Standish O'Grady; selected essays and passages

Il8 STANDISH o'gRADY
and with Cruaideen. Then it was that the dear son of
delicate Uala ran forward to avenge his father, but his
courage fell when he saw the giant spear of Cuculain
dropping blood, and beside it the face of the hero, haggard,
terrible, raging in his destructive wrath, and quickly he
shrank back amongst the ranks of the Olnemacta.
There Cuculain routed the host of Meave on the right
centre of the Ultonians, and kept moving southwards to
meet Conaill. From him Cet and the sons of Maga
retreated. Bravest he in all Erin after the son of Sualtam,
nevertheless he and his brethren went back before
Cuculain, which to him was the niost renowned of his
achievements. Nevertheless, there came against him
two warrior druids, Imraen and Imroe, trusting in their
magic power, but they were slain by the son of Sualtam
and by Lu Mac i^thleen.
Meantime Laeg kept moving after him, not silently,
for while Cuculain was routing the foe, Laeg perpetually
shouted. Then returned the warrior to his chariot
around his lips there was a foam, and from his forehead
down upon his neck the great veins had swollen out like
ropes.* Thereafter Laeg unfolded the left scythe and
charged southwards, and where he went the battalions
of Meave were confused, and chariots and fighting men
were cast in heaps, and rolled over one another inextri-
cable.
Which seeing a brave southern hero, Liathan, said
to his charioteer :
—
" O Mulcha, let us stay now this destroying hawk.
The hero does not live who can meet him in single combat
;