Page:Kuno Meyer - Cath Finntrága.djvu/35

Rh we shall form a druidical host around thee from the stalks of ...., and from the top of the watercress, and though armies and multitudes be killed around thee, they will cry to the foreigners, and beat their weapons out of their hands, and take away their strength and their sight. And the king of Spain and four hundred of his people will be killed by thee, and the battle of Ventry will be fought a day and a year, and there will be fresh fighting in it every day during that time. And be thou of good cheer, for even if thou art killed every day, thou wilt be whole again in the morning, for we shall have the well of healing for thee, and the warrior that thou lovest best of the fianns of Erinn shall obtain the same as thou.'

Now the hosts of the king of Spain were taking plunder and materials (?) and silver from Traig Moduirn in the north, which is called Murbach at this time, to Ventry in the south. It was then that Conncrithir the son of Bran the son of Febal came upon them, and the druidical host with him, and he forced their plunder from them, and the druidical host took their strength and their sight from them, and the hosts of the king of Spain came in their rout and flight to the plain where the king of Spain was, and Conncrithir killing and destroying them.

'Stay with me, O kingly warrior,' said the king of Spain, 'that I may fight with thee for my people, since no man of them turns against thee, and thou slaughtering and slaying them.' So those two attacked one another, and they placed the two banners of soft silk into the green-sided earth, and stretched out the quick-wounding hands with the