Conall and Cù Chulainn
Conall and Cuchullin were related
to each other. They were cousins.
They learned together in the same
university. They were close to each
other.
Conall made a pledge. The first
person who would tell him the news
of Cuchullin’s death, he would lose
his life. The day came when
Cuchullin fell in battle. He said to
his companion Laoghaire, “Tell
Conall the story of my death. But tell
him that in a riddle. Or you yourself
will be in danger.”
Cuchullin died. Laoghaire left
to tell the news of his death to
Conall. Laoghaire reached Conall.
Conall said, “How is my friend,
Cuchullin?”
“He’s well,” said Laoghaire.
He was telling a lie. “He made a
new house. The house is low and
narrow. When he stretches out his
feet, his head reaches the upper end
of the house, his feet reach the lower
end of the house, and his nose
reaches the roof of the house.”
Conall understood the message. “Is my friend dead?” he said.
“You said that yourself,”
replied Laoghaire. He was now safe.
Conall and
They found every family that were
enemies of Cuchullin. Conall went
into their homes. He brought out
their heads. Every family in the land
was afraid.
They reached a village. A
noble young woman was living
there. The people were afraid. But
the young woman wasn’t afraid.
“Don’t be afraid,” she said to the
others. “I will make Conall
peaceful.” She invited Conall and
Laoghaire to dinner.
When the dinner was over,
everybody went out. They saw the
heads that Conall and Laoghaire
had. But they pretended that they
were not afraid.
“Laoghaire,”
you do not have enough heads, we’ll
take your own head off. That or my
own head.”
“No,” replied Laoghaire.
wouldn’t like that.”
“I wouldn’t like [it] either,”
agreed Conall.
And it appears that the pair did
no more harm to the old enemies of
Cuchullin.
Conall agus Cù Chulainn
Bha Conall agus Cù Chulainn
càirdeach do chèile. Bha iad nan co-oghaichean. Dh’ionnsaich iad còmhla
san aon oilthigh. Bha iad dlùth ri
chèile.
Thug Conall mionnan. A’ chiad
duine a bheireadh naidheachd bàs Chù
Chulainn dha, chailleadh e a bheatha.
Thàinig an latha nuair a thuit Cù
Chulainn ann am batail. Thuirt e ri a
chompanach Laoghaire, “Inns do
Chonall sgeul mo bhàis. Ach inns sin
dha ann an dubh-fhacal. No bidh thu
fhèin ann an cunnart.”
Chaochail Cù Chulainn.
Dh’fhalbh Laoghaire airson naidheachd a bhàis innse do Chonall. Ràinig
Laoghaire Conall. Thuirt Conall,
“Ciamar a tha mo charaid, Cù
Chulainn?”
“Tha gu math,” arsa Laoghaire.
Bha e ag innse breug. “Rinn e taigh ùr.
Tha an taigh ìosal cumhang. Nuair a
shìneas e a chasan, ruigidh a cheann
uachdar an taighe, ruigidh a chasan
ìochdar an taighe, agus ruigidh a shròn
mullach an taighe.”
Thuig Conall an teachdaireachd.
“A bheil mo charaid marbh?” thuirt e.
“Thuirt thu fhèin sin,” fhreagair
Laoghaire. Bha e a-nise sàbhailte.
Dh’fhalbh Conall is Laoghaire.
Lorg iad gach teaghlach a bha
nàimhdeil do Chù Chulainn. Chaidh
Conall a-steach do na dachaighean aca.
Thug e a-mach an cinn. Bha eagal air a
h-uile teaghlach anns an tìr.
Ràinig iad baile. Bha nighean
òg uasal a’ fuireach ann. Bha eagal air
na daoine. Ach cha robh eagal air an
nighinn. “Na bithibh fo eagal,” ars ise
ri càch. “Cuiridh mi Conall gu sìth.”
Thug i cuireadh do Chonall is
Laoghaire thighinn gu dìnnear.
Nuair a bha an dìnnear seachad,
chaidh a h-uile duine a-mach.
Chunnaic iad na cinn a bha aig Conall
is Laoghaire. Ach thug iad an creidsinn
nach robh eagal orra.
“A Laoghaire,” thuirt Conall,
“mura h-eil cinn gu leòr agad, bheir
sinn do cheann fhèin dheth. Sin no mo
cheann fhèin.”
“Cha toir,” fhreagair Laoghaire. “Cha bu toigh leam sin.”
“Cha bu toigh leamsa nas
motha,” dh’aontaich Conall.
Agus tha e coltach nach do rinn
an dithis cron sam bith eile air na
seann nàimhdean aig Cù Chulainn.
