23a. The Red-Shame of Menn Followeth Here
The Red-Shame of Menn Followeth Here
It was then came to them great Menn son of Salcholga, he from Renna ('the Waterways') of the Boyne in the north. Twelve men with many-pointed weapons, that was his number. It was thus they came, and two spearheads on each shaft with them, a spear-head on the top and a spearhead at the butt, so that it made no difference whether they wounded the hosts with the points or with the butts.
They offered three attacks upon the hosts. Three times their own number fell at their hands and there fell twelve men of the people of Menn. But Menn himself was sorely wounded in the strait, so that blood ran crimson on him. Then said the men of Erin: "Red is this shame," said they, "for Menn son of Salcholga, that his people, should be slain and destroyed and he himself wounded till blood ran crimson red upon him." Hence here is the 'Reddening Shame of Menn.'
Then said the men of Erin, it would be no dishonour for Menn son of Salcholga to leave the camp and quarters, and that the hosts would go a day's journey back to the north again, and that Menn should cease his weapon-feats on the hosts till Conchobar arose out of his 'Pains' and battle would be offered them at Garech and Ilgarech, as the druids and soothsayers and the knowers of the men of Erin had foretold it.
Menn son of Salcholga agreed to that, to leave the camp and halting-place. And the hosts fell back a day's march for to rest and wait, and Menn went his way to his own land.
Ruadrucce Mind and-so innossa.
Mend mac Salcholgan é-side o Rénaib na Bóinne. Da fer déc ba sed a lín-saide. Is armlaid tancatar saide & da gae for cach óen crand leo, gae for rend & gae for erlond, co m-bad chumma dagontais do rennaib & do erlonnaib na sluagu.
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Ra bertsatar teora fuaparta dona sluagaib. Torchratar a trí comlín leo, acus torcratar da fer déc muntiri Mind. Act ra gaet Mend féin calad , gor rusti rúad derg fair. And-sain ra ráidsetar fir hErend: Is ruád in rucce se, bar iat-sum, do Mend mac Salcholgan, a munter do marbad & do mudugud & a guin féin , co rop rusti rúad derg fair. Corop ruadrucce Mind and-so.
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Is and-sain ra raidsetar fir hErend, nar bad athis do Mend mac Salcholgan dunad & longphort d'fhalmugud dó & na slúaig do thecht uide lá for culu fa thúaid daridisi & a guin gascid do scor do na sluagaib go n-eirsed Conchobar assa chess noenden, co tucad cath dóib for Gárig & Ilgarig, feib ra tharngirsetar drúidi & fádi & fissidi fer n-Erend.
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Faemais Mend mac Sálcholgan aní sein, dunad & longphort d'falmugud do. Acus lotar na slúaig uide lá for culu doridi(si) da fostud & da immfuirech.