The Woman-fight of Rochad
Cuchulainn sent his charioteer to Rochad Mac Fatheman of Ulster, that he should come to his help. Now it happened that Findabair loved Rochad, for he was the fairest of the warriors among the Ulstermen at that time. The man goes to Rochad and told him to come to help Cuchulainn if he had come out of his weakness; that they should deceive the host, to get at some of them to slay them. Rochad comes from the north with a hundred men.
‘Look at the plain for us to-day,’ said Ailill.
‘I see a troop coming over the plain,’ said the watchman,
[paragraph continues] ‘and a warrior of tender years among them; the men only reach up to his shoulders.’
‘Who is it yonder, O Fergus?’ said Ailill.
‘Rochad Mac Fatheman,’ said he, ‘and it is to help Cuchulainn he comes.’
‘I know what you had better do with him,’ said Fergus. ‘Let a hundred men go from you with the maiden yonder to the middle of the plain, and let the maiden go before them; and let a horseman go to speak to him, that he come alone to speak with the maiden, and let hands be laid on him, and this will keep off (?) the attack of his army from us.’
This is done then. Rochad goes to meet the horseman.
‘I have come from Findabair to meet you, that you come to speak with her.’
He goes then to speak with her alone. The host rushes about him from every side. He is taken, and hands are laid on him. His force breaks into flight. He is let go then, and he is bound over not to go against the host till he should come together with all Ulster. It was promised to him that Findabair should be given to him, and he returned from them then. So that that is Rochad’s Woman-fight.
The Woman-fight of Rochad
Cuchulainn sent his charioteer to Rochad Mac Fatheman of Ulster, that he should come to his help. Now it happened that Findabair loved Rochad, for he was the fairest of the warriors among the Ulstermen at that time. The man goes to Rochad and told him to come to help Cuchulainn if he had come out of his weakness; that they should deceive the host, to get at some of them to slay them. Rochad comes from the north with a hundred men.
‘Look at the plain for us to-day,’ said Ailill.
‘I see a troop coming over the plain,’ said the watchman,
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[paragraph continues] ‘and a warrior of tender years among them; the men only reach up to his shoulders.’
‘Who is it yonder, O Fergus?’ said Ailill.
‘Rochad Mac Fatheman,’ said he, ‘and it is to help Cuchulainn he comes.’
‘I know what you had better do with him,’ said Fergus. ‘Let a hundred men go from you with the maiden yonder to the middle of the plain, and let the maiden go before them; and let a horseman go to speak to him, that he come alone to speak with the maiden, and let hands be laid on him, and this will keep off (?) the attack of his army from us.’
This is done then. Rochad goes to meet the horseman.
‘I have come from Findabair to meet you, that you come to speak with her.’
He goes then to speak with her alone. The host rushes about him from every side. He is taken, and hands are laid on him. His force breaks into flight. He is let go then, and he is bound over not to go against the host till he should come together with all Ulster. It was promised to him that Findabair should be given to him, and he returned from them then. So that that is Rochad’s Woman-fight.
The Death of the Princes 1
‘Let a sword-truce be asked of Cuchulainn for us,’ said Ailill and Medb.
Lugaid goes on that errand, and Cuchulainn grants the truce.
‘Put a man on the ford for me to-morrow,’ said Cuchulainn.
There were with Medb six princes, i.e. six king’s heirs of the Clanna Dedad, the three Blacks of Imlech, and the three Reds of Sruthair.
‘Why should we not go against Cuchulainn?’ said they.
They go next day, and Cuchulainn slew the six of them.
The Death of Cur
Then Cur Mac Dalath is besought to go against Cuchulainn. He from whom he shed blood, he is dead before the ninth day.
‘If he slay him,’ said Medb, ‘it is victory; and though it be he who is slain, it is removing a load from the host: for it is not easy to be with him in regard to eating and sleeping.’
Then he goes forth. He did not think it good to go against a beardless wild boy.
‘Not so(?) indeed,’ said he, ‘right is the honour (?) that you give us! If I had known that it was against this man that I was sent, I would not have bestirred myself to seek him; it were enough in my opinion for a boy of his own age from my troop to go against him.’
‘Not so,’ said Cormac Condlongas; ‘it were a marvel for us if you yourself were to drive him off.’
‘Howbeit,’ said he, ‘since it is on myself that it is laid you shall go forth to-morrow morning; it will not delay me to kill the young deer yonder.’
He goes then early in the morning to meet him; and he tells the host to get ready to take the road before them, for it was a clear road that he would make by going against Cuchulainn.