The Court of Ferb

This is the story of Courting Ferb, of red branch of the mythology Irish.

The Court of Ferb

Conchobar, the son of Nessa, lay one night in his sleep, and as he lay he saw a vision, for there came to him a lady in the flower of youth, beautiful in form and appearance. “Good is my welcome,” declared the lady. “In truth, is this a good welcome? » declared Conchobar. “What does this vision mean? » he said. “Honor and good fortune await you,” she replied. “And what,” declared Conchobar, “has the future allocated to me? "The men of Ireland will seek thee," said the lady, "and thy wives, thy sons, thy daughters, and thy cattle shall be taken away by Medb and by Ailill, and the cunning advice of Fergus shall aid them." "When will the time come," said Conchobar, "when they will begin this raid?" » “During one night,” she said, “which is seven years removed from this night, the White will devastate the lands of Cualgne for this Brown who came from Cualgne, in pursuit of whom this attack against your people will be made . "I don't like," said Conchobar, "the kind of facts you spoke of." "But before that day comes," she said, "there is one glorious deed for you to do." In the outer steps of your kingdom lies Mani Morgor, the son of Ailill, three times fifty is the number of the warriors with him, and in Glen Geirg, near thee, he now lies, he came for his marriage with the daughter of Gerg: the name of the young daughter is Ferb. There hurry against him, for tomorrow, at the ninth hour, the banquet will be given. » “What number,” said Conchobar, “of warriors should I take? » “Gather three hundred warriors,” she said; and she departed from him, and disappeared from his sight. In the morning Conchobar awoke, and to Mumain Aitenchaitrech, his queen, he related the story he had heard. “If you wanted to listen to me,” she said, “you wouldn't – there are already enough reasons for our people and them to struggle. » “By the route we are taking for our raid,” replied Conchobar, “I will certainly return. "Well," she said, "go the way you seek." »

And these three hundred departed, and then went, until they came to the house of Gerg, until they reached the stronghold of Raith Imbuee, where king Gerg was staying. The rumors of music reached them through the walls, and the fortress was open before them. Conchobar walked up to the castle, and his three hundred warriors beside him, so that they were standing at the gate. Belle was the king's house. There were Gerg and Buan his wife, thirty [men] with Flann, thirty with Dubhtach, thirty with Donnell, thirty with Angus, and about thirty [men] of his clan with Falbe Flann. They were there by reason of the faithfulness they owed to the house of Gerg, by the side of the servants who likewise were there; besides, there was Mani and his retinue - three times fifty was their number.

Now, all these had their shields of copper. If from each man a bushel of gold and a bushel of silver and bronze had been due, the rivets of the spear of each man among them, with the gold rings that were on their hair, would have paid the debt. In the house were about a hundred brass tables. A brazen vat was on the floor of the house, and it had been filled with wine. For three days and three nights they had feasted, and when Conchobar came to the door, only half of the wine remained. In the house were Gerg and Buan his wife and Mani Morgor, with his troop of warriors, drinking wine and beer, and the gate of the fortress and the house in which they were seated were defenseless. Conchobar walked forward until he reached the door of the house; so Conchobar's servant came forward until he got inside this house. The name of this servant was Broth [broth means broth]. Then the druid who was with them uttered his cry of lamentation, and all heard this lai which he sang:

"Broth in the bowl is uncovered,
Soon strangers will take it;
The troops are awakened to the sound of battle,
The heroes will shed blood!
Many homes are collapsing,
Warriors fall into duels,
Feats of arms lead them all.
So is it decreed! "

Then Brod hurled his spear at Gerg, so that it went straight through his body. And King Gerg let the cup fall out of his hand, and he collapsed on the floor of the house. "Broth has been found in the cup, O Gerg!" Cried Conchobar. "Arise, O young men," he said and thirty warriors rushed into this house beside Conchobar. And of Mill's son Conchobar struck the head, and likewise a hundred heads were cut off. Then Conchobar and Brod left the house, and he left the rest of his young warriors behind him; for three days and three nights they stayed in this house.

Meanwhile, the lady, namely the Badb, continued on her way, and in Croghan she appeared. “Your son,” she said to Medb, “was defeated at Glenn Geirg. "" Who defeated him? " she says. “Conchobar, with the valiant heroes of Ulster around him. Medb took up her arms, and she gathered six hundred of her warriors and young heroes, plus she took with her Fergus and the Ulster exiles, and she marched until she came to Glenn Geirg, and there they fought together. Medb with his own hand slaughtered sixteen warriors, as well as the two Amalgaids, the two sons of Conchobar. About a hundred Ulster men were killed; but four hundred of the men of Connaught and the people of Medb fell in the struggle, and Medb was defeated. Then the men of Ulster went into the city (where Gerg had lived), and not one of the inhabitants of that city escaped their hands; and they took all the treasures and the costly things that were there, and they took up the brazen vat, so that it came into the land of Ulster, and they cleared the land of this troop of men of Connaught, and they returned in triumph to their own land. So this story has to do with this raid where the Taurus was taken west, for it was then that Ulster's men took the vat. When they were all gathered for a foray, or when they were gathered for an assembly, this vat was sufficient for them all, and thus the vat called Ol n-guala came into the possession of the men of Ulster, and hence also comes (the name of) Loch Guala, which is now in Daminis within the borders of Ulster.