Chapter XIV

§ 75. “Go forth to the ford of Yellow, son of Fair. He will adjudgeye.” Accordingly the three heroes went to the abode of Yellow (Budi).They told their wants and the rivalries which brought them. “Was notjudgment given you in Cruachan by Ailill and by Mève?” said Yellow. “Insooth there was,” quoth Cuchulainn, “but those fellows don’t stand byit.” “Stand by it,” quoth the other men, “we will not; what has beengiven us is no decision at all.” “It is not easy for another to adjudge yethen,” quoth Yellow, “seeing ye did not abide by Mève and Ailill’sarrangement. I know,” he continued, “one who will venture it, viz.,Terror, son of Great Fear (Uath mac Imomain), at yonder loch. Off thenin quest of him; he will adjudge ye.” A big powerful fellow was Terror,son of Great Fear. He used to shift his form into what shape he pleased,was wont to do tricks of magic and such like arts. He in sooth was thewizard from whom Muni, the Wizard’s Pass, is named. He used to becalled “wizard” from the extent to which he changed his divers shapes.§ 76. To Terror at his loch they accordingly went. Yellow had giventhem a guide. To Terror they told the cause for which they had soughthim out. He said he should venture on adjudgment provided only theywould adhere to it. “We will adhere to it,” they quoth; whereupon hesolemnly pledges them. I have a covenant to make with you,” he quoth,and whoever of you fulfils it with me, he is the man who wins theChampion’s Portion.” “What is the covenant?” they said. “I have an axe,and the man into whose hands it shall be put is to cut off my headto-day, I to cut off his to-morrow.”§ 77. Thereupon Conall and Loigaire said they would not agree tothat arrangement, for it would be impossible for them to live afterhaving been beheaded, although he might. Therefore they declined(shirked) that: [although other books narrate that they agreed to thebargain, to wit, Loigaire to, cut off Terror’s (Uath’s) head the first day,and (on the giant’s returning) that Loigaire shirked his part of thebargain and that Conall likewise behaved unfairly]. [18] Cuchulainn, however, said he would agree to the covenant (bargain) were theChampion’s Portion given to him. Conall and Loigaire said they wouldallow him that if he agreed to a wager with Terror. Cuchulainn solemnlypledged them not to contest the Champion’s Portion if he made covenantwith Terror. And they then pledged him to ratify it. Terror, having putspells on the edge of the axe, lays his head upon the stone forCuchulainn. Cuchulainn with his own axe gives the giant a blow and cutsoff his head. He then went off from them into the loch, his axe and hishead on his breast.§78. On the morrow he comes back on his quest. Cuchulainnstretches himself out for him on the stone. The axe with its edge reversedhe draws down thrice on Cuchulainn’s neck. “Get up,”quoth Terror; “thesovranty of the heroes of Erin to Cuchulainn, and the Champion’sPortion without contest.” The three heroes then hied them to Emain. ButLoigaire and Conall disputed the verdict given in favour of Cuchulainnand the original contest as to the Champion’s Portion continued. TheUltonians advised them to go for judgement unto Curoi. To that too theyagreed