[1-1] Eg. 93.

    [a] ‘Thirteen,’ LU. and YBL. 2161, and Eg. 93.

    [2-2] Eg. 93.

    [1-1] Eg. 93.

    [2-2] Eg. 93.

    [3-3] Eg. 93.

    [4-4] Eg. 93.

    [5-5] Eg. 93.

    [6-6] Eg. 93.

    [7-7] Eg. 93.

    [8-8] Stowe.

    [9-9] Eg. 93.

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[Page 211]

XIXb

[1]MANN’S FIGHT[1]

[2]Medb despatched Mann son of Muresc son of Dare, of the Dommandach, to fight with Cuchulain.  Own brothers were he and Daman, Ferdiad’s father.  A man, rough, inordinate in eating and sleeping was this Mann.  An ill-tongued foul-mouthed man like Dubthach Doel (’Black-tongue’) of Ulster.  A man, stout, mighty, with strength of limb like Munremur (’Thick-neck’) son of Gerrcend (’Short-head’).  A fiery champion like Triscoth, the strong man of Conchobar’s household.  “I will go,” said he, “and unarmed, and I will grind him between my hands, for I consider it no honour nor credit to use arms against a beardless madcap such as he.”

    [1-1] LU., fo. 82, in the margin.

Therewith he went to attack Cuchulain.  There he was, himself and his charioteer on the ford watching the host.  “A lone warrior approacheth us here,” cried Laeg to Cuchulain.  “What manner of man?” asked Cuchulain.  “A dark, black man, strong, bull-like, and he unarmed.”  “Let him go by thee,” said Cuchulain.  At that he comes nigh them.  “To fight with thee am I come,” Mann announced.  Therewith they fell to wrestling for a long time, and thrice Mann threw Cuchulain, till the charioteer incited Cuchulain.  “Were it the champion’s portion thou wast contending for in Emain,” spake Laeg, “thou wouldst be all powerful over the young bloods in Emain!” At these words the hero’s wrath and warrior’s rage returned to Cuchulain, so that he overcame Mann at the pillar-stone and he fell to pieces in morsels.  Hence cometh Mag Mandachta (’the Plain of Mann’s death’).[2]

    [2-2] YBL., and, partly, LU. 2163-2181.  Here the LU. version breaks
    off, fo. 82b.

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[Page 213]

XIXc

[1]THE COMBAT OF CALATIN’S CHILDREN[1]

[W.2918.] Then was it debated by the men of Erin who would be fit to contend and cope with Cuchulain at the morning hour early on the next day.  What they all said was, that Calatin Dana (’the Bold’) would be the one, with his seven and twenty sons and his grandson[a] Glass macDelga.  Thus were they:  Poison was on every man of them and poison on every weapon of their arms; and not one of them missed his throw, and there was no one on whom one of them drew blood that, if he succumbed not on the spot, would