XX. THE COMBAT OF FERDIAD ¹AND CUCHULAIN¹

²The four grand provinces of Erin were side by side and against Cuchulain, from Monday before Samain-tide^a to Wednesday after Spring-beginning, and without leave to work harm or vent their rage on the province of Ulster, while yet all the Ulstermen were sunk in their nine days' 'Pains,' and Conall Cernach ('the Victorious') sought out battle in strange foreign lands paying the tribute and tax of Ulster. Great was the plight and strait of Cuchulain during that time, for he was not a day or a night without fierce, fiery combat waged on him by the men of Erin, until he killed Calatin with his seven and twenty sons and Fraech son of Fiadach and performed many deeds and successes which are not enumerated here. Now this was sore and grievous for Medb and for Ailill.²

W. 3001. Then the men of Erin took counsel who would be fit ³to send to the ford³ to fight and do battle with Cuchulain, ⁴to drive him off from them⁴ at the morning hour early on the morrow.

⁵With one accord⁵ they declared that it should be Ferdiad son of Daman son of Darè, the great and valiant warrior of the men of Domnann, ⁶the horn-skin from Irrus Domnann, the irresistible force, and the battle-rock of destruction, the own, dear, foster-brother of Cuchulain.⁶ W. 3005. ¹And fitting it was for him to go thither,¹ for well-matched and alike was their manner of fight and of combat. Under the same instructresses had they done skilful deeds of valour and arms, when learning the art with Scathach ('the Modest') and with Uathach ('the Dreadful') and with Aifè ('the Handsome'). ²Yet was it the felling of an oak with one's fists, and the stretching of the hand into a serpent's nest, and a spring into the lair of a lion, for hero or champion in the world, aside from Cuchulain, to fight or combat with Ferdiad on whatever ford or river or mere he set his shield.² And neither of them overmatched the other, save in the feat of the Gae Bulga ('the Barbed Spear') which Cuchulain possessed. Howbeit, against this, Ferdiad was horn-skinned when fighting and in combat with a warrior on the ford; ³and they thought he could avoid the Gae Bulga and defend himself against it, because of the horn about him of such kind that neither arms nor multitude of edges could pierce it.³

Then were messengers and envoys sent ⁴from Medb and Ailill⁴ to Ferdiad. Ferdiad denied them their will, and dismissed and sent back the messengers, and he went not with them, for he knew wherefore they would have him, to fight and combat with his friend, with his comrade and foster-brother, ⁵Cuchulain.⁵

Then did Medb despatch the druids ⁶and the poets of the camp,⁶ the lampoonists and hard-attackers,^a for Ferdiad, to the end that they might make three satires to stay him and three scoffing speeches against him, ⁷to mock at him and revile and disgrace him,⁷ that they might raise three blisters on his face, Blame, Blemish and Disgrace, ⁸that he might not find a place in the world to lay his head,⁸ W. 3021. if he came not ¹with them^{1 2}to the tent of Medb and Ailill on the foray.²

Ferdiad came with them for the sake of his own honour and ³for fear of their bringing shame on him,³ forasmuch as he deemed it better to fall by the shafts of valour and bravery and skill, than to fall by the shafts of satire, abuse and reproach. And when ⁴Ferdiad⁴ was come ⁵into the camp,^{5 6}Medb and Ailill beheld him, and great and most wonderful joy possessed them, and they sent him to where their trusty people were, and ⁶he was honoured and waited on, and choice, well-flavoured strong liquor was poured out for him till he became drunken and merry. ⁷Finnabair, daughter of Ailill and Medb, was seated at his side. It was Finnabair that placed her hand on every goblet and cup Ferdiad quaffed. She it was that gave him three kisses with every cup that he took. She it was that passed him sweet-smelling apples over the bosom of her tunic. This is what she ceased not to say, that her darling and her chosen sweetheart of the world's men was Ferdiad.^{7 8}And when Medb got Ferdiad drunken and merry,⁸ great rewards were promised him if he would make the fight and combat.

⁹When now Ferdiad was satisfied, happy and joyful, it was that Medb spoke: "Hail now, Ferdiad. Dost know the occasion wherefore thou art summoned to this tent?" "I know not, in truth," Ferdiad replied; "unless it be that the nobles of the men of Erin are here. Why is it less fitting for me to be here than any other good warrior?" "'Tis not that, forsooth," answered Medb: "but to give thee⁹ a chariot worth four^a times seven bondmaids, and the apparel of two men and ten men, of cloth of every colour, W. 3028. and the equivalent ¹of the Plain of Murthemne¹ of the rich Plain of Ai, ²and that thou shouldst be at all times in Cruachan, and wine be poured out for thee there; the freedom of thy descendants and thy race forever,² free of tribute, free of rent, without constraint to encamp or take part in our expeditions, ^*LL. fo. 81b. without duress for ³thy son, or for thy grandson, or for thy great-grandson, till the end of time and existence;^{3 4}this leaf-shaped golden brooch of mine shall be thine, wherein are ten-score ounces, and ten-score half ounces, and ten-score scruples, and ten-score quarters;⁴ Finnabair, ⁵my daughter and Ailill's,⁵ to be thine own one wife, ⁶and mine own most intimate friendship, if thou exactest that withal." "He needs it not," they cried, one and all; "great are the rewards and gifts!"⁶

Such were the words of Medb, and she spake them here and Ferdiad responded:—

Medb:

Ferdiad:

Medb:

Ferdiad:

Medb:

Ferdiad:

Medb:

Ferdiad:

W. 3100.Medb:

Ferdiad:

Medb:

Ferdiad:

Medb:

²Then said they, one and all, those gifts were great. ³"'Tis true, they are great.³ But though they are," said W. 3113. Ferdiad, "with Medb herself I will leave them, and I will not accept them if it be to do battle or combat with my foster-brother, the man of my alliance and affection, ¹and my equal in skill of arms,¹ namely, with Cuchulain." And he said:—

"Ye men," spake Medb, in the wonted fashion of stirring up disunion and dissension, ⁴as if she had not heard Ferdiad at all,⁴ "true is the word Cuchulain speaks." "What word is that?" asked Ferdiad. "He said, then," replied Medb, "he would not think it too much if thou shouldst fall by his hands in the choicest feat of his skill in arms, in the land whereto he should come." "It was not just for him to speak so," quoth Ferdiad; "for it is not cowardice or lack of boldness that he hath ever seen in me ⁵by day or by night.^{5 6}And I speak not so to him, for I have it not to say of him.⁶ And I swear by my arms ⁷of valour,⁷ if it be true that he spoke so, I will be the first man of the men of Erin to contend with him on the morrow, ⁸how loath soever I am to do so!"⁸

⁹And he gave his word in the presence of them all that he would go and meet Cuchulain. For it pleased Medb, if Ferdiad should fail to go, to have them as a witness against him, in order that she might say it was fear or dread that caused him to break his word.⁹ "A blessing ¹⁰and victory¹⁰ upon thee for that!" said Medb; "it pleaseth me more than for thee to show fear and lack of boldness. For every man loves his own land, and how is it better for him to seek the welfare of Ulster, ¹¹because his mother was descended from the Ulstermen,¹¹ than for thee to seek the welfare of Connacht,^{2 12}as thou art the son of a king of Connacht?"¹²

Then it was that Medb obtained from Ferdiad the easy W. 3163. surety of a covenant to fight and contend on the morrow with six warriors ¹of the champions of Erin,¹ or to fight and contend with Cuchulain alone, if to him this last seemed lighter. Ferdiad obtained ²of Medb² the easy surety, ³as he thought,³ to send the aforesaid six men for the fulfilment of the terms which had been promised him, should Cuchulain fall at his hands.

⁴There was a wonderful warrior of the Ulstermen present at that covenant, and that was Fergus macRoig. Fergus betook him to his tent. "Woe is me, for the deed that will be done on the morning of the morrow!" "What deed is that?" his tent-folk asked. "My good fosterling Cuchulain will be slain!" "Good lack! who makes that boast?" "Not hard to say: None other but his dear, devoted foster-brother, Ferdiad son of Daman. Why bear ye not my blessing," Fergus continued, "and let one of you go with a warning and mercy to Cuchulain, if perchance he would leave the ford on the morn of the morrow?" "As we live," said they; "though it were thyself was on the ford of battle, we would not go near him to seek thee." "Come, my lad," cried Fergus, "get our horses for us, and yoke the chariot!"⁴

Then were Fergus' horses fetched for him and his chariot was yoked, and he came forward to the place ⁵of combat⁵ where Cuchulain was, to inform him ⁶of the challenge, that Ferdiad was to fight with him.⁶

⁷"A chariot cometh hither towards us, O Cuchulain!" cried Laeg. For in this wise was the gilla, with his back towards his lord. He used to win every other game of draughts and of chess from his master. Watch and guard of the four airts was he besides. "What manner of chariot is it?" asked Cuchulain. "A chariot like to a royal fort, huge, with its yoke, strong, golden; with its great board of copper; with its shafts of bronze; with its thin-framed, dry-bodied box (?) ... set on two horses, black, swift, stout, strong-forked, thick-set, under beautiful shafts. One kingly, broad-eyed warrior is the combatant in the chariot. A curly, forked beard he wears that reaches below outside over the smooth lower part of his soft tunic, which would shelter fifty warriors on a day of storm and rain under the heavy shield of the warrior's beard. A bent buckler, white, beautiful, of many colours, he bears, with three stout-wrought chains, so that there is room from edge to edge for four troops of ten men behind the leather of the shield which hangs upon the broad back of the warrior. A long, hard-edged, broad, red sword in a sheath woven and twisted of white silver, over the ... of the battle-warrior. A strong, three-ridged spear, wound and banded with all-gleaming white silver he has lying across the chariot."

"Not difficult to recognize him," said Cuchulain: "'tis my master Fergus that cometh hither with a warning and with compassion for me, before all the four provinces of Erin."

W. 3172. Fergus drew nigh and sprang from his chariot.⁷ Cuchulain bade him welcome. ^*LL. fo. 82a. "Welcome is thy coming, O my master Fergus!" cried Cuchulain. ¹"If a flock of birds comes into the plain, thou shalt have a duck with half of another. If a fish comes into the river-mouths, thou shalt have a salmon with half of another. A handful of water-cress and a bunch of laver and a sprig of sea-grass and a drink of cold water from the sand thou shalt have thereafter." "Tis an outlaw's portion, that," said Fergus. "Tis true; 'tis an outlaw's portion is mine," answered Cuchulain.¹ "Truly intended, methinks, the welcome, O W. 3174. fosterling," said Fergus. "But, ¹were it for this I came, I should think it better to leave it.¹ It is for this I am here, to inform thee who comes to fight and contend with thee at the morning hour early on the morrow." "E'en so will we hear it from thee," said Cuchulain. "Thine own friend and comrade and foster-brother, the man thine equal in feats and in skill of arms and in deeds, Ferdiad son of Daman son of Darè, the great and mighty warrior of the men of Domnann." ²"As my soul liveth,"² replied Cuchulain, "it is not to an encounter we wish our friend to come, and ³not for fear, but for love and affection of him;^{3 4}and almost I would prefer to fall by the hand of that warrior than for him to fall by mine."⁴ "It is even for that," answered Fergus, "thou shouldst be on thy guard and prepared. ⁵Say not that thou hast no fear of Ferdiad, for it is fitting that thou shouldst have fear and dread before fighting with Ferdiad.⁵ For unlike all to whom it fell to fight and contend with thee on the Cualnge Cattle-raid on this occasion is Ferdiad son of Daman son of Darè, ⁹for he hath a horny skin about him ⁶in battle against a man,^{6 7}a belt,^{7 8}equally strong, victorious in battle,⁸ and neither points nor edges are reddened upon it^{9 10}in the hour of strife and anger. For he is the fury of a lion, and the bursting of wrath, and the blow of doom, and the wave that drowneth foes."^{10 12}"Speak not thus!" cried Cuchulain, "for I swear ¹¹by my arms of valour,¹¹ the oath that my people swear, that every limb and every joint will be as soft as a pliant rush in the bed of a river under the point of sword, if he show himself to me on the ford!¹² Truly am I here," said Cuchulain, "checking and W. 3185. staying four of the five grand provinces of Erin from Monday at^a Summer's end till^b the beginning of spring, ¹and I have not left my post for a night's disport, through stoutly opposing the men of Erin on the Cattle-lifting of Cualnge.¹ And in all this time, I have not put foot in retreat before any one man ²nor before a multitude,² and methinks just as little will I turn foot in flight before him."

³And thus spake he, that it was not fear of Ferdiad that caused his anxiety for the fight, but his love for him. ³And, on his part, so spake Fergus, putting him on his guard ⁴because of Ferdiad's strength,⁴ and he said these words and Cuchulain responded:—

Fergus:

Cuchulain:

Fergus:

Cuchulain:

Fergus:

Cuchulain:

W. 3214.Fergus:

Cuchulain:

Fergus:

Cuchulain:

Fergus:

¹After that,¹ Fergus returned to the camp and halting-place ²of the men of Erin,^{2 3}lest the men of Erin should say he was betraying them or forsaking them, if he should remain longer than he did conversing with Cuchulain. And they took farewell of each other.³

⁴Now as regards the charioteer of Cuchulain ⁵after Fergus went from them:⁵ "What wilt thou do to-night?" asked Laeg. "What, indeed?" said Cuchulain. "It will be thus" (said the charioteer) "Ferdiad will come to attack thee, with new beauty of plaiting and dressing of hair, and washing and bathing, and the four provinces of Erin with him to look at the combat. I would that thou wouldst go where thou wilt get a like adorning for thyself, to the place where is Emer Foltchain ('Emer of the Beautiful Hair,' thy wife), ⁶daughter of Forgal Monach,⁶ at Cairthenn in Cluan da Dam, ('two Oxen's Meadow') in Sliab Fuait, ¹where thou wilt get even such an adorning for thyself."^{1 2}"It is fitting to do so," said Cuchulain.² Then Cuchulain went thither that night ³to Dundelgan,³ and passed the night with his wife. His doings from that time are not related here now.⁴

W. 3235. ⁵As for⁵ Ferdiad, he betook himself to his tent and to his people, and imparted to them the easy surety which Medb had obtained from him to do combat and battle with six warriors on the morrow, or to do combat and battle with Cuchulain alone, if he thought it a lighter task. He made known to them also the fair terms he had obtained from Medb of sending the same six warriors for the fulfilment of the covenant she had made with him, should Cuchulain fall by his hands.

⁶The folk of Ferdiad were not joyful, blithe, cheerful or merry that night,^{6 *}LL. fo. 82b. but they were sad, sorrowful and downcast, for they knew that where the two champions and the two bulwarks in a gap for a hundred, ⁷the two pillars of battle and strife of the men of Erin^{7 8}of that time⁸ met in combat, one or other of them would fall there or both would fall, and if it should be one of them, they believed it would be ⁹their king and⁹ their own lord ¹⁰that would fall there,¹⁰ for it was not easy to contend and do battle with Cuchulain on the Raid for the Kine of Cualnge.

Ferdiad slept right heavily the first part of the night, but when the end of the night was come, his sleep and his heaviness left him. And the anxiousness of the combat and the battle came upon him. ¹¹But most troubled in spirit was he that he should allow all the treasures to pass from him, and the maiden, by reason of combat with one man. Unless he fought with that one man, he must needs fight with six champions on the morrow. What tormented him more than that was, should he once show himself on the ford to Cuchulain he was certain he would never have power of head or of life ever after. And Ferdiad arose early on the morrow.¹¹ W. 3252. And he charged his charioteer to take his horses and to yoke his chariot. The charioteer sought to dissuade him ¹from that journey.^{1 2}"By our word,"² said the gilla, "'twould be better for thee^{a 3}to remain than to go thither," said he; "for, not more do I commend it for thee than I condemn it."³ "Hold thy peace about us, boy!" quoth Ferdiad, ⁴"for we will brook no interference from any one concerning this journey.^{4 5}For the promise we gave to Medb and Ailill in the presence of the men of Erin, it would shame us to break it; for they would say it was fear or dread that caused us to break it. And, by my conscience, I would almost liefer fall myself by Cuchulain's hand than that he should fall by mine on this occasion. And should Cuchulain fall by my hand on the ford of combat, then shall Medb and many of the men of Erin fall by my hand because of the pledge they extorted from me, and I drunken and merry.⁵ And in this manner he spake, ⁶conversing with the charioteer,⁶ and he uttered these words, ⁷the little lay that follows, urging on the charioteer,⁷ and the henchman responded:—

Ferdiad: