Note 5-5 — Footnotes.

"Truly hath this happened to me." Fergus responded. And Fergus placed his two hands on Calad Colg ('Hardblade'), and he heaved a blow with it backwards behind him, so that its point touched the ground, and he thought to strike his three fateful blows of Badb on the men of Ulster, so that their dead would be more in number than their living. Cormac Conlongas son of Conchobar saw that and he rushed to 5his foster-father, namely to5 Fergus, and he closed his two 6royal hands6 over him 7outside his armour.7 8"Ungentle, not heedful is this, Fergus my master! Full of hate, not of friendship is this,8 O Fergus my master! Let not the Ulstermen be slain and destroyed by thee through thy destructive blows, but take thou thought for their honour to-day on this day of battle!" W. 6013. "Get thee away from me, boy! 1Whom then should I strike?"1 exclaimed Fergus; "for I will not remain alive unless I deliver my three fateful strokes of Badb on the men of Ulster this day, till their dead be more in number than their living." "Then turn thy hand slantwise," said Cormac Conlongas, "and slice off the hill-tops over the heads of the hosts 2on every side2 and this will be an appeasing of thine anger." "Tell Conchobar also to fall 3back again3 to his place in the battle," 4said Fergus; "and I will no longer belabour the hosts."4 5Cormac told this to Conchobar:5 6"Go to the other side, O Conchobar," said Cormac to his father, "and this man will not visit his anger any longer here on the men of Ulster."6 So Conchobar went to his place in the battle. 7In this manner Fergus and Conchobar parted.7