Trinity Journal of Literary Translation
Compert Con Culainn
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19
trans. Julie Leblanc
Conchobor and the great men of Ulster were at Emain Macha. A flock of birds used to visit the plain before Emain: they would graze upon it, and would leave neither roots nor grasses nor plants left in the earth. It was a vexation to the Ulstermen, to see the birds destroying their land. Thus they prepared nine chariots for hunting that day, as the hunting of birds was custom with them. Conchobor sat in his chariot with his daughter Deichtine who, of marriageable age, was her father’s charioteer. The remaining warriors of Ulster, too, took to their chariots: Conall and Lóegaire and everyone else. Bricriu, too, was with them. Of their own will, the birds moved ahead of the party, beyond Slíab Fúait, across Edmann, across Brega. There usen’t to be ditches, nor fences, nor stone walls about the land of Ireland in that time, but only level plains. Beautiful and fair the birdflight and the birdsong were to the men of Ulster. Nine times twenty birds there were, a silver chain between each pair. Each twenty flew in their own flight, nine flights to them. In that way, two birds flew ahead, a silver yoke between them. Toward night, three birds separated from the flock. They went ahead to the highpoint of the land. Night fell on the men of Ulster, and a heavy snow, besides. Conchobor told his people to unyoke their chariots and make an effort to find shelter. Conall and Bricriu went round and found a single new house. They entered, came upon a married couple within and were made welcome. They went out again to their people. Bricriu said it was not worth going to such a house without clothing and food, and their own would not go far, at any rate. The men went anyway and brought their chariots with them, but did not take up much room inside. When it was time to give them food, they suddenly noticed the storeroom door before them. The men of Ulster were joyous and drunk, then, and good was their position. Afterward, the man of the house told the Ulstermen that his wife was in her birthpangs in the storeroom. Deichtine went to her and and she bore a son. Furthermore, a mare in front of the house gave birth to 2 foals. The Ulstermen took the boy, and the man of the house gave the foals as a fosterage gift to him, and Deichtine nursed him.
