Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race - Knowledge Rush

206 Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race[242]of the death of Christ. Conor breaks out in fury, and drawinghis sword he hacks at the oak-trees in the sacred grove, crying,“Thus would I deal with his enemies,” when with the excitementand exertion the brain-ball bursts from his head, and he fallsdead. And thus was the vengeance of Mesgedra fulfilled. WithConor and with Cuchulain the glory of the Red Branch and thedominance of Ulster passed away. The next, or Ossianic, cycle ofIrish legend brings upon the scene different characters, differentphysical surroundings, and altogether different ideals of life.Ket and the Boar of mac DathoThe Connacht champion Ket, whose main exploit was thewounding of King Conor at Ardnurchar, figures also in a verydramatic tale entitled “The Carving of mac Datho's Boar.” Thestory runs as follows:Once upon a time there dwelt in the province of Leinster awealthy hospitable lord named Mesroda, son of Datho. Twopossessions had he; namely, a hound which could outrun everyother hound and every wild beast in Erin, and a boar which wasthe finest and greatest in size that man had ever beheld.Now the fame of this hound was noised all about the land, andmany were the princes and lords who longed to possess it. Andit came to pass that Conor King of Ulster and Maev Queen ofConnacht sent messengers to mac Datho to ask him to sell themthe hound for a price, and both the messengers arrived at the dūnof mac Datho on the same day. Said the Connacht messenger:“We will give thee in exchange for the hound six hundred milchcows, and a chariot with two horses, the best that are to be foundin Connacht, and at the end of a year thou shalt have as muchagain.” And the messenger of King Conor said: “We will giveno less than Connacht, and the friendship and alliance of Ulster,and that will be better for thee than the friendship of Connacht.”Then Mesroda mac Datho fell silent, and for three days hewould not eat or drink, nor could he sleep o' nights, but tossedrestlessly on his bed. His wife observed his condition, and said