the grey-red wolf hath bit;
Loch my sides[c] has wounded sore,
And the eel has dragged me down!

"With my spear I kept her off;
I put out the she-wolf's eye;
[W.2371.] And I broke her lower leg,
At the outset of the strife!

"Then when Laeg sent Aife's spear,[a]
Down the stream--like swarm of bees--
That sharp deadly spear I hurled,
Loch, [1]Mobebuis'[1] son, fell there!

"Will not Ulster battle give
To Ailill and Eocho's lass,[b]
While I linger here in pain,
Full of wounds and bathed in blood?

[LL.fo.75b.] "Tell the splendid Ulster chiefs
They shall come to guard their drove.
Maga's sons[c] have seized their kine
And have portioned them all out!

"Fight on fight--though much I vowed,
I have kept my word in all.
For pure honour's sake I fight;
'Tis too much to fight alone!

"Vultures joyful at the breach
In Ailill's and in Medb's camp.
Mournful cries of woe are heard;
On Murthemne's plain is grief!

"Conchobar comes not out with help;
In the fight, no troops of his.
Should one leave _him_ thus alone,
Hard 'twould be his rage to tell!

[1]"Men have almost worn me out
In these single-handed fights;
Warrior's deeds I cannot do,
Now that I must fight alone!"[1]

[a] Literally 'repentance.'

[2-2] Stowe.

[3-3] Stowe.

[4-4] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.

[5-5] Eg. 93.

[6-6] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.

[b] Physician to King Conchobar.

[a] Following Windisch's emended reading of LL.

[b] See above, page 168, note a.

[c] Literally, 'liver.'

[a] That is, the 'barbed' spear.

[1-1] Reading with MS. Stowe.

[b] That is, Medb.

[c] That is, the followers of Ailill.]

[1-1] LU. page 64, note 5, edition of Strachan and O'Keeffe.

[2]Although Cuchulain spoke thus, he had no strength for Laeg to leave
him.[2]

[2-2] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.

This then is the Combat of Loch Mor ('the Great') son of Mofemis against
Cuchulain on the Driving of the Kine of Cualnge.

* * * * *

[Page 175]

XVI

[1]THE VIOLATION OF THE AGREEMENT[1]

[2]Then were five men sent against Cuchulain on the morrow to contend with
him and he killed them, so that they fell by his hand, and 'the Five
of Cenn Cursighi' was their name.[2] [W.2400.] Then it was that Medb
despatched six men at