. 93 and H. 2. 17.

Then Medb ordered out the hundred [12]armed[12] warriors [13]of her
body-guard[13] at one and the same time to assail Cuchulain. Cuchulain
attacked them all, so that they fell by his hand [14]at Ath Ceit Cuile
('Ford of the First Crime').[14] "It is a dishonour for us that our people
are slaughtered in this wise," quoth Medb. "It is not the first destruction
that has befallen us from that same man," replied Ailill. Hence Cuilenn
Cind Duni ('The Destruction of the Head [W.2426.] of the Dun') is
henceforth the name of the place where they were,[1] the mound whereon Medb
and Ailill tarried that night.[1] Hence Ath Cro ('Gory Ford') is the name
of the ford where they were, [2]and Glass Cro ('River of Gore') the name of
the stream.[2] And fittingly, too, because of the abundance of gore and
blood that went with the flow of the river.

[12-12] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.

[13-13] LU. 1768.

[14-14] LU. 1769.

[1-1] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17.

[2-2] Eg. 93 and H. 2. 17, and, similarly, LU. 1771.

* * * * *

[Page 180]

XVII

THE GREAT ROUT ON THE PLAIN OF MURTHEMNE FOLLOWETH HERE BELOW

[W.2431.] [1]That night[1] the warriors of four of the five grand provinces
of Erin pitched camp and made their station in the place called Breslech
Mor ('the Great Rout') in the Plain of Murthemne. Their portion of cattle
and spoils they sent on before them to the south to the cow-stalls of
Ulster. [LL.fo.76a.] Cuchulain took station at Ferta ('the Gravemound') at
Lerga ('the Slopes') hard by them. And his charioteer kindled him a fire on
the evening of that night, namely Laeg son of Riangabair. Cuchulain saw far
away in the distance the fiery glitter of the bright-golden arms over the
heads of four of the five grand provinces of Erin, in the setting of the
sun in the clouds of evening. Great anger and rage possessed him at their
sight, because of the multitude of his foes, because of the number of his
enemies [2]and opponents, and because of the few that were to avenge his
sores and his wounds upon them.[2]

[1-1] Eg. 93.

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

[3]Then Cuchulain arose and[3] he grasped his two spears and his shield and
his sword. He shook his shield and brandished his spears and wielded his
sword and sent out the hero's shout from his throat, so that the fiends and
goblins and sprites of the glens and demons of the air gave answer for the
fearful