Page:The Mythology of All Races Vol 3 (Celtic and Slavic).djvu/107

Rh one," for he was Invisible to Medb's warriors. Cuchulainn cried that this must be one of his friends of the síde coming to his aid, and so it turned out, for the warrior was his father Lug from the síd. "My wounds are heavy," said Cúchulainn, "It Is time they were healed." Lug bade him sleep for three days while he himself fought the hosts; and as he sang a charm, the hero slept. Lug not only battled for him, but as he had claimed the power of healing in the story of the battle of MagTured, so now he cured his son's wounds with medicinal herbs; and when Cúchulainn awoke, he was refreshed and strong. The god, however, would not stay to help him further, lest the fame of the deeds wrought by both should accrue to Cúchulainn; and the hero now donned a dress of invisibility given him by Manannan, a precious garment of the Land of Promise. Manannan Is also called his foster-father in Druidism or wizardry,$5$ and Cúchulainn's "friends of the síde" may be compared with the leannan sighe, fairies who befriend mortals when human powers fail them.$6$ His opponent, Ferdia, reproached him for not telling him how his friends of the síde came to his aid when he thought of them, but Cúchulainn replied that since the Féth fiada was shown to all by the sons of Mile, the Tuatha Dé Danann could not use Invisibility or work magic.$7$ This passage, however, from the Stowe manuscript of the Táin Bó Cúalnge is, In its final statement, inconsistent with the Incidents of the other manuscripts.

Other heroes were helped by Manannan. In The Tragic Death of the Sons of Usnech (Longes mac nllsnig) Naisi has a sword given to him by the god, its virtue being that it leaves no trace of stroke or blow behind it;$8$ and some of his weapons were possessed by the Féinn. Diarmaid had his crann buidhe—a yellow-shafted spear—but its properties were less powerful than another magic spear with a red shaft, the gaí dearg. It could do nothing against the boar which slew Diarmaid, and he lamented that he had not taken with him the gaí dearg, as Grainne advised. With the shafts of these spears he twice