e of you would depart alive!" "How
sayest thou?" quoth macRoth. "Great cause there is," replied Dare; "ye
said, unless I yielded in good sort, I should yield to the might of
Ailill's host and Medb's and the great cunning of Fergus."

"Even so," said macRoth, "whatever the runners drunken with thine ale and
thy viands have said, 'tis not for thee to heed nor mind, nor yet to be
charged on Ailill and on Medb." "For all that, macRoth, this time I will
not give my bull, if ever I can help it!"

Back then the messengers go till they arrive at Cruachan, the stronghold of
Connacht. Medb asks their tidings, and macRoth makes known the same: that
they had not brought his bull from Dare. "And the reason?" demanded Medb.
MacRoth recounts to her how the dispute arose. "There is no need to polish
knots over such affairs as that, macRoth; for it was known," said Medb, "if
the Brown Bull of Cualnge would not be given with their will, he would be
taken in their despite, and taken he shall be!"

[2]To this point is recounted the Occasion of the Tain.[2]

[2-2] Stowe and Add.

* * * * *

[Page 10]

III

[1]THE RISING-OUT OF THE MEN OF CONNACHT AT CRUACHAN AI[1]

[W.161.] [2]A mighty host was now assembled by the men of Connacht, that
is, by Ailill and Medb, and they sent word to the three other provinces,
and[2] messengers were despatched from Medb to the Mane that they should
gather in Cruachan, the seven Mane with their seven divisions; to wit: Mane
"Motherlike," Mane "Fatherlike," and Mane "All-comprehending", [3]'twas he
that possessed the form of his mother and of his father and the dignity of
them both;[3] Mane "Mildly-submissive," and Mane "Greatly-submissive," Mane
"Boastful" [4]and Mane "the Dumb."[4]

[1-1] Add.

[2-2] LU. 1-2; with these words, the LU. version begins, fo. 55a.

[3-3] LU. 182.

[4-4] Stowe and Add.

Other messengers were despatched [5]by Ailill[5] to the sons of Maga; to
wit: to Cet ('the First') son of Maga, Anluan ('the Brilliant Light') son
of Maga, and Maccorb ('Chariot-child') son of Maga, and Bascell ('the
Lunatic') son of Maga, and En ('the Bird') son of Maga, Doche son of Maga;
and Scandal ('Insult') son of Maga.

[5-5] Eg. 1782.

These came, and this was their muster, thirty hundred armed men. Other
messengers were despatched from them to Cormac Conlongas ('the Exile') son
of Conchobar and to Fergus macRoig, and they als