Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
The Metrical Dindshenchas (Author: [unknown])
poem/story 37
SRUTHAR MATHA
- Sruthar Matha, praise it among yourselves, O joyous people, that love it well! if ye know in full the story of the death of Matha son of Roiriu.
- From Leinster of the bloody conflicts to his death in a neighbour land Matha's errand brought him, to the stream's outlet: the occasion thereof is known to us.
- A wood rich in nut-clusters have I heard of in the western part of Mag Macha; there was no forest to match it for fame and for fragrance.
- Such an odour rose from the wood, on the side where it moved with the wind, that no hiding-place from its fragrance was found in Banba.
- Every swine that snuffed up the odour of the vast forest, their hearts would break forthwith if they could not reach the forest.
- The herd of Catháir Mór, lord of horsemen, fares forth after the goodly odour: it was no prosperous enterprise for the tall slow-foot man, Matha, to be sent to master them perforce.
p.175
- Neither swerve nor turn in their road could Matha get from the mighty herd: in such plight he reached Commar: promptly came his doom.
- His head split, a doomed man's stroke, with the pursuit and burning heat: sadly he sinks beneath the smooth streamsmall blame to himto seek coolness.
- The son of Roiriu son of fierce Rogan, chief herdsman of Cathair of Conluan, perished by his violent effort and was drowned in the river.
- Therefore said every one truthfully, The stream has gone over Mathaa dreadful deed! his name shall remain for ever to call the stream by, that it be Matha's River: it shall be a deed of note.
- Before the days of Roiriu's son, cunning in casts, Sruth Nencha (though the school mention it not) was of old the river's name: I have found the great tale, above all lore.