for the
prowess of Cuchulinn. The "Great Rout of the Plain of Murthemne" and
"Cuchulinn's Death" tell how the hero's downfall is compassed by a
monstrous brood of ill-shapen beings whose father and brothers had been
slain by him during the _Tain_. He finally meets with his end at the
hands of Lugaid, son of Curoi mac Daire (the central hero of a Munster
cycle which has not come down to us), and Erc, king of Tara. We are also
told of the terrible vengeance taken on the murderers by Conall Cernach.
Other stories deal with the "Conception of Conchobar," the "Conception
of Cuchulinn," "The Glories of Conchobar's Reign," with an account of
how he acquired the Throne from Fergus, "The Wooing of Emer and the
Hero's Education in Scotland under Scathach," "The Siege of Howth,"
"Bricriu's Feast and the Exile of the Sons of Doel Dermait," "The Battle
of the Boyne" (_Eriu_, vol. ii.), "The Deaths of Ailill, Medb and Conall
Cernach," "Destruction of Bruden Da Choca," "The Tragical Death of
Conlaech at the hands of Cuchulinn his father," "The Deaths of Goll and
Garbh," "The Sickbed of Cuchulinn," in which the hero is lured away for
a time into the invisible land by a fairy, Fand, wife of Manandan, "The
Intoxication of the Ultonians," telling of a wild raid by night across
the entire extent of the island from Dun-da-Benn near Coleraine to the
fort of Curoi MacDaire at Temair-Luachra in Kerry, "The Death of
Conchobar," "The Phantom Chariot of Cuchulinn," in which the hero is
brought up from the grave to witness before St Patrick and King Loigaire
to the truth of the Christian doctrine.

Four other stories in connexion with the Ulster cycle remain to be
mentioned. The first is "_Scel mucci Maic Datho_" ("The Story of
MacDatho's Pig"). Various writers of antiquity inform us that at the
feasts of the Gauls the champion received the best portion of meat,
which frequently led to brawls. In this savage but picturesque Irish
story we find the Ulstermen vaunting their achievements against the
Connaughtmen, until at last the contest lies between Conall Cernach and
Cet MacMagach. Nowhere, perhaps, is the dramatic element better brought
out.

Apart from the _Tain_ the greatest and at the same time the longest saga
in which Cuchulinn figures is _Fled Bricrend_ (Bricriu's Feast). Bricriu
is the mischief-maker among the Ulstermen, and he conceives the idea of
building a banqueting hall in order to invite Conchobar and his nobles
to a feast. After