form I saw till now
Well I know will change its guise!
"On to battle now he comes;
If ye watch not, ye are doomed.
This is he seeks ye in fight
Brave Cuchulain, Sualtaim's son!
"All your host he'll smite in twain,
Till he works your utter ruin.
All your heads ye'll leave with him.
Fedelm, prophet-maid, hides not!
W. 291. LL. fo. 56b.
"Gore shall flow from warriors' wounds;
Long 'twill live in memory.
Bodies hacked and wives in tears,
Through the Smith's Hounda whom I see!"
Thus far the Augury and the Prophecy and the Preface of the Tale, and the Occasion of its invention and conception, and the Pillow-talk which Ailill and Medb had in Cruachan. 1Next follows the Body of the Tale itself.1
V. THIS IS THE ROUTE OF THE TÁIN
W. 301. and the Beginning of the Expedition and the Names of the Roads which the hosts of the four of the five grand provinces of Erin took into the land of Ulster. 1On Monday after Summer's end1 2they set forth and proceeded:2
3South-east from Cruachan Ai,3 by Mag Cruimm, over Tuaim Mona ('the Hill of Turf'), by Turloch Teora Crich ('the Creek of three Lands'), by Cul ('the Nook') of Silinne, by Dubloch ('Black Lough'), 4by Fid Dubh ('Black Woods'),4 by Badbgna, by Coltain, by the Shannon, by Glune Gabur, by Mag Trega, by Tethba in the north, by Tethba in the south, by Cul ('the Nook'), by Ochain, northwards by Uatu, eastwards by Tiarthechta, by Ord ('the Hammer'), by Slaiss ('the Strokes'), 5southwards,5 by Indeoin ('the Anvil'), by Carn, by Meath, by Ortrach, by Findglassa Assail, ('White Stream of Assail'), by Drong, by Delt, by Duelt, by Delinn, by Selaig, by Slabra, by Slechta, where swords hewed out roads before Medb and Ailill, by Cul ('the Nook') of Siblinne, by Dub ('the Blackwater'), by Ochonn 6southwards,6 by Catha, by Cromma 7southwards,7 by Tromma, 8eastwards8 by Fodromma, by Slane, by Gort Slane, 9to the south of9 Druim Liccè, by Ath Gabla, by Ardachad ('Highfield'), W. 356. 1northwards1 by Feorainn, by Finnabair ('White Plain'), by Assa 2southwards,2 by Airne, by Aurthuile, by Druim Salfind ('Salfind Ridge'), by Druim Cain, by Druim Caimthechta, by Druim macDega, by the little Eo Dond ('Brown Tree'), by the great Eo Dond, by Meide in Togmaill ('Ferret's Neck'), by Meide in Eoin, ('Bird's Neck'), by Baille ('the Town'), by Aile, by Dall Scena, by Ball Scena, by Ross Mor ('Great Point'), by Scuap ('the Broom'), by Imscuap, by Cenn Ferna, by Anmag, by Fid Mor ('Great Wood') in Crannach of Cualnge, 3by Colbtha, by Crond in Cualnge,3 by Druim Cain on the road to Midluachar, 4from Finnabair of Cualnge. It is at that point that the hosts of Erin divided over the province in pursuit of the bull. For it was by way of those places they went until they reached Finnabair. Here endeth the Title. The Story begineth in order.4
VI. THE MARCH OF THE HOST
W. 389. On the first stage the hosts went 1from Cruachan,1 they slept the night at Cul Silinne, 2where to-day is Cargin's Lough.2 And 3in that place3 was fixed the tent of Ailill son of Ross, 4and the trappings were arranged, both bedding and bed-clothes.4 The tent of Fergus macRoig was on his right hand; Cormac Conlongas, Conchobar's son, was beside him; Ith macEtgaith next to that; Fiachu macFiraba, 5the son of Conchobar's daughter,5 at its side; 6Conall Cernach at its side,6 Gobnenn macLurnig at the side of that. The place of Ailill's tent was on the right on the march, and thirty hundred men of Ulster beside him. And the thirty hundred men of Ulster on his right hand had he to the end that the whispered talk and conversation and the choice supplies of food and of drink might be the nearer to them.
Medb of Cruachan, 7daughter of Eocho Fedlech,7 moreover, was at Ailill's left. Finnabair ('Fairbrow'), 8daughter of Ailill and Medb,8 at her side, 9besides servants and henchmen.9 Next, Flidais Foltchain ('of the Lovely Hair'), wife first of Ailill Finn ('the Fair'). She took part in the Cow-spoil of Cualnge after she had slept with Fergus; and she it was that every seventh night brought sustenance W. 404. in milk to the men of Erin on the march, for king and queen and prince and poet and pupil.
Medb remained in the rear of the host that day in quest of tidings and augury *LL. fo. 57a. and knowledge. 1She called to her charioteer to get ready her nine chariots for her,1 2to make a circuit of the camp2 that she might learn who was loath and who
