It was early in the morning when Ferdia arose, and he advanced alone towards the Ford of Combat.  Well did he know that the battle and the conflict would be decided that day; that upon that day and in that place one of the two would fall or that both would fall.  And then, before Cuchulain could come, Ferdia put on the armour that he was to use for that battle in the conflict and fight.  And this was the battle armour that he used for that conflict and fight; he put a kilt of striped silk, bordered with spangles of gold, next to his white skin, and over that he put his well-sewn apron of brown leather to protect the lower part of his body.  Upon his belly he put a great stone as large as a millstone, and over that great stone as large as a millstone he put his firm deep apron of purified iron, on account of the fear and the dread that he had of the Gae-Bulg that day.  And his crested helmet that he used for battle and conflict and fight he put upon his head:  there were upon it four jewels of carbuncle, each one of them fit to adorn it:  also it was studded with enamels, with crystals, with carbuncles, and with blazing rubies that had come from the East.  Into his right hand he took his death-dealing sharp-pointed strong spear; upon his left side he hung his curved sword of battle with its golden hilt and its pommels of red gold:  upon the slope of his back he took his great and magnificent shield with great bosses upon it:  fifty was the number of the bosses, and upon each of them could be supported a full-grown hog:  moreover in the centre of the shield was a great boss of red gold.  Upon that day Ferdia displayed many noble, rapidly changing, wonderful feats of arms on high; feats which he had never learned from any other, either from his nurse or his tutor, or from Scathach, or from Uathach, or from Aife, but which he himself invented that day for his battle with Cuchulain.  And Cuchulain approached the ford, and he saw the many, rapidly changing, wonderful feats that Ferdia displayed on high; and “O my friend Laeg!” said Cuchulain, “I mark those noble, rapidly changing, wonderful feats which Ferdia displays, and I know that all of those feats will in turn be tried upon me; and for this reason if it be I who begin to go backwards this day, let it be thy part to rouse me by reproaches, and by evil speech, so that my rage and my wrath may be kindled, and increase.  And if it be I that shall prevail, then do thou give to me praise and approval; and speak good words tome, that my courage may be the greater.”  “This indeed will I do, O Cuchulain!” said Laeg.

Then did Cuchulain put on his battle armour that he used for the combat and fight.  And that day he displayed noble, many-changing, wonderful, and many feats that he had learned from none:  neither from Scathach, from Uathach, or from Aife.  And Ferdia marked those feats, and he know that each in turn would be tried upon him.

“O Ferdia!” said Cuchulain, “tell me to what arms we shall resort?