Note 5-5 — Footnotes.

"They continued their way to the mound-seat of Emain, where they saw flocks of white swans flying by them. "What are those birds there, O Ibar?" the lad asked; "are yonder birds tame *LL. fo. 67. or are they other birds?" "Indeed, they are real wild birds," Ibar answered; "flocks of swans are they that come from the rocks and crags and islands of the great sea without, to feed on the plains and smooth spots of Erin." "Which would be stranger 5to the Ulstermen,5 O Ibar, for them to be fetched alive to Emain or dead?" asked the lad. "Stranger far, alive," W. 1333. Ibar answered, "for not every one succeeds in taking the birds alive, 1while they are many that take them dead."1 Then did the lad perform one of his lesser feats upon them: 2he put a small stone in his sling,2 so that he brought down eighta of the birds; and then he performed a greater feat: 3he threw a large stone at them3 and he brought down sixteenb of their number. 4With his return stroke all that was done.4 He fastened them to the hind poles and the bows and the thongs and the ropes and the traces of the chariot.