The Tain Bo Culaigne
Dubthach's Jealousy
Then it was that jealousy, ill-will and envy possessed Dubthach Doel ('the
Black-tongue') of Ulster because of his wife in regard to Cuchulain; and he
counselled the hosts to act treacherously towards Cuchulain and to entrap him,
even to lay up an ambush around him on all sides to the end that he might fall
by them. And he spake these words:
"If this be the Twisted one,
By him shall men's bodies
fall
Shrieks there shall be round the liss;
Deeds to tell of shall be
wrought!
"Stones shall be on graves from him;
Kingly martyrs shall
increase.
Not well have ye battle found
On the slopes with this wild
Hound!
"Now the Wildman's form I see,
Nine o heads dangling by his
side;
Shattered spoils he has, behold;
Ten heads as his treasure great!
"And your women, too, I see,
Raise their heads above the
lines
I behold your puissant queen
Makes no move t'engage in fight!
"Were it mine to give advice,
Men would be on every
side,
That they soon might end his life
If this be the Twisted
one!"
Fergus macRoig heard this and he deemed it an outrage that Dubthach should
counsel how to betray Cuchulain to the hosts. And he reached him a strong, sharp
kick with his foot away from him, so that Dubthach struck with his mouth against
the group outside. And Fergus reproached him for all the wrongs and iniquities
and treachery and shameful deeds he had ever done to the Ulstermen of old and
anew. And then he spake these words:
"If this 'Black-tongue' Dubthach be,
Let him skulk behind the
hosts
No good hath he ever wrought
Since he slew the princesses!
"Base and foul, the deed he wrought:
Fiachu, Conchobar's son,
he slow.
No more fair was heard of him:
Carbrè's death, Fedilmid's son!
"Ne'er for Ulster's weal doth aim
Lugaid's son, Casruba's
scion
Such is how he acts to men:
Whom he stabs not he incites!
"Ulster's exiles it would grieve
If their beardless boy should
fall.
If on you come Ulster's troops
They will make your herds their
spoil!
"Strown afar your herds will be
By the rising
Ulstermen.
Tales there'll be of mighty deeds
That will tell of far-famed
queens!
"Corpses will be under foot
Food there'll be at ravens
rests;
Bucklers lying on the slopes;
Wild and furious deeds increase!
"I behold just now your wives
Raise their heads above the
ranks.
I behold your puissant queen
Moves not to engage in war!
"Valour none nor generous deed
Comes from Lugaid's craven
son
Nor will kings see lances red,
If this 'Blacktongue' Dubthach
be!"
Thus far 'The Scythed Chariot.'
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