Part 2 of The Expulsion of the Dessi

Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition

The Expulsion of the Dessi (Author: Unknown)

paragraph 2

Now the King of Tara had a wanton son, to wit, Conn mac Cormaic, who forcibly seized the daughter of Forad — Forach was her name — and ravished her. Then Oengus set out in search of the girl and went to Tara. He did not secure the chains which were on the [valve?] of the lance; for a man was needed for each of these two chains of his always. He saw his foster-child sitting at the right hand of the King's son. ‘We have not heard of this new alliance,’ said Oengus. The King's son answered: ‘Grant me the respite of a grown-up person! In any case, thou wilt have to bear it, though thou do not grant it.’ ‘To begin with, I will not bear it!’ said Oengus and ran the lance through him. Then one of the two chains struck the eye of the King, so that it broke in his head; and when he

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pulled the lance back, its butt end struck the cup-bearer and passed through him so that he died the first.¹ It was from the chains that his name was Oengus of the Dread Lance.