Note 1-1 — Footnotes.

W. 919. "It was then he ran in among them. He scattered fifty king's sons of them over the ground underneath him 1before they got to the gate of Emain.1 Fiveb of them," Fergus continued, "dashed headlong between me and Conchobar, where we were playing chess, even on Cennchaem ('Fair-head') 2the chessboard of Conchobar,2 on the mound-seat of Emain. The little boy pursued them to cut them off. 3Then he sprang over the chessboard after the nine.3 Conchobar seized the little lad by the wrists. "Hold, little boy. I see 'tis not gently thou dealest with the boy-band." "Good reason I have," quoth the little lad. 4"From home, from mother and father I came to play with them, and they have not been good to me.4 I had not a guest's honour at the hands of the boy-troop on my arrival, for all that I came from far-away lands." "How is that? Who art thou, 5and what is thy name?"5 asked Conchobar. "Little Setanta am I, son of Sualtaim. Son am I to Dechtirè, thine own sister; and not through thee did I expect to be thus aggrieved." "How so, little one?" said Conchobar. "Knewest thou not that it is forbidden among the boy-troop, that it is geis for them for any boy to approach them in their land without first claiming his protection from them?" "I knew it not," said the lad. W. 932. "Had I known it, I would have been on my guard against them." "Good, now, ye boys," Conchobar cried; "take ye upon you the protection of the little lad." "We grant it, indeed," they made answer.