THE
SECOND BATTLE OF MAG TURED
The
Tuatha De Dannan lived in the northern isles of
the world, learning lore and magic and druidism
and wizardry and cunning, until they surpassed
the sages of the arts of heathendom. There were
four cities in which they learned lore and
science and diabolic arts, to wit Falias and
Gorias, Murias and Findias. Out of Falias was
brought the Stone of Fal, which was in Tara. It
used to roar under every king that would take the
realm of Ireland. Out of Gorias was brought the
Spear that Lug had. No battle was ever won
against it or him who held it in his hand. Out of
Findias was brought the Sword of Nuada. When it
was drawn from its deadly sheath, no one ever
escaped from it, and it was irresistible. Out of
Murias was brought the Dagda's Cauldron. No
company ever went from it unthankful. Four
wizards there were in those four cities. Morfesa
was in Falias: Esras was in Gorias: Uscias was in
Findias: Semias was in Murias. Those are the four
poets of whom the Tuatha De learnt lore and
science.
Now
the Tuatha De Danann made an alliance with the
Fomorians, and Balor grandson of Net gave his
daughter Ethne to Cian son of Diancecht, and she
brought forth the gifted child, Lug. The Tuatha
De came with a great fleet to Ireland to take it
from the Fir Bolg. They burnt their ships at once
on reaching the district of Corcu Belgatan (that
is, Connemara today), so that they should not
think of retreating to them; and the smoke and
the mist that came from the vessels filled the
neighboring land and air. Therefore it was
conceived that they had arrived in clouds of
mist. The first battle of Moytura was fought
between them and the Fir Bolg; and the Fir Bolg
were routed and a hundred thousand of them were
slain, including their king Eochaid son of Ere.
In
that battle, moreover, Nuada's hand was stricken
off--it was Sreng son of Sengann that struck it
off him--, so Diancecht the leech put on him a
hand of silver with the motion of every hand; and
Credne the brazier helped the leech.
Now
the Tuatha De Danann lost many men in the battle
including Edleo son of Alla, and Ernmas and
Fiachra and Turil Bicreo.
But
such of the Fir Bolg as escaped from the battle
went in flight to the Fomorians, and settled in
Arran and in Islay and in Mann and Rathlin.
A
contention as to the sovereignty of the men of
Ireland arose between the Tuatha De and their
women; because Nuada, after his hand has been
stricken off, was disqualified to be king. They
said that it would be fitter for them to bestow
the kingdom on Bres son of Elotha, on their own
adopted son; and that giving the kingdom to him
would bind the alliance of the Fomorians to them.
For his father, Elotha son of Delbaeth , was king
of the Fomorians.
Now
the conception of Bres came to pass in this way:
Eri,
Delbaeth's daughter, a woman of the Tuatha De,
was one day looking at the sea and the land from
the house of Maeth Sceni, and she beheld the sea
in perfect calm as if it were a level board. And
as she was there she saw a vessel of silver on
the sea. Its size she deemed great, but its shape
was not clear to her. And the stream of the wave
bore it to land. Then she saw that in it was a
man of fairest form.. Golden-yellow hair was on
him as far as his two shoulders. A mantle with
bands of golden thread was around him. His shirt
had trimmings of golden thread. On his breast was
a brooch of gold, with the sheen of a precious
stone therein. He carried two white silver spears
and in them two smooth riveted shafts of bronze.
Five circlets of gold adorned his neck, and he
was girded with a golden-hilted sword with inlays
of silver and studs of gold.
The
man said to her:" Is this the time that our
lying with thee will be easy?"
"I
have not made a tryst with thee, verily,"
said the woman.
But
they stretched themselves down together. The
woman wept when the man would rise.
"Why
weepest thou?" said he.
"I
have two things for which I should lamment,"
said the woman. "Parting from thee now that
we have met. And the fair youths of the Tuatha De
Dannann have been entreating me in vain, and my
desire is for thee since thou hast possessed
me."
"Thy
anxiety from these two things shall be taken
away," said he. He drew his golden ring from
his middle-finger, and put it into her hand, and
told her that she should not part with it, by
sale or by gift, save to one whose finger it
should fit.
"I
have another sorrow," said the woman.
"I know not who hath come to me."
"Thou
shall not be ignorant of that," said he.
"Elotha son of Delbaeth, king of the
Fomorians, hath come to thee. And of our meeting
thou shalt bear a son, and no name shall be given
him save Eochaid Bres, that is Eochaid the
beautiful; for every beautiful thing that is seen
in Ireland, whether plain or fortress or ale or
torch or woman or man or steed, will be judged in
comparison with that boy, so that man say of it
then "it is a bres".
After
that the man went back again by the way he had
come, and the woman went to her house, and to her
was given the famous conception.
She
brought forth the boy, and he was named, as
Elotha had said, Eochaid Bres. When a week after
the woman's lying-in was complete the boy had a
fortnight's growth; and he maintained that
increase till the end of his first seven years
when he reached a growth of fourteen years.
Because of the contest which took place among the
Tuatha De the sovereignty of Ireland was given to
the boy; and he gave seven hostages to Ireland's
champions, that is, to her chiefs, to guarantee
the restoring of the sovereignty if his own
misdeeds should give cause. His mother afterwards
bestowed land upon him, and on the land he had a
stronghold built, called Dun Bresse; and it was
the Dagda that built that fortress.
Now
when Bres had assumed the kingship, the
Fomorians, --Indech son of Dea Domnann, and
Elotha son of Delbaeth, and Tethra, three
Fomorian kings, laid tribute upon Ireland so that
there was not a smoke from a roof in Ireland that
was not under tribute to them. The champions were
also reduced to their service; to wit, Ogma had
to carry a bundle of firewood, and the Dagda
became a rath builder, and had to dig the
trenches about Rath Bresse.
The
Dagda became weary of the work, and he used to
meet in the house an idle blind man named
Cridenbel, whose mouth was out of his breast.
Cridenbel thought his own ration small and the
Dagda's large. Whereupon he said: " O Dagda!
Of thy honor let the three best bits of thy
ration be given to me!" So the Dagda used to
give them to him every night. Largge, however,
were the lampooner's bits the size of a good pig.
But those three bits were a third of the Dagda's
ration. The Dagda's health was the worse for
that.
One
day, then, as the Dagda was in the trench digging
a rath, he saw the Mac Oc coming to him.
"That is good, O Dagda," says the Mac
Oc.
"Even
so," said the Dagda.
"What
makes thee look so ill?" said the Mac Oc.
"I
have cause for it," said the Dagda, "
every evening Cridenbel the lampooner demands the
three best bits of my portion."
"I
have counsel for thee," said the Mac Oc. He
put his hand into his purse, took out three
crowns of gold, and gave them to him.
"Put
these three gold pieces into the three bits which
thou givest at close of day to Crindenbel,"
said the Mac Oc. "These bits will then be
the goodliest on thy dish; and the gold will turn
in his belly so that he will die thereof, and the
judgment of Bres thereon will be wrong. Men will
say to the king; "The Dagda has killed
Cridenbel by means of a deadly herb which he gave
him." Then the king will order thee to be
slain. But thou shalt say to him:" What thou
utterest, O king of the warriors of the Fene, is
not a prince's truth. For I was watched by
Cridenbel when I was at my work, and he used to
say to me "Give me, O Dagda, the three best
bits of thy portion. Bad is my housekeeping
tonight". So I should have perished thereby
had not the three gold coins which I found today
helped me. I Put them in my ration. I then gave
it to Cridenbel, for the gold was the best thing
that was before me. Hence, then, the gold is
inside Cridenbel, and he died of it." The
Dagda followed this advice, and was called before
the king.
"
It is clear", said the king. "Let the
lampooner's belly be cut open to know if the gold
be found therein. If it be not found, thou shalt
die. If, however, it be found, thou shalt have
life."
After
that they cut open the lampooner's belly, and the
three coins of gold were found in his stomach, so
the Dagda was saved. Then the Dagda went to his
work on the following morning, and to him cam the
Mac Oc and said: " Thou wilt soon finish thy
work, but thou shalt not seek reward till the
cattle of Ireland are brought to thee, and of
them choose a heifer black- maned."
Thereafter
the Dada brought his work to an end, and Bres
asked him what he would take as a reward for his
labor. The Dagda answered: " I charge
thee," said he, "to gather the cattle
of Ireland into one place." The king did
this as the Dagda asked, and the Dagda chose of
them the heifer which Mac Oc had told him to
choose. That seemed weakness to Bress: he thought
that the Dagda would have chosen somewhat more.
Now
Nuada was in his sickness, and Diancecht put on
him a hand of silver with the motion of every
hand therein. That seemed evil to his son Miach.
Miach went to the hand which had been replaced by
Diancecht, and he said "joint to joint of it
and sinew to sinew," and he healed Nuada in
thrice three days and nights. The first
seventy-tow hours he put it against his side, and
it became covered with skin. The second
seventy-tow hours he put it on his breast....that
cure seemed evil to Diancecht. He flung a sword
on the crown of his son's head and cut the skin
down to the flesh. The lad healed the wound by
means of his skill. Diancecht smote him again and
cut the flesh till he reached the bone. The lad
healed this by the same means. He struck him a
third blow and came to the membrane of his brain.
The lad healed this also by the same means. Then
he struck the fourth blow and cut out the brain
so that Miach died, and Diancecht said that the
leech himself could not heal him of that blow.
Thereafter
Miach was buried by Diancecht and herbs three
hundred and sixty-five, according to the number
of his joints and sinews, grew through the grave.
Then Airmed opened her mantle and separated those
herbs according to their properties. But
Diancecht came to her, and he confused the herbs,
so that no one knows their proper cures unless
the Holy Spirit should teach them afterwards. And
Diancecht said "If Miach be not, Airmed
shall remain."
So
Bres held the sovereignty as it had been
conferred upon him. But the chiefs of the Tuatha
De murmured greatly against him, for their knives
were not greased by him, and however often they
visited him their breaths did not smell of ale.
Moreover, they saw not their poets nor their
bards nor their lampooners nor their harpers nor
their pipers nor their jugglers nor their fools
amusing them in the household. They did not go to
the contexts of their athletes. They saw not
their champions proving their prowess at the
king's court, save only one man, Ogma son of
Ethliu. This was the duty which he had, to bring
fuel to the fortress. He used to carry a bundle
every day from Clew Bay islands. And because he
was weak from want of food, the sea would sweep
away from him two thirds of his bundle. So he
could only carry one third, and yet he had to
supply the host from day to day. Neither service
nor taxes were paid by the tribes, and the
treasures of the tribe were not delivered by the
act of the whole tribe.
Once
upon a time there came a-guesting to Bre's house,
Cairbre son of Etain, poet of the Tuatha De. He
entered a cabin narrow, black, dark, wherein
there was neither fire nor furniture nor bed.
Three small cakes, and they dry, were brought to
him on a little dish. On the morrow he arose and
he was not thankful. As he went across the
enclosure, he said:
Without
food quickly on a dish:
Without a
cow's milk whereon a calf grows;
Without a
man's abode in the gloom of night:
Without
paying a company of story-tellers, let
that be Bre's condition.
Let there
be no increase in Bres.
Now
that was true. Naught save decay was on Bres from
that hour. That is the first satire that was ever
made in Ireland.
Now
after that the Tuatha De went together to have
speech with their fosterson, Bres son of Elotha,
and demanded of him their sureties. He gave them
the restitution of the realm, and he was not well
pleased with them for that. He begged to be
allowed to remain till the end of seven years.
"That shall be granted," said the same
assembly; "but thou shalt remain on the same
security. Every fruit that comes to thy hand,
both house and land and gold and silver, cows and
food, and freedom from rent and taxes until
then"
"Ye
shall have as ye say," said Bres,
This
is why they were asked for the delay: that he
might gather the champions of the fairy-mound,
the Fomorians, to seize the tribes by force.
Grievous to him seemed his expulsion from his
kingdom.
Then
he went to his mother and asked her whence was
his race. "I am certain of that," said,
she and she went on to the hill hence she had
seen the vessel of silver in the sea. She then
went down to the strand, and gave him the ring
which had been left with her for him, and he put
I round his middle-finger and it fitted him,. For
the sake of no one had she formerly given it up,
either by sale or gift. Until that day there was
none whom it suited.
Then
they went forward till they reached the land of
the Fomorians. They came to a great plain with
many assemblies therein. They advanced to the
fairest of these assemblies. Tidings were
demanded of them there. They replied that they
were of the men of Ireland. They were then asked
whether they had hounds; for at that time it was
the custom, when a body of men went to an
assembly, to challenge them to a friendly
contest. " We have hounds." Said Bres.
Then the hounds had a coursing-match, and the
hounds of the Tuatha De were swifter than the
hounds of the Fomorians. Then they were asked
whether they had steeds for a horse-race. They
answered, " We have"; and their steeds
were swifter than the steeds oaf the Fomorians.
They were then asked whether they had any one who
was good at sword-play. None was found save Bres
alone. So when he set his hand to the sword, his
father recognized the ring on his finger and
inquired who was the hero. His mother answered on
his behalf and told the king that Bres was as son
of his. Then she related to him the whole story
even as we have recounted it.
His
father was sorrowful over him. Said the
father:" What need has brought thee out of
the land wherein thou didst rule?"
Bres
replied:"Nothing has brought me save my own
injustice and arrogance. I stript them of their
jewels and treasures and their own food. Neither
tribute nor taxes had been taken from them up to
that time".
"That
is bad," said the father. "Better were
their prosperity than their kingship. Better
their prayers than their curses. Why hast thou
come hither?"
"I
have come to ask you for champions," said
he. " I would take that land by force."
"Thou
shouldst not gain it by injustice if thou didst
not gain it by justice," said the father.
"Then
what counsel hast thou for me?" said Bres.
Thereafter
he sent Bres to the champion, to Balor grandson
of Net, the king of the Isles, and to Indech son
of Dea Domnann the king of the Fomorians; and
these assembled all the troops from Lochlann
westwards unto Ireland, to impose their tribute
and their rule by force on the Tuatha De, so that
they made one bridge of vessels from the
Foreigner's Isles to Erin. Never came to Ireland
an army more horrible or fearful than that host
of the Fomorians. Men from Scythia of Lochlann
and men out of the Western Isles were rivals in
that expedition.
Now
as to the Tuatha De, this is what they were
doing. After Bres, Nuada was again in sovereignty
over the Tuatha De. At that time he held a mighty
feast at Tara for them. Now there was a certain
warrior on his way to Tara, whose name was Lug
Samildanach. And there were then two doorkeepers
at Tara, namely Gamal son of Figal and Camaall
son of Riagall. When one of these was on duty he
saw a strange company coming towards him. A young
warrior fair and shapely, with a king's
trappings, was in the forefront of that band.
They told the doorkeeper to announce their
arrival at Tara. The doorkeeper asked:"Who
is there?"
"Here
there is lug Lamfada (i.e. Lugh Long-Arm) son of
Cian son of Diancecht and of Ethne daughter of
Balor. Fosterson, he, of Tailltiu daughter of
Magmor king of Spain and of Eochaid the Rough son
of Duach."
The
doorkeeper asked of Lug Samildanach: "What
art dost thou practice?" Said he; " for
no one without an art enters Tara."
"Question
me," said he; I am a wright."
The
doorkeeper answered:"We need thee not. We
have a wright already, even Luchta son of
Luachaid."
He
said: " Question me, O doorkeeper! I am a
smith."
The
doorkeeper answered him:"We have a smith
already, Colum Cualleineach of the three new
processes."
He
said:" Question me: I am a champion."
The
doorkeeper answered: We need thee not. We have a
champion already, Ogma son of Ethliu."
He
said again:"Question me: I am a
harper."
"We
need thee not. We have a harper already, Abcan
son of Bicelmos whom the Tuatha De Danann chose
in the fairy mounds."
Said
he:"Question me I am a hero."
The
doorkeeper answered:" We need thee not. We
have a hero already, even Bresal Etarlam son of
Eochaid Baethlam."
Then
he said:" Question me, O doorkeeper! I am a
poet and I am a historian."
"We
need thee not. We have already a poet and
historian, even En son of Ethaman."
He
said," Question me: I am a sorcerer."
"We
need thee not. We have sorcerers already. Many
are our wizards and our folk of might."
He
said:" Question me; I am a leech."
"We
need thee not. We have for a leech
Diancecht."
"Question
me,"said he; I am a cupbearer."
"We
need thee not. We have cupbearers already, even
Delt and Drucht and Daithe, Tae and Talom and
Trog, Glei and Glan and Glesi."
He
said: "Question me: I am a good
brazier."
"We
need thee not. We have a brazier already, Credne
Cerd."
He
said again, "Ask the king." Said he,
"whether he has a single man who possesses
all these arts, and if he has I will not enter
Tara."
Then
the doorkeeper went into the palace and declared
all to the king. "A warrior has come before
the enclosure," said he. "His name is
Samildanach (many-gifted), and all the arts which
thy household practice he himself possesses, so
that he is the man of each and every art."
The
king said then that the chess-boards of Tara
should be taken to Samildanach, and he won all
the stakes, so that then he made the Cro of Lug.
(But if chess was invented at the epoch of the
Trojan war, it had not reached Ireland then, for
the battle of Moytura and the destruction of Troy
occurred at the same time)
then
that was related to Nuada. "Let him into the
enclosure," says he; " for never before
has man like him entered this fortress."
Then
the doorkeeper let Lug pass him, and he entered
the fortress and sat down in the sage's seat, for
he was a sage in every art.
Then
the great flag-stone, to move which required the
effort of four-score yoke of oxen, Ogma hurled
through the house, so that it lay on the outside
of Tara. This was a challenge to Lug. But Lug
cast it back, so that it lay in the center of the
palace and made it whole.
"Let
a harp be played for us,"said the company.
So the warrior played a sleep-strain for the
hosts and for the king the first night. He cast
them into sleep from that hour to the same time
on the following day. He played a wail-strain, so
that they were crying and lamenting. He played a
laugh-strain, so that they were in merriment and
joyance.
Now
Nuada, when he beheld the warrior's many powers,
considered whether Samildanach could put away
from the bondage which they suffered from the
Fomorians. So they held a council concerning the
warrior. The decision to which Nuada cam was to
change seats with the warrior. So Samildanach
went to the king's seat, and the king rose up
before him till thirteen days had ended. Then on
the morrow he met with the two brothers, Dagda
and Ogma, on Grellach Dollaid. And his brothers
Goibniu and Diancecht were summoned to them. A
full year were they in that secret converse,
wherefore Grellach Dollaid is called Amrun of the
Tuatha De Danann.
Thereafter
the wizards of Ireland were summoned to them, and
their medical men and charioteers and smiths and
farmers and lawyers. They held speech with them
in secret. Then Nuada inquired of the sorcerer
whose name was Mathgen what power he could wield?
He answered that through his contrivance he would
cast the mountains of Ireland on the Fomorians,
and roll their summits against the ground. And he
declared to them that the twelve chief mountains
of the land of Erin would support the Tuatha De
Danann, in battling for them, to wit, Sliab
League, and Denna Ulad and the Mourne Mountains,
and Bri Ruri and Sliab Bladma and Sliab Snechtai,
Sliab Mis and Blisliab and Nevin and Sliab Maccu
Belgadan and Segals and Cruachan Aigle.
Then
he asked the cupbearer what power he could yield.
He answered that he would bring the twelve chief
lochs of Ireland before the Fomorians, and that
they would not find water therein, whatever
thirst might seize them. These are those lochs:
Dergloch, Loch Luimnigh, Loch Corrib, Loch Ree,
Loch Mask, Strangford Loch, Belfast Loch, Loch
Neagh, Loch Foyle, Loch Gara, Loch Reag, Marloch.
They would betake themselves to the twelve chief
rivers of Ireland- Bush, Boyne, Baa, Nem, Lee,
Shannon, Moy, Sligo, Erne, Finn, Liffey, Sui; and
they will all be hidden from the Fomorians,so
that they will not find a drop therein. Drink
shall be provided for the men of Ireland, though
they bide in the battle to the end of seven
years.
Then
said Figol son of Matmos, their druid:" I
will cause three showers of fire to pour on the
faces of the Fomorian host, and I will take out
of them tow thirds of their valor and their
bravery and their strength, and I will bind their
urine in their own bodies and in the bodies of
their horses. Every breath that the men of
Ireland shall exhale will be an increase in valor
and bravery and strength to them.. Though they
bide in the battle till the end of seven years,
they will not be weary in any wise."
Said
the Dagda:" The power such ye boast I shall
wield it all by myself" "It is thou art
the Dagda (good hand), with everyone": Then
they separated from the council, agreeing to meet
again that day three years.
Now
when the provision of the battle had been
settled, Lug and Dagda and Ogma went to the three
Gods of Danu, and these gave Lug the plan of the
battle; and for seven years they were preparing
for it and making their weapons.
The
Dagda had a house in Glenn Etin in the north, and
he had to meet a woman in Glenn Etin a year from
that day, about Samain (Hallowe'en) before the
battle. The river Unis of Connacht roars to the
south of it. He beheld the woman in Unius in
Corann, washing herself, with one of her two feet
at Allod Echae (i.e. Echumech) , to the south of
the water, and the other at Loscuinn, to the
north of the water. Nine loosened tresses were on
her head. The Dagda, conversed with her, and they
made a union. "The bed of the Couple"
is the name of the place thenceforward. The woman
that is here mentioned is the Morrigu. Then she
told the Dagda that the Fomorians would land at
Mag Scetne, and that he should summon Erin's men
of art to meet her at the Ford of Unius, and that
she would go into Scetne to destroy Indech son of
Dea Domnann, the king of the Fomorians and would
deprive him of the blood of his heart and the
kidneys of his valor. Afterwards she gave two
handfuls of that blood to the hosts that were
waiting at the Ford of Unius. "Ford of
Destruction" became its name, because of
that destruction of the king. Then that was done
by the wizards, and they chanted spells on the
hosts of the Fomorians.
This
was a week before Samain, and each of them
separated from the other until all the men of
Ireland came together on Samain. Six times thirty
hundred was their number, that is, twice thirty
hundred in every third.
Then
Lug sent the Dagda to spy out the Fomorians and
to delay them until the men of Ireland should
come to the battle. So the Dagda went to the camp
of the Fomorians and asked them for a truce of
battle. This was granted to him as he asked.
Porridge was then made for him by the Fomorians,
and this was done to mock him, for great was his
love for porridge. They filled for him the king's
cauldron, five fists deep, into which went
four-scored gallons of new milk and the like
quantity of meal and fat. Goats and sheep and
swine were put into it, and they were all boiled
together with the porridge. The were spilt for
him into a hole in the ground, and Indech told
him that he would be put to death unless he
consumed it all; he should eat his fill so that
he might not reproach the Fomorians with
inhospitality.
Then
the Dagda took his ladle, and it was big enough
for a man and woman to lie on the middle of it.
These then were the bits that were in it, halves
of salted swine and a quarter of lard. "Good
food this," said the Dagda....
At
the end of the meal he put his curved finger over
the bottom of the hole on mold and gravel. Sleep
came upon him then after eating his porridge.
Bigger than a house-cauldron was his belly, and
the Fomorians laughed at it. Then he went away
from them to the strand of Eba. Not easy was it
for the hero to move along owing to the bigness
of his belly. Unseemly was his apparel.. A cape
to the hollow of his two elbows. A dun tunic
around him, as far as the swelling of his rump.
It was moreover, long breasted ,with a hole in
the peak. Two brogues on him of horse-hide, with
the hair outside. Behind him a wheeled fork to
carry which required the effort of eight men, so
that its track after him was enough for the
boundary-ditch of a province. Wherefore it is
called"The Track of the Dagda's Club"
Then
the Fomorians marched till they reached Scente.
The men of Ireland were in Mag Aurfolaig. These
two hosts were threatening battle. "The men
of Ireland venture to offer battle to us."
Sais Bres son of Elotha to Indech son of Dea
Domnann. "I will fight anon," said
Indech, "so that their bones will be small
unless they pay their tributes."
Because
of Lug's knowledge the men of Ireland had made a
resolution not to let him go into battle. So his
nine fosterers were left to protect him,
Tollus-dam and Ech-dam and Eru,Rechtaid the white
and Fosad and Fedlimid, Ibor and Sclbar and Minn.
They feared an early death for the hero owing to
the multitude of his arts. Therefore they did not
let him forth to the fight.
The
chiefs of the Tuatha De Danann were gathered
round Lug. And he asked his smith, Gopibniu, what
power he wielded for them? "Not hard to
tell," said he. "Though the men of Erin
bide in the battle to the end of seven years, for
every spear that parts from its shaft, or sword
that shall break therein, I will provide a new
weapon in its place. No spear-point which my hand
shall forge," said he, "shall make a
missing cast. No skin which it pierces shall
taste life afterwards. That has not been done by
Dolb the smith of the Fomorians."
"And
thou, O Diancecht,"said Lug, "what
power canst thou wield?"
"Not
hard to tell, "said he. "Every man who
shall be wounded there, unless his head be cut
off, or the membrane of his brain or his spinal
marrow be severed, I will make quite whole in the
battle on the morrow."
"And
thou, O Credne," said Lug to his brazier,
"what is thy power in the battle?"
"Not
hard to tell," said Credne. "Rivets for
their spears and hilts for their swords, and
boses and rims for their shields, I will supply
them all."
"And
thou, O Luchta," said Lug to his wright,
"what service wilt thou render in the
battle?"
"Not
hard to tell, said Luchta. "All the shields
and javelinshafts they require, I will supply
them all."
"And
thou, O Ogma," said Lug to his champion,
"what is thy power in the battle?"
"Not
hard to tell," said he. "I will repel
the king and three enneads of his friends, and
capture up to a third of his men."...
"And
ye,O sorcerers," said Lug, ":what power
will you wield/"
"Not
hard to tell," said the sorcerers. "We
shall fill them with fear when they have been
overthrown by our craft, till their heroes are
slain, and deprive them of two thirds of their
might, with constraint on their urine."
"And
ye, O cupbearers," said Lug, "what
power?"
"Not
hard to tell, "said the cupbearers. "
We will bring a strong thirst upon them, and they
shall not find drink to quench it."
"And
ye, O druids," said Lug, "what
power?"
"Not
hard to tell," said the druids. " We
will bring showers of fire on the faces of the
Fomorians, so that they cannot look upwards, and
so that the warriors who are contending with them
may slay them by their might."
"And
thou, O Cairbre son of Etain," said Lug to
his poet, "what power canst thou wield in
the battle?"
"Not
hard to tell," said Cairbre. "I will
make a satire on them. And I will satirize them
and shame them, so that through the spell of my
art they will not resist warriors."
"And
ye, O Be-cuile and O Dianann," said Lug to
his two witches," what power can ye wield in
the battle?"
"Not
hard to tell," said they. "We will
enchant the trees and the stones and the sods of
the earth, so that they shall become a host under
arms against them, and shall rout them in flight
with horror and trembling."
"And
thou, O Dagda," said Lug," what power
canst thou wield on the Fomorian host in the
battle?"
"Not
hard to tell," said the Dagda. "I will
take the side of the men of Erin both in mutual
smiting and destruction and wizardry. Under my
club the bones of the Fomorians will be as many
as hailstones under the feet of herds of horses
where you meet on the battlefield of
Moytura."
So
thus Lug spoke with every one of them in turn;
and he strengthened and addressed his army, so
that each man of them had the spirit of a king or
a mighty lord. Now everyday a battle was fought
between the tribe of the Fomorians and the Tuatha
De, save only that kings or princes were not
delivering it, but only keen and haughty folk.
Now
the Fomorians marveled at a certain thing which
was revealed to them in the battle. Their spears
and their swords were blunted and broken and such
of their men as were slain did not return on the
morrow. But it was not so with the Tuatha De. For
though their weapons were blunted and broken
today, they were renewed on the morrow, because
Goibniu he smith was in the forge making swords
and spears and javelins. For he would make those
weapons by three turns. Then Luchta the wright
would make the spearshafts by three chippings,
and the third chipping was a finish and would set
them in the ring of the spear. When the
spearheads were stuck in the side of the forge he
would throw the rings with the shafts and it was
needless to set them again. Then Credne the
brazier would make the rivets by three turns, and
would cast the rings of the spears to them. And
thus they used to cleave together.
This
then is what used to put fire into the warriors
who were slain, so that they were swifter on the
morrow. Because Diancecht and his two sons,
Octriull and Miach, and his daughter Airmed sang
spells over the well named Slane. Now their
mortally wounded men were cast into it as soon as
they were slain. They were alive when they came
out. Their mortally wounded became whole through
the might of the incantation of the four leeches
who were about the well. Now that was harmful to
the Fomorians, so they sent a man of them to spy
out the battle and the actions of the Tuatha De,
namely Ruadan son of Bres and of Brig the Dagda's
daughter. For he was a son and a grandson of the
Tuatha De. Then he related to the Fomorians the
work of the smith and the wright and the brazier
and the four leeches who were around the well. He
was sent again to kill one of the artisans, that
is Goibniu. From him he begged a spear, its
rivets from the brazier and its shaft from the
wright. So all was given to him as he asked.
There was a woman there grinding the weapons,
Cron mother of Fianlug; she it is that ground
Ruadan's spear. Now the spear was given to Ruadan
by a chief, wherefore the name "a chief's
spear" is still given to weaver's beams in
Erin.
Now
after the spear had been given to him, Ruadan
turned and wounded Goibniu. But
plucked
out the spear and cast it at Ruadan, so that it
went through him, and he died in the presence of
his father in the assembly of the Fomorians. The
Brig came and bewailed her son. She shrieked at
first, she cried at last.
So
that then for the first time crying and shrieking
were heard in Erin. Now it was that Brig who
invented a whistle for signaling at night.
Then
Goibniu into the well, and he became whole. There
was a warrior with the Fomorians, Octriallach son
of Indech son of Dea Domnann, son of the Fomorian
king. He told the Fomorians that each man of them
should bring a stone of the stones of Drowes to
cast into the well of Slane in Achad Abla to the
west of Moytura, to the east of Loch Arboch. So
they went, and a stone for each man was cast into
the well. Wherefore the cairn thus made is called
Octriallach's Carn. But another name for that
well is Loch Luibe, for Diancecht put into it one
of every herb (lub) that grew in Erin.
Now
that when the great battle came, the Fomorians
marched out of their camp, and formed themselves
into strong battalions. Not a chief nor man of
prowess of them was without a hauberk against his
skin, a helmet on his head, a broad spear in his
right hand, a heavy sharp sword on his belt, a
firm shield on his shoulder. To attack the
Fomorian host on that day was "striking a
head against a cliff," was " a hand in
a serpent's nest," was "a face up to
fire". These were the kings and chiefs that
were heartening the host of the Fomorians,
namely, Balor son of Dot son of Net, Bres son of
Elotha, Tuiri Tortbuillech son of Lobos, Gol and
Irgol Loscennlomm son of Lommgluech, Indech son
of Dea Domnann the king of the Fomorians,
Octriallach son of Indech, Omna and Bagna, Elotha
son of Delbaeth.
On
the other side the Tuatha De Danann arose and
left their nine comrades keeping Lug, and they
marched to the battle. When the battle began, Lug
escaped from his guardians with his charioteer,
so that it was he who was in front of the hosts
of the Tuatha De. Then a keen and cruel battle
was fought between the tribe of the Fomorians and
the men of Ireland. Lug was heartening the men of
Ireland that they should fight the battle
fervently, so that they should not be any longer
in bondage. For it was better for them to find
death in protecting their fatherland than to bide
under bondage and tribute as they had been...
The
hosts uttered a great shout as they entered the
battle. Then they came together and each of them
began to smite the other. Many fine men fell
there. Great the slaughter and the grave-lying
that was there. Pride and shame were there side
by side. There was anger and indignation.
Abundant was the stream of blood there over the
white skin of young warriors mangled by the hands
of eager men. Harsh was the noise of the heros
and the champions mutually fending their spears
and their shields and their bodies when the
others were smiting them with spears and with
swords. Harsh, moreover, was the thunder that was
there throughout the battle, the shouting of the
warriors and the clashing of the shields, the
flashing and whistling of the glaives and the
ivory-hilted swords, the rattling and jingling of
the quivers, the sound and winging of the darts
and the javelins, and the crashing of the
weapons. The ends of their fingers and of their
feet almost met in the mutual blows, and owing to
the slipperiness of the blood under the feet of
the soldiers, they would fall from their upright
posture and beat their heads together as they
sat. The battle was a gory, ghastly melee, and
the river Unsenn rushed with corpses.
Then
Nuada Silver-Hand and Macha, daughter of Ernmass,
fell by Balor grandson of Net. And Cassmael fell
by Octriallach son of Indech. Lug and Balor of
the Piercing Eye met in the battle. An evil eye
had Balor the Fomorian. That eye was never opened
save only on a battlefield. Four men used to lift
up the lid of the eye with a polished handle
which passed through its lid. If an army looked
at the eye, though they were many thousands in
number they could not resist a few warriors. It
had a poisonous power. Once when his father's
druids were concocting charms, he came and looked
out of the window, and the fume of the concoction
came under it , so that the poison of the
concoction afterwards penetrated the eye that
looked. He and Lug met. "Lift up mine
eyelid, my lad," said Balo, "that I may
see the babbler who is conversing with me."
The
lid was raised from Balor's eye. Then Lug cast a
sling - stone at him, which carried the eye
through his head while his own army looked on.
And the sling-stone fell on the host of the
Fomorians, and thrice nine of them died beside
it, so that the crowns of their heads came
against the breast of Indech son of Dea Domnann,
and a gush of blood sprang over his lips. Said
Indech: "Let Loch Half-green my poet be
summoned to me!" Hall-green was he from the
ground to the crown of his head.
Loch
went to the king. " Make known to me,"
said Indech, "who has flung this cast on
me."
Then
the Morrigu, daughter of Ernmass, came, and
heartened the Tuatha De to fight the battle
fiercely and fervently. Thereafter the battle
became a rout, and the Fomorians were beaten back
to the sea. The champion Ogma son of Ethliu, and
Indech son of Dea Domnann the king of the
Fomorians, fell in single combat. Loch Half green
besought Lug for quarter. "Give me my three
wishes," said Lug.
"Thou
shalt have them," said Loch. "Till Doom
I will ward off from Ireland all plundering by
the Fomorians, and , at the end of the world,
every ailment." So Loch was spared. Then he
sang to the Gael the "decree of
fastening."
Loch
said that he would bestow names on Lug's nine
chariots because of the quarter that had been
given him. So Lug told him to name them.
"What
is the number of the slain?" said Lug to
Loch.
"I
know not the number of peasants and rabble. As to
the number of Fomorian lords and nobles and
champions and kings sons and overkings I know,
even five thousand three score and three men: two
thousand and three fifties: four score thousand
and nine times five: eight score and eight: four
score and seven: four score and six: eight score
and eight: four score and seven: four score and
six: eight score and five: tow and forty
including Net's grandson. That is the number of
the slain of the Fomorian overkings and high
nobles who fell in the battle. Howbeit, as to the
number of peasants and common people and rabble,
and folk of every art besides who came in company
with the great army-for every champion and every
high chieftain and every overking of the
Fomorians came with his host to the battle, so
that all fell there, both his freemen and his
slaves- we reckon only a few of the servants of
the overkings. This then is the number that I
have reckoned of these as I beheld: seven
hundred, seven score and seven men...together
with Sab Uanchennach son of Cairbre Cole, son was
he of a servant of Indech son of Dea Domnann,
that is a son of a servant of the Fomorian king.
As to what fell besides of "half men"
and of those who reached not the heart of the
battle, these are in no wise numbered till we
number stars of heaven , sand of sea, flakes of
snow, dew on lawn, hailstones, grass under feet
of herds, and Manannan mac Lir's horses (waves)
in a sea storm." Thereafter Lug and his
comrades found Bres son of Elotha unguarded. He
said:"It is better to give me quarter than
to slay me."
"What
then will follow from that?" said Lug
"If
I be spared," says Bress, "the cows of
Erin will always be in milk."
"I
will set this forth to our wise men," said
Lug.
So
Lug went to Maeltne Mor-brethach , and said to
him:"Shall Bress have quarter for giving
constant milk to the cows of Erin?" "
He shall not have quarter," said Maeltne;
"he has no power over their age or their
offspring, though he can milk them so long as
they are alive."
Lug
said to Bress: "That does not save thee:
thou hast no power over their age and their
offspring, though thou canst milk them. Is there
aught else that will save thee, O Bres?"
said Lug.
"There
is in truth, Tell thy lawyer that for sparing me
the men of Ireland shall reap a harvest in very
quarter of the year."
Said
Lug to Maeltne:"Shapp Bres be spared for
giving the men of Ireland a harvest of corn every
quarter?"
"This
has suited us," said Maeltne:"the
spring for ploughing and sowing, and the
beginning of summer for the end of the strength
of corn, and the beginning of autumn for the end
of the ripeness of corn and for reaping it.
Winter for consuming it"
"That
does not rescue thee," said Lug to Bres;
"but less than that rescues thee."
"What?"
said Bres.
"How
shall the men of Ireland Plough? How shall they
sow? How shall they reap? After making known
these three things thou wilt be spared."
"Tell
them , said Bres, :that their ploughing be on a
Tuesday, their casting seed into the field be on
a Tuesday, their reaping on a Tuesday." So
through that stratagem Bres was let go free.
In
that fight, then, Ogma the champion found Orna
the sword of Tethra, a king of the Fomorians.
Ogma unsheathed the sword and cleansed it. Then
the sword related whatsoever had been done by it;
for it was the custom of swords at that time,
when unsheathed, to set forth the deeds that had
been done by them. And therefore swords are
entitled to the tribute of cleansing them after
they have been unsheathed. Hence also, charms are
preserved in swords thenceforward. Now the reason
why deamons used to speak from weapons at that
time was because weapons were worshipped by human
beings at that epoch, and the weapons were among
the safeguards of that time...
Now
Lug and the Dagda and Ogma pursued the Fomorians,
for they had carried off the Dagda's harper,
whose name was Uaitne. Then they reached the
banqueting-house in which were Bres son of Elotha
and Elotha son of Delbaeth. There hung the harp
on the wall. That is the harp in which Dagda had
bound the melodies so that they sounded not until
by his call he summoned them forth; when he said
this below:
Come Daurdabla!
Come Coir-cethar-chuir!
Copme summer, Come
winter!
Mouths of harps and bags
and pipes!
Now
that harp had tow names, Daur-da-bla "Oak of
two greens" and Coir-cethar-chuir
"Four-angled music."
Then
the harp went forth from the wall, and killed
nine men, and came to the Dagda. And he played
for them the three things whereby harpers are
distinguished, to wit, sleep-strain and
smile-strain and wail-strain. He played
wail-strain to them, so that their tearful women
wept. He played smile-strain to them , so their
women and children laughed. He played
sleep-strain to them, and the company fell
asleep. Through that sleep the three of them
escaped unhurt from the Fomorians though these
desired to slay them.
Then
the Dagda brought with him the heifer which had
been given to him for his labor. For when she
called her calf all the cattle of Ireland which
the Fomorians had taken as their tribute, grazed.
Now
after the battle has won and corpses cleared
away, the Morrigu, daughter of Ernmas, proceeded
to proclaim that battle and the mighty victory
which had taken place, to the royal heights of
Ireland and to its fairy hosts and its chief
waters and its river mouths. And hence it is that
Badb (i.e.,the Morrigu) also describes high
deeds. "Hast thou any tale?" said
everyone to her then. And she replied:
Peace up to heaven
Heaven down to earth
Earth under heaven
Strength in every
one....
Then
moreover she was prophesying the end of the
world, and foretelling every evil that would be
therein, and every disease and every vengeance.
Wherefore then she sang this lay below:
I shall not see a world
that will be dear to me
Summer without flowers
Kine will be without
milk,
Women without modesty,
Men without valor,
Captures without a
king...
Woods without mast,
Sea without produce...
Wrong judgments of old
men,
False precedents of
lawyers,
Every man a betrayer,
Every boy a reaver
Son will enter his
fathers bed,
Father will enter his
son's bed,
Every one will be his
brother's brother in law....
An evil time!
Son will deceive his
father,
Daughter will deceive
her
mother.
- ~
From
ed., trans., Whitley Stokes, RC,XII (1891),
52-130,306-308.BIP,I 83;II,71,
Cross,Tom
Peete and Clark Harris Slover.,Ancient Irish
Tales,Figgis,Dublin,1936,Barnes and Noble,1969
pp.28-48.
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