eance of

poisonous satires and lampoons which he would otherwise make upon them for their niggardliness, and partly for that in Ireland at that day it was deemed shameful to refuse to a bard whatsoever he might ask. Once it was said that he asked of a sub-king, namely Eochy mac Luchta, who was famed for

bove all they fixed their eyes, and sought for an opportunity to attack and plunder the province. Conor resolved at last to move Atharna to go to the King of Leinster, in the hope that

f Mesgedra the King, at Naas in Kildare. Here he dwelt for twelve months wasting the substance of the Leinstermen and in the en

mand, Atharna?"

ore of gold and raiment, and of the fairest dames and maidens

o ransom their women. Atharna therefore judged that the Leinstermen might fall upon him to recover their booty when he was once beyond the border, for within their own borders they might not affront a g

Emania from Dublin; but when he came thither the Liffey was swollen with rain, and the ford at Dublin might not be crossed. He caused, therefore, many great hurdles to be made, and these were set i

from Ulster, and defeated them, driving them with the cows of Atharna on to the sea cape of Ben Edar (Howth), but they recovered the women. On Ben Edar did King Conor with the remnant of his troop then fortify themselves, making a great fosse a

eat battle was fought, many being slain on both sides, and the King of Leinster, Mesgedra, lost his left hand in the fight. In the end the men of Leinster were routed, and fled, and Mesgedra drove in his chariot past the City of the Hurdle For

ound and round the circuit of the sanctuary, bidding Mesgedra come forth and do battle with him, or be counted a dastard amon

of his arms to his side, and again he

ght until the Liffey was reddened with their blood. At last, by a chance b

said Conall, "if th

e fury of the fight Mesgedra cut the thongs that bound Conall's arm. "The gods themselves have doome

ory to thy glory, but be well assured this wrong s

hariot of Mesgedra and fared northwards. Ere long he met a chariot and fifty women acco

ou, woman?"

ife of Mesged

me with me," th

mmanded this

he King," s

st thou lay these

iot and his hors

ts to many a man,"

wed her the hea

my token,

But give me leave to bewail

a keen of sorrow so loud and piercing that her heart br

and by her side; and the fair hazel tree that grew from her grave by

th lime to make a bullet for a sling, for so it was customary to do when a great warrior ha

and queen thus slain, the Ulstermen drew northward again, and

ere he saw two jesters of the King, who had gotten the brain-ball from the shelf where it lay, and were rolling it about the courtyard. Ket knew it for what it was, and put it out of sight of the jester

. The host of Ulster and King Conor with them overtook him as he went homeward. The men of

who desired greatly to look on the far-famed Ultonian warriors, and above all on Conor the King, whose presence was said to be royal and

is sling, and the bullet hummed across the river and smote King Conor on the temple. And his men carried him off for dead, and the men of Connacht broke the battle on the Ulstermen, slaying

e ball half buried in his temple. "If the ball be taken out," said Fingen,

Ulster lords, "that is a small matt

ling golden hair, and bade him keep himself from all violent movements and f

hen one day at broad noon the sky darkened, and the gloom of night seemed to spread over the world, and all the people feared, and

Conor, saying, "I see a hill near a great city, and three high crosses on it. To one of them is nailed the form of a young m

hen, a ma

, and for this cause have the druids of his land doomed him to die, for his teaching

er, and thus would I scatter his foes"; and with that he snatched his sword and began striking at the trees that stood thickly abou

eance of Mesgedra upon Cono