Blair Collection > Gille a' bhuidseir

THREE SCORE FOOLS 39
hospitable reception." But it so happened that the
MacCallums of Glen Etive sent an invitation at the
same time to the MacCallums of Knapdale to come on a
visit to Glen Etive; and that they should receive hos-
pitality for a little while from them.
Now^, when the MacCallums of Glen Etive received
the invitation, they bestirred themselves and set out to
visit Knapdale, and see their relations there. And when
the Knapdale MacCallums received invitation to go to
Glen Etive, they never thought of the invitation they
themselves had given to the Glen Etive MacCallums,
but made themselves ready and started off for Glen Etive.
The two companies met on Sliabh-an-Tuim at a
place called Achaveann, but did not recognize each
other; there were thirty of them present on each side;
and strong proud men they were.
There was a ford where they met, but so proud were
they that neither band would ask who the other was,
and neither would stand back until the other had
crossed the ford; nor would either draw to one side
until the other company had gone past.
But both bands drew their swords to clear the road
with their weapons, and setting upon each other
fought a desperate battle until there were none of
them left alive save one on each side.
These two had been plying their swords so hard
that they were both very warm, and they, therefore,
stood still awhile to cool themselves before setting
upon each other again. One of these was a young
fellow, and the other a middle-aged man, who was not
so impetuous as the young one. So he said,