Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
The destruction of Da Derga's Hostel (Author: [unknown])

section 83

‘Hard it is for me to find their like. I know not in Erin that trio, unless it be yon trio of Pictland, who went into exile from their country, and are now in Conaire's household. These are their names: Dublonges son of Trebúat, and Trebúat son of Húa-Lonsce, and Curnach son of Húa Fáich. The three who are best in Pictland at taking arms are that trio. Nine decads will fall at their hands in their first encounter, and a man will fall for each of their weapons, besides one for each of themselves. And they will share prowess with every trio in the Hostel. They will boast a victory over a king or a chief of the reavers; and they will afterwards escape though wounded. Woe to him who shall wreak the Destruction, though it be only on account of those three!’

Says Lomna Druth: ‘I swear to God what my tribe swears, if my counsel were taken, the Destruction would never be wrought.’

‘Ye cannot,’ says Ingcél: ‘clouds of weakness are coming to you. A keen ordeal which will endanger, etc. And whom sawest thou there afterwards?’


p.183