The Essential Celtic Folklore Collection. Lady Gregory

Naked are the spears he bears,

       And he hooks a red cloak round!

       Noblest face is his, I see;

       He respects all womankind.

       Young the lad and fresh his hue,

       With a dragon's form in fight!

       I know not who is the Hound,

       Culann's hight, of fairest fame;

       But I know full well this host

       Will be smitten red by him!

       Four small swords--a brilliant feat--

       He supports in either hand;

       These he'll ply upon the host,

       Each to do its special deed!

       His Gae Bulga, too, he wields,

       With his sword and javelin.

       Lo, the man in red cloak girt

       Sets his foot on every hill!

       Two spears from the chariot's left

       He casts forth in orgy wild.

       And his form I saw till now

       Well I know will change its guise!

       On to battle now he comes;

       If ye watch not, ye are doomed.

       This is he seeks ye in fight

       Brave Cuchulain, Sualtaim's son!

       All your host he'll smite in twain,

       Till he works your utter ruin.

       All your heads ye'll leave with him.

       Fedelm, prophet-maid, hides not!

       "Gore shall flow from warriors' wounds;

       Long 'twill live in memory.

       Bodies hacked and wives in tears,

       Through the Smith's Hound whom I see!"

      Thus far the Augury and the Prophecy and the Preface of the Tale, and the Occasion of its invention and conception, and the Pillow-talk which Ailill and Medb had in Cruachan. Next follows the Body of the Tale itself.

      5. This is the Route of the Táin

      and the Beginning of the Expedition and the Names of the Roads which the hosts of the four of the five grand provinces of Erin took into the land of Ulster. On Monday after Summer's end they set forth and proceeded:

      South-east from Cruachan Ai, by Mag Cruimm,

      over Tuaim Mona ('the Hill of Turf'),

      by Turloch Teora Crich ('the Creek of three Lands'),

      by Cul ('the Nook') of Silinne,

      by Dubloch ('Black Lough'),

      by Fid Dubh ('Black Woods'),

      by Badbgna,

      by Coltain,

      by the Shannon,

      by Glune Gabur,

      by Mag Trega,

      by Tethba in the north,

      by Tethba in the south,

      by Cul ('the Nook'),

      by Ochain,

      northwards by Uatu,

      eastwards by Tiarthechta,

      by Ord ('the Hammer'),

      by Slaiss ('the Strokes'), southwards,

      by Indeoin ('the Anvil'),

      by Carn,

      by Meath,

      by Ortrach,

      by Findglassa Assail, ('White Stream of Assail'),

      by Drong,

      by Delt,

      by Duelt,

      by Delinn,

      by Selaig,

      by Slabra,

      by Slechta, where swords hewed out roads before Medb and Ailill,

      by Cul ('the Nook') of Siblinne,

      by Dub ('the Blackwater'),

      by Ochonn southwards,

      by Catha,

      by Cromma southwards,

      by Tromma,

      eastwards by Fodromma,

      by Slane,

      by Gort Slane,

      to the south of Druim Licce,

      by Ath Gabla,

      by Ardachad ('Highfield'),

      northwards by Feorainn,

      by Finnabair ('White Plain'),

      by Assa southwards,

      by Airne,

      by Aurthuile,

      by Druim Salfind ('Salfind Ridge'),

      by Druim Cain,

      by Druim Caimthechta,

      by Druim macDega,

      by the little Eo Dond ('Brown Tree'),

      by the great Eo Dond,

      by Meide in Togmaill ('Ferret's Neck'),

      by Meide in Eoin, ('Bird's Neck'),

      by Baille ('the Town'),

      by Aile,

      by Dall Scena,

      by Ball Scena,

      by Ross Mor ('Great Point'),

      by Scuap ('the Broom'),

      by Imscuap,

      by Cenn Ferna,

      by Anmag,

      by Fid Mor ('Great Wood') in Crannach of Cualnge,

      by Colbtha,

      by Crond in Cualnge,

      by Druim Cain on the road to Midluachar,

      from Finnabair of Cualnge.

      It is at that point that the hosts of Erin divided over the province in pursuit of the bull. For it was by way of those places they went until they reached Finnabair. Here endeth the Title. The Story begineth in order.

      6. The March Of The Host

      On the first stage the hosts went from Cruachan, they slept the night at Cul Silinne, where to-day is Cargin's Lough. And in that place was fixed the tent of Ailill son of Ross, and the trappings were arranged, both bedding and bed-clothes. The tent of Fergus macRoig was on his right hand; Cormac Conlongas, Conchobar's son, was beside him; Ith macEtgaith next to that; Fiachu macFiraba, the son of Conchobar's daughter, at its side; Conall Cernach at its side, Gobnenn macLurnig at the side of that. The place of Ailill's tent was on the right on the march, and thirty hundred men of Ulster beside him. And the thirty hundred men of Ulster on his right hand had he to the end that the whispered talk and conversation and the choice supplies of food and of drink might be the nearer to them.

      Medb of Cruachan, daughter of Eocho Fedlech, moreover, was at Ailill's left. Finnabair ('Fairbrow'), daughter of Ailill and Medb, at her side, besides servants and henchmen. Next, Flidais Foltchain ('of the Lovely Hair'), wife first of Ailill Finn ('the Fair'). She took part in the Cow-spoil of Cualnge after she had slept with Fergus; and she it was that every seventh night brought sustenance in milk to the men of Erin on the march, for king and queen and prince and poet and pupil.

      Medb remained in the rear of the host that day in quest of tidings and augury and knowledge. She called to her charioteer to get ready her nine chariots for her, to