b: "Fergus, should he come 'tween us,
To Cuchulain bear this word:
He were prudent to stay still;
Cruachan holds a check in store."

Fergus: "Valiant will the slaughter be
Badb's wild daughter[c] gloats upon.
For the Blacksmith's Hound will spill
Showers of blood on hosts of men!"

[3-3] Stowe and Add.

[a] MS.: _Sualtach._

[b] _Liath Mache_ ('the Roan of Macha'), the name of one of Cuchulain's
two horses.

[c] That is, the goddess or fury of battle.

[W.540.] After this lay the men of the four grand provinces of Erin marched
[1]on the morrow[1] over Moin Coltna ('the Marsh of Coltain') eastwards
that day; and there met them eight score deer [2]in a single herd.[2] The
troops spread out and surrounded and killed them so that none of them
escaped.

[1-1] LU. 195.

[2-2] Stowe and Add.

But there is one event to add: Although the division of the Galian had been
dispersed [3]among the men of Erin,[3] [4]wherever there was a man of the
Galian, it was he that got them, except[4] five deer only which was the men
of Erin's share thereof, so that one division took all the eight score
deer.

[3-3] Stowe and Add.

[4-4] LU. 196.

[5]Then they proceed to Mag Trega and they unyoke there and prepare their
food. It is said that it is there that Dubthach recited this stave:--

"Grant ye have not heard till now,
Giving ear to Dubthach's fray:
Dire-black war upon ye waits,
'Gainst the Whitehorned of Queen Medb![a]

"There will come the chief of hosts,[b]
War for Murthemne to wage.
Ravens shall drink garden's milk,[c]
This the fruit of swineherds' strife (?)[d]

"Turfy Cron will hold them back,
Keep them back from Murthemne,[5]
[9]Till the warriors' work is done
On Ochaine's northern mount!

"'Quick,' to Cormac, Ailill cries;
'Go and seek ye out your son,
Loose no cattle from the fields,
Lest the din of the host reach them!'

"Battle they'll have here eftsoon,
Medb and one third of the host.
Corpses will be scattered wide
If the Wildman[a] come to you!"

[a] Literally, 'of Ailill's spouse.'

[b] That is, Cuchulain.

[c] A kenning for 'blood.'

[d] Referring to the two bulls, the Brown and the Whitehorned, which
were the re-incarnations through seven intermediate stages of two
divine sw