That was the time when his wife came from the north,áinBóCú from Dûn da Benn ('Fort of the two Gables'), and she brought his sword with her, even Finna daughter of Eocho. [4]"What seest thou?" asked Cethern.[4] [5]"Meseems," answered Cuchulain, "'tis the chariot of little Finna, Eocho's daughter, thy wife, that comes nigh us."[5] [6]And they saw the woman, with the arms in the chariot.[6] Cethern son of Fintan [7]seized his arms[7] and proceeded to attack the men of Erin, [8]with the chariot-box bound around his back, for he was not the stronger therefor.[8] But this is to be added: They sent a warning before him; Ithall,[a] physician of Ailill and Medb, had remained as one dead of [W.4436.] the great stun [1]from the blow of Cethern[1] among the bodies of the other leeches for a long space and time, [2]and continued in that state till then; at last he rose and rushed to the encampment,[2] [3]and he, the leech that had alone escaped from Cethern, brought the alarm to the camp.[3]
"Hark, ye men of Erin," shouted the leech; "Cethern son of Fintan comes to attack you, now that he has been healed and cured by Fingin the prophetic leech, and take ye heed of him!" Thereat the men of Erin [4]in fear[4] put Ailill's dress and his golden shawl [5]and his regal diadem[5] on the pillar-stone in Crich Ross, that it might be thereon that Cethern son of Fintan should first give vent to his anger on his arrival. [6]Eftsoons[6] Cethern [7]reached the place where he[7] saw those things, namely Ailill's dress and his golden shawl around the standing-stone in Crich Ross, and he, being unaware and weetless, conceived it to be Ailill himself that was in it. And he made a rush at it like a blast of wind and drave the sword through the stone pillar till it went up to its pommel, [8]so that his fist went through it after the sword.[8] "Deceit is here," cried Cethern son of Fintan, "and on me have ye worked this deceit. And I swear an oath, till there be found among ye [9]of the men of Erin[9] one that will put yon royal dress about him and the golden shawl, I will not stay my hand from them, slaughtering and destroying withal!"
Manè Andoe son of Ailill and Medb heard that, and he put [10]his father's[10] royal raiment about him and the golden shawl [11]and the diadem on his head, and he snatched them up in his chariot before him[11] and dashed off through the midst of the men of Erin. Cethern son of Fintan pursued him closely and hurled his shield the length of a cast at him, [W.4454.] so that the chiselled rim of the shield clave him[a] to the ground, with chariot, driver, and horses. [1]When the men of Erin saw that,[1] they surrounded Cethern on every side [2]and made him a victim of spears and lances,[2] so that he fell at their hands in the strait wherein he was. Wherefore 'Cethern's Strait-Fight and the Bloody Wounds of Cethern' [3]is the name of this tale.[3]