Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race - Knowledge Rush

CHAPTER V: TALES OF THE ULTONIAN CYCLE 209the Connacht host were put to flight. The hound of mac Dathopursued the chariot of King Ailell of Connacht till the charioteersmote off its head, and so the cause of contention was won byneither party, and mac Datho lost his hound, but saved his landsand life.The Death of KetThe death of Ket is told in Keating's “History of Ireland.”Returning from a foray in Ulster, he was overtaken by Conallat the place called the Ford of Ket, and they fought long anddesperately. At last Ket was slain, but Conall of the Victorieswas in little better case, and lay bleeding to death when anotherConnacht champion named Beälcu 168 found him. “Kill me,”said Conall to him, “that it be not said I fell at the hand of oneConnacht man.” But Beälcu said: “I will not slay a man at thepoint of death, but I will bring thee home and heal thee, andwhen thy strength is come again thou shalt fight with me in [245]single combat.” Then Beälcu put Conall on a litter and broughthim home, and had him tended till his wounds were healed.The three sons of Beälcu, however, when they saw what theUlster champion was like in all his might, resolved to assassinatehim before the combat should take place. By a stratagem Conallcontrived that they slew their own father instead; and then, takingthe heads of the three sons, he went back, victoriously as he waswont, to Ulster.The Death of MaevThe tale of the death of Queen Maev is also preserved byKeating. Fergus mac Roy having been slain by Ailell with a castof a spear as he bathed in a lake with Maev, and Ailell havingbeen slain by Conall, Maev retired to an island 169 on Loch Ryve,where she was wont to bathe early every morning in a pool nearto the landing-place. Forbay son of Conor mac Nessa, havingdiscovered this habit of the queen's, found means one day to go168 Pronounced “Bay-al-koo.”169 Inis Clothrann, now known as Quaker's Island. The pool no longer exists.