19C. The Combat of Calatin’s Children

Then was it debated by the men of Erin who would be fit to contend and cope with Cuchulain at the morning hour early on the next day. What they all said was, that Calatin Dana (‘the Bold’) would be the one, with his seven and twenty sons and his grandsons Glass macDelga. Thus were they: Poison was on every man of them and poison on every weapon of their arms; and not one of them missed his throw, and there was no one on whom one of them drew blood that, if he succumbed not on the spot, would not be dead before the end of the ninth day.

Great gifts were promised to them for engaging to do battle and to contend with Cuchulain. And they took the matter in hand, and it should be in the presence of Fergus that the covenant would be made. But Fergus refused to have part therein, for what they all contended was that they would hold it as a single combat, a combat, to wit, of Calatin Dana and his seven and twenty sons and his grandson Glass macDelga; for their contention was that his son was a limb of his limbs and a part of his parts, and that to Calatin Dana belonged all that proceeded from his body.

Fergus betook himself to his tent and to his people and he breathed his sigh of weariness aloud. “Grievous it seems to us, the deed to be done here on the morrow,” quoth Fergus. “What deed may that be?” asked his people. “The slaying of Cuchulain,” answered Fergus. “Alas,” said they, “who should kill him?”

“Calatin Dana,” he replied, “with his seven and twenty sons and his grandson Glass macDelga. For this is their nature: Poison is on every man of them and poison on every weapon of their arms; and there is no one on whom one of them draws blood, that, if he succumb not on the spot, will not be dead before the end of the ninth day. And there is no one of you that would go and learn for me and be witness of the battle and fight and bring me news how Cuchulain died on whom I would not bestow my blessing and armour.” “I will go thither,” spake Fiachu son of Ferfebè.

They abode so that night. Early on the morrow Calatin Dana arose with his seven and twenty sons and his grandson Glass macDelga, and they went forward to where Cuchulain was. And there went also Fiachu son of Ferfebè. And when Calatin arrived at the place where Cuchulain was, they forthwith hurled their nine and twenty spears, and not one of them went past him by a misthrow. Cuchulain played the edge-feat with his shield, so that all the spears sank up to their middles into the shield. But for all that, theirs was no erring cast, not one of the spears was blooded or reddened upon him.

Thereupon Cuchulain drew his sword from the sheath of the Badb, to cut away the weapons and lighten the shield that was on him. While thus engaged, they rushed in upon him and delivered their nine and twenty right fists at the same time on his head. They smote him and curbed him withal, till his face and his countenance and visage met the sand and gravel of the ford. Cuchulain raised his warrior’s shout aloud and his cry of unequal combat, so that there was not an Ulsterman alive in the camp of those that were not asleep but heard it.

Then when they all had reached for their swords, came Fiachu son of Ferfebè after them out of the camp, and he saw what they did and a qualm of love and the bond of kindred came over him, and when he saw all their hands raised against Cuchulain, he leaped from his chariot and he drew his sword from the sheath of the Badb and dealt them a blow, so that he cut off their nine and twenty right fists from them at one stroke, and they all fell backwards from the intensity of the exertion and hold which they had.

Cuchulain raised his head and drew breath and gave a sigh of weariness and perceived who it was that had come to his aid. “A ready relief, O foster-brother, what thou hast done,” said Cuchulain. “Although for thee a ready relief,” said Fiachu, “yet is it not so for us. Even though we are the best division of three thousand of the Clann Rudraige in the camp and station of the men of Erin, nevertheless this small thing is a breach of covenant in us men of Ulster. If one of Calatin’s children reaches the camp, we shall all be brought under the mouth of spear and of sword, however feeble thou mayst deem the blow I struck, if this treason be found in us.”

“I give my word,” quoth Cuchulain; “so soon as I raise my head and draw breath, not a man of them shall reach the camp alive, and unless thou thyself tellest the tale, not one of these ever will tell it!” With that, Cuchulain turned on them, and he fell to smiting and hewing them, so that he sent them from him in small disjointed pieces and divided quarters eastwards and westwards along the ford. A single man got away from him, trusting to his speed while Cuchulain was busied beheading the rest; it was Glass macDelga. And Cuchulain raced after him like a blast of wind, and Glass ran on round the tent of Ailil and Medb, and all he could pant out was, “Fiach! Fiach!” when Cuchulain fetched him a stroke that cut off his head.

“’Tis quick work was made of that man,” quoth Medb. “What debt was that he spoke of, O Fergus?” “I know not,” Fergus answered, “unless it be some one in the camp and quarters that owed him a debt. It is that which troubled his mind. But be that as it may,” continued Fergus, “it is a debt of blood and flesh for him. And upon my word,” Fergus added, “now are his debts paid to him for good and all!”

In this wise fell Calatin Dana (‘the Bold’) at the hands of Cuchulain, together with his seven and twenty sons and his grandson Glass macDelga and the two sons of Ficcè with them, two bold warriors of Ulster who had come to use their strength on the host. So that for evermore in the bed of the ford is still the rock whereabout they had their strife and struggle and their slaughtering of each other; and the mark of their sword-hilts is in it and of their knees and their elbows and their fists and the buttends of their spears.

And their nine and twenty standing stones were set up there. Hence Fuil Iairn (‘Blood of Iron’) to the west of Ath Firdead (‘Ferdiad’s Ford’) is the name of the ford. It is for this it is called Fuil Iairn, because of the ‘blood over weapons’ that was there.

Thus far then this exploit on theTáin, the Combat of the Clann Calatin of his children and his grandson with Cuchulain, when they went to do battle with Cuchulain.