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wn to us." VIII. _The Herald._ "Here comes a single champion towards us, O _Cuchulain_," said _Laegh_ (Cuchulain's charioteer). "What sort of a champion is he?" said _Cuchulain_. "A brown-haired, broad faced, beautiful youth; a splendid brown cloak on him; a bright bronze spear-like brooch fastening his cloak. A full and well-fitting shirt to his skin. Two firm shoes between his two feet and the ground. A hand-staff of white hazel in one hand of his; a single-edged sword with a sea-horse hilt in his other hand." "Good, my lad," said _Cuchulain_; "these are the tokens of a herald."--Description of the herald _MacRoath_ in the story of the Tain bo Chuailgne.--O'Curry's "Manners and Customs of the Ancient Irish," Vol. II., p. 301. IX. _Golden Bells._ In O'Curry's "Lectures on the Manners and Customs of the Ancient Irish" are several dazzling descriptions of cavalcades taken from the old tales. Silver and golden bells are frequently mentioned as part of the horse furniture. X. _The Wild People of the Glen._ "And then he put on his helmet of battle and of combat and of fighting, from every recess and from every angle of which issued the shout as it were of an hundred warriors; because it was alike that woman of the valley (_de bananaig_), and hobgoblins (_bacanaig_), _and wild people of the glen (geinti glindi)_, and demons of the air (_demna acoir_), shouted in front of it, and in rear of it, and over it, and around it, wherever he went, at the spurting of blood, and of heroes upon it." Description of Cuchulain's helmet in the story of The _Tain bo Chuailgne_.--"O'Curry's Manners and Customs of the Ancient Irish," Vol. II., p. 301. XI. _The Fair of Tara._ "The great fairs anciently held in Ireland were not like their modern representatives, mere markets, but were assemblies of the people to celebrate funeral games, and other religious rites; during pagan times to hold parliaments, promulgate laws, listen to the recitation of tales and poems, engage in or witness contests in feats of arms, horse-racing, and other popular games. They were analogous in many ways to the Olympian and other celebrated games of ancient Greece. "These assemblies were regulated by a strict by-law, a breach of which was punishable by death. Women were especially protected, a certain place being set apart for their exclusive use, as a place was set apart at one side of the lists of mediaeval tournaments for
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