‘Go then,’ said Cuchulainn.

‘No,’ said Etarcomol.

Then Cuchulainn attacked him with the edge of his sword, and took his hair off as if it was shaved with a razor; he did not put even a scratch (?) on the surface.  When the churl was troublesome then and stuck to him, he struck him on the hard part of his crown, so that he divided him down to the navel.

Fergus saw the chariot go past him, and the one man therein.  He turned to quarrel with Cuchulainn.

‘Ill done of you, O wild boy!’ said he, ’to insult me.  You would think my club [Note:  Or ‘track’?] short,’ said he.

‘Be not angry with me, O friend Fergus,’ said Cuchulainn ... [Note:  Rhetoric, five lines.] ‘Reproach me not, O friend Fergus.’

He stoops down, so that Fergus’s chariot went past him thrice.

He asked his charioteer:  ‘Is it I who have caused it?’

‘It is not you at all,’ said his charioteer.

‘He said,’ said Cuchulainn, ’he would not go till he took my head, or till he left his head with me.  Which would you think easier to bear, O friend Fergus?’ said Cuchulainn.

‘I think what has been done the easier truly,’ said Fergus, ’for it is he who was insolent.’

Then Fergus put a spancel-withe through Etarcomol’s two heels and took him behind his own chariot to the camp.  When they went over rocks, one-half would separate from the other; when it was smooth, they came together again.

Medb saw him.  ’Not pleasing is that treatment of a tender whelp, O Fergus,’ said Medb.

‘The dark churl should not have made fight,’ said Fergus, ’against the great Hound whom he could not contend with (?).’

His grave is dug then and his stone planted; his name is written in ogam; his lament is celebrated.  Cuchulainn did not molest them that night with his sling; and the women and maidens and half the cattle are taken to him; and provision continued to be brought to him by day.

The Death of Nadcrantail

‘What man have you to meet Cuchulainn tomorrow?’ said Lugaid.

‘They will give it to you to-morrow,’ said Mane, son of Ailill.

‘We can find no one to meet him,’ said Medb.  ’Let us have peace with him till a man be sought for him.’

They get that then.

‘Whither will you send,’ said Ailill, ’to seek that man to meet Cuchulainn?’

‘There is no one in Ireland who could be got for him,’ said Medb, ‘unless Curoi Mac Dare can be brought, or Nadcrantail the warrior.’

There was one of Curoi’s followers in the tent.  ’Curoi will not come,’ said he; ’he thinks enough of his household has come.  Let a message be sent to Nadcrantail.’

Mane Andoi goes to him, and they tell their tale to him.

‘Come with us for the sake of the honour of Connaught.’

‘I will not go,’ said he, ‘unless Findabair be given to me.’

He comes with them then.  They bring his armour in a chariot, from the east of Connaught till it was in the camp.