At that moment Cuculain poised the broad-bladed spear of Concobar Mac Nessa and cast it at the man, who was now very near, and came rushing on like a storm, having his vast sword drawn and flashing.  That cast no one could rightly blame whether as to force or direction, for the brazen blade caught the son of Nectan full on breast under the left pap and tore through his thick and strong armour and burst three rib bones, and fixed itself in his heart, so that he fell first upon his knees, stumbling forward, and then rolled over on the plain and a torrent of black blood gushed from his mouth and nostrils.

“That was indeed a brave cast,” said Laeg, “for the coat is the thickness of seven bulls’ hides, and plated besides, and the rib-bones, through which Concobar’s great spear impelled by thee hath burst his victorious way, are stronger than the thigh-bones of a horse; but pluck out the spear now, for it is beyond my power to do so, and stand well upon thy guard, for the two combats past will be as child’s play to that which now awaits thee.  Fenla, the third son of Nectan, is preparing himself for battle.  He is called the Swallow, because there is not a man in the world swifter to retreat, or swifter to pursue.  He is more at home in the water than on the dry land, for through it he dives like a water-dog, and glides like an eel, and rushes like a salmon when in the spring-time he seeks the upper pools.  Greatly I fear that his challenge and defiance will be to do battle with him there, where no man born of woman can meet him and live.”

“Say not so, O Laeg,” said Cuculain, “and be not so afraid and cast down, but still keep a cheerful heart in thy breast and a high and brave countenance before the people of the dun.  For my tutor Fergus paid a good heed to my education in the whole art of war and especially as to swimming.  He is himself a most noble swimmer and I have profited by his instructions.  Once he put me to the test.  It was in the great swimming bath in the Callan, dug out, it is said, by the Firbolgs in the ancient days, and the trial was in secret and its issue has not been revealed to this day.  On that occasion I swam round the bath holding two well-grown boys in my right arm and two in my left, and there was a fifth sitting on my shoulders with his hands clasped on my forehead, and my back was not wetted by the Callan.  Therefore dismiss thy fear and answer thou their challenge with a strong voice and a cheerful countenance.”

Laeg did that and he answered their challenge with a voice that rang, striking fear into the hearts of those who heard him.  Forthwith, then, Fenla, wearing sword and shield, sprang at a bound over the rampart and foss, and his course thence to the Boyne was like a flash of blue and white and he plunged into the dark stream like a bright spear, and diving beneath the flood he emerged a great way off, and cried aloud for his foe.

“I am here,” cried Cuculain, at his side.  “Cease thy shouting and look to thyself, for it is not my custom to take advantage of any man.”