e, master Laeg!" cried
Cuchulain. [15]"Arise,[15] away with thee to the garrison and camp of the
men of Erin and summon [LL.fo.89.] the leeches to come out to cure Cethern
macFintain. I give my word, e'en though it be under the [W.4270.] ground or
in a well-shut house they are, I myself will bring death and destruction
and slaughter upon them before this hour to-morrow, if they come not [1]to
minister to Cethern."[1]

[1-1] This heading is taken from the colophon of the episode.

[2-2] YBL. 40a, 9-12.

[3-3] YBL. 40a, 12-13.

[4-4] YBL. 40a, 12-14.

[5-5] Stowe.

[6-6] Stowe.

[1-1] Stowe, and YBL. 41a, 10.

[2-2] YBL. 41a, 11.

[3-3] YBL. 41a, 15.

[4-4] YBL. 40a, 17.

[5-5] YBL. 40a, 17.

[6-6] YBL. 40a, 18.

[7-7] Stowe.

[8-8] Stowe and YBL. 41a, 10.

[9-9] Stowe.

[10-10] Stowe.

[11-11] I have translated from the more circumstantial account in
Stowe. LL. has, simply, 'his entrails and bowels outside on him.'

[12-12] YBL. 40a, 21.

[13-13] YBL. 40a, 22.

[14-14] YBL. 40a, 23-24.

[15-15] Stowe.

[1-1] YBL. 40a, 29.

Laeg went his way to the quarters and camp of the men of Erin, and he
called upon the leeches of the men of Erin to go forth to cure Cethern son
of Fintan. Truth to tell, the leeches of the men of Erin were unwilling to
go cure their adversary, their enemy and their stranger-foe. But they
feared Cuchulain would work death and destruction and slaughter upon them
if they went not. And so they went. As one man of them [2]after the
other[2] came to him, Cethern son of Fintan showed him his stabs and his
cuts, his sores and his bloody wounds. [3]When the first leech that came
looked at him, "thou wilt not live," he declared. "Neither wilt thou for
this," replied Cethern.[3] Each man of them that said he would not live and
could not be healed, Cethern son of Fintan struck him a blow with his right
fist in the front of his forehead, so that he drove the brains out through
the windows of his ears and the seams of his skull. Howbeit Cethern son of
Fintan killed them till, by reason of him, there had come fifteen[a]
leeches of the leeches of the men of Erin, [4]as the historian hath
declared in proof thereof:--

"These the leeches of the Tain,
Who by Cethern--bane--did fall.
No light thing, in floods of tribes,
That their names are known to me:

"Litte, Luaidren, k