and he unarmed." "Let him go by thee,"
said Cuchulain. At that he comes nigh them. "To fight with thee am I
come," Mann announced. Therewith they fell to wrestling for a long time,
and thrice Mann threw Cuchulain, till the charioteer incited Cuchulain.
"Were it the champion's portion thou wast contending for in Emain," spake
Laeg, "thou wouldst be all powerful over the young bloods in Emain!" At
these words the hero's wrath and warrior's rage returned to Cuchulain, so
that he overcame Mann at the pillar-stone and he fell to pieces in morsels.
Hence cometh Mag Mandachta ('the Plain of Mann's death').[2]

[2-2] YBL., and, partly, LU. 2163-2181. Here the LU. version breaks
off, fo. 82b.

* * * * *

[Page 213]

XIXc

[1]THE COMBAT OF CALATIN'S CHILDREN[1]

[W.2918.] Then was it debated by the men of Erin who would be fit to
contend and cope with Cuchulain at the morning hour early on the next
day. What they all said was, that Calatin Dana ('the Bold') would be the
one, with his seven and twenty sons and his grandson[a] Glass macDelga.
Thus were they: Poison was on every man of them and poison on every weapon
of their arms; and not one of them missed his throw, and there was no one
on whom one of them drew blood that, if he succumbed not on the spot, would
not be dead before the end of the ninth day. Great gifts were promised to
them for engaging to do battle and to contend [LL.fo.80b.] [2]with
Cuchulain.[2] And they took the matter in hand, and it should be in the
presence of Fergus that the covenant would be made. But Fergus refused to
have part therein, for what they [3]all[3] contended was that they would
hold it as a single combat, [4]a combat, to wit, of[4] Calatin Dana and his
seven and twenty sons and his grandson Glass macDelga; for their contention
was that his son was a limb of his limbs and a part of his parts, and that
to Calatin Dana belonged all that proceeded from his body.

[1-1] The title is taken from the colophon at the end of the chapter.

[a] 'Nephew.' Stowe.

[2-2] Stowe.

[3-3] Stowe.

[4-4] Stowe.

Fergus betook himself to his tent and to his people and he breathed his
sigh of weariness aloud. "Grievous it [W.2935.] seems to us, the deed to be
done here on the morrow," quoth Fergus. "What deed may that be?" asked his
people. "The slaying of Cuchulain," answered Fergus. "Alas," said they,
"who should kill him?" "Calat