Page:The Mythology of All Races Vol 3 (Celtic and Slavic).djvu/240

152 a complete saga existed about this great hero or divinity and magician, who, according to another story, with his magic wand took possession of Ireland and the great world.$33$ The slaying of Cúroi should be compared with that of Lieu, brought about by Blodeuwedd's treachery, and with the killing of Searbhan by his own club, especially as Blodeuwedd's name, meaning "Flower-Face," from blodeu ("flowers") is akin to Bláthnat's, which is probably from bláth ("bloom"). In the sequel Cúroi's poet avenged his death by leaping off a cliff with Bláthnat in his arms.$34$

The greatest adventure in Cúchulainn's career occurs in the Táin Bó Cúlalnge, or Cattle-Raid of Cualnge,'' to which belong a number of prefatory tales, some of them already cited. Only the briefest account of this long story can be given here. Queen Medb of Connaught desired the Donn or Brown Bull of Cualnge in Ulster, so that she might have the equivalent of her husband Ailill's bull, the Findbennach, or "WhiteHorned," these bulls, as narrated above,$35$ being rebirths of semi-divinities. When Daire, owner of the bull, refused to give it, Medb collected an enormous force to march against Ulster at the time when the Ulstermen were in their "debility" — the result of Macha's curse.$36$ Cúchulainn and Sualtam were unaffected by that curse, however, and they went against the host, in which were some heroes of Ulster, Cormac, Conall, Fiacha, and Fergus, exiled because of a quarrel with Conchobar for his treacherous murder of the sons of Usnech. As Medb set out, a beautiful girl suddenly appeared on her chariotshaft, announcing herself as servant of Medb's people, Fedelm the prophetess (banfaid) from the síd of Cruachan (hence Medb was also of the síde); but she prophesied disaster because of Cúchulainn, whom she saw in a vision.

Cúchulainn, having entered a forest, stood on one leg, and using one hand and one eye, he cut down an oak sapling, which he twisted into a ring, inscribing on it his name, and placing it over a pillar-stone. This was a geis (tabu) to the host not to