“Woe,” says Lomna Druth, “to him who shall wreak the Destruction, were it only because of that trio!”

“Ye cannot,” says Ingcel, etc.  “And after that, whom sawest thou there?”

THE ROOM OF THE THREE MANX GIANTS

“There I beheld a room with a trio in it.  Three men mighty, manly, overbearing, which see no one abiding at their three hideous crooked aspects.  A fearful view because of the terror of them.  A ... dress of rough hair covers them ... of cow’s hair, without garments enwrapping down to the right heels.  With three manes, equine, awful, majestic, down to their sides.  Fierce heroes who wield against foeman hard-smiting swords.  A blow, they give with three iron flails having seven chains triple-twisted, three-edged, with seven iron knobs at the end of every chain:  each of them as heavy as an ingot of ten smeltings.  Three big brown men.  Dark equine back-manes on them, which reach their two heels.  Two good thirds of an oxhide in the girdle round each one’s waist, and each quadrangular clasp that closes it as thick as a man’s thigh.  The raiment that is round them is the dress that grows through them.  Tresses of their back-manes were spread, and a long staff of iron, as long and thick as an outer yoke was in each man’s hand, and an iron chain out of the end of every club, and at the end of every chain an iron pestle as long and thick as a middle yoke.  They stand in their sadness in the house, and enough is the horror of their aspect.  There is no one in the house that would not be avoiding them.  Liken thou that, O Fer rogain!”

Fer rogain was silent.  “Hard for me to liken them.  I know none such of the world’s men unless they be yon trio of giants to whom Cuchulainn gave quarter at the beleaguerment of the Men of Falga, and when they were getting quarter they killed fifty warriors.  But Cuchulainn would not let them be slain, because of their wondrousness.  These are the names of the three:  Srubdaire son of Dordbruige, and Conchenn of Cenn maige, and Fiad sceme son of Scipe.  Conaire bought them from Cuchulainn for ... so they are along with him.  Three hundred will fall by them in their first encounter, and they will surpass in prowess every three in the Hostel; and if they come forth upon you, the fragments of you will be fit to go through the sieve of a corn-kiln, from the way in which they will destroy you with the flails of iron.  Woe to him that shall wreak the Destruction, though it were only on account of those three!  For to combat against them is not a ‘paean round a sluggard.’” “Ye cannot,” says Ingcel.  “Clouds of weakness are coming to you,” etc.  “And after that, whom sawest thou there?”

THE ROOM OF DA DERGA

“There I beheld another room, with one man therein and in front of him two servants with two manes upon them, one of the two dark, the other fair.  Red hair on the warrior, and red eyebrows.  Two ruddy cheeks he had, and an eye very blue and beautiful.  He wore a green cloak and a shirt with a white hood and a red insertion.  In his hand was a sword with a hilt of ivory, and he supplies attendance of every room in the house with ale and food, and he is quick-footed in serving the whole host.  Liken thou that, O Fer rogain!”