Come not near, thou powerful man![FN#56]
O Ferdia mac Daman: 
Worst of woe on thee is hurled,
Though thy fate shall grieve the world.

[FN#56] The metre is that of the Irish.

Come not near, nor right forget
In my hand thy fate is set: 
Those recall, whom late I fought,
Hath their fall no wisdom taught?

Thou for gifts wert passed in sale,
Purple sash, firm coat of mail;
Never maid, O Daman’s son! 
In this war of thine is won.

Findabar, Maev’s lovely child,
With her form thy sense beguiled: 
Brightly though her beauty glows,
She no love on thee bestows.

Wouldst thou win the prize they bring,
Findabar, the child of king? 
Many ere now that maid could cheat
Here, like thee, their wounds to meet.

Thou hast sworn, and plighted. troth,
Ne’er to fight me:  keep thine oath: 
Friendship’s tie thee firm should hold,
Come not nigh me, champion bold.

Fifty chiefs, who sought that maid,
Fought me, fell, in earth are laid;
Well I know that tempting bait,
All have found, and earned their fate.

Ferbay fell, though bold his boast,
Him obeyed a valiant host;
Quickly here his rage I stilled;
Cast my spear but once, and killed.

Cruel fate Srub Darry slew,
Tales of hundred dames he knew;
Great his fame in days of yore;
Silver none, ’twas gold he wore.

Though that maid, whom Erin’s best
Hope to gain, my heart would charm;
South and north, and east and west
I would keep thee safe from harm.

“And, O my friend Ferdia!” said Cuchulain “this is the cause why it was not thy part to come here to the combat and the fight with me.  It is because that when with Scathach, with Uathach, and with Aife we abode, it was the custom with us that together we should go to every battle, and to every field of battle; to every fight and to every skirmish; to every forest and to all wildernesses; to all things dark and difficult.”  These were the words of his speech, and it was in that place that he recited these staves: 

Tuned our hearts were beating,
We, where chiefs were meeting,
Brotherly went:  when slumbering
One was our couch:  we sought
Fierce fights, and fought. 
Oft in woods that are far away
Joined we stood in our skilful play;
Scathach our feats had taught.

And Ferdia replied to him thus: 

O Cuchulain! for beautiful feats renowned,
Though together we learned our skill;
Though thou tellest of friendship that once we found,
From me shall come first thine ill;
Ah, recall not the time of our friendship’s day: 
It shall profit thee nothing, O Hound, I say.