428 



Bat the Badbs could do more than scream and nutter. Thus we 

 read in the first battle of Magh-Tuiredh, that when the Tuatha-de- 

 Danaan had removed to the fastnesses of Connacht, to Sliabh-Belga- 

 dain, or Cenn-Duibh-Slebhe, Badb, Macha, and Morrigu exerted their 

 magical powers to keep the Firbolgs in ignorance of the westward 

 movement. The text is from H. 2. 17, T. C. D., p. 93, col. 2. " Is 

 annsin do chuaidh Badhbh ocus MacTia ocus Morrighu gu cnoc gabala na 

 ngiall, ocus gu tulaig techtairechta na trom sluag, gu Temraig, ocus do fe- 

 radar cetha dolfe draigechta, ocus cithnela cotaigecha ciach, ocus frasa 

 tromaidble tened, ocus dortad donnfala do shiltin asin aeor i cennaib na 

 curad, ocus nir legset scarad na scailed do feraib Bolg co cenn tri la 

 ocus tri naidche. v " Then, Badb, and Macha, and Morrigu went to the 

 hill of hostage-taking, the tulach which heavy hosts frequented, to 

 Temhair (Tara), and they shed druidically-formed showers, and fog- 

 sustaining cloud- showers, and poured down from the air, about the heads 

 of the warriors, enormous masses of fire, and streams of red blood; and 

 they did not permit the Eirbolgs to scatter or separate for the space of 

 three days and three nights." It is stated, however, that the Firbolg 

 druids ultimately overcame the sorcery. 



"We are not told in what form they fulfilled their mission, whether 

 in the shape of women or under the guise of crows — most probably the 

 latter. The comparative mythologist will find here a curious correspon- 

 dence between some of the attributes of the Celtic badb and those of the 

 Valkyria of German Romance. 



And in the battle of Magh-Tuiredh they are represented as assist- 

 ing the Tuatha-de-Danaans. Thus, in the account of one day's conflict 

 we read — "Is iad taisig ro ergedar re Tuathaib de Danaan isin lo sin .L 

 Ogrna ocus Midir ocus Bodb derg ocus Dianchecht, ocus Aengaba na hir- 

 uaithe. Rachmaitne lib, ar na ingena A. Badb ocus Macha, ocus Morigan 

 ocus Danaan;" i. e. " The chieftains who assisted the Tutha-de-Danaans 

 on that day were Ogma, and Midir, and Bodb Derg, and Diancecht, and 

 Aengabha of Norway. ' We will go with you,' said the daughters, 

 viz., Badb, and Macha, and Morrigan, and Danaan (or Anann)." TL 2. 

 17, p. 95, col. 2. 



They are also reported as having taken part in the last battle of 

 Magh-Tuiredh, i. e. the battle of the Northern Magh-Tuiredh, or Magh- 

 Tuiredh of the Fomorians, where Nuada of the Silver Hand, and the 

 Badb Macha, are stated to have fallen by the hand of Balar Bailcbem- 

 nech, or Balar the Stout-striking. 



"Nuado Arg attain tra do rochair i cath dedenach Maighe Tuiredh, 

 ocus Macha ingen Urnmais, do laimBalair balcbemnig." — "Book of Lein- 

 ster," fol. 5, a 2. 



Another instance of the warlike prowess of these fairies is related in 

 a curious mythological tract preserved in the Books of Lismore and 

 Fermoy. I refer to the Hallow-eve dialogue between the fairy Roth- 

 niab and Pinghen Mac Luchta, in which the fairy enumerates the 

 several mystical virtues attaching to that pagan festival, and amongst 

 others the following, referring to an incident arising from the battle of 



