[FN#116] Or “out of his room.”  The word is imda, sometimes rendered “bed,” as here by Windisch sometimes also “room,” as in the Bruidne da Derga by Whitley Stokes.

[FN#117] Lough Cuan was the old name for Strangford Lough.

They went out thereupon till they came to Ath da Ferta.  When they were there, straightway they heard the rattle of a chariot from the quarter of the loamy district of Culgaire.  Then they saw the chariot come before them, and one chestnut (lit. red) horse in it.  The horse was one footed, and the pole of the chariot passed through the body of the horse, till a wedge went through it, to make it fast on its forehead.  A red[FN#118] woman was in the chariot, and a red mantle about her, she had two red eye-brows, and the mantle fell between the two ferta[FN#119] of her chariot behind till it struck upon the ground behind her.  A great man was beside her chariot, a red[FN#120] cloak was upon him, and a forked staff of hazel at his back, he drove a cow in front of him.

[FN#118] The above is the Egerton text:  the text of Y.B.L. gives “A red woman there, with her two eyebrows red, and her cloak and her raiment:  the cloak fell,” &c.

[FN#119] It is not known certainly what the ferta were:  Windisch translates “wheels,” but does not give this meaning in his Dictionary:  the ferta were behind the car, and could be removed to sound the depth of a ford.  It is suggested that they were poles, projecting behind to balance the chariot; and perhaps could be adjusted so as to project less or farther.

[FN#120] This is the Egerton text; the Y.B.L. text gives “a tunic forptha on him the meaning of forptha is unknown.

“That cow is not joyful at being driven by you!” said Cuchulain.  “The cow does not belong to you,” said the woman, “she is not the cow of any friend or acquaintance of yours.”  “The cows of Ulster,” said Cuchulain, “are my proper (care).”  “Dost thou give a decision about the cow?” said the woman; “the task is too great to which thy hand is set, O Cuchulain.”  “Why is it the woman who answers me?” said Cuchulain, “why was it not the man?” “It was not the man whom you addressed,” said the woman.  “Ay,” said Cuchulain, “(I did address him), though thyself hath answered for him:”  “h-Uar-gaeth-sceo-luachair-sceo[FN#121] is his name,” said she.

[FN#121] Cold-wind-and-much-rushes.

“Alas! his name is a wondrous one,” said Cuchulain.  “Let it be thyself who answers,[FN#122] since the man answers not.  What is thine own name?” said Cuchulain.  “The woman to whom thou speakest,” said the man, “is Faebor-begbeoil-cuimdiuir-folt-scenbgairit-sceo-uath."[FN#12
3] “Do ye make a fool of me?” cried Cuchulain, and on that Cuchulain sprang into her chariot:  he set his two feet on her two shoulders thereupon, and his spear on the top of her head.  “Play not sharp weapons on me!” “Name thyself then by thy true name!” said Cuchulain.