Note 2-2 — Footnotes.

W. 2410. 2Great weariness came over Cuchulain after that night, and a great thirst, after his exhaustion.2 Then it was that the Morrigan, daughter of Emmas, came from the fairy dwellings, in the guise of an old hag, 3with wasted knees, long-legged,3 4blind and lame,4 engaged in milking a 5tawny,5 three-teated 6milch6 cow before the eyes of Cuchulain.a And for this reason she came in this fashion, that she might have redress from Cuchulain. For none whom Cuchulain ever wounded recovered therefrom without himself aided in the healing. Cuchulain, maddened with thirst, begged her for a milking. She gave him a milking of one of the teats 7and straightway Cuchulain drank it.7 "May this be a cure in time for me, 8old crone," quoth Cuchulain, "and the blessing of gods and of non-gods upon thee!" said he;8 and one of the queen's eyes became whole thereby. He begged the milking of 9another9 teat. 10She milked the cow's second teat and10 gave it to him and 11he drank it and said,11 "May she straightway be sound that gave it." 12Then her head was healed so that it was whole.12 He begged a third drink W. 2418. 1of the hag.1 2She milked the cow's third teat2 and gave him the milking of the teat 3and he drank it.3 "A blessing on thee of gods and of non-gods, O woman! 4Good is the help and succour thou gavest me."4 5And her leg was made whole thereby.5 6Now these were their gods, the mighty folk: and these were their non-gods, the folk of husbandry.6 And the queen was healed 7forthwith.7 8"Well, Cuchulain,8 9thou saidst to me," spake the Morrigan, "I should not get healing 10nor succour10 from thee forever." "Had I known it was thou," Cuchulain made answer, "I would never have healed thee." Or, it may be Drong Conculainn ('Cuchulain's Throng') on Tarthesc is the name of this tale in the Reaving of the Kine of Cualnge.9