er, and whipped off his head at a blow,
Being mad that he did not answer, and more at his laughing so,
And there on the ground where it fell it went on laughing at me.

LAEGAIRE

Till he took it up in his hands--

CONALL

And splashed himself into the sea.

CUCHULAIN

I have imagined as good when I've been as deep in the cup.

LAEGAIRE

You never did.

CUCHULAIN

And believed it.

CONALL

Cuchulain, when will you stop
Boasting of your great deeds, and weighing yourself with us two,
And crying out to the world whatever we say or do,
That you've said or done a better?--Nor is it a drunkard's tale,
Though we said to ourselves at first that it all came out of the ale,
And thinking that if we told it we should be a laughing-stock,
Swore we should keep it secret.

LAEGAIRE

But twelve months upon the clock.

CONALL

A twelvemonth from the first time.

LAEGAIRE

And the jug full up to the brim:
For we had been put from our drinking by the very thought of him.

CONALL

We stood as we're standing now.

LAEGAIRE

The horns were as empty.

CONALL

When
He ran up out of the sea with his head on his shoulders again.

CUCHULAIN

Why, this is a tale worth telling.

CONALL

And he called for his debt and his right,
And said that the land was disgraced because of us two from that night
If we did not pay him his debt.

LAEGAIRE

What is there to be said
When a man with a right to get it has come to ask for your head?

CONALL

If you had been sitting there you had been silent like us.

LAEGAIRE

He said that in twelve months more he would come again to this house
And ask his debt again. Twelve months are up to-day.

CONALL

He would have followed after if we had run away.

LAEGAIRE

Will he tell every mother's son that we have broken our word?

CUCHULAIN

Whether he does or does not we'll drive him out with the sword,
And take his life in the bargain if he but dare to scoff.

CONALL

How can you fight with a head that laughs when you've whipped it off?

LAEGAIRE

Or a man that can pick it up and carry it out in his hand?

CONALL

He is coming now, there's a splash and a rumble along the strand
As when he came last.

CUCHULAIN

Come, and put all your backs to the door.

[_A tall, red-headed, re