Cuchullin.

We were heart-comrades then,—­
Comrades in crowds of men,
In the same bed have lain,
    When slumber sought us;
In countries far and near,
Hurling the battle spear,
Chasing the forest deer,
    As Scatha taught us.

“O Cuchullin of the beautiful feats,”
Replied Ferdiah, “though we have pursued
Together thus the arts of war and peace,
And though the bonds of friendship that we swore
Thou hast recalled to mind, from me shall come
Thy first of wounds.  O Hound, remember not
Our old companionship, which shall not now
Avail thee, shall avail thee not, O Hound!”
“Too long here have we waited in this way,”
Again resumed Ferdiah.  “To what arms,
Say then, Cuchullin, shall we now resort?”
“The choice of arms is thine until the night,”
Cuchullin made reply; “for so it chanced
That thou shouldst be the first to reach the Ford.” 
“Dost thou at all remember,” then rejoined
Ferdiah, “those swift missive spears with which
We practised oft with Scatha in our youth,
With Uatha and with Aife, and our friends?”
“Them I, indeed, remember well,” replied
Cuchullin.  “If thou dost remember well,
Let us to them resort,” Ferdiah said. 
Their missive weapons then on either side
They both resorted to.  Upon their arms
They braced two emblematic missive shields,
And their eight well-turned-handled lances took,
Their eight quill-javelins also, and their eight
White ivory-hilted swords, and their eight spears,
Sharp, ivory-hafted, with hard points of steel. 
Betwixt the twain the darts went to and fro,
Like bees upon the wing on a fine day;
No cast was made that was not sure to hit. 
From morn to nigh mid-day the missiles flew,
Till on the bosses of the brazen shields
Their points were blunted, but though true the aim,
And excellent the shooting, the defence
Was so complete that not a wound was given,
And neither champion drew the other’s blood. 
“’Tis time to drop these feats,” Ferdiah said,
“For not by such as these shall we decide
Our battle here this day.”  “Let us desist,”
Cuchullin answered, “if the time hath come.” 
They ceased, and threw their missile shafts aside
Into the hands of their two charioteers. 
“What weapons, O Cuchullin, shall we now
Resort to?” said Ferdiah.  “Unto thee,”
Cuchullin answered, “doth belong the choice
Of arms until the night, because thou wert
The first that reached the Ford.”  “Well, let us, then,”
Ferdiah said, “resume our straight, smooth, hard,
Well-polished spears with their hard flaxen strings.” 
“Let us resume them, then,” Cuchullin said. 
They braced upon their arms two stouter shields,
And then resorted to their straight, smooth, hard,
Well-polished spears, with their hard flaxen strings.[50]
’Twas now mid-day, and thus ’till eventide
They shot against each other with the spears.