girls and cattle in
Cualnge together so that they all were in Finnabair. "Ye have not fared
well," quoth Medb; "I see not the bull amongst you." "He is not in the land
at all," replied every one. They summoned Lothar, the cowherd, to Medb.
"Where, thinkest thou, is the bull?" she asked. "I have great fear to
tell," said the cowherd. "The night," said he, "that the Ulstermen fell
into their 'Pains,' the Donn went and three score heifers along with him;
and he is at Dubcaire Glinni Gat ('the Black Corrie of the Osier-glen')."
"Rise," said Medb, "and take a withy between each two of you." And they do
accordingly. Hence is the name, Glenn Gatt, of that glen.

[5-5] LU. and YBL. 867-887.]

Then they led the bull to Finnabair. In the place where the bull saw
Lothar, the cowherd, he attacked him, and soon he carried his entrails out
on his horns and together with his thrice fifty heifers he attacked the
camp, so that fifty warriors perished. Hence this is the Tragical Death
of Lothar on the Tain [1]and the Finding of the Bull according to this
version.[1] [2]Thereafter the bull went from them away from the camp and
they knew not whither he had gone from them and they were ashamed. Medb
asked the cowherd if he might know where the bull was. "I trow he is in the
wilds of Sliab Culinn."[2] Then they turned back ravaging Cualnge and they
found not the bull there.[5]

[1-1] YBL. 882, which adds: 'We will not follow it further here.'

[2-2] LU., edition of Strachan and O'Keeffe, page 34, note 16.

[5-5] LU. and YBL. 867-887.

* * * * *

[Page 95]

VIIIe

[1]THE KILLING OF UALA[1]

[W.1563.] [2]Early[2] on the morrow the hosts continued their way [3]to lay
waste the plain of Murthemne and to sack Mag Breg and Meath and Machaire
Conaill ('Conall's Plain') and the land of Cualnge. It was then that the
streams and rivers of Conalle Murthemni rose to the tops of the trees, and
the streams of the Cronn rose withal, until the hosts arrived at Glaiss
Cruinn ('Cronn's Stream').[3] And they attempted the stream and failed to
cross it [4]because of the size of its waves,[4] [5]so that they slept on
its bank.[5] And Cluain Carpat ('Chariot-meadow') is the name of the first
place where they reached it. This is why Cluain Carpat is the name of that
place, because of the hundred[a] chariots which the river carried away from
them to the sea. Medb ordered her people that one of the warrio