n high,' said Cuchulainn.

Cuchulainn throws the spear at him, but it was on high, so that
from above it alighted in his crown, and it went through him to the
ground.

'Alas! it is you are the best warrior in Ireland!' said Nadcrantail.
'I have twenty-four sons in the camp. I will go and tell them what
hidden treasures I have, and I will come that you may behead me,
for I shall die if the spear is taken out of my head.'

'Good,' said Cuchulainn. 'You will come back.'

Nadcrantail goes to the camp then. Every one comes to meet him.

'Where is the madman's head?' said every one.

'Wait, O heroes, till I tell my tale to my sons, and go back that I
may fight with Cuchulainn.'

He goes thence to seek Cuchulainn, and throws his sword at
Cuchulainn. Cuchulainn leaps on high, so that it struck the pillar,
and the sword broke in two. Then Cuchulainn went mad as he had done
against the boys in Emain, and he springs on his shield therewith,
and struck his head off. He strikes him again on the neck down to
the navel. His four quarters fall to the ground. Then Cuchulainn
said this:

'If Nadcrantail has fallen,
It will be an increase to the strife.
Alas! that I cannot fight at this time
With Medb with a third of the host.'

HERE IS THE FINDING OF THE BULL ACCORDING TO THIS VERSION:

It is then that Medb went with a third of the host with her to Cuib
to seek the Bull; and Cuchulainn went after her. Now on the road of
Midluachair she had gone to harry Ulster and Cruthne as far as Dun
Sobairche. Cuchulainn saw something: Bude Mac Bain from Sliab
Culinn with the Bull, and fifteen heifers round him; and his force
was sixty men of Ailill's household, with a cloak folded round
every man. Cuchulainn comes to them.

'Whence have you brought the cattle?' said Cuchulainn.

'From the mountain yonder,' said the man.'

'Where are their cow-herds?' said Cuchulainn.

'He is as we found him,' said the man.

Cuchulainn made three leaps after them to seek speech with them as
far as the ford. It is there he said to the leader:

'What is your name?' said he.

'One who fears you not(?) and loves you not; Bude Mac Bain,' said
he.

'This spear at Bude!' said Cuchulainn. He hurls at him the javelin,
so that it went through his armpits, and one of the livers broke in
two before the spear. He kills him on his ford; hence is Ath Bude.
The Bull is brought into the camp then. They considered then that