'Ill indeed,' said Fergus, 'is this deed before the enemy. Let each of you taunt the man, O men,' said he to his following, 'that he may not fall for nothing.'
Bricriu Poison-tongue Mac Carbatha rose and began inciting Cuchulainn.
'Your strength is gone,' said he, 'when it is a little salmon that overthrows you when the Ulstermen are at hand [coming] to you out of their sickness yonder. Grievous for you to undertake a hero's deed in the presence of the men of Ireland and to ward off a formidable warrior in arms thus!'
Therewith Cuchulainn arises and strikes the eel so that its ribs broke in it, and the cattle were driven over the hosts eastwards by force, so that they took the tents on their horns, with the thunder-feat that the two heroes had made in the ford.
The she-wolf attacked him, and drove the cattle on him westwards. He throws a stone from his sling, so that her eye broke in her head. She goes in the form of a hornless red heifer; she rushes before the cows upon the pools and fords. It is then he said: 'I cannot see the fords for water.' He throws a stone at the hornless red heifer, so that her leg breaks under her. Then he sang a song:
'I am all alone before flocks; I get them not, I let them not go; I am alone at cold hours (?) Before many peoples.
'Let some one say to Conchobar Though he should come to me it were not too soon; Magu's sons have carried off their kine And divided them among them.
'There may be strife about one head Only that one tree blazes not; If there were two or three Their brands would blaze. [Note: Meaning not clear.]
'The men have almost worn me out By reason of the number of single combats; I cannot work the slaughter (?) of glorious warriors As I am all alone. I am all alone.'
It is there then that Cuchulainn did to the Morrigan the three things that he had promised her in the _Tain Bo Regamna_ [Note: One of the introductory stories to the _Tain Bo Cuailnge_, printed with translation in _Irische Texte_, 2nd series.]; and he fights Loch in the ford with the gae-bolga, which the charioteer threw him along the stream. He attacked him with it, so that it went into his body's armour, for Loch had a horn-skin in fighting with a man.
'Give way to me,' said Loch. Cuchulainn gave way, so that it was on the other side that Loch fell. Hence is Ath Traiged in Tir Mor. Cuchulainn cut off his head then.