s the house the
others accompanied her, step for step; and the noise of their
returning footsteps as they raced along alarmed their husbands.
Sencha, the king's wise counsellor, reassured them, saying, "It is
only a woman's quarrel; Bricriu has stirred up enmity among the wives
of the heroes"; and as he spoke Emer reached the hall, having suddenly
outrun the others; but the doors were shut. Then followed bitter
complaints from Fedelm and Lendabair, both united against Emer, as
their husbands had been against Cuchulain. Again King Conor was forced
to call for silence, since each hero was supporting his own wife's
claims to be queen of the Ulster women. The strife was only calmed by
the promise that the claim to the highest place should be settled by
Ailill and Meave of Connaught, who would be impartial judges.

The Heroes Journey to Connaught

Bricriu's feast lasted for three days longer, and then King Conor and
the Red Branch heroes returned to Armagh. There the dispute about the
Championship began again, and Conor sent the heroes to Cruachan, in
Connaught, to obtain a judgment from King Ailill. "If he does not
decide, go to Curoi of Munster, who is a just and wise man, and will
find out the best hero by wizardry and enchantments." When Conor had
decided thus, Laegaire and Conall, after some disputation as to who
should start first, had their chariots got ready and drove towards
Cruachan, but Cuchulain stayed amusing himself and the women in
Armagh. When his chariot-driver reproached him with losing the
Champion's Portion through laziness Cuchulain replied: "I never
thought about it, but there is still time to win it. Yoke my steeds to
the chariot." By this time, however, the other two heroes were far,
very far, in advance, with the chief men of Ulster following them.

Cuchulain's Steeds

Cuchulain had quite lately won two mighty magic steeds, which arose
from two lonely lakes--the Grey of Macha, his best-beloved horse, and
the Black Sainglain. The struggle between the hero and these magic
steeds had been terrible before he had been able to tame them and
reduce them to submission; now he had them yoked to his chariot, and
when he had once started he soon came up with the other two heroes,
and all three drove furiously towards Cruachan, with all the warriors
of Ulster behind them.

[Illustration: "All three drove furiously towards Cruachan"]

Queen Meave Watches the Heroes

The noise of the advancing war-c