Читать книгу The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Táin Bó Cúalnge - Anonymous - Страница 23
Оглавление"Here behold the famous fork,
By which cruel Cuchulain stood.
Here he left, for hurt to all,
Four heads of his border-foes!
"Surely he'd not flee therefrom,
'Fore aught man, how brave or bold.
Though the scathelessa Hound this left,
On its hard rind there is gore!
"To its hurt the host goes east,
Seeking Cualnge's wild Brown bull.
2Warriors' cleaving there shall be,2
'Neath Cuchulain's baneful sword!
"No gain will theirb stout bull be,
For which sharp-armed war will rage;
At the fall of each head's skull
Erin's every tribe shall weep!
"I have nothing to relate
As regards Dechtirè's son.c
Men and women hear the tale
Of this fork, how it came here!"
After this lay: "Let us pitch our booths and tents," said Ailill, "and let us make ready food and drink, and let us sing songs and strike up harps, and let us eat and W. 807. regale ourselves, for, of a truth, never before nor since knew the men of Erin a night of encampment or of entrenchment that held sorer discomfort or distress for them than yester-night. 1Let us give heed to the manner of folk to whom we go and let us hear somewhat of their deeds and famous tales."1
They raised their booths and pitched their tents. They got ready *LL. fo. 61b. their food and drink, and songs were sung and harping intoned by them, and feasting and eating indulged in, 2and they were told of the feats of Cuchulain.2
And Ailill inquired of Fergus: "I marvel and wonder who could have come to us to our lands and slain so quickly the four that had gone out before us. Is it likely that Conchobar son of Fachtna Fatach ('the Mighty'), High King of Ulster, has come to us?" "It is never likely that he has," Fergus answered; "for a shame it would be to speak ill of him in his absence. There is nothing he would not stake for the sake of his honour. For if he had come hither 3to the border of the land3, there would have come armies and troops and the pick of the men of Erin that are with him. And even though against him in one and the same place, and in one mass and one march and one camp, and on one and the same hill were the men of Erin and Alba, Britons and Saxons, he would give them battle, before him they would break and it is not he that would be routed."
"A question, then: Who would be like to have come to us? Is it like that Cuscraid Mend ('the Stammerer') of Macha would have come, Conchobar's son, from Inis Cuscraid?" "Nay then, it is not; he, the son of the High King," Fergus answered. "There is nothing he would not hazard for the sake of his honour. For were it he that had come hither, there would have come the W. 827. sons of kings and the royal leaders 1of Ulster and Erin1 that are serving as hirelings with him. And though there might be against him in one and the same place, in one mass and one march and one camp, and on one and the same hill the men of Erin and Alba, Britons and Saxons, he would give them battle, before him they would break and it is not he that would be routed."
"I ask, then, whether Eogan son of Durthacht, King of Fernmag, would have come?" "In sooth, it is not likely. For, had he come hither, the pick of the men of Fernmag would have come with him, battle he would give them, before him they would break, and it is not he that would be routed."
"I ask, then: Who would be likely to have come to us? Is it likely that he would have come, Celtchai son of Uthechar?" "No more is it likely that it was he. A shame it would be to make light of him in his absence, him the battle-stone for the foes of the province, the head of all the retainers and the gate-of-battle of Ulster. And even should there be against him in one place and one mass and one march and one camp, and on one and the same hill all the men of Erin from the west to the east, from the south to the north, battle he would give them, before him they would break and it is not he that would be routed."
"I ask, then: Who would be like to have come to us?" 2asked Ailill.2 3"I know not," Fergus replied,3 "unless it be the little lad, my nursling and Conchobar's. Cuchulain ('the Wolf-dog of Culann the Smith') he is called. 4He is the one who could have done the deed," answered Fergus. "He it is who could have lopped the tree with one blow from its root, could have killed the four with the quickness wherewith they were killed and could have come to the border with his charioteer."4
W. 843. "Of a truth," spake Ailill, "I heard from ye of this little boy once on a time in Cruachan. What might be the age of this little boy now?" "It is by no means his age that is most formidable in him," answered Fergus. "Because, manful were his deeds, those of that lad, at a time when he was younger than he 1now1 is. 2In his fifth year he went in quest of warlike deeds among the lads of Emain Macha. In his sixtha year he went to learn skill in arms and feats with Scathach,2 3and he went to woo Emer;3 4in his seventhb year he took arms; in his seventeenth year he is at this time."4 "How so!" exclaimed Medb. "Is there even now amongst the Ulstermen one his equal in age that is more redoubtable than he?" "We have not found there 5a man-at-arms that is harder,5 6nor a point that is keener, more terrible nor quicker,6 nor a more bloodthirsty wolf, 7nor a raven more flesh-loving,7 nor a wilder warrior, nor a match of his age that would reach to a third or a fourth *LL. fo. 62a. the likes of Cuchulain. Thou findest not there," Fergus went on, "a hero his peer, 8nor a lion that is fiercer, nor a plank of battle,8 nor a sledge of destruction, 9nor a gate of combat,9 nor a doom of hosts, nor a contest of valour that would be of more worth than Cuchulain. Thou findest not there one that could equal his age and his growth, 10his dress10 11and his terror,11 his size and his splendour, 12his fame and his voice, his shape and his power,12 his form and his speech, his strength and his feats and his valour, 13his smiting, his heat and his anger,13 his dash, his assault and attack, his dealing of W. 857. doom and affliction, his roar, his speed, his fury, his rage, and his quick triumph with the feat of nine men on each sword's pointa above him, like unto Cuchulain."
"We make not much import of him," quoth Medb. "It is but a single body he has; he shuns being wounded; he avoids being taken. They do say his age is but that of a girl to be wed. 1His deeds of manhood have not yet come,1 nor will he hold out against tried men, this young, beardless elf-man of whom thou spokest." 2"We say not so,"2 replied Fergus, "for manful were the deeds of the lad at a time when he was younger than he 3now3 is."
