p to him afterwards.

"The broil of war arose between Ulster and Eogan son of Durthacht. The
Ulstermen go forth to the war. The lad Setanta is left behind asleep. The
men of Ulster are beaten. Conchobar and Cuscraid Menn ('the Stammerer') of
Macha are left on the field and many besides them. Their groans awaken the
lad. Thereat he stretches himself, so that the two stones are snapped that
are near him. This took place in the presence of Bricriu yonder," Fergus
added. "Then he gets up. I meet him at the door of the liss, I being
severely wounded. "Hey, God keep thy life,[a] O Fergus my master," says he;
"where is Conchobar?" "I know not," I answer. Thereupon he goes out. The
night is dark. He makes for the battlefield, until he sees before him a man
and half his head on him and half of another man on his back. "Help me,
Cuchulain," he cries; "I have been stricken, and I bear on my back half of
my brother. Carry it for me a while." "I will not carry it," says he.
Thereupon the man throws the load at him. Cuchulain throws it back from
him. They grapple with one another. Cuchulain is overthrown. Then I heard
something. It was Badb[a] from the corpses: "Ill the stuff of a warrior
that is there under the feet of a phantom." Thereat Cuchulain arises from
underneath him, and he strikes off his head with his playing-stick and
proceeds to drive the ball before him over the field of battle.

[a] A Christian salutation.

[a] The war-fury.

"Is my master Conchobar on this battle-field?" That one makes answer. He
goes towards him, to where he espies him in a ditch and the earth piled
around him on both sides to hide him. "Wherefore art thou come to the
battle-field?" Conchobar asks; "is it that thou mightst see mortal terror
there?" Then Cuchulain lifts him out of the ditch. The six strong men of
Ulster that were with us could not have lifted him out more bravely. "Get
thee before us to yonder house," says Conchobar, [1]"to make me a fire
there." He kindles a great fire for him. "Good now," quoth Conchobar,[1]
"if one would bring me a roast pig, I would live." "I will go fetch it,"
says Cuchulain. Thereupon he sallies out, when he sees a man at a
cooking-pit in the heart of the wood. One of his hands holds his weapons
therein, the other roasts the pork. Ill-favoured, indeed, is the man. For
the which, Cuchulain attacks him and takes his head and his pig with
him. Conchobar eats the pig then. "Let us go to our house," says C