They pitch their tents at that ford.  Lugaid Mac Nois, descendant of Lomarc Allchomach, came to speak to Cuchulainn, with thirty horsemen.

‘Welcome, O Lugaid,’ said Cuchulainn.  ’If a flock of birds graze upon Mag Murthemne, you shall have a duck with half of another; if fish come to the estuaries, you shall have a salmon with half of another.  You shall have the three sprigs, the sprig of watercress, and the sprig of marshwort, and the sprig of seaweed.  You shall have a man in the ford in your place.’ [Note:  This and the following speech are apparently forms of greeting.  Cuchulainn offers Lugaid such hospitality as lies in his power.  See a similar speech later to Fergus.]

‘I believe it,’ said Lugaid.  ’Excellence of people to the boy whom I desire.’

‘Your hosts are fine,’ said Cuchulainn.

It would not be sad for you alone before them,’ said Lugaid.

‘Fair-play and valour will support me,’ said Cuchulainn.  ’O friend Lugaid, do the hosts fear me?’

‘I swear by God,’ said Lugaid, ’one man nor two dare not go out of the camp, unless it be in twenties or thirties.’

‘It will be something extra for them,’ said Cuchulainn, ’if I take to throwing from the sling.  Fitting for you will be this fellow-vassal, O Lugaid, that you have among the Ulstermen, if there come to me the force of every man.  Say what you would have,’ said Cuchulainn.

‘That I may have a truce with you towards my host.’

’You shall have it, provided there be a token on it.  And tell my friend Fergus that there be a token on his host.  Tell the physicians, let there be a token on their host.  And let them swear preservation of life to me, and let there come to me provision every night from them.’

Then Lugaid goes from him.  Fergus happened to be in the tent with Ailill.  Lugaid called him out, and told him this.  Something was heard, namely Ailill. ... [Note:  Rhetoric, six lines, the substance of which is, apparently, that Ailill asks protection also.]

‘I swear by God I cannot do it,’ said Lugaid, ’unless I ask the boy Again.’

’Help me, [Note:  Spoken by Fergus?] O Lugaid, go to him to see whether Ailill may come with a cantred into my troop.  Take an ox with bacon to him and a jar of wine.’

He goes to Cuchulainn then and tells him this.

‘I do not mind though he go,’ said Cuchulainn.

Then their two troops join.  They are there till night.  Cuchulainn kills thirty men of them with the sling. (Or they would be twenty nights there, as some books say.)

‘Your journeyings are bad,’ said Fergus.  ’The Ulstermen will come to you out of their weakness, and they will grind you to earth and gravel.  “The corner of battle” in which we are is bad.’

He goes thence to Cul Airthir.  It happened that Cuchulainn had gone that night to speak to the Ulstermen [Note:  In LL and Y BL this incident occurs later, and the messenger is Sualtaim, not Cuchulainn.  LU is clearly wrong here.]