The Battle of Fergus and Cuchulain

The hosts of the four grand provinces of Erin pitched camp and entrenched themselves for that night at the pillar-stone in Crich Roiss ('the Borders of Ross'). Then Medb called upon the men of Erin for one of them to contend and do battle with Cuchulain on the morrow. And every one of them spake thus: "It shall not be I! it shall not be I!" cried each from his place. "No victim is owing from my people."

Thereupon Medb summoned Fergus to go forth and contend and fight with Cuchulain, for that the men of Erin had failed. "Ill would it befit me," quoth Fergus, "to fight with a callow young lad without any beard, and mine own disciple." Howbeit Medb murmured sore that Fergus foreswore her combat and battle. They bode the night in that place. Early on the morrow Fergus arose, and he fared forth to the place of combat where Cuchulain was.

Cuchulain saw him coming nigh. "A vain surety is the one wherewith my master Fergus comes to me, for no sword is in the sheath of the great staff he bears." It was true what he said. A year before this tale, Ailill had found Fergus going to a tryst with Medb on the hillside in Cruachan and his sword on a branch near by him. And Ailill had torn the sword from its sheath and put a wooden sword in its stead and vowed he would not restore him the sword till came the day of the great battle.

"It matters not to me, O fosterling," replied Fergus; "for had I a sword in this, it never would cut thee nor be plied on thee. But, by the honour and training I bestowed upon thee and the Ulstermen and Conchobar bestowed, give way before me this day in the presence of the men of Erin!" "Truly I am loath to do that," answered Cuchulain, "to flee before any one man on the Cattle-spoil of Cualnge." "Nay then it is not a thing to be taken amiss by thee," said Fergus; "for I in my turn will retreat before thee when thou wilt be covered with wounds and dripping with gore and pierced with holes in the battle of the Táin. And when I alone shall turn in flight before thee, so will all the men of Erin also flee before thee in like manner."

So zealous was Cuchulain to do whatever made for Ulster's weal that he had his chariot brought to him, and he mounted his chariot and he went in confusion and flight from Fergus in the presence of the men of Erin. The men of Erin saw that. "He is fled from thee! He is fled from thee, O Fergus!" cried all. "Pursue him, pursue him quickly, Fergus," Medb cried, "that he do not escape thee."

"Nay then," said Fergus, "I will pursue him no further. For however little ye may make of the flight I have put him to, none of the men of Erin could have obtained so much as that of him on the Cow-creagh of Cualnge. For this cause, till the men of Erin take turns in single combat, I will not engage again with this same man." Hence here we have the '[White] Battle' of Fergus; [and it is for this cause it is called the 'White Battle,' because no blood on weapons resulted therefrom.]

Comrac Ferguso

Ra gabsat cethri ollchoicid hErend dunad & longphort acon chorthe i Crích Ross inn aidchi sin. And-sin conattect Medb firu hErend im nech díb do chomlond & do chomrac ra Coinculaind arna barach. Issed atdeired cach fer: Ní ba missi & ní ba me as mo magin, ni dlegar cimbid dom chenél.

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And-sin conattecht Medb Fergus do chomlond & do chomrac ra Coinculaind, ar ros femmid firu hErend. Nír bo chomadas dam-sa sain, bar Fergus, comrac ra gilla n-óc n-amulchach gan ulcha itir, & ram dalta badessin. Cid trá acht afacessa Medb Fergus co tromm da femmid gan a comrac & gan a comlund do gabail do láim. Dessetar inn aidchi sin and. Atraacht Fergus co moch arna barach, ocus tánic reme co áth in chomraic co airm i m-bae Cuchulaind.

tchonnairc Cuchulaind dá saigid é. Is fóenglinne dothaet mo phopa Fergus dom saígid-se, ní fuil claideb i n-intiuch na lue móre leis. Fír do-som. Bliadain riasin sceol sa tarraid Ailill Fergus ic techt i n-oentaid Medba arsind lettir i Crúachain & a chlaideb arsind lettir na farrad. Ocus tópacht Ailill in claideb assa intig, & dobretha claideb craind dia inud, & dobert a brethir na tibred dó co tucad lá in chatha móir.

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Cumma limm itir, a daltáin, bar Fergus, dáig gia na beth claideb and-so, nit ricfad-su, & ní himmertha fort. Acht ar inn airer & ar inn altrom ra bertus-sa fort & ra bertatar Ulaid & Conchobar, teich romum-sa indiu i fiadnaisi fer n-hErend. Is lesc lim-sa inní sin ám, bar Cuchulaind, teiched ria n-oenfer for tain bo Cualnge. Ni lesc ám duit-siu ón, bar Fergus, dáig techfetsa remut-su inbaid bus chrechtach crólinnech tretholl tú bar cath na Tána. Ocus á theichfet-sa m'oenur teichfit fir hErend uile.

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Da bái da mét rap ail do Choinchulaind less Ulad do denam, co tucad a charpat chuice d'indsaigid Conculaind & colluid na charpat, ocus tanic immadmaim & i teiched o feraib hErend. Atchondcatar fir hErend aní sin. Ra theich romut, ra theich remut, a Ferguis, bar cach. A lenmain, a lenmain, a Ferguis, bar Medb, na taét dít.

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Aicce ón omm, bar Fergus, nachas linub-sa secha so. Daíg cid bec lib-si in cutrumma techid út ra bertus-sa fair, ní thuc oenfer do feraib hErend inneoch conarnecar ris ar tain bo Cualnge. Is aire sin, na co risat fir hErend timchell ar galaib oenfir, ni ricub-sa arís in fer cetna. Conid comrac Ferguso and-sin.