Also known as The Cattle Raid of Cooley, this ancient Irish legend recounts the heroic feats of Cú Chulainn. The central epic of the eighth-century Ulster cycle, the story is written mostly in prose and set in the pre-Christian era. Scenes of fierce combat, interwoven with instances of earthy humor and wild exaggeration, form an ultimate moral decrying the futility of war and the worthlessness of possessions.
The tale begins with an argument between Ailill and his wife Medb, the queen of Connacht, over which of them is richer. The two are evenly matched save for Ailill's possession of a magical bull. Medb determines to obtain the Brown Bull of Cooley from nearby Ulster, where all the warriors are laid low by a curse -- save for the teenager Cú Chulainn, who single-handedly fights off the invaders. The Táin abounds in historical interest, and Joseph Dunn's translation is both faithful to the Gaelic original and highly accessible to modern readers.
The Tain
Description
Table of Contents
PrefaceI. The Pillow-TalkII. The Occasion of the TáinIII. The Rising-Out of the Men of Connacht at Cruachan AiIV. The ForetellingV. The Route of the TáinVI. The March of the HostVII. The Youthful Exploits of CuchulainVIIa. The Slaying of the Smith's Hound by CuchulainVIIb. The Taking of Arms bu Cuchulain and the Slaying of the Three Sons of Necht ScenèVIIc. A Separate Version as far as the Slaying of OrlamVIII. The Slaying of OrlamVIIIa. The Slaying of the Three MacArachVIIIb. The Combat of Lethan and CuchulainVIIIc. The Killing of the Squirrel and of the Tame BirdVIIId. The Slaying of LochèVIIIe. The Killing of UalaVIIIf. The Harrying of CualngeIX. The ProposalsX. The Violent Death of EtarcumulXI. The Slaying of NathcrantailXII. The Finding of the BullXIIa. The Death of ForgemenXIIb. The Slaying of Redg the LampoonistXIIc. The Meeting of Cuchulain and FinnabairXIId. The Combat of Munremar and CuroiXIIe. The Slaughter of the Boy-troopXIIf. The Slaughter of the King's BodyguardXIII. The Combat of Cȗr with CuchulainXIV. The Slaying of FerbaethXIVa. The Combat of Larinè MacNoisXIVb. The Colloquy of the Morrigan and CuchulainXV. The Combat of Loch and Cuchulain, and the Slaying of Loch son of MofemisXVI. The Violation of the AgreementXVIa. The Healing of the MorriganXVII. The Great Rout on the Plain of MurthemneXVIIa. The Slaughter of the Youths of UlsterXVIIb. The Scythed ChariotXVIIc. The Appearance of CuchulainXVIId. Dubthach's JealousyXVIII. The Slaying of Oengus son of OenlamXVIIIa. The Misthrow at Belach EoinXVIIIb. The Disguising of TamonXIX. The Battle of Fergus and CuchulainXIXa. The Head-place of FerchuXIXb. Mann's FightXIXc. The Combat of Calatin's ChildrenXX. The Combat of Ferdiad and CuchulainXXI. Cuchulain and the RiversXXII. Cethern's Strait-fightXXIIa. Cethern's Bloody WoundsXXIII. The Tooth-fight of FintanXXIIIa. The Red-Shame of MennXXIIIb. The Accoutrement of the CharioteersXXIIIc. The White-fight of RochadXXIIId. Iliach's Clump-fightXXIIIe. The Deer-Stalking of Amargin in TaltiuXXIIIf. The Adventures of Curoi son of DarèXXIV. The Repeated Warning of SualtaimXXIVa. The Agitation of CeltcharXXV. The Array of the HostXXVI. The Decision of the BattleXXVII. The Battle of GarechXXVIIa. The Muster of the Men of ErinXXVIII. The Battle of the BullsXXIX. The Account of the Brown Bull of CualngeIndex of Place and Personal Names
Author Description
Joseph Dunn is a prolific 20th-century interpreter of Irish literature.