stream and make ready the spear.[1] Laeg attempted to come nigh it, but Ferdiad’s charioteer let him not, so that Laeg turned on him and left him on the sedgy bottom of the ford.  He gave him many a heavy blow with clenched fist on the face and countenance, so that he broke his mouth and his nose and put out his eyes and his sight, [3]and left him lying wounded (?) and full of terror.[3] And forthwith Laeg left him and filled the pool and checked the stream and stilled the noise of the river’s voice, and set in position the Gae Bulga.  After some time Ferdiad’s charioteer arose from his death-cloud, and set his hand on his face and countenance, and he looked away towards the ford of combat and saw Laeg fixing the Gae Bulga.  He ran again to the pool and made a breach in the dike quickly and speedily, so that the river burst out in its booming, bounding, bellying, bank-breaking billows making its own wild course.  Cuchulain became purple and red all over when he saw the setting of the Gae Bulga had been disturbed, and for the third time he sprang from the top of the ground and alighted on the edge of Ferdiad’s shield, so as to strike him over the shield from above.  Ferdiad gave a blow with his left knee against the leather of the bare shield, so that Cuchulain was thrown into the waves of the ford.

    [6-6] Eg. 106.

    [b] Ferdiad’s charioteer.

    [c] Cuchulain’s charioteer.

    [7-7] Eg. 106.

    [8-8] Eg. 106.

    [1-1] Eg. 106.

    [3-3] Eg. 106.

Thereupon Ferdiad gave three severe woundings to Cuchulain.  Cuchulain cried and shouted [4]loudly[4] to Laeg to make ready the Gae Bulga for him.  Laeg attempted to [W.3919.] get near it, but Ferdiad’s charioteer prevented him.  Then Laeg grew [1]very[1] wroth [3]at his brother[3] and he made a spring at him, and he closed his long, full-valiant hands over him, so that he quickly threw him to the ground and straightway [4]bound[4] him.  And [5]then[5] he went from him quickly and courageously, so that he filled the pool and stayed the stream and set the Gae Bulga.  And he cried out to Cuchulain that it was served, for it was not to be discharged without a quick word of warning before it.  Hence it is that Laeg cried out:—­

    “Ware! beware the Gae Bulga,
    Battle-winning Culann’s hound!” et reliqua.

    [4-4] Eg. 106.

    [1-1] Eg. 106.

    [2-2] See note 2, page 257.

    [3-3] Eg. 106.

    [4-4] Reading with Eg. 106.

    [5-5] Eg. 106.

[6]And he sent it to Cuchulain along the stream.[6]

    [6-6] YBL. 39b, 20.