!"[a]

Medb: "Ill of thee to wrong our host,
Fergus, son of Ross the Red;
Much good hast thou found with us,
Fergus, in thy banishment!"

"[2]If thou showest our foemen love,
No more shalt thou lead our troops;
Haply someone else we'll find
To direct us on our way![2]"

[1-1] Reading with LU. and YBL. 252.

[a] That is, Cuchulain.

[2-2] Eg. 1782.

"I will be in the van of the troops no longer," cried Fergus; "but do thou
find another to go before them." For all that, Fergus kept his place in
the van of the troops.

The four mighty provinces of Erin passed that night on Cul Silinne. The
sharp, keen-edged anxiety for Cuchulain came upon Fergus and he warned the
men of Erin to be on their guard, because there would come upon them the
rapacious lion, and the doom of foes, the vanquisher of multitudes, and the
chief of retainers, the mangler of great hosts, the hand that dispenseth
[3]treasures,[3] and the flaming [W.502.] torch, even Cuchulain son of
Sualtaim.[a] And thus he foreshowed him and chanted a lay, and Medb
responded:--

Fergus: "Well for ye to heed and watch,
With array of arms and men.
He will come, the one we fear,
Murthemne's great, deedful youth!"

Medb: "How so dear, this battle-rede,
Comes from thee, [LL.fo.58a.] Roig's son most bold.
Men and arms have I enough
To attend Cuchulain here!"

Fergus: "Thou shalt need them, Medb of Ai,
Men and arms for battle hard,
With the grey steed's[b] horseman brave.
All the night and all the day!"

Medb: "I have kept here in reserve
Heroes fit for fight and spoil;
Thirty hundred hostage-chiefs,
Leinster's bravest champions they.

Fighting men from Cruachan fair,
Braves from clear-streamed Luachair,
Four full realms of goodly Gaels
Will defend me from this man!"

Fergus: "Rich in troops from Mourne and Bann,
Blood he'll draw o'er shafts of spears;
He will cast to mire and sand
These three thousand Leinstermen.

With the swallow's swiftest speed,
With the rush of biting wind,
So bounds on my dear brave Hound,
Breathing slaughter on his foes!"

Med