'I can,' said Fergus, 'provided only that you do not treat his, sayings with disrespect.'
They go thence in two chariots to Delga. Cuchulainn was then playing chess [Note: Buanfach, like fidchell, is apparently a game something like chess or draughts.] with Loeg; the back of his head was towards them, and Loeg's face.
'I see two chariots coming towards us,' said Loeg; 'a great dark man in the first chariot, with dark and bushy hair; a purple cloak round him, and a golden pin therein; a hooded tunic with gold embroidery on him; and a round shield with an engraved edge of white metal, and a broad spear-head, with rings from point to haft(?), in his hand. A sword as long as the rudder of a boat on his two thighs.'
'It is empty, this great rudder that is brought by my friend Fergus,' said Cuchulainn; 'for there is no sword in its sheath except a sword of wood. It has been told to me,' said Cuchulainn; 'Ailill got a chance of them as they slept, he and Medb; and he took away his sword from Fergus, and gave it to his charioteer to take care of, and the sword of wood was put into its sheath.'
Then Fergus comes up.
'Welcome, O friend Fergus,' said Cuchulainn; 'if a fish comes into the estuary, you shall have it with half of another; if a flock comes into the plain, you shall have a duck with half of another; a spray of cress or seaweed, a spray of marshwort; a drink from the sand; you shall have a going to the ford to meet a man, if it should happen to be your watch, till you have slept.'
'I believe it,' said Fergus; 'it is not your provision that we have come for; we know your housekeeping here.'
Then Cuchulainn receives the message from Fergus; anti Fergus goes away. Etarcomol remains looking at Cuchulainn.
'What are you looking at?' said Cuchulainn.
'You,' said Etarcomol.