Matheson Collection > Death-tales of the Ulster heroes

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II. THE DEATH OF LÓEGAIRE BTJADACH
Version A
1. Whence is the tragical death of Lóegaire the Victorious ? Not
hard to tell. Aed mac Ainninne cohabited with Mugain of the Furzy
Hair. a She was the wife of Conchobar ; Aed was a poet of Conchobar's.
They were found out.
2. Then the poet was seized by Conchobar's command, and the
poet asked that his death might be drowning, and Conchobar granted
him that ; whereupon he was taken to be drowned to every lake in
Ireland ; and he would sing a spell upon the water so that it ebbed
away until there was not a drop in it b , so that there was not in Ireland
any river or lake that would drown him, until they came with him to
Loch Lai in front of Lóegaire's house. He was unable to work the
spell upon the lake. However, while they were engaged in drowning
him, Lóegaire's steward came out of the liss. ' "Woe is me, Lóegaire ! '
he cried. ' They could not find in all Ireland a place in which to
drown a poet till they came to this stead.' Lóegaire arose and took
his sword in his hand ; and as he was leaping forth he strikes the
crown of his head against the lintel of the door, so that it took off the
hinder part of bis skull, and his brains were scattered over his cloak.
And thereupon he slew thirty of the drowners, and Aed escaped from
them. And then Lóegaire died. So far the Tragical Death of Lóegaire.
1 Aitten-chairchech, rtiore usually called Aitten-chaithrech, and corruptly
Etan-chaithrech. As to the exact meaning see Eriu i., p. 117, note b.
l -Tbis would appear to be the sense ; but^o mbentagach tráig is obscure to me.