Then Conchobar went with his hosts and took camp near the others.  Conchobar asked for a truce till sunrise on the morrow from Ailill, and Ailill ratified it for the men of Ireland and for the exiles, and Conchobar ratified it for the Ulstermen; and then Conchobar’s tents are pitched.  The ground between them is a space, ——­, bare, and the Ulstermen came to it before sunset.  Then said the Morrigan in the twilight between the two camps:  [Note:  Rhetoric, seven lines]

***

Now Cuchulainn was at Fedan Chollna near them.  Food was brought to him by the hospitallers that night; and they used to come to speak to him by day.

He did not kill any of them to the left of Fer Diad’s Ford.

’Here is a small herd from the camp from the west to the camp to the east,’ said the charioteer to Cuchulainn.  ’Here is a troop of lads to meet them.’

‘Those lads shall come,’ said Cuchulainn.  ’The little herd shall come over the plain.  He who will not ——­ (?) shall come to help the lads.’

This was done then as Cuchulainn had said.

‘How do the lads of Ulster fight the battle?’

‘Like men,’ said the charioteer.

‘It would be a vow for them, to fall in rescuing their herds,’ said Cuchulainn.  ‘And now?’

‘The beardless striplings are fighting now,’ said the charioteer.

‘Has a bright cloud come over the sun yet?’

‘Not so,’ said the charioteer.

‘Alas, that I had not strength to go to them!’ said Cuchulainn.

‘There will be contest without that to-day,’ said the charioteer, ‘at sunrise; haughty folk fight the battle now,’ said the charioteer, ’save that there are not kings there, for they are still asleep.’

Then Fachna said when the sun rose (or it is Conchobar who sang in his sleep): 

’Arise, Kings of Macha, of mighty deeds, noble household, grind your weapons, fight the battle,’ etc.

‘Who has sung this?’ said every one.

‘Conchobar Mac Nessa,’ said they; ‘or Fachtna sang it,’ said they.  ‘Sleep, sleep, save your sentinels.’

Loegaire the Victorious was heard:  ‘Arise, Kings of Macha,’ etc.

‘Who has sung that?’ said every one.

’Loegaire the Victorious, son of Connad Buide Mac Ilech.  Sleep, sleep, except your sentinels.’

‘Wait for it still,’ said Conchobar, ’till sunrise ... in the glens and heights of Ireland.’

When Cuchulainn saw the kings from the east taking their crowns on their heads and marshalling (?) the companies, Cuchulainn said to his charioteer that he should awaken the Ulstermen; and the charioteer said (or it is Amairgen, son of Eccet the poet, who said): 

‘Arise, Kings of Macha,’ etc.

‘I have awakened them,’ said the charioteer.  ’Thus have they come to the battle, quite naked, except for their arms only.  He, the door of whose tent is east, has come out through it west.’