The Tain

Joseph Dunn

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Year: 2017
• eBook ISBN: 9780486827483
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Literature General
• Index: Literature

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.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright page
• Contents
• Preface
• Works on the Táin Bó Cúalnge
• I The Pillow-talk
• II The Occasion of the Táin
• III The Rising-out of the Men of Connacht at Cruachan Ai
• IV The Foretelling
• V The Route of the Táin
• VI The March of the Host
• VII The Youthful Exploits of Cuchulain
• VIIa The Slaying of the Smith’s Hound by Cuchulain
• VIIb The Taking of Arms by Cuchulain and The Slaying of the Three Sons of Necht ScenÈ
• VIIc A Separate Version as far as the Slaying of Orlam
• VIII The Slaying of Orlam
• VIIIa The Slaying of the Three Macarach
• VIIIb The Combat of Lethan and Cuchulain
• VIIIc The Killing of the Squirrel and of the Tame Bird
• VIIId The Slaying of Loche
• VIIIe The Killing of Uala
• VIIIf The Harrying of Cualnge
• IX The Proposals
• X The Violent Death of Etarcumul
• XI The Slaying of Nathcrantail
• XII The Finding of the Bull
• XIIa The Death of Forgemen
• XIIb The Slaying of Redg the Lampoonist
• XIIc The Meeting of Cuchulain and Finnabair
• XIId The Combat of Munremar and Curoi
• XIIe The Slaughter of the Boy-troop
• XIIf The Slaughter of the King’s Bodyguard
• XIII The Combat of cûr with Cuchulain
• XIV The Slaying of Ferbaeth
• XIVa The Combat of Larinè macnois
• XIVb The Colloquy of the Morrigan and Cuchulain
• XV The Combat of Loch and Cuchulain, and the Slaying of Loch son of Mofemis
• XVI The Violation of the Agreement
• XVIa The Healing of the Morrigan
• XVII The Great Rout on the Plain of Murthemne
• XVIIa The Slaughter of the Youths of Ulster
• XVIIb The Scythed Chariot
• XVIIc The Appearance of Cuchulain
• XVIId Dubthach’s Jealousy
• XVIII The Slaying of Oengus son of Oenlam
• XVIIIa The Misthrow at Belach Eoin
• XVIIIb The Disguising of Tamon
• XIX The Battle of Fergus and Cuchulain
• XIXa The Head-place of Ferchu
• XIXb Mann’s Fight
• XIXc The Combat of Calatin’s Children
• XX The Combat of Ferdiad and Cuchulain
• XXI Cuchulain and the Rivers
• XXII Cethern’s Strait-fight
• XXIIa Cethern’s Bloody Wounds
• XXIII The Tooth-fight of Fintan
• XXIIIa The Red-Shame of Menn
• XXIIIb The Accoutrement of the Charioteers
• XXIIIc The White-fight of Rochad
• XXIIId Iliach’s Clump-fight
• XXIIIe The Deer-Stalking of Amargin in Taltiu
• XXIIIf The Adventures of Curoi son of Dare
• XXIV The Repeated Warning of Sualtaim
• XXIVa The Agitation of Celtchar
• XXV The Array of the Host
• XXVI The Decision of the Battle
• XXVII The Battle of Garech
• XXVIIa The Muster of the Men of Erin
• XXVIII The Battle of the Bulls
• XXIX The Account of the Brown Bull of Cualnge
• Index of Place and Personal Names