s son in order that his life should be preserved; for it is not allowed to the son of any private person or common warrior to intrude upon your game, without first having asked permission and taken a pledge of the chiefs’ sons that his life shall be respected; we admit not common men to the boy-corps save under the protection of some youth of higher rank.’ For they did not know Cuchulain, neither did he know the rules of the boy-corps. ‘Have at him, all of you,’ cried Follaman, ‘and give him what he deserves; no doubt he is the son of some private man, who has no right to intrude into your play without safe conduct. Defend your honour and the honour of the corps.’ Then the whole of the lads gathered round Cuchulain and began to threaten him, and together with one throw they hurled at him their toy spears, on every side at once. But Cuchulain stood firm, and one and all he parried them and caught them on his little shield. Then all together they threw at him their hurley-sticks, three fifties at a time; but all of them he parried, catching a bundle of them on his back. Then they tried their balls, throwing them all together, but he fended them off with arms and fists and the palms of his hands, catching them into his bosom as they fell. After a long while of this his ‘hero-fury’ seized Cuchulain. His hair rose upright on his head, and in his wrath and fierceness it seemed as though a light poured forth from each single hair, crowning him with a crown of fire. A strong contortion shook him, and he grew larger and taller as he stood before the lads, so that they shrank terrified before him. He made for them like a young lion springing on his prey, and before they could reach the door of the fort fleeing from him for safety, he had stretched fifty of them on the ground.
“Now it happened that the King and I,” said Fergus, “were playing chess together at a table in the open air, on the borders of the playing field, amusing ourselves while the boys’ games were going on. Five of the boys, not seeing in their haste where they were running, rushed past the place where Conor and I were sitting, and nearly overturned the table with the chess. Cuchulain was in full pursuit, and he seemed about to leap the table to make after them, when the King caught him by the arm.
“‘Hold, my little fellow,’ said the King, restraining him, ‘I see this is no gentle game thou playest with the boy-corps.’
“‘What could I do?’ replied the lad. ‘I came to-day, O King, from a far land to join myself with them, and they have not been good to me; I have not had the reception of a welcome guest.’
“‘What is your name, little one?’ said the King. ‘Setanta, son of Sualtach, is my name; your own foster-son am I, and the foster-son of Fergus,’ said the boy. ‘It was not fitting that I should have had this rough reception.’ ‘But knewest thou not the rules of the boy-corps, that a new-comer must go under their protection, so that they will respect his life?’ said the King. ‘That I knew not,’ said the boy, ‘otherwise I should have conformed to their rules; do thou thyself undertake my protection, I pray thee, O King.’ The King liked the fine spirit of the lad, and his open face and bravery in his self-defence, and he said, ‘I will do that, my boy.’ Then he called the boy-corps together, and said, ‘I, myself, have taken upon me the protection of this little boy; promise me now that he shall play amongst you safely.’ ‘We promise it,’ they said. Then all made off to play again; but Setanta does just what he will with them, wrestling and throwing them, and soon fifty of them are stretched upon the ground. Their fathers think that they are dead, and raise a cry against Setanta. But no such thing; merely had he with his charges, pulls, and pushes so frightened them, that they fell down at last through terror on the grass.
“‘What on earth is the lad at with them now?’ asks Conor.
“‘You bound them over to protect me,’ said the boy, ‘but you never bound me over to protect them; and I avow that until they place themselves under my protection, as I am placed under theirs, I will not lighten my hand from them.’ ‘I place them under thy protection then,’ said Conor. ‘And I grant it,’ said the lad.
“And now,” said Fergus to Queen Meave and Ailill, “I submit that a youngster who, at the age of four or five years did all this, need not excite your wonder, because now being turned seventeen years, he prove a formidable foe to Connaught in time of war.”