The Death of This Mac Magach

This is the story of the death of This Mac Magach, of the red branch of the mythology Irish.

The death of This Mac Magach

1. Where did the death of Cet mac Magach come from?
It's not hard to tell.
Once This came to Ulster looking for a man to kill, which he often did (namely, killing Ulates), for since he was a child he did not go a day without murdering an Ulate.

2. Therefore he went west, already having the head of three times nine Ulates with him. And Conall Cernach was then sent on his tracks to Brefne in Connaught (because the snow had fallen), until he found him in an unoccupied house, him and his driver, cooking their meal. The horses, however, were outside harnessed to the chariot.

3. “This is Cet,” said Conall, “and it is not proper for us to fight with him because of his ferocity and violence. Lying is wild, ”says Conall. " Misfortune! said the coachman, "let no good come out of thy lips, and thou not storm the house in which is found the plague which plagues Ulster, and there is no shame for thee in fall in battle at the same time as him, because of his great courage so far. "O father," said Conall, "I will not give my life to any of the heroes of Ireland; but I will put a sign on the horses. Conall plucked a lock of the horses' mane, put it in the front of the chariot, and walked east towards Ulster.

4. “Woe to this! Said the driver.
"There is no woe," Cet said. “It's a good thing he spared the horses. It was Conall (who did this), he says, and from that will come a friendship, and it will be beneficial. "
“Woe to you,” said the coachman, “that the man who slaughtered the Connaught men could dishonor you, your name cannot wait until Judgment Day without you killing him or putting him to flight tonight. "It is true indeed," said Cet. They pursued him as far as Ath Ceit, the ford of Cet.

5. “Well, Conall! Said Cet.
"What is it, O Cet?" Said Conall.
"You will not escape today, O evil one," said Cet. "I think the same," Conall said, turning to him. And each of them hit the other, so their screaming and breathing, and the. … Horses, and the… of their coachmen (?) Encouraging the heroes who were in the ford were heard through the wastelands, until all of them fell there. This, however, died immediately, and Conall passed out.

6. And Conall recovered from his fainting "Take the horses with you for the Ulster men," he said, "before the Connaught ones ..." However, the young man was unable to carry him in the chariot, so he said- he said goodbye, and went home. “Well, it's bad,” said Conall, “that one man from Connaught could have hurt me when I took an oath that no man from Connaught could kill me. And I would rather have sovereignty over the world that someone from Connaught could hurt me again, so that my death could not go to an inhabitant of Connaught. "

7. Bélchú de Brefne, however, was the first to come there.
"Here is This," he said. "And this is Conall," he said. And now Ireland will be happy, since these two dogs of war have fallen, which ruined Ireland between them. As he spoke, he rested the heel of his spear on Conall. "Don't leave your spear on me, O father," Conall said.
“You are alive,” Bélchú said. "It's not because of you," Conall said, "if I am alive. "I see, O Conall," said Bélchú, "you would like me to kill you. But I won't, because you're already nearly dead. "You wouldn't even dare to hurt my coat," Conall said, "you pitiful old woman. "" I'm not going to kill you now, but that's not all. I will take you home, and you will be taken care of; and when you are well, I will fight with you. "

8. So he lifted him onto his back, pulling him halfway behind him, until he reached his abode. And he brought in doctors until he was well. “Soon,” Bélchú said to his sons, “this man will escape me and he will do us no good. Kill the man before he gets away from us! So all of you come to him next night, when I leave the door open for you, and kill him in his bed. The man of calamities and great calamities, that is, Conall, knew of the evil plans that were (prepared) against him.

9. “Close the door! Conall said to Bélchú. He walked away but left the door open. “Okay now, Bélchú,” said Conall, “come to my bed. "No," Bélchú said. "I'm blowing your head!" Said Conall, if you don't come to that bed. "Since it has to be," Bélchú said. Then Bélchú closed the door. When Bélchú was asleep, Conall opened the door. Bélchú's sons came to the bed their father was in and stuck their three spears through his body, so that they killed him. And so Conall sprang up and ran his sword at them, so their brains were hurled against the walls. And he carried their four heads with him eastward until he reached his abode before daybreak. Here is the Death of Cet and Bélchú de Brefne with his Sons.