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THE DEATH OF CUTHULLIN 109
terror of the stranger 1 He that is like the vapour of
death, slowly borne by sultry winds. The sun reddens
in his presence: the people fall around."
Such was the song of Carril, when a son of the foe
appeared. He threw down his pointless spear. He
spoke the words of Torlath, Torlath, chief of heroes, at
Lego's sable surge ! * He that led his thousands to
battle, against car-borne Corraac, Cormac who was dis-
tant far, in Temora's t echoing halls : he learned to
bend the bow of his fathers ; and to lift the spear. Nor
long didst thou lift the spear, mildly-shining beam of
youth ! death stands dim behind thee, like the darkened
half of the moon behind its growing light ! CuthuUin
rose before the bard, J that came from generous Torlath.
He offered him the shell of joy. He honoured the son
of songs. "Sweet voice on Legol" he said, "what
are the words of Torlath ? Comes he to our feast or
battle, the car-borne son of Cantela ? " §
"He comes to thy battle," replied the bard, "to the
sounding strife of spears. When morning is grey on
Lego, Torlath will fight on the plain. Wilt thou meet
him in thine arms, king of the isle of mist ? Terrible is
* Here it appears evident that Torlath, the chief of Connaught,
had advanced as far as the sable surge of the Lego, — near Lisburn
— where he was met and killed by Cuthullin, who also died of the
wounds received in the battle — for the purpose of dethroning the
young Cormac. C.
t The royal palace of the Irish kings ; Teamhrath, according
to some of the bards. M. — About sixteen miles distant from the
scene of battle on Lego's lake. C.
X The bards were the heralds of ancient times ; and their
persons were sacred on account of their office. In later times
they abused that privilege ; and as their persons were inviolable,
they satirised and lampooned so freely those who were not liked
by their patrons, that they became a public nuisance. Screened
under the character of heralds, they grossly abused the enemy
when he would not accept the terms they offered.
§ Cean-teola', head of a family.