de, equally great was the excellence of the defence, so that
during all that time neither of them bled or reddened the other. "Let us
cease now from this bout of arms, O Cuchulain," said Ferdiad; "for it is
not by such our decision will come." "Yea, surely, let us cease, if the
time hath come," answered Cuchulain. [1]Then[1] they ceased. They threw
their feat-tackle from them into the hands of their charioteers.

"To what weapons shall we resort next, O Cuchulain?" asked Ferdiad. "Thine
is the choice of weapons till nightfall," replied Cuchulain; "for thou art
he that didst first reach the ford." "Let us begin, then," said Ferdiad,
"with our straight-cut, smooth-hardened throwing-spears, with cords of
full-hard flax on them." "Aye, let us begin then," assented Cuchulain. Then
they took on them two hard shields, equally strong. They fell to their
straight-cut, smooth-hardened spears with cords of full-hard flax on them.
Each of them was engaged in casting at the other with the spears from the
middle of noon [2]till yellowness came over the sun[2] at the hour of
evening's sundown. However great the excellence of the defence, equally
great was the excellence of the throwing on either side, so that [W.3578.]
each of them bled and reddened and wounded the other during that time.
[1]"Wouldst thou fain make a truce, O Cucugan?"[a] asked Ferdiad. "It would
please me," replied Cuchulain; "for whoso begins with arms has the right to
desist."[1] "Let us leave off from this now, O Cuchulain," said Ferdiad.
"Aye, let us leave off, an the time hath come," answered Cuchulain. So they
ceased. They threw their arms from them into the hands of their
charioteers.

[1-1] Stowe.

[2-2] H. 2. 12.

[1-1] H. 2. 12.

[a] See note, page 185.

Thereupon each of them went toward the other [2]in the middle of the
ford,[2] and each of them put his hand on the other's neck and gave him
three kisses [3]in remembrance of his fellowship and friendship.[3] Their
horses were in one and the same paddock that night, and their charioteers
at one and the same fire; and their charioteers made ready a litter-bed of
fresh rushes for them with pillows for wounded men on them. Then came
healing and curing folk to heal and to cure them, and they laid healing
herbs and grasses and a curing charm on their cuts and stabs, their gashes
and many wounds. Of every healing herb and grass and curing charm that
[4]was brought from the fairy dwellings of