Cahal mounted, and away went the mare. She crossed one hill at the first leap, three at the second, then twelve hills and valleys at the third leap; went over land and sea, and never stopped till she was in front of Striker’s castle, two hours before sunset.
Cahal sprang from the mare, and struck the pole of combat.
“What do you want?” asked the attendant, running out.
“I want seven hundred champions in combat at my right side, seven hundred at my left, seven hundred behind me, and seven hundred out before my face.”
The attendant went in, and out came the twenty-eight hundred against Cahal.
He went at the champions, and before sunset he had them in three heaps, a heap of their bodies, a heap of their heads, and a heap of their weapons.
Next morning Cahal struck the pole again.
“What do you want this time?” asked the attendant.
“Seven thousand champions against me for every hundred that I had yesterday.”
Out came the champions in thousands. As they were coming Cahal was going through them, and before the day was ended he had them in three heaps without leaving a man, a heap of their heads, a heap of their bodies, and a heap of their weapons.