port was made of him in the camp for that he
had no beard, and that no good warrior would go meet him but only madmen.
It were easier to make a false beard:[5] "For no brave warrior in the camp
thinks it seemly to come fight with thee, and thou beardless," [6]said
they.[6] [7]"If that please me," said Cuchulain, "then I shall do it."[7]
Thereupon Cuchulain [8]took a handful of grass and speaking a spell over it
he[8] bedaubed himself a beard [9]in order to obtain combat with a man,
namely with Loch.[9] And he came onto the knoll overlooking the men of Erin
and made that beard manifest to them all, [10]so that every one thought it
was a real beard he had.[10] [11]"'Tis true," spake the women, "Cuchulain
has a beard. It is fitting for a warrior to fight with him." They said that
to urge on Loch.[11] Loch son of Mofemis saw it, and what he said was,
"Why, that is a beard on Cuchulain!" "It is what I perceive," Medb
answered. Medb promised the same great terms to Loch to put a check to
Cuchulain. [12]"I will not undertake the fight till the end of seven days
from this day," exclaimed Loch. "Not fitting is it for us to leave that man
unattacked for all that time," Medb answered. "Let us put a warrior every
night to spy upon him if, peradventure, we might get a chance at him." This
then they did. A warrior went every night to spy upon him and he slew them
all. These are the names of the men who fell there: the seven Conall, the
seven Oengus, the seven Uargus, the seven Celtri, the eight Fiach, the ten
Ailill, the ten Delbrath, the ten Tasach. These are the deeds of that week
on Ath Grenca.

[2-2] Eg. 93.

[3-3] Eg. 93.

[4-4] Eg. 93.

[5-5] LU. and YBL. 1637-1639.

[6-6] Eg. 93.

[7-7] LU. fo. 61, note 7, edition O'Keeffe and Strachan.

[c] Fergus' answer, eight lines in _rosc_, LU. page 61, note 7, edition
of Strachan and O'Keeffe (these lines are not in YBL.), has been
omitted in the translation.

[1-1] Eg. 93 and Eg. 209.

[2-2] Eg. 209.

[3-3] Eg. 93.

[4-4] Eg. 93.

[5-5] LU. and YBL. 1640-1641.

[6-6] Eg. 209.

[7-7] Eg. 93.

[8-8] LU. 1643.

[9-9] LU. and YBL. 1642.]

[10-10] LU. 1644.

[11-11] LU. 1645-1647.

[a] In Eg. 93, this is said by Medb.

Medb sought counsel, what was best to be done with Cuchulain, for she was
sore grieved at all of her host that had been slain by him. This is the
counsel she took: