Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race - Knowledge Rush

186 Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race[221][222]combat will they give after Ferdia has fallen.” But Cuchulainsaid: “Why should I rise again, O my servant, now he that liethhere has fallen by my hand?” and he fell in a swoon like death.And the host of Maev with tumult and rejoicing, with tossing ofspears and shouting of war-songs, poured across the border intoUlster.But before they left the Ford they took the body of Ferdiaand laid it in a grave, and built a mound over him and set upa pillar-stone with his name and lineage in Ogham. And fromUlster came certain of the friends of Cuchulain, and they borehim away into Murthemney, where they washed him and bathedhis wounds in the streams, and his kin among the Danaan folkcast magical herbs into the rivers for his healing. But he lay therein weakness and in stupor for many days.The Rousing of UlsterNow Sualtam, the father of Cuchulain, had taken his son'shorse, the Grey of Macha, and ridden off again to see if by anymeans he might rouse the men of Ulster to defend the province.And he went crying abroad: “The men of Ulster are being slain,the women carried captive, the kine driven!” Yet they stared onhim stupidly, as though they knew not of what he spake. Atlast he came to Emania, and there were Cathbad the Druid andConor the King, and all their nobles and lords, and Sualtam criedaloud to them: “The men of Ulster are being slain, the womencarried captive, the kine driven; and Cuchulain alone holds thegap of Ulster against the four provinces of Erin. Arise and defendyourselves!” But Cathbad only said: “Death were the due of himwho thus disturbs the King”; and Conor said: “Yet it is true whatthe man says”; and the lords of Ulster wagged their heads andmurmured: “True indeed it is.”Then Sualtam wheeled round his horse in anger and was aboutto depart when, with a start which the Grey made, his neck fellagainst the sharp rim of the shield upon his back, and it shoreoff his head, and the head fell on the ground. Yet still it cried its