Heroic Romances of Ireland Part 49

[FN#102] L.L. and Egerton give "thereafter," adopted in verse translation.

This, then, is the story of the Tain bo Flidais; it[FN#103] is among the preludes of the Tain bo Cualnge.

[FN#103] This sentence does not occur in the Leabhar na h-Uidhri. It is given as in the Egerton version: the Book of Leinster gives "it is among the preludes of the Tain."

THE APPARITION OF THE GREAT QUEEN TO CUCHULAIN

(TAIN BO REGAMNA)

INTRODUCTION

This tale is given by the same two ma.n.u.scripts that give the Tain bo Dartada and the Tain bo Regamon; namely the Yellow Book of Lecan, and Egerton 1782. The text of both is given by Windisch, Irische Texte, II. pp. 239-254; he gives a translation of the version in the Yellow Book, with a few insertions from the Egerton MS., where the version in Y.B.L. is apparently corrupt: Miss Hull gives an English translation of Windisch's rendering, in the Cuchullin Saga, pages 103 to 107. The prose version given here is a little closer to the Irish than Miss Hull's, and differs very little from that of Windisch. The song sung by the Morrigan to Cuchulain is given in the Irish of both versions by Windisch; he gives no rendering, as it is difficult and corrupt: I can make nothing of it, except that it is a jeering account of the War of Cualgne.

The t.i.tle Tain bo Regamna is not connected with anything in the tale, as given; Windisch conjectures "Tain bo Morrigna," the Driving of the Cow of the Great Queen (Morrigan); as the woman is called at the end of the Egerton version. The Morrigan, one of the three G.o.ddesses of war, was the chief of them: they were Morrigan, Badb, and Macha. She is also the wife of the Dagda, the chief G.o.d of the pagan Irish. The Yellow Book version calls her Badb in this tale, but the account in the Tain bo Cualnge (Leabhar na h-Uidhri facsimile, pp. 74 and 77), where the prophecies are fulfilled, agrees with the Egerton version in calling the woman of this tale the Morrigan or the Great Queen.

THE APPARITION OF THE GREAT QUEEN TO CUCHULAIN

(ALSO CALLED "TAIN BO REGAMNA")

FROM THE YELLOW BOOK OF LECAN (FOURTEENTH CENTURY)

AT Dun Imrid lay Cuchulain,[FN#104] and slept, when a cry rang out; And in fear he heard from the north-land come ringing that terrible shout: He fell, as he woke from his slumber, with the thud of a weight, to the ground, From his couch on that side of the castle that the rising sun first found.

He left his arms in the castle, as the lawns round its walls he sought, But his wife, who followed behind him, apparel and arms to him brought: Then he saw his harnessed chariot, and Laeg,[FN#105] his charioteer, From Ferta Laig who drave it: from the north the car drew near: "What bringeth thee here?" said Cuchulain: said Laeg, "By a cry I was stirred, That across the plain came sounding." "And whence was the cry thou hast heard?"

"From the north-west quarter it travelled, it crossed the great Cayll[FN#106] Cooen road!"

"Follow on, on that track," said Cuchulain, "till we know what that clamour may bode!"

[FN#104] p.r.o.nounced Cu-hoolin.

[FN#105] p.r.o.nounced Layg.

[FN#106] Spelt Caill Cuan.

At the ford of the Double Wonder, at Ah[FN#107] Fayrta, the car made stand For a chariot rattled toward them, from the clay-soiled Coolgarry[FN#108] land And before them came that chariot; and strange was the sight they saw: For a one-legged chestnut charger was harnessed the car to draw; And right through the horse's body the pole of the car had pa.s.sed, To a halter across his forehead was the pole with a wedge made fast: A red woman sat in the chariot, bright red were her eyebrows twain A crimson cloak was round her: the folds of it touched the plain: Two poles were behind her chariot: between them her mantle flowed; And close by the side of that woman a mighty giant strode; On his back was a staff of hazel, two-forked, and the garb he wore Was red, and a cow he goaded, that shambled on before.

[FN#107] Spelt Ath Ferta, or more fully Ath da Ferta, the ford of the two marvels.

[FN#108] Spelt Culgaire.

To that woman and man cried Cuchulain, "Ye who drive that cow do wrong, For against her will do ye drive her!" "Not to thee doth that cow belong,"

Said the woman; "no byre of thy comrades or thy friends hath that cow yet barred."

"The kine of the land of Ulster," said Cuchulain, "are mine to guard!"

"Dost thou sit on the seat of judgment?" said the dame, "and a sage decree On this cow would'st thou give, Cuchulain?--too great is that task for thee!"

Said the hero, "Why speaketh this woman? hath the man with her never a word?"

"'Twas not him you addressed," was her answer, "when first your reproaches we heard."

"Nay, to him did I speak," said Cuchulain, "though 'tis thou to reply who would'st claim!"

'Ooer-gay-skyeo-loo-ehar-skyeo[FN#109] is the name that he bears," said the dame.

[FN#109] Spelt Uar-gaeth-sceo-luachair-sceo

"'Tis a marvellous name!" said Cuchulain, "if from thee all my answer must come, Let it be as thou wishest; thy comrade, this man, as it seemeth, is dumb.

Tell me now of thine own name, O woman."

"Faebor-bayg-byeo-ill,"[FN#110] said the man.

"Coom-diewr-folt-skayv-garry-skyeo-ooa is her name, if p.r.o.nounce it you can!"

Then Cuchulain sprang at the chariot: "Would ye make me a fool with your jest?"

He cried, as he leapt at the woman; his feet on her shoulders he pressed, And he set on her head his spear-point: "Now cease from thy sharp weapon-play!"

Cried the woman. Cuchulain made answer: Thy name to me truth fully say!"

"Then remove thyself from me!" she answered: I am skilled in satirical spells; The man is called Darry I mac Feena[FN#111]: in the country of Cualgne[FN#112] he dwells; I of late made a marvellous poem; and as fee for the poem this cow Do I drive to my home." "Let its verses," said Cuchulain," be sung to me now!"

"Then away from me stand!" said the woman: "though above me thou shakest thy spear, It will naught avail thee to move me." Then he left her, but lingered near, Between the poles of her chariot: the woman her song then sang; And the song was a song of insult. Again at the car he sprang, But nothing he found before him: as soon as the car he had neared, The woman, the horse, and the chariot, the cow, and the man disappeared.

[FN#110] Spelt Faebor-begbeoil-cuimdiuir-folt-seenb-gairit-sceo-uath.

[FN#111] Spelt Daire mac Fiachna: he is the owner of the Dun of Cualgne in the Great Tain.

[FN#112] p.r.o.nounced Kell-ny.

At a bird on a bough, as they vanished, a glance by Cuchulain was cast, And he knew to that bird's black body the shape of the woman had pa.s.sed: As a woman of danger I know you," he cried, "and as powerful in spell!"

From to-day and for ever," she chanted, "this tale in yon clay-land shall dwell!"

And her word was accomplished; that region to-day is the Grella Dolloo,[FN#113]

The Clay-land of Evil: its name from the deeds of that woman it drew.

[FN#113] Spelt Grellach Dolluid.

"Had I known it was you," said Cuchulain, "not thus had you pa.s.sed from my sight!"