[FN#98] The end of the speech is from L.L.:
the L.U. text gives the whole speech thus: “For
my honour’s sake, I could not draw back in this
matter.”
Fergus threw his shield over Dubhtach. The former
(Ailill) thrust his spear at the shield of Fergus
so that he even drove the shaft right through it.
Fergus mac Oen-laimi comes by. Fergus mac Oen-laimi
holds a shield in front of him (the other Fergus).
Ailill struck his spear upon this so that it was
forced right through it. He leaped so that he
lay there on the top of his companions. Flidais
comes by from the castle, and throws her cloak over
the three.
Fergus’ people took to flight; Ailill pursues
them. There remain (slain) by him twenty men
of them. Seven of them escape to Cruachan Ai,
and tell there the whole story to Ailill and Medb.
Then Ailill and Medb arise, and the nobles of Connaught
and the exiles from Ulster: they march into the
district of Kerry Ai with their troops as far as:
the Ford of Fenna.
Meanwhile the wounded men were being cared for by
Flidais in the castle, and their healing was undertaken
by her.
Then the troops come to the castle. Ailill Finn
is summoned to Ailill mac Mata to come to a conference
with him outside the castle. “I will not
go,” he said; “the pride and arrogance
of that man there is great.”
It was,[FN#99] however, for a peaceful meeting that
Ailill mac Mata had come to Ailill the Fair-haired,
both that he might save Fergus, as it was right he
should, and that he might afterwards make peace with
him (Ailill Fair haired), according to the will of
the lords of Connaught.
[FN#99] This passage is sometimes considered to be
an interpolation by a scribe or narrator whose sympathies
were with Connaught. The passage does not occur
in the Book of Leinster, nor in the Egerton Ms.
Then the wounded men were brought out of the castle,
on hand-barrows, that they might be cared for by their
own people.
Then the men attack him (Ailill Finn): while
they are storming the castle, and they could get no
hold on him, a full week long went it thus with them.
Seven times twenty heroes from among the nobles of
Connaught fell during the time that they (endeavoured)
to storm the castle of Ailill the Fair-haired.
“It was with no good omen that with which you
went to this castle,” said Bricriu. “True
indeed is the word that is spoken,” said Ailill
mac Mata. “The expedition is bad for the
honour of the Ulstermen, in that their three heroes
fall, and they take not vengeance for them. Each
one (of the three) was a pillar of war, yet not a single
man has fallen at the hands of one of the three!
Truly these heroes are great to be under such wisps
of straw as axe the men of this castle! Most
worthy is it of scorn that one man has wounded you
three!”
“O woe is me,” said Bricriu, “long
is the length upon the ground of my Papa Fergus, since
one man in single combat laid him low!”
