’The hill is named Fithi (?) for ever;
Croenech in Murthemne,
From to-day Focherd will be the name
Of the place in which thou didst fall, O Ferbaeth.
O Ferbaeth,’ etc.
‘Your comrade has fallen,’ said Fergus. ’Say will you pay for this man on the morrow?’
‘I will pay indeed,’ said Cuchulainn.
Cuchulainn sends Loeg again for news, to know how they are in the camp, and whether Ferbaeth lived. Lugaid said: ‘Ferbaeth is dead,’ and Cuchulainn comes in turn to talk with them.
The Combat of Larine Mac Nois
‘One of you to-morrow to go readily against the other,’ said Lugaid.
‘He will not be found at all,’ said Ailill, ’unless you practise trickery therein. Any man who comes to you, give him wine, so that his mind may be glad, and it shall be said to him that that is all the wine that has been brought from Cruachan. It grieves us that you should be on water in the camp. And Findabair shall be put at his right hand, and it shall be said: “She shall come to you, if you bring us the head of the Riastartha."’
A messenger used to be sent to every hero on his night, and that used to be told to him; he continued to kill every man of them in. turn. No one could be got by them to meet him at last. Larine Mac Nois, brother to Lugaid, King of Munster, was summoned to them the next day. Great was his pride. Wine is given to him, and Findabair is put at his right hand.
Medb looked at the two. ‘It pleases me, yonder pair,’ said she; ’a match between them would be fitting.’
‘I will not stand in your way,’ said Ailill; ’he shall have her if he brings me the head of the Riastartha.’
‘I will bring it,’ said Larine.
Then Lugaid comes. ‘What man have you for the ford to-morrow?’ said he.
‘Larine goes,’ said Ailill.
Then Lugaid comes to speak with Cuchulainn. They meet in Glenn Firbaith. Each gives the other welcome.
‘It is for this I have come to speak to you,’ said Lugaid: ’there is a churl here, a fool and proud,’ said he, ’a brother of mine named Larine; he is befooled about the same maiden. On your friendship then, do not kill him, lest you should leave me without a brother. For it is for this that he is being sent to you, so that we two might quarrel. I should be content, however, that you should give him a sound drubbing, for it is in my despite that he comes.’
Larine goes next day to meet Cuchulainn, and the maiden near him to encourage him. Cuchulainn attacks him without arms. [Note: This is apparently the sense, but the passage seems corrupt.] He takes Larine’s arms from him perforce. He takes him then between his two hands, and grinds and shakes him, ... and threw him till he was between Lugaid’s two hands ...; nevertheless, he is the only man who escaped [even] a bad escape from him, of all who met him on the Tain.