ong and thick as a middle yoke. They stand in their sadness in the
house, and enough is the horror of their aspect. There is no one in the
house that would not be avoiding them. Liken thou that, O Fer rogain!"

Fer rogain was silent. "Hard for me to liken them. I know none such of
the world's men unless they be yon trio of giants to whom Cuchulainn
gave quarter at the beleaguerment of the Men of Falga, and when they
were getting quarter they killed fifty warriors. But Cuchulainn would
not let them be slain, because of their wondrousness. These are the
names of the three: Srubdaire son of Dordbruige, and Conchenn of Cenn
maige, and Fiad sceme son of Scipe. Conaire bought them from Cuchulainn
for ... so they are along with him. Three hundred will fall by them in
their first encounter, and they will surpass in prowess every three in
the Hostel; and if they come forth upon you, the fragments of you will
be fit to go through the sieve of a corn-kiln, from the way in which
they will destroy you with the flails of iron. Woe to him that shall
wreak the Destruction, though it were only on account of those three!
For to combat against them is not a 'paean round a sluggard.'" "Ye
cannot," says Ingcel. "Clouds of weakness are coming to you," etc. "And
after that, whom sawest thou there?"

THE ROOM OF DA DERGA

"There I beheld another room, with one man therein and in front of him
two servants with two manes upon them, one of the two dark, the other
fair. Red hair on the warrior, and red eyebrows. Two ruddy cheeks he
had, and an eye very blue and beautiful. He wore a green cloak and a
shirt with a white hood and a red insertion. In his hand was a sword
with a hilt of ivory, and he supplies attendance of every room in the
house with ale and food, and he is quick-footed in serving the whole
host. Liken thou that, O Fer rogain!"

"I know those men. That one is Da Derga. 'Tis by him that the Hostel was
built, and since it was built its doors have never been shut save on the
side to which the wind comes--the valve is closed against it--and since
he began housekeeping his caldron was never taken from the fire, but it
has been boiling food for the men of Erin. The pair before him, those
two youths, are his fosterlings, two sons of the king of Leinster,
namely Muredach and Corpre. Three decads will fall by that trio in front
of their house and they will boast of victory over a king or a chief of
the reavers. After this they will chance t