"There is fear upon me," said Laeg.
"Alive or dead thou shalt come with me on this adventure, though it lead us into the mighty realms of the dead," cried Cuculain.
Laeg relaxed his hands upon the reins and let the steeds go, and they chased the enchanted herd of Slieve Fuad. There was no hunting seen like that before in Erin. So vehement was the chase that a twain of the herd was run down and they upon their knees and sobbing. Cuculain sprang from the chariot and he made fast one of the deer to the pole of the chariot to run before, and on to the hinder part of it to run behind. So they went northward again with a deer of the herd of h.e.l.l running before them and another following behind.
"What are those birds whiter than snow and more brilliant than stars,"
said then Cuculain, "which are before us upon the plain, as if Heaven with its astral lights and splendour were outspread before us there?"
"They are the wild geese of the enchanted flocks of Lir," answered Laeg.
"From his vast and ever-during realms beneath the sea they have come up through the dim night to feed on Banba"s plains. Have nought to do with those birds, dear master."
Cuculain stood up in his chariot with his sling in his hand, and he fitted thereto small bolts, and slang. He did not make an end before he had overthrown and laid low three score of the birds of Lir.
"Go bring me those birds," said he to Laeg. The horses were plunging terribly when he said that.
"I may not, O my master," said Laeg. "For even now, and with the reins in my hand, I am unable to restrain their fury and their madness, to such a degree have their n.o.ble minds been disturbed by the sorcery and the druidism and the enchantment with which they are surrounded. And I fear that soon the brazen wheels will fail me, or that the axle-tree will fail me by reason of their collidings with the rocks and cliffs of the land, when the horses shall have escaped from my control and shall have rushed forth like hurricanes over the earth."
Forthwith Cuculain sprang out in front of the chariot, and seized them by their mouths and they in their rearing, and with his hands bowed down their heads to the earth, and they knew their master and stood still while they quaked. Laeg collected the birds, and Cuculain secured them to the chariot and to the harness. The birds returned to life and Cuculain cut the binding cords, so that the birds flew over and on either side of the chariot, and singing besides.
In that manner, speeding northward, Cuculain and Laeg drew nigh to Emain Macha. Concobar and the Ultonians happened at that very time to be seeking a druidic response from the prophetess Lavarcam concerning Cuculain and concerning Laeg, for their minds misgave them that beyond the mearings of the Province the lads had come to some hurt, and Lavarcam, answering them, said:
"Look to yourselves now ye children of Rury, Your destruction and the end of your career are at hand.
Close all gates, shoot every bar.
For Dethcaen"s nursling, Sualtam"s son, draweth nigh.
"Verily he is not hurt, but he hath wounded.
Champions the mightiest he hath victoriously overthrown.
Though he come swiftly it is not in flight.
Take good heed now while there is time.
He cometh like night in raiment of darkness, Starry singing flocks are round his head, Soon,O Concobar, his unendurable hand will be upon you; Soon your dead will outnumber your living."
"Close all the gates of Emain," cried Concobar, "and treble-bar all with bars. Look to your weapons ye heroes of the Red Branch. Man the ramparts, and let every bridge be raised."
So the high king shouted, and his voice rang through the vast and high dun and rolled along the galleries and far-stretching corridors, and was heard by the women of Ulla in their secluded chambers. And at the same time the watchman from the watch-tower cried out. Then the women held council together, and they said:
"Moats and ramparts and strong doors will not repel Cuculain. He will surely o"erleap the moat and burst through the doors and slay many."
And as they debated together they said that they alone would save the city and defeat the war-demons who had Cuculain in their power. For they said--"His virginity is with him, and his beautiful shamefastness, and his humility and reverence for women, whether they be old or young, and whether they be comely or not comely. And this was his way always, and now more than formerly since young love hath descended upon him in the form of Emer, daughter of Fargal Manach, King of Lusk in the south."
Then the women of the Ultonians did a great and memorable deed, and such as was not known to have been done at any time in Erin.
They bade all the men retire into the dun after they had lowered the bridge; and when that was done three tens of them, such as were the most ill.u.s.trious in rank and famous for accomplishments, and they all in the prime of their youth and beauty, and clad only in the pure raiment of their womanhood, came forth out of the quarters of the women, and in that order, in spite of shame they went to meet him. When Cuculain saw them advancing towards him in lowly wise, with exposed bosom and hands crossed on their b.r.e.a.s.t.s, his weapons fell from his hands and the war-demons fled out of him, and low in the chariot he bent down his n.o.ble head. By them he was conducted into the dun, into a chamber which they had prepared for him, and they drew water and filled his kieve, and there Laeg ministered to him. He was like one fiery glowing ma.s.s--like iron plucked red out of the furnace.
When he had entered his bath the water boiled around him. After he had bathed and when he became calm and cool Laeg put upon him his beautiful banqueting attire, and he came into the great hall lowly and blushing.
All were acclaiming and praising him, and he pa.s.sed up the great hall and made a reverence to the King, and he sat down at the King"s footstool. All who saw him marvelled then more at his beauty than at his deeds. He was sick after that, and came very near to death, but in the end he fell into a very deep sleep from which he awoke whole and refreshed, though it was the opinion of many that he would surely die.
Cuculain was seventeen years of age when he did these feats.