[1-1] This heading is áinBóCútaken from the colophon of the episode.
[11-11] I have translated from the more circumstantial account in Stowe. LL. has, simply, 'his entrails and bowels outside on him.'
Laeg went his way to the quarters and camp of the men of Erin, and he called upon the leeches of the men of Erin to go forth to cure Cethern son of Fintan. Truth to tell, the leeches of the men of Erin were unwilling to go cure their adversary, their enemy and their stranger-foe. But they feared Cuchulain would work death and destruction and slaughter upon them if they went not. And so they went. As one man of them [2]after the other[2] came to him, Cethern son of Fintan showed him his stabs and his cuts, his sores and his bloody wounds. [3]When the first leech that came looked at him, "thou wilt not live," he declared. "Neither wilt thou for this," replied Cethern.[3] Each man of them that said he would not live and could not be healed, Cethern son of Fintan struck him a blow with his right fist in the front of his forehead, so that he drove the brains out through the windows of his ears and the seams of his skull. Howbeit Cethern son of Fintan killed them till, by reason of him, there had come fifteen[a] leeches of the leeches of the men of Erin, [4]as the historian hath declared in proof thereof:--
"These the leeches of the Táin, Who by Cethern--bane--did fall. No light thing, in floods of tribes, That their names are known to me:
"Littè, Luaidren, known o'er sea, Lot and Luaimnech, 'White-hand' Lonn, Latheirnè skilful, also Lonn, Laisrè, Slanoll 'That cures all.'
"Dubthach, Fintan's blameless son, Fintan, master Firfial, too, Mainè, Boethan 'Gives not pain,' Eke his pupil, Boethan's son.
"These the leeches, five and ten, Struck to death by Cethern, true; I recall them in my day; They are in the leeches' roll!"[4]
[W.4284.] Yea, even the fifteenth leech, it was but the tip of a blow that reached him. Yet he fell lifeless of the great stun between the bodies of the other physicians and lay there for a long space and time. Ithall, leech of Ailill and Medb, was his name.
Thereafter Cethern son of Fintan asked another leech of Cuchulain to heal and to cure him [1]forasmuch as the leeches of the men of Erin had failed him.[1] "Come, master Laeg," quoth Cuchulain, "go for me to Fingin the seer-leech, at 'Fingin's Grave-mound' at Leccan ('the Brow') of Sliab Fuait, [2]him that is[2] leech to Conchobar. Bid him come to heal Cethern son of Fintan."