int deed of two brothers is
here," said the leech. "'Tis indeed true," replied Cethern. "There came
upon me two leading, king's warriors. Yellow hair upon them; dark-grey
mantles with fringes, wrapped around them; leaf-shaped brooches of silvered
bronze in the mantles over their breasts; broad, grey lances in their
hands." "Ah, but we know that pair," quoth Cuchulain; "Cormac Colomon rig
('King's pillar') is the one, and Cormac son of Mael Foga, of the bodyguard
of Ailill and Medb (the other). What they sought was that thou shouldst
fall at their hands."

"Look at this bloody wound for me too, O Fingin my master," said Cethern.
[LL.fo.90b.] Fingin looked into that bloody wound. "The assault of two
brothers is here," said the leech. "Aye then, 'tis true," answered Cethern.
"There came upon me two tender youths there; very much alike were they;
curly [1]dark[1] hair on the one of them; curly yellow hair on the other;
two green cloaks wrapped around them; two bright-silver brooches in the
cloaks over their breasts; two tunics of smooth yellow silk [2]with hoods
and red embroidery[2] next their skin; [3]two[3] white-hilted swords at
their belts; two bright shields having the likenesses of beasts in white
silver they bore; two five-pronged spears with veins of all-white silver in
their hands." "Ah, but we know that pair," quoth Cuchulain; "Mane 'Like to
his mother' and Mane 'Like to his father,' two sons of Ailill and Medb; and
it would be matter of victory, [W.4377.] triumph and boasting to them,
hadst thou fallen at their hands."

[1-1] YBL. 42a, 28.

[2-2] YBL. 42a, 30-31.

[3-3] Stowe.

"Look at this bloody wound for me, too, O Fingin my master," said Cethern.
"There came upon me a pair of young warriors of the Fian there. A brilliant
appearance, stately-tall and manlike, they had; wonderful garments from
far-away countries upon them. Each of them thrust [1]the spear he had[1] at
me. [2]Then[2] I thrust [3]this spear[3] through each of them." Fingin
looked into the bloody wound. "Cunning are the bloody wounds they inflicted
upon thee," said the leech; "they have severed the strings of thy heart
within thee, so that thy heart rolls about in thy breast like an apple in
motion or like a ball of yarn in an empty bag, and there is no string at
all to support it; [4]and there is no means to cure thee or to save
thee,[4] and no healing can I effect here." "Ah, but we know those twain,"
quoth Cuchulain; "a pair