Foot notes

1. lit.soller.
2. Gloss of the Christian scribe.
3. This is a mythic reference to Cuchulainn as sun-hero.
4. lit. feat of nine.
5. Some metal of inferior value.
6. Emer, who is represented as coming from the Celtic province of Meath, alludes to the Ultonian couvade. She implies those Ulster heroes were shams.
7. bodelbae = cow-shapes, may refer to some old practice of cow worship; cf. the Burghead stones.
8. Here follows an enumeration of Cuchulainn’s feats. It is not easy to figure them mentally with accuracy, so that we can be sure we know what we are speaking about: word for word they mean:—both over-breath-feat, apple-feat, ghost- (or sprite-) feat, screw-feat, cat-feat, valiant-champion’s whirling-feat, barbed spear, quick stroke, mad roar, heroes’ fury, wheel-feat, sword-edge-feat, climbing against spike-pointed things (or places) and straightening his body on each of them.
9. After Eg and H, which represent a different recension and pass on at once to § 42.
10. magic
11. The scribe of LU was harmonising two written accounts; he is not sure which to follow.
12. For the section in square brackets read: Then after three days and three nights the Ultonians as a body went to be adjudged to Ailill mac Magach to Cruachan Ai.— Eg and H, where this comes at once after § 32 and represents a different recension.
13. Wrongly inserted, from a different recension.
14. White metal.
15. Lit. on the floor of the palace.
16. This passage in brackets is clearly the work of the compiler of
    LU. The reading in H is: And he went till he arrived at Emain Macha at the end of day, and there was none of the Ultonians who would venture to ask news as to any of the three until the time came to eat and to drink in the Mead Hall. The narrative in H passes on to § 72, which seems in sequence.
17. i.e.with the Amazons.
18. Evidently an interpolation of the compiler of LU. He expressly refers to other books (araili libair).
19. Lit. between his two palms.
20. The circling motion of a bird of prey suggests itself.
21. it. Thou hast them as they will come to thee with thy breath.
    The three things were to be got for asking, provided they were asked at one breath. Thus, too, they were incitements to strife. In a Welsh fairy story, also, a woman gets all the animals she can count at one breath.
22. A cumal had the value of three cows.
23. LU ends; tale continued by Edinburgh MS. In this clause LU, Eg, and Ed were at one. But there is no confusion in the tale, for according to § 76 the giant agrees to be beheaded first; and this form of the giant's covenant is resumed in § 96, and continued to the end. The giant in § 94 is dissembling for the nonce. His real mind is seen from § 95.
24. “You do not care for death, then, if the man whom you slay to-night clings to you on the morrow.” Professor Kuno Meyer renders it thus, but I take this clause to be addressed to Fat-Neck, the following to the giant.
25. The natural plan would be to behead the giant the first night. It is on this the story turns; it is what “seemeth strange.” It thus becomes clear he is a supernatural being.
26. Cuil, “fly” conveys a pun upon Cuchulainn's name incapable of being reproduced.

According to the textual reading, it is Conchobar that addresses Cuchulainn. I have altered the translation to suit the context. The scribe is inaccurate.