Bird Gods in Ancient Europe 



the prize is the hand of a maiden, Cuchullaind 

 and Eocho Rond use magic by turns in order 

 to ward off each other's weapons. 



Cuchullaind is particularly expert with the 

 old weapon to bring down birds — with the 

 sling, David's weapon, the natural arm of 

 the shepherd. When proceeding against Ailill, 

 the fairy king of Connaught, just to give him 

 a taste of his quality, as the Irish say, he killed 

 with a cast from his sling a bird that was sit- 

 ting on Aiiill's shoulder. A very curious 

 weapon called the gaebolg, which was cast 

 with the foot along the surface of the water, 

 was the trump card of Cuchullaind when en- 

 gaged in the memorable struggle at the ford 

 with his old schoolmate and friend. In his 

 fight with the stranger who is his son he also 

 used the gaebolg. It is evidently a peculiar 

 contrivance to kill waterfowl similar to fowl- 

 ing spears used by Eskimos and Lapps. The 

 Irish legend particularly states that it came 

 " from the eastern parts of the world," which 



