“Ye cannot,” says Ingcel.  “Clouds of weakness,” etc.  “And whom sawest thou then?”

THE ROOM OF NIA AND BRUTHNE, CONAIRE’S TWO WAITERS

“There I beheld another room, and a pair was in it, and they are ‘oxtubs,’ stout and thick.  Aprons they wore, and the men were dark and brown.  They had short back-hair on them, but high upon their foreheads.  They are as swift as a waterwheel, each of them past another, one of them to the King’s room, the other to the fire.  Liken thou those, O Fer rogain!”

“Easy to me.  They are Nia and Bruthne, Conaire’s two table-servants.  They are the pair that is best in Erin for their lord’s advantage.  What causes brownness to them and height to their hair is their frequent haunting of the fire.  In the world is no pair better in their art than they.  Thrice nine men will fall by them in their first encounter, and they will share prowess with every one, and they will chance to escape.  And after that whom sawest thou?”

THE ROOM OF SENCHA AND DUBTHACH AND GOBNIU SON OF LURGNECH

“I beheld the room that is next to Conaire.  Three chief champions, in their first greyness, are therein.  As thick as a man’s waist is each of their limbs.  They have three black swords, each as long as a weaver’s beam.  These swords would split a hair on water.  A great lance in the hand of the midmost man, with fifty rivets through it.  The shaft therein is a good load for the yoke of a plough-team.  The midmost man brandishes that lance so that its edge-studs hardly stay therein, and he strikes the haft thrice against his palm.  There is a great boiler in front of them, as big as a calf’s caldron, wherein is a black and horrible liquid.  Moreover he plunges the lance into that black fluid.  If its quenching be delayed it flames on its shaft and then thou wouldst suppose that there is a fiery dragon in the top of the house.  Liken thou that, O Fer rogain!”

“Easy to say.  Three heroes who are best at grasping weapons in Erin, namely, Sencha the beautiful son of Ailill, and Dubthach Chafer of Ulaid, and Goibnenn son of Lurgnech.  And the Luin of Celtchar son of Uthider which was found in the battle of Mag Tured, this is in the hand of Dubthach Chafer of Ulaid.  That feat is usual for it when it is ripe to pour forth a foeman’s blood.  A caldron full of poison is needed to quench it when a deed of man-slaying is expected.  Unless this come to the lance, it flames on its haft and will go through its bearer or the master of the palace wherein it is.  If it be a blow that is to be given thereby it will kill a man at every blow, when it is at that feat, from one hour to another, though it may not reach him.  And if it be a cast, it will kill nine men at every cast, and one of the nine will be a king or crown-prince or chieftain of the reavers.

“I swear what my tribe swears, there will be a multitude unto whom tonight the Luin of Celtchar will deal drinks of death in front of the Hostel.  I swear to God what my tribe swears that, in their first encounter, three hundred will fall by that trio, and they will share prowess with every three in the Hostel tonight.  And they will boast of victory over a king or chief of the reavers, and the three will chance to escape.”