[c] This exposure was a powerful magico-religious symbol and had a
    quasi-sacred or ritual character.

    [1-1] Stowe.

    [2-2] Translating from Stowe and H. 2. 17.

    [3-3] H. 2. 17.

“[4]Thereupon he came out,[4] and his [5]festive[5] garments were put on him [6]by Mugain the queen.[6] His comeliness appeared on him [LL.fo.68a.] and he made a crimson wheel-ball of himself from his crown to the ground. [7]A shout was raised at the bluish purple about him.[7] [8]Beautiful then was the lad[8] [9]that was raised up in view.[9] Seven toes he had to each of his two feet, and seven fingers to each of his two hands, and seven pupils to each of his two kingly eyes, and seven gems of the brilliance of the eye was each separate pupil.  Four spots of down on either of his two cheeks:  a blue spot, a purple spot, a green spot, a yellow spot.  Fifty strands of bright-yellow hair from one ear to the other, like to a comb of birch twigs or like to a brooch of pale gold in the face of the sun.  A clear, white, shorn spot was upon him, as if a cow had licked it.  A [10]fair, laced[10] green[a] mantle about him; a silver pin therein [11]over his white breast, so that the eyes of men could not look at it for its gleam and its brightness.[11] A [12]hooded[12] tunic of thread of gold about him. [13]A magnificent, fair-coloured, dark purple shield he bore.  Two hard, five-pointed spears in his hand.  A diadem of gold round his head.[13] And the lad was seated between the two feet of Conchobar, [14]and that was his couch ever after,[14] and the king began to stroke his close-shorn hair.

    [4-4] LU. and YBL. 726.

    [5-5] Stowe.

    [6-6] LU. 726.

    [7-7] H. 2. 17.  Thurneysen, Zeitschrift fuer Celtische Philologie, Bd. 
    VIII, S. 538, note 13, understands this to mean, ’a bluish purple cloak
    was thrown around him.’

    [8-8] Stowe and H. 2. 17.

    [9-9] H. 2. 17.

    [10-10] H. 2. 17.

    [a] ‘Blue,’ LU. and YBL. 727 and Eg. 1782.

    [11-11] H. 2. 17.

    [12-12] LU. and YBL. 727.

    [13-13] H. 2. 17.

    [14-14] LU. and YBL. 728.

[W.1381.] “A mere lad accomplished these deeds at the end of seven years after his birth,” [1]continued Fiachu son of Fiarba;[1] “for he overcame heroes and battle-champions at whose hands two-thirds of the men of Ulster had fallen, and these had not got their revenge on them until that scion rose up for them.  No need then is there of wonder or of surprise, though he came to the border, though he slew one man or two men or three men or four men, [2]though he cut off the four-headed pole with one cut and one blow of his shining sword[2] when now are fulfilled his seventeen years at the time of the Tain Bo Cualnge.”

    [1-1] LU. and YBL. 729-730.

    [2-2] H. 2. 17.