Page:Athletics and Manly Sport (1890).djvu/259

234 "When Ferdiad heard the gae-bolg mentioned, he made a stroke of the spear downward to protect his lower body. Cuchulaind thrust his spear over Ferdiad's shield and wounded him, and then quickly setting the gae-bolg between the toes of his feet, he cast it at Ferdiad. It pierced the wrought-iron apron, broke the stone beneath, and entered his body, 'so that every cavity of him was filled with barbs.'"

"That is enough, indeed," said Ferdiad; '"I fall of that."

Cuchulaind ran to him, raised him tenderly, and carried him across the ford, in order that there should be no question of his victory. Then laying him down, he swooned beside him. When he recovered, he lamented over the corse of his foeman. Laeg came and stripped Ferdiad.

"Good, O my friend Laeg," said Cuchulaind, "open Ferdiad now, and take the gae-bolg out of him, for I cannot afford to be without my weapon."

Laeg came and opened Ferdiad, and took the gae-bolg out of him; and Cuchulaind laid his red weapon by the white side of Ferdiad, and lamented anew:

"O Ferdiad! sorrowful is thy fate! That I should see thee so gory and pale; Having my weapon yet unwashed, And thou a blood-streaming man.