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add but little to the literary reputation of any nation in which it might 

 be composed ; but, be that as it may, it must be conceded to Ireland. 

 The Tain itself relates the plunder of the cows taken from Cuchullin, 

 and the wars that arose from that plunder ; but there is usually pre- 

 fixed to it a legend called '^ Imtheacht na Tromdhaimhe," or "The 

 Progress of the grave Poets," which accounts for the cause of writing 

 the Tain. By this it appears that Seanchan Torpest, a bard, with 

 150 other bards, his followers, with their wives and families, went 

 into Connaught, where they quartered themselves on Guaire, king of 

 that province, the most generous of men. Guaire received them 

 with kindness, and entertained them with the greatest hospitality 

 for upwards of a year, until at length their insolent demands became 

 so intolerable, that Marbhan, the brother of the king, resolved upon 

 finding some expedient to banish them from the province. For that 

 purpose he went to the quarters of the bards, and challenged them to 

 a trial of their skill in their profession. Many knotty questions were 

 discussed between Marbhan and the bards, in which he always an- 

 swered those propounded to him, whilst the bards were often non- 

 plussed by those that he proposed. At length he asked them for the 

 history of the ''Tain bo Cuailgne," and this their chief Sceataidhe, 

 or story-teller, was obliged to declare himself totally ignorant of. 

 This Marbhan expected, and as the bards, by their profession, were 

 obliged to know every thing, he laid hold of this failure to cause 

 them to remove, without charge of " inhospitaUty to the bards" 

 being brought against his brother Guaire, which, to that munificent 

 prince would be, of all things, the most afflictive. As soon as the 

 chief Sgealaidhe declared his ignorance of the Tain, the instant reply 

 was : " Maiseadh, air Marbhan, cuirimsi thusa agos an Tromdhaimh 

 idle fa gheasa gan a bheith dhd oidche a naon bhaile no go bfaghthai- 

 dhe an Tain dhamhsa. — " If so," said Marbhan, " I put you and all 



