have been brought to the camp."

[3]Cuchulain bade Laeg go to Lugaid, that he come to talk with him. Lugaid
came to Cuchulain. "So Ferbaeth comes to oppose me to-morrow," said
Cuchulain. "Aye, then," answered Lugaid.[3] [4]"Evil is this day," cried
Cuchulain. "I shall not be alive thereafter. Two of the same age are we,
two of equal deftness, two of equal weight, when we come together. O
Lugaid, greet him for me. Tell him, also, it is not the part of true valour
to come to oppose me. Tell him to come meet me to-night to speak with me."

[3-3] LU. and YBL. 1541-1544.

Lugaid brought back this word to Ferbaeth. [W.2183.] Now inasmuch as
Ferbaeth shunned not the parley,[4] he by no means waited till morn but
he went straightway [1]to the glen[1] [2]that night[2] to recant his
friendship with Cuchulain, [3]and Fiachu son of Ferfebe went with him.[3]
And Cuchulain called to mind the friendship and fellowship and brotherhood
[5]that had been between them,[5] [6]and Scathach, the nurse of them
both;[6] and Ferbaeth would not consent to forego the fight.[a] [7]"I must
fight," said Ferbaeth. "I have promised it [8]to Medb."[8] [9]"Friendship
with thee then is at an end,"[9] cried Cuchulain,[7] and in anger he
left him and drove the sole of his foot against a holly-spit [10]in the
glen,[10] so that it pierced through flesh and bone and skin [11]and came
out by his knee.[11] [12]Thereat Cuchulain became frantic, and he gave a
strong tug and[12] drew the spit out from its roots, [13]from sinew and
bone, from flesh and from skin.[13] [14]"Go not, Ferbaeth, till thou seest
the find I have made." "Throw it then," cried Ferbaeth.[14] And Cuchulain
threw the holly-spit over his shoulder after Ferbaeth, and he would as lief
that it reached him or that it reached him not. The spit struck Ferbaeth in
the nape of the neck,[b] so that it passed out through his [W.2192.] mouth
[1]in front[1] and fell to the ground, and thus Ferbaeth fell [2]backward
into the glen.[2]

[4-4] LU. and YBL. 1544-1549.

[1-1] Eg. 93.

[2-2] Eg. 93, LU. and YBL. 1549.

[3-3] LU. and YBL. 1550.

[4-4] See page 152, note 4.

[5-5] Stowe.

[6-6] LU. and YBL. 1551-1552.

[a] Reading, with Windisch, from Stowe which gives a better meaning
than LL.

[7-7] LU. and YBL. 1552-1553.

[8-8] YBL. 1553.

[9-9] Literally, 'Keep thy covenant, then!'

[10-10] LU. and YBL. 1554.

[11-11] LU. and YBL.