Myths and legends ; the Celtic race . hom Cuchulainslew at the Ford, brought forth, after her husbandsdeath, six children at a birth, namely, three sons andthree daughters. Misshapen, hideous, poisonous, bornfor evil were they ; and Maev, hearing of these, sentthem to learn the arts of magic, not in Ireland only, butin Alba ; and even as far as Babylon they went to seekfor hidden knowledge, and they came back mighty intheir craft, and she loosed them against Cuchulain. Cuchulain and Blanid Besides the Clan Calatin, Cuchulain had also otherfoes, namely Ere, the King of Ireland, son to Cairpre,w
Myths and legends ; the Celtic race . hom Cuchulainslew at the Ford, brought forth, after her husbandsdeath, six children at a birth, namely, three sons andthree daughters. Misshapen, hideous, poisonous, bornfor evil were they ; and Maev, hearing of these, sentthem to learn the arts of magic, not in Ireland only, butin Alba ; and even as far as Babylon they went to seekfor hidden knowledge, and they came back mighty intheir craft, and she loosed them against Cuchulain. Cuchulain and Blanid Besides the Clan Calatin, Cuchulain had also otherfoes, namely Ere, the King of Ireland, son to Cairpre,whom Cuchulain had slain in battle, and Lewy son ofCuroi, King of Munster.* For Curois wife, Blanid,had set her love on Cuchulain, and she bade him comeand take her from Curois dun, and watch his time to ^ The cloak of Mananan (see p. 125) typifies the sea—here, in itsdividing and estranging power. ^ This Curoi appears in various tales of the Ultonian Cycle v/ithattributes which show that he was no mortal king, but a local Emer hears of the Tryst 228 THE MADNESS OF CUCHULAIN attack the dun, when he would see the stream thatflowed from it turn white. So Cuchulain and his menwaited in a wood hard by till Blanid judged that thetime was fit, and she then poured into the stream themilk of three cows. Then Cuchulain attacked thedun, and took it by surprise, and slew Curoi, and boreaway the woman. But Fercartna, the bard of Curoi,went with them and showed no sign, till, finding him-self near Blanid as she stood near the cliiF-edge ofBeara, he flung his arms round her, and leaped withher over the cliiF, and so they perished, and Curoi wasavenged upon his wife. All these now did Maev by secret messages and bytaunts and exhortations arouse against Cuchulain, andthey waited till they heard that the curse of Macha wasagain heavy on the men of Ulster, and then they assembleda host and marched to the Plain of Murthemney. The Madness of Cuchulain And first the Children of Calatin
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectcelticl, bookyear1910
