'It is not you at all,' said his charioteer.
'He said,' said Cuchulainn, 'he would not go till he took my head,
or till he left his head with me. Which would you think easier to
bear, O friend Fergus?' said Cuchulainn.
'I think what has been done the easier truly,' said Fergus, 'for it
is he who was insolent.'
Then Fergus put a spancel-withe through Etarcomol's two heels and
took him behind his own chariot to the camp. When they went over
rocks, one-half would separate from the other; when it was smooth,
they came together again.
Medb saw him. 'Not pleasing is that treatment of a tender whelp, O
Fergus,' said Medb.
'The dark churl should not have made fight,' said Fergus, 'against
the great Hound whom he could not contend with (?).'
His grave is dug then and his stone planted; his name is written in
ogam; his lament is celebrated. Cuchulainn did not molest them that
night with his sling; and the women and maidens and half the cattle
are taken to him; and provision continued to be brought to him by day.
_The Death of Nadcrantail_
'What man have you to meet Cuchulainn tomorrow?' said Lugaid.
'They will give it to you to-morrow,' said Mane, son of Ailill.
'We can find no one to meet him,' said Medb. 'Let us have peace
with him till a man be sought for him.'
They get that then.
'Whither will you send,' said Ailill, 'to seek that man to meet
Cuchulainn?'
'There is no one in Ireland who could be got for him,' said Medb,
'unless Curoi Mac Dare can be brought, or Nadcrantail the warrior.'
There was one of Curoi's followers in the tent. 'Curoi will not
come,' said he; 'he thinks enough of his household has come. Let a
message be sent to Nadcrantail.'
Mane Andoi goes to him, and they tell their tale to him.
'Come with us for the sake of the honour of Connaught.'
'I will not go,' said he, 'unless Findabair be given to me.'
He comes with them then. They bring his armour in a chariot, from
the east of Connaught till it was in the camp.
'You shall have Findabair,' said Medb, 'for going against that man
yonder.'
'I will do it,' said he.
Lugaid comes to Cuchulainn that night.
'Nadcrantail is coming to meet you to-morrow; it is unlucky for
you: you will not withstand him.'
'That does not matter,' said Cuchulainn. ... [Note: Corrupt.]
Nadcrantail goes next morning from the camp, and he takes nine
spits of holly, sharpened and burned. Now Cuchulainn was there
catching birds, and his chariot near him. Nadcrantail throws a
spear at Cuchulainn; Cuchulainn performed a feat on to the point of
that spear, and it did not hinder him from catching the birds. The
same with the eight other spears. When he throws the ninth spear,
the flock flies from Cuchulainn, and he went after the flock. He
goes on the points of the spears like a bird, from each spear to
the next, pursuing the birds that they should not escape. It seemed
to every one, however, that it was in flight that Cuchulainn went
before Nadcrantail.
'Your Cuchulainn yonder,' said he, 'has gone in flight before me.'
'That is of course,' said Medb; 'if good warriors should come to
him, the wild boy would not resist ----.'
This vexed Fergus and the Ulstermen; Fiacha Mac Fir-Febe comes from
them to remonstrate with Cuchulainn.
'Tell him,' said Fergus, 'it was noble to be before the warriors
while he did brave deeds. It is more noble for him,' said Fergus,
'to hide himself when he flees before one man, for it were not
greater shame to him than to the rest of Ulster.'
'Who has boasted that?' said Cuchulainn.
'Nadcrantail,' said Fiacha.
'Though it were that that he should boast, the feat that I have
done before him, it was no more shame to me,' (?) said Cuchulainn.
'He would by no means have boasted it had there been a weapon in
his hand. You know full well that I kill no one unarmed. Let him
come to-morrow,' said Cuchulainn, 'till he is between Ochaine and
the sea, and however early he comes, he will find me there, and I
shall not flee before him.'
Cuchulainn came then to his appointed meeting-place, and he threw
the hem [of his cloak] round him after his night-watch, and he did
not perceive the pillar that was near him, of equal size with
himself. He embraced it under his cloak, and placed it near him.
Therewith Nadcrantail came; his arms were brought with him in a
wagon.
'Where is Cuchulainn?' said he.
'There he is yonder,' said Fergus.
'It was not thus he appeared to me yesterday,' said Nadcrantail.
'Are you Cuchulainn?'
'And if I am then?' said Cuchulainn.
'If you are indeed,' said Nadcrantail, 'I cannot bring the head of
a little lamb to camp; I will not take the head of a beardless
boy.'
'It is not I at all,' said Cuchulainn. 'Go to him round the hill.'
Cuchulainn comes to Loeg: 'Smear a false beard on me,' said he;
'I cannot get the warrior to fight me without a beard.' It was done
for him. He goes to meet him on the hill. 'I think that more
fitting,' said he.
'Take the right way of fighting with me,' said Nadcrantail.
'You shall have it if only we know it,' said Cuchulainn.
'I will throw a cast at you,' said Nadcrantail, 'and do not avoid
it.'
'I will not avoid it except on high,' said Cuchulainn.
Nadcrantail throws a cast at him; Cuchulainn leaps on high before
it.
'You do ill to avoid my cast,' said Nadcrantail.
'Avoid my throw then on high,' said Cuchulainn.
Cuchulainn throws the spear at him, but it was on high, so that
from above it alighted in his crown, and it went through him to the
ground.
'Alas! it is you are the best warrior in Ireland!' said Nadcrantail.
'I have twenty-four sons in the camp. I will go and tell them what
hidden treasures I have, and I will come that you may behead me,
for I shall die if the spear is taken out of my head.'
'Good,' said Cuchulainn. 'You will come back.'
Nadcrantail goes to the camp then. Every one comes to meet him.
'Where is the madman's head?' said every one.
'Wait, O heroes, till I tell my tale to my sons, and go back that I
may fight with Cuchulainn.'
He goes thence to seek Cuchulainn, and throws his sword at
Cuchulainn. Cuchulainn leaps on high, so that it struck the pillar,
and the sword broke in two. Then Cuchulainn went mad as he had done
against the boys in Emain, and he springs on his shield therewith,
and struck his head off. He strikes him again on the neck down to
the navel. His four quarters fall to the ground. Then Cuchulainn
said this:
'If Nadcrantail has fallen,
It will be an increase to the strife.
Alas! that I cannot fight at this time
With Medb with a third of the host.'