New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-08-04

, wheels ploughed the earth: all the ruts
| were like the ramparts or fortress, ana
the scythes in tho wheels moved down
| hundreds
II now occurred 70 Msev 70 engage
Cuchulain IN single combat with her
champions n were better 10 lose one
man a day she said than "a hundred
or course. Cuchulain wss the victor IN
, these contests, and at last none was lef'
| 10 60 out against him except Ferd'a or
the Yellow Hair. greatest OF all the war
rIors OF Connaught, and Ferdia would not
GO. for Cuchulain was his friend and
they had vowed to love and help each
other as long Is they lived. Queen Maev
begged him 10 go. but he would not.
Then she offered him her daughter, Fin
daba,r Of the Fair Eyebrows, 10 be his
wife. but he stu refused. Then she told
him that II he did not go tho poets OF
Erin would put him to open shame, and
In wrath and sorrow he babe his char
ioteer make ready for the fray. When
Cuchulain saw him ne said;
"It 10 not thou, . Ferdis, who shouldst
have como to 10 battle with me. When
We were with skatha did We not so side
by side IN every battle. through every
wood and vildsrness7 Wore we not
heart companions. comrades In the feast
and the assembly,"
But Ferdia replied:
20 Cuohulain, thou Of tho wondrous
feats, though we have studied poetry
oh 6l
heard thee recits our deeds Of friendship,
ret II is my hand that shall wound thee.
! bid thee remember not our comrade-
ship, O Hound OF Ulstor: IL shall not
avail thee. II shall not avail thee"
All day they fought In the midst ot the
ford. and their javelins hummed like bees
on a summers day. but at night they
each other food and drink and hea ling
herbs for their wounds. Their horses fed
together. and their charioteers warmed
themselves over the same fire.
Another day they fought, and again
they parted with kisses and embraces.
but on the third day they had no heart
for any interchange of friendly acts.
Cuchulsin again reproache6 Ferdia for
coming out against him, but Ferda an
swored:
IF had not faced thee when sum-
rnoned my troth would be broken and
there would be shame on me IN Rsth-
croghan.'
This day the battle was so fierce that
the demons and COLLINS OF the woods
screamed from the edges OF the swords
and the waters OF the ford recoiled III
terror, 70 that for a while they fought
on dry land In the midst Of the river bed.
At last Ferdia received his death blow.
Cuchulain caught him as he fell and
carried him 10 the Ulster side of the
river. Then he himself fell fainting be-
side the body. His charioteer urged him
10 rise before the host OF Connacht
should be upon them. but Cuchulain an
| swered:
why should rise again, 0 my SER
want. now he that lieth here has fallen
by my handT'
Then he fell IN Q swoon like death, and
the host Of Masv swarmed over the Dor
der into Ulster. The friends Of Cuchu-
lain bore him away, and he lay In o
stupOr tor many days.
But now at last the men Of Ulster rose
The spell that had bound them was bro
ken. and on every hand there were grind
ing Of spears and buckling on Of arTnor
The enemy was quickly driven out OF
Ulster. Masv made peace for seven
years. and the Ulster men returned with
great glory TO their homes, but In the
heart Of Cuchulain We may be sure thers
wac ftttIs thought Of rejoicing.