¶1] At the Ford of Daire Dá Báeth, Cet mac Mágach threw the stone at Conchobar, viz., the brain of Mesgegra, king of Leinster. Fingen, the wizard-leech of Conchobar, 'tis he who would not let the stone be taken out of his head. Muma, however, the artificer, 'tis he who put a cover around it outside his head. Bachrach, a Leinster poet, told Conchobar that Christ had been crucified. In Mag Lamraige he told it to him. 'Tis there Conchobar fell in clearing the plain. Seventy-three feet was his length. Fifty feet, however, was the length of Tadg mac Céin, ut dixit poeta, i.e. Flann Mainistrech:19
- Fifty feet, with abundance of delights, among hosts of strong-bridled distinguished men,
was the length of the high-king in whom honour was conspicuous, of Tadg mac Céin, from whom are the Cianacht.- Conchobar, famous was his guile, Ness' celebrated son of ruddy beauty,
high-king of Ulsterhe deserved itby whom the slope of Lámraige was cut down.
In his grave
[...]
20 he found seventy-three feet.
¶2] Of that stone which ruined Conchobar the poet21 has sung:22
- O stone yonder upon the cold tomb of ever-famous Buite, the blessed son of Brónach,
thou wast a diadem in battles of pursuit while thou wast in the head of the noble son of Ness.- Though thou wast an enemy to him, he hid thee, he nourished thee for seven full years:
when he went to avenge the King of laws, 'tis then was found his grave through thee.- The hero whom thou didst hit victoriously thereafter found through thee a draught of poison:
to the son of Cathbadmen wailedthou didst deal a drink of a serpent's venom.
- Venomous from the south Cet brought thee upon his back from the noble battle of Ailbe,
the head of Emain's king thou hast wrecked thereby, brain of the youthful Mesgegra.- From the brake,all know it,to the Ford at Daire Dá Báeth,
Cet mac Mágach23 sent thee in violation of a bond from him for a cunning fight.- He cleft with thee, the deed was great, the crown of the king's head, a kingdom of hostages,
for 'tis he that was the best hero on whom wind and sun would shine.- What was foretold thee all along,24 woe to the Leinsterman25 in whose company thou wast!
thou never partedst from the noble26 d king until thou leftst him in a meeting with death.- On the bare slope of Lámraige hosts of fair bands did homage to thee:
thy struggle against thy comrade was rare, until thou fellest there out of his head.- The King who has shaped Heaven has revealed thee to the son of Brónach above Bri Breg;
in a strong fortress in which he slept, where there is a multitude of white angels.- Since Bute with grace of fame has slept on thee without treachery,
the hosts have eagerly27 humbled28 themselves to thee, until thou changedst colour, O stone!- The brain of Mesgegra in the battle, it was a fight against demons of doomed men;
pillow of Bute, until Doom that shall be thy name with every one, O stone!