[3-3] LU. 930.]

When Fergus got up to take his sword, “Alas!” cried he.  “What aileth thee?” Medb asked.  “An ill deed have I done Ailill,” said he.  “Wait thou here till I come out of the wood,” said Fergus, “and wonder not though it be long till I come.”  It happened that Medb knew not of the loss of the sword.  Fergus went out taking his charioteer’s sword with him in his hand, and he fashioned a sword from a tree in the wood.  Hence is Fid Mor Thruailli (’Great Scabbard-Wood’) in Ulster.

“Let us hasten after our comrades,” said Fergus.  The forces of all came together in the plain.  They raised their tents.  Fergus was summoned to Ailill for a game of chess.  When Fergus entered the tent Ailill laughed at him.[a]

[a] Here follows in LU. and YBL. 946-1020, Eg. 1782, a most difficult passage, rendered more obscure by the incorporation of glossarial notes into the body of the text.  It is almost incapable of translation; it consists of a dialogue or series of repartees during a game of chess, in which Ailill taunts Fergus on the episode just narrated and Fergus replies.

Cuchulain came so that he was before Ath Cruinn (’the Ford of the Cronn’).  “O master Laeg,” he cried to his driver, “here are the hosts for us.”  “I swear by the gods,” said the charioteer, “I will do a mighty feat in the eyes of chariot-fighters, in quick spurring-on of the slender steeds; with yokes of silver and golden wheels shall they be urged on (?) in triumph.  Thou shalt ride before heads of kings.  The steeds I guide will bring victory with their bounding.”  “Take heed, O Laeg,” said Cuchulain; “hold the reins for the great triumph of Macha, that the horses drag thee not over the mass at the ... (?) of a woman.  Let us go over the straight plain of these ... (?).  I call on the waters to help me,” cried Cuchulain.  “I beseech heaven and earth and the Cronn above all.”

    Then the Cronn opposes them,[a]
    Holds them back from Murthemne,
    Till the heroes’[b] work is done
    On the mount of Ocaine![c]

    [a] That is, the men of Erin.

    [b] That is, Cuchulain and Laeg.

    [c] See above, page 97.

Therewith the water rose up till it was in the tops of the trees.

Mane son of Ailill and Medb marched in advance of the rest.  Cuchulain slew him on the ford and thirty horsemen of his people were drowned.  Again Cuchulain laid low twice sixteen warriors of theirs near the stream.  The warriors of Erin pitched their tents near the ford.  Lugaid son of Nos [1]grandson of Lomarc[1] Allcomach went to parley with Cuchulain.  Thirty horsemen were with him.  “Welcome to thee, O Lugaid,” cried Cuchulain.  “Should a flock of birds graze upon the plain of Murthemne, thou shalt have a wild goose with half the other.  Should fish come to the falls or to the bays, thou shalt have a salmon with as much again.  Thou shalt have the three sprigs, even a sprig of