at the bellowing of the Brown of Cualnge,[6] and he
hastened to Cruachan to look for the Brown Bull of Cualnge.

[4-4] H. 1. 13 and Add.

[5-5] H. 1. 13 and Add.

[6-6] H. 1. 13 and Add.

It was then the men of Erin debated who would be [7]fitted[7] to witness
[8]the fight[8] of the bulls. They all agreed that it should be Bricriu son
of Carbad [9]that were fitted for that office.[9] For, a year before this
tale of the Cualnge Cattle-raid, Bricriu had gone from the one province
into the other to make a request of Fergus. And Fergus had retained
[W.6134.] him with him waiting for his treasures and goods. And a quarrel
arose between him and Fergus at a game of chess.[a] And he spake evil words
to Fergus. Fergus smote him with his fist and with the chess-man that was
in his hand, so that he drave the chess-man into his head and broke a bone
in his head. Whilst the men of Erin were on the foray of the Tain, all that
time Bricriu was being cured at Cruachan. And the day they returned from
the expedition was the day Bricriu rose. [1]He came with the rest to
witness the battle of the bulls.[1] [2]And this is why they selected
Bricriu,[2] for that Bricriu was no fairer to his friend than to his
foe. [3]"Come, ye men of Erin!" cried Bricriu; "permit me to judge the
fight of the bulls,[3] [4]for it is I shall most truly recount their tale
and their deeds afterwards."[4] And he was brought [5]before the men of
Erin[5] to a gap whence to view the bulls.

[7-7] H. 1. 13 and Add.

[8-8] H. 1. 13 and Add.

[9-9] H. 1. 13 and Add.

[a] The story is told in 'The Adventures of Nera,' published in
the _Revue Celtique_, t. x, p. 227.

[1-1] YBL. 53a, 4-5.

[2-2] Stowe.

[3-3] Stowe, H. 1. 13 and Add.

[4-4] H. 1. 13 and Add.

[5-5] H. 1. 13.

[6]So they drove the Brown Bull the morning of the fight till he met the
Whitehorned at Tarbga in the plain of Ai: or Tarbguba ('Bull-groan'), or
Tarbgleo ('Bull-fight'); Roi Dedond was the first name of that hill. Every
one that had lived through the battle cared for naught else than to see the
combat of the two bulls.[6]

[6-6] YBL. 52b, 52-53a, 3.

Each of the bulls sighted the other and there was a pawing and digging up
of the ground in their frenzy there, and they tossed the earth over
them. They threw up the earth over their withers and shoulders, and their
eyes blazed red [LL.fo.104a.] in their heads like firm balls of