435 



Cuchullain , s legs, so that he was lying down prostrate across in the 

 ford. Loch struck him with his sword, and the ford was gory-red 

 from his blood. . . . Thereupon he arose and struck the eel, so 

 that her ribs broke in her. And the cattle rushed violently past the 

 host, eastwards, carrying the tents on their horns, at the sound made 

 by the two warriors in the ford. He (Cuchullain) drove to the west 

 the wolf-hound that collected the cows against him ; and cast a stone 

 out of his sling at it, which broke its eye in its head. Then she (Mor- 

 rigan) went in the shape of a hornless red heifer, and advanced before 

 the cows into the linns and fords ; when he said — 'I see not the fords 

 with the pools.' He cast a stone at the red hornless heifer, and broke 

 her leg." It is added that "it was then truly that Cuchullain did to 

 the Morrigan the three things which he had promised her in the Tain 

 Bo Kegamna;" (is andsin tra do geni Cucullaiim frisin Morrigain a trede 

 do rairngert di hi tain bo Regamnd). 



The next meeting between Cuchullain and the badb Morrigan is 

 very curious. It is thus related in the Book of Leinster (fol. 54, 

 a 2.)— 



Andsin tanic in Morrigan ingen Ernmais a sidaib irricht sentainne 

 corrabi ic blegu bo trz sine na fiadnaisse. Is immi tainic si sin ar bitli a 

 forithen de Choinchullaind ; daig ni gonad Cuchullainn nech ara ternad 

 combeth cuit do fein na legus. Conattech Cuchullain blegon fuirri iar na 

 dechrad dittaid. Do brethasi blegon sini do. Bop sldn a neim damsa fo. 

 Ba sldn a lethrosc na rigna. Conattech som blegon sini fuirri, do hrethsi 

 do, ineim rop sldn inti doridnacht. Conaittecht som in tres ndig, ocus 

 dobrethasi blegon sine do. Bendacht dee ocus dndee fort a ingen (batar 

 e a ndee int aes cumachta, ocus andee int aes trebaire) ; ocus ba slan 

 ind rigan J 



11 Then the Morrigan, daughter of Ernmas, came from the Sidhe, 

 in the form of an old woman, and was milking a three- teated cow in his 

 presence. The reason she came was, in order to be helped by Cuchullain ; 

 for no one whom Cuchullain wounded could recover unless he himself had 

 some share in the cure. Cuchullain asked her for milk, being troubled 

 with thirst. She gave him the milk of one teat. ' May I be safe from 

 poison therefor.' The queen's eye was cured. He asked her again for 

 the milk of a teat. She gave it to him. ' May the giver be safe from 

 poison.' He asked for the third drink, and she gave him the milk of 

 a teat. ' The blessing of gods and men be on thee, woman' (the people 

 of power were their gods, and the wise people were their andee — non- 

 divine) ; and the queen was cured." 



When the time approached in which Cuchullain should succumb 

 to the decree of fate, as previously announced to him by Morrigan, the 

 impending loss of her favourite hero appears to have affected her with 

 sorrow. The night before the fatal day on which his head and spoils 

 were borne off in triumph by Ere Mac Cairpre, Morrigan, we are told, 

 disarranged his chariot, to delay his departure for the fated meeting. 



Thus we read in the "Aided Conchullainn" or " Tragedy of 

 Cuchullain," contained in the Book of Leinster (fol. 77, a 1), that 



