[1-1] Eg. 93.

    [2-2] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.

[3]Then Cuchulain arose and[3] he grasped his two spears and his shield and his sword.  He shook his shield and brandished his spears and wielded his sword and sent out the hero’s shout from his throat, so that the fiends and goblins and sprites of the glens and demons of the air gave answer for the fearfulness of the shout [4]that he lifted on [W.2444.] high,[4] until Nemain, [1]which is Badb,[1] brought confusion on the host.  The warriors of the four provinces of Erin made such a clangour of arms with the points of their spears and their weapons that an hundred [2]strong, stout-sturdy[2] warriors of them fell dead that night of fright and of heartbreak in the middle of the camp and quarters [3]of the men of Erin at the awfulness of the horror and the shout which Cuchulain lifted on high.[3]

    [3-3] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.

    [4-4] Translating from Stowe, H. 2. 17 and Eg. 93.

    [1-1] Stowe, and LL., in the margin.

    [2-2] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.

    [3-3] Eg. 93.

As Laeg stood there he descried something:  A single man coming from the north-eastern quarter athwart the camp of the four grand provinces of Erin making directly for him.  “A single man here cometh towards us now, Cucucan,” cried Laeg.  “But what manner of man is he?” Cuchulain asked.  “Not hard to say,” [4]Laeg made answer.[4] “A great, well-favoured man, then.  Broad, close-shorn hair upon him, and yellow and curly his back hair.  A green mantle wrapped around him.  A brooch of white silver[a] in the mantle over his breast.  A kirtle of silk fit for a king, with red interweaving of ruddy gold he wears trussed up on his fair skin and reaching down to his knees. [5]A great one-edged sword in his hand.[5] A black shield with hard rim of silvered bronze thereon.  A five-barbed spear in his hand.  A pronged bye-spear beside it.  Marvellous, in sooth, the feats and the sport and the play that he makes.  But him no one heeds, nor gives he heed to any one. [6]No one shows him courtesy nor does he show courtesy to any one,[6] like as if none saw him in the camp of the four grand provinces of Erin.”  “In sooth, O fosterling,” answered Cuchulain, “it is one of my friends of fairy kin [7]that comes[7] to take pity upon me, because they know the great distress wherein I am now all alone against the four grand provinces of Erin on the Plunder of the Kine of [W.2463.] Cualnge, [1]killing a man on the ford each day and fifty each night, for the men of Erin grant me not fair fight nor the terms of single combat from noon of each day."[1]

    [4-4] Eg. 93.

    [a] ‘Of gold,’ Eg. 93.

    [5-5] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.

    [6-6] Stowe.

    [7-7] Stowe.

    [1-1] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.