ilarly, H. 1. 13, Add.

Doche son of Maga met him and bade him welcome. "Welcome is thy coming, O
Iliach," spake Doche son of Maga. [9]"Who bids me welcome?" asked Iliach.
"A comrade and friend of Loegaire Buadach am I, namely Doche macMagach."[9]
"Truly spoken I esteem that welcome," answered Iliach; "but do thou [10]for
the sake of that welcome[10] come to me when now, alas, my deeds of arms
will be over and my warlike vigour will have vanished, [11]when I will
have spent my rage upon the hosts,[11] so that thou be the one to cut off
my head and none other of the men of Erin. However, my sword shall remain
with [W.4615.] thee [1]for thine own friend, even[1] for Loegaire
[2]Buadach!"[2]

[9-9] Stowe.

[10-10] Stowe.

[11-11] Stowe.

[1-1] Stowe.

[2-2] Stowe.

He assailed the men of Erin with his weapons till he had made an end of
them. And when weapons failed he assailed the men of Erin with cobbles and
boulders and huge clumps [3]of earth[3] till he had used them up. And when
these weapons failed him he spent his rage on the man [4]that was nearest
him[4] of the men of Erin, and bruised him grievously between his fore-arms
[5]and his sides[5] and the palms of his hands, till he made a marrow-mass
of him, of flesh and bones and sinews and skin. Hence in memory thereof,
these two masses of marrow still live on side by side, the marrow-mass that
Cuchulain made of the bones of the Ulstermen's cattle for the healing of
Cethern son of Fintan,[a] and the marrow-mass that Iliach made of the bones
of the men of Erin. Wherefore this was one of the three innumerable things
of the Tain, the number of them that fell at the hands of Iliach. So that
this is the 'Clump-fight' of Iliach. It is for this reason it is called the
'Clump-fight' of Iliach, because with cobbles and boulders and massy clumps
he made his fight.

[3-3] Stowe.

[4-4] Stowe.

[5-5] Stowe.

[a] See above, page 279.

[6]Thereafter[6] Doche son of Maga met him. "Is not this Iliach?" asked
Doche son of Maga. "It is truly I," Iliach gave answer; "and come to me now
and cut off my head and let my sword remain with thee for thy friend, for
Loegaire [7]Buadach ('the Victorious')."[7]

[6-6] Stowe.

[7-7] Stowe.

Doche came near him and gave him a blow with the sword so that he severed
his head, [8]and he took with him the head and the spoils vauntingly to
where were Ailill and Medb.[8] Thus to this point,