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