[4-4] H. 2. 17 and Eg. 93.

    [5-5] LU. and YBL 1755.

    [6-6] A gloss incorporated in the text of LL., LU., YBL., Stowe,
    H. 2. 17. and Eg. 93.

    [7-7] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.

    [8-8] Eg. 93.

    [9-9] LU. and YBL. 1755-1758.

    [10-10] Eg. 93.

[11]Then it was she alighted in the form of a royston crow on the bramble that grows over Grelach Dolair (’the Stamping-ground of Dolar’) in Mag Murthemni.  “Ominous is the appearance of a bird in this place above all,” quoth Cuchulain.  Hence cometh Sge nah Einchi (’Crow’s Bramble’) as a name of Murthemne.[11]

    [11-11] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.

Then Medb ordered out the hundred [12]armed[12] warriors [13]of her body-guard[13] at one and the same time to assail Cuchulain.  Cuchulain attacked them all, so that they fell by his hand [14]at Ath Ceit Cuile (’Ford of the First Crime’).[14] “It is a dishonour for us that our people are slaughtered in this wise,” quoth Medb.  “It is not the first destruction that has befallen us from that same man,” replied Ailill.  Hence Cuilenn Cind Duni (’The Destruction of the Head [W.2426.] of the Dun’) is henceforth the name of the place where they were,[1] the mound whereon Medb and Ailill tarried that night.[1] Hence Ath Cro (’Gory Ford’) is the name of the ford where they were, [2]and Glass Cro (’River of Gore’) the name of the stream.[2] And fittingly, too, because of the abundance of gore and blood that went with the flow of the river.

    [12-12] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.

    [13-13] LU. 1768.

    [14-14] LU. 1769.

    [1-1] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.

    [2-2] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17, and, similarly, LU. 1771.

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[Page 180]

XVII

THE GREAT ROUT ON THE PLAIN OF MURTHEMNE FOLLOWETH HERE BELOW

[W.2431.] [1]That night[1] the warriors of four of the five grand provinces of Erin pitched camp and made their station in the place called Breslech Mor (’the Great Rout’) in the Plain of Murthemne.  Their portion of cattle and spoils they sent on before them to the south to the cow-stalls of Ulster. [LL.fo.76a.] Cuchulain took station at Ferta (’the Gravemound’) at Lerga (’the Slopes’) hard by them.  And his charioteer kindled him a fire on the evening of that night, namely Laeg son of Riangabair.  Cuchulain saw far away in the distance the fiery glitter of the bright-golden arms over the heads of four of the five grand provinces of Erin, in the setting of the sun in the clouds of evening.  Great anger and rage possessed him at their sight, because of the multitude of his foes, because of the number of his enemies [2]and opponents, and because of the few that were to avenge his sores and his wounds upon them.[2]