THE HORSE AS AN EPIC CHARACTER 



is impatient and harsh in speech. Other heroes are 

 gentler when warned of impending death. 



When Cuchullin is about to enter his last fight, the 

 Gray of Macha will not allow Laegh the charioteer to 

 harness him. Laegh says to Cuchullin: " I swear by 

 the God by whom my people swear that though all the 

 men of Conor's fifth were round the Gray of Macha, 

 they could not bring him to the chariot. Come thou, 

 if thou wilt, and speak with the Gray himself." Cuchul- 

 lin went to him, and thrice did the horse turn his left 

 side to his master. Then Cuchullin reproached him, 

 saying that he was not wont thus to deal with his 

 master. Thereat the Gray of Macha came and let fall 

 big round tears of blood on Cuchullin's feet. And Cu- 

 chullin leaped into the chariot and started southwards 

 along the road. . . . Cuchullin was wounded to death. 

 He went to a pillar stone that was in the plain, and put 

 his girdle round it, that he might not die seated or lying 

 down but standing up. Then came the men around him, 

 but they durst not go to him, for they thought that he 

 was alive. And the Gray of Macha came to protect 

 him as long as his soul was in him; and the hero's light, 

 out of his forehead, shone about him. And fifty fell by 

 his teeth, and thirty by each of his hoofs. ... At last 

 Cuchullin dies, and the Gray goes to Conall. Together 

 he and the Gray of Macha sought CuchuUin's body. 

 They saw the corpse of the hero at the pillar stone. 

 Then went the Gray of Macha and laid his head on 

 Cuchullin's breast. And Conall said: " A heavy care 



124 



