he said; "and arms were never reddened yet on my body, and no one ever
boasted of driving me backwards. And was it you, Finn," he said, "put
down Tailc, son of Treon?" "It was not by me he fell," said Finn, "but
by Osgar of the strong hand." "Was it not a great shame for you, Finn,"
said Meargach then, "to let the queen-woman that had such a great name
come to her death by the Fianna?" "It was not by myself or by any of the
Fianna she got her death," said Finn; "it was seeing the army lost that
brought her to her death. But if it is satisfaction for her death or the
death of Tailc you want," he said, "You can get it from a man of the
Fianna, or you can go quietly from this place." Then Meargach said he
would fight with any man they would bring against him, to avenge Tailc,
son of Treon.

And it was Osgar stood up against him, and they fought a very hard fight
through the length of three days, and at one time the Fianna thought it
was Osgar was worsted, and they gave a great sorrowful shout. But in the
end Osgar put down Meargach and struck his head off, and at that the
seven battalions of the Fianna gave a shout of victory, and the army of
Meargach keened him very sorrowfully. And after that, the two sons of
Meargach, Ciardan the Swift and Liagan the Nimble, came up and asked
who would come against them, hand to hand, that they might get
satisfaction for their father.

And it was Goll stood up against Ciardan, and it was not long till he
put him down; and Conan came out against Liagan, and Liagan mocked at
him and said: "It is foolishness your coming is, bald man!" But Conan
made a quick blow and struck his head off before the fight was begun at
all.

And Faolan said that was a shameful thing to do, not to stand his ground
and make a fair fight. But Conan said: "If I could make an end of the
whole army by one blow, I would do it, and I would not be ashamed, and
the whole of the Fianna could not shelter them from me."

Then the two armies came towards each other, and they were making ready
for the attack. And they saw a beautiful golden-haired woman coming
towards them, and she crying and ever crying, and the battle was given
up on both sides, waiting for her to come; and the army of Meargach knew
it was their queen, Ailne of the Bright Face, and they raised a great
cry of grief; and the Fianna were looking at her, and said no word.

And she asked where was her husband, and where were her two sons. "High
Queen," sa