Mere words are naught availing
If oaths to bind be failing;
That wondrous Ford-Fight hailing,
All time its tale shall greet: 
Though sun, moon, sea for ever
And earth from me I sever;
Though death I win—­yet never,
Unpledged, that war I’ll meet.

Maev

These kings and chiefs behind me
Their oaths shall pledge to bind me: 
With boundless wealth thou’lt find me,
With wealth too great to pay. 
’Tis thou who oaths delayest;
’Tis done whate’er thou sayest;
For well I know thou slayest
The foe who comes to slay.

Ferdia

Ere thou to slaughter lure me,
Six champions’ oaths procure me;
Till these rewards assure me
I meet, for thee, no foe: 
If six thou grant as gages,
I’ll face the war he wages,
And where Cuchulain rages,
A lesser chief, I go.

Maev

In chariots Donnal raceth,
Fierce strife wild Neeman faceth,
Their halls the bards’ song graceth,
Yet these in troth I bind. 
Firm pledge Morand is making,
None Carpri Min knew breaking
His troth:  thine oath he’s taking;
Two sons to pledge I find.

Ferdia

Much poison, Maev, inflameth
Thy heart; no smile thee tameth
But well the land thee nameth
Proud queen of Croghan’s hold;
Thy power no man can measure;
’Tis I will do thy pleasure;
Now send thy silken treasure,
Thy silver gifts, and gold.

Maev

This brooch, as champion’s token,
I give of troth unbroken;
All words my lips have spoken
Performed shall Sunday see. 
Thou glorious chief, who darest
This fight, I give thee rarest
Of gifts on earth, and fairest,
Yea greater meed shall be. 
For Findabar my daughter;
All Elgga’s chiefs have sought her;
When thou that Hound shalt slaughter,
I give in love to thee.

And then did Maev bind Ferdia in an easy task; that on the next day he was to come to combat and fight with six of her champions, or to make duel against Cuchulain; whichever of the two he should think the easier.  And Ferdia on his side bound her by a condition that seemed to him easy for her to fulfil:  even that she should lay it upon those same six champions to see to it that all those things she had promised to him should be fulfilled, in case Cuchulain should meet death at Ferdia’s hand.