heir persons and their
shame[b] to him. [2]"Let the young women go," said Conchobar, "and bare
their paps and their breasts and their swelling bosoms, and if he be a true
warrior he will not withstand being bound, and he shall be placed in a vat
of cold water until his anger go from him."[2] [3]Thereupon[3] the young
women all [4]arose and[4] marched out, [5]and these are the names of those
queens: Sgamalus and Sgannlach and Sgiathan, Feidlim and Deigtini
Finnchas, and Finngheal and Fidniam and Niam, daughter of Celtchar son of
Uthechar[5]; and they discovered their nakedness and all their shame to
him. [6]"These are the warriors that will meet thee to-day," quoth Mugain,
wife of Conchobar son of Ness.[6] The lad hid his face from them and turned
his gaze on the chariot, that he might not see the nakedness or the shame
of the women.[c] Then the lad was lifted out of the chariot. He was placed
in three vats of cold water to extinguish his wrath; and the first vat into
which he was put burst its staves and its hoops like the cracking of nuts
around him. [W.1367.] The next vat [1]into which he went[1] [2]boiled with
bubbles as big as fists[2] therefrom. The third vat [3]into which he
went,[3] some men might endure it and others might not. Then the boy's
wrath went down.

[b] 'Breasts,' LU. and YBL. 720.

[2-2] H. 2. 17.

[3-3] H. 2. 17.

[4-4] H. 2. 17.

[5-5] H. 2. 17.

[6-6] LU. and YBL. 720-721.

[c] This exposure was a powerful magico-religious symbol and had a
quasi-sacred or ritual character.

[1-1] Stowe.

[2-2] Translating from Stowe and H. 2. 17.

[3-3] H. 2. 17.

"[4]Thereupon he came out,[4] and his [5]festive[5] garments were put on
him [6]by Mugain the queen.[6] His comeliness appeared on him [LL.fo.68a.]
and he made a crimson wheel-ball of himself from his crown to the
ground. [7]A shout was raised at the bluish purple about him.[7]
[8]Beautiful then was the lad[8] [9]that was raised up in view.[9] Seven
toes he had to each of his two feet, and seven fingers to each of his two
hands, and seven pupils to each of his two kingly eyes, and seven gems of
the brilliance of the eye was each separate pupil. Four spots of down on
either of his two cheeks: a blue spot, a purple spot, a green spot, a
yellow spot. Fifty strands of bright-yellow hair from one ear to the other,
like to a comb of birch twigs or like to a brooch of pale gold in the face
of the sun. A