Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
King Eochaid has horse's ears (Author: Unknown)
paragraph 4
The youth went into the wilderness with the king, and there
they found an empty house. ‘We had better be shaved,’ said the
king, ‘since we are alone.’ ‘I am capable of shaving you well,’ said the youth, and thereupon he shaves him. ‘Is that head of mine
good and stately after being newly shaved?’ asked the king. ‘It is good indeed,’ said the youth, ‘and may it be better and better!’ The king stretches out his hand for his sword to slay the youth. ‘It is I who will take it,’ said the youth, ‘and who will deal a blow at your head, you parricide, lest you commit parricide on any one else after me. From this day you shall leave your wife and your inheritance and your land and kingship, you big-eared foul-headed horse! Many hosts and multitudes shall behold your head when I have struck it off you!’ And the lad unsheathed the sword, and raised it above his head to bring it down upon the king and to kill him. ‘May God's right hand intervene!’ said Eochaid. ‘Not thus shall it be between us, boy! You shall share equally my rank with me, and you shall always shave me, so long as you will keep your secret of what you have seen of me.’ ‘I will keep it,’ said the youth, ‘and increase of friendship shall come from this event’.