Chapter IX

§ 57. One night as their portion was assigned them, three cats from
the Cave of Cruachan were let loose to attack them, i.e. three beasts of
magic. Conall and Loigaire made for the rafters, having left their food
with the beasts. In that wise they slept till the morrow. Cuchulainn fled
not from his place from the beast which attacked him. But when it
stretched its neck out for eating, Cuchulainn gave a blow with his sword
on the beast’s head, but [the blade] glided off as ’twere from stone. Then
the cat set itself down. In the circumstances Cuchulainn neither ate nor
slept. As soon as it was early morning the cats were gone. In such
condition were the three heroes found (lit. seen) on the morrow. “Does
not that trial suffice for adjudging ye?” asked Ailill. “By no means,”
quoth Conall and Loigaire, “it is not against beasts we are striving, but
against men.”