The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Táin Bó Cúalnge

by Unknown

VIIId. [¹]THE SLAYING OF LOCHE[¹]

W. 1552. The warriors of four of the five grand provinces of Erin bided their time in Redè Lochè in Cualnge and pitched camp and took quarters therein for that night. Medb bade her fair handmaiden from amongst her attendants to go for her to the river for water for drinking and washing. Lochè was the name of the maiden. Thereupon Lochè went, and fifty[^a] women in her train and the queen's diadem of gold on her head. And Cuchulain [²]espied them and he[²] [³]put a stone on his sling and[³] cast ^*LL. fo. 69b. a stone from his [⁴]staff[⁴]-sling at her, so that he broke the diadem of gold in three pieces and killed the maiden on her plain. Thence is Redè Lochè ('the Plain of Lochè') in Cualnge. For Cuchulain had thought, for want of acquaintance and knowledge, that it was Medb that was there.

[⁵]From Finnabair of Cualnge the hosts divided and set the country on fire. They gathered all their women and boys and girls and cattle in Cualnge together so that they all were in Finnabair. "Ye have not fared well," quoth Medb; "I see not the bull amongst you." "He is not in the land at all," replied every one. They summoned Lothar, the cowherd, to Medb. "Where, thinkest thou, is the bull?" she asked. "I have great fear to tell," said the cowherd. "The night," said he, "that the Ulstermen fell into their 'Pains,' the Donn went and three score heifers along with him; and he is at Dubcaire Glinni Gat ('the Black Corrie of the Osier-glen')." "Rise," said Medb, "and take a withy between each two of you." And they do accordingly. Hence is the name, Glenn Gatt, of that glen.

Then they led the bull to Finnabair. In the place where the bull saw Lothar, the cowherd, he attacked him, and soon he carried his entrails out on his horns and together with his thrice fifty heifers he attacked the camp, so that fifty warriors perished. Hence this is the Tragical Death of Lothar on the Táin [¹]and the Finding of the Bull according to this version.[¹] [²]Thereafter the bull went from them away from the camp and they knew not whither he had gone from them and they were ashamed. Medb asked the cowherd if he might know where the bull was. "I trow he is in the wilds of Sliab Culinn."[²] Then they turned back ravaging Cualnge and they found not the bull there.[⁵]

VIIIe. [¹]THE KILLING OF UALA[¹]

W. 1563. [²]Early[²] on the morrow the hosts continued their way [³]to lay waste the plain of Murthemne and to sack Mag Breg and Meath and Machaire Conaill ('Conall's Plain') and the land of Cualnge. It was then that the streams and rivers of Conalle Murthemni rose to the tops of the trees, and the streams of the Cronn rose withal, until the hosts arrived at Glaiss Cruinn ('Cronn's Stream').[³] And they attempted the stream and failed to cross it [⁴]because of the size of its waves,[⁴] [⁵]so that they slept on its bank.[⁵] And Cluain Carpat ('Chariot-meadow') is the name of the first place where they reached it. This is why Cluain Carpat is the name of that place, because of the hundred[^a] chariots which the river carried away from them to the sea. Medb ordered her people that one of the warriors should go try the river. And [⁶]on the morrow[⁶] there arose a great, stout, [⁷]wonderful[⁷] warrior of the [⁸]particular[⁸] people of Medb [⁹]and Ailill,[⁹] Uala by name, and he took on his back a massy rock, [¹⁰]to the end that Glaiss Cruinn might not carry him back.[¹⁰] And he went to essay the stream, and the stream threw him back dead, lifeless, with his W. 1571. stone on his back [¹]and so he was drowned.[¹] Medb ordered that he be lifted [²]out of the river then[²] [³]by the men of Erin[³] and his grave dug [⁴]and his keen made[⁴] and his stone raised [⁵]over his grave,[⁵] so that it is thence Lia Ualann ('Uala's Stone') [⁶]on the road near the stream[⁶] in the land of Cualnge.

Cuchulain clung close to the hosts that day provoking them to encounter and combat. [⁷]Four and seven score kings fell at his hands at that same stream,[⁷] and he slew a hundred of their [⁸]armed,[⁸] [⁹]kinglike[⁹] warriors around Roen and Roi, the two chroniclers of the Táin. [¹⁰]This is the reason the account of the Táin was lost and had to be sought afterwards for so long a time.[¹⁰]

Medb called upon her people to go meet Cuchulain in encounter and combat [¹¹]for the sake of the hosts.[¹¹] "It will not be I," and "It will not be I," spake each and every one from his place. "No caitiff is due from my people. Even though one should be due, it is not I would go to oppose Cuchulain, for no easy thing is it to do battle with him."