called together the Druids, and smiths,
and physicians, and law-makers, and chariot-drivers of Ireland, to make
plans for the battle.

And he asked the great magician Mathgen what could he do to help them.
"It is what I can do," said Mathgen, "through my power I can throw down
all the mountains of Ireland on the Fomor, until their tops will be
rolling on the ground. And the twelve chief mountains of Ireland will
bring you their help," he said, "and will fight for you: Slieve Leag and
Denda Ulad, and Bennai Boirche and Bri Ruri, and Slieve Bladma and
Slieve Snechtae, and Slieve Mis and Blai-Slieve, and Nemthann and Slieve
Macca Belgodon, and Segois and Cruachan Aigle."

Then he asked the cup-bearers what help they could give. "We will put a
strong thirst on the Fomor," they said, "and then we will bring the
twelve chief lochs of Ireland before them, and however great their
thirst may be, they will find no water in them: Derc-Loch, Loch
Luimnech, Loch Orbsen, Loch Righ, Loch Mescdhae, Loch Cuan, Loch Laeig,
Loch Echach, Loch Febail, Loch Decket, Loch Riach, Mor-Loch. And we will
go," they said, "to the twelve chief rivers of Ireland: the Buas, the
Boinn, the Banna, the Nem, the Laoi, the Sionnan, the Muaid, the
Sligech, the Samair, the Fionn, the Ruirtech, the Siuir; and they will
all be hidden away from the Fomor the way they will not find a drop in
them. But as for the men of Ireland," they said, "there will be drink
for them if they were to be in the battle to the end of seven years."

And Figol, son of Mamos, the Druid, was asked then what he would do, and
he said: "It is what I will do, I will cause three showers of fire to
pour on the faces of the army of the Fomor, and I will take from them
two-thirds of their bravery and their strength, and I will put sickness
on their bodies, and on the bodies of their horses. But as to the men of
Ireland," he said, "every breath they breathe will be an increase of
strength and of bravery to them; and if they are seven years in the
battle they will never be any way tired."

Then Lugh asked his two witches, Bechulle and Dianan: "What power can
you bring to the battle?" "It is easy to say that," they said. "We will
put enchantment on the trees and the stones and the sods of the earth,
till they become an armed host against the Fomor, and put terror on them
and put them to the rout."

Then Lugh asked Carpre, the poet, son of Etain, what could he do. "It is
not hard to say that