CUCHULLAIN AND THE SONS OF CALATIN

Adapted by Michael McGuinness, Druid of the Fellowship

(from Cuchullain of Muirthemne by Lady Augusta Gregory)

(This is one of my favorite stories of Cuchullain, from the Tain Bo Cuailgne or “The Cattle Raid of Cooley.” It’s a tale that reminds me that even great heroes need a little help from their friends sometimes, and it helps me realize that I don’t always have to do everything by myself. I share it in gratitude for the FoDLA community, who have always loved me, supported me and helped me, in times of joy and sorrow.)

During the war for the Brown Bull of Cuailgne between Ulster and Connacht, Maeve, the Queen of Connacht consulted with her army as to who they would send out to fight against Cuchullain, who was wreaking havoc on them night and day.

Since Cuchullain was only one man, they had agreed to only send one man against him at a time, but it was the army of Connacht who were getting the worst of the bargain. They agreed that that it was Calatin and his twenty-seven sons should go out against Cuchullain. Calatin was a great wizard, and had enchanted himself and his sons so that they moved and fought together as one man. They never missed their target with their spears, and every man of them had poison in himself and his weapons, so that any one who was even scratched by them would die within nine days. “And surely they are only one man, for they are all members of Calatin’s body,” Maeve’s people said.

Then Fergus, who had exiled himself from Ulster and allied himself with Queen Maeve, went to his camp and lamented to his people, “There is great grief on me that Cuchullain will be killed tomorrow by that wizard Calatin and his sons.” And Fiacha, a young Ulster warrior who served Fergus, determined to go along to the battle and help Cuchullain to lift the spirits of his lord Fergus and perhaps be rewarded for his bravery.

So in the morning Cuchullain met Calatin and his sons in battle, and Fiacha crept along beside them to see what occurred. And Clann Calatin, that is, the wizard and his sons, instantly threw their twenty-nine spears at Cuchullain in one cast, but not one of them drew blood, for Cuchullain caught all of them on his shield.

Then Cuchullain drew his sword to cut off the spears and lighten his shield, but Clann Calatin rushed at him, and with their twenty-nine hands, pushed Cuchullain’s face into the dirt. And Cuchullain gave a great cry, the cry of a hero besieged in an unequal fight, and all the warriors of Ulster and Connacht could hear it for miles around.

Then Fiacha the young Ulsterman, who was watching from his hiding place, saw Cuchullain in sore distress and felt the love of his own countryman come over him, and he pulled out his own sword and struck off the twenty-nine hands from Calatin and his sons with one blow.

Cuchullain raised his head up from the ground, and gave a great sigh of relief when he saw who had come to his aid. “That was well done, my friend,” he said.

“You may think it well done,” replied Fiacha, “but if the men of Connacht should hear of this, they will repay me with sword and spear.”

“I give you my word,” said Cuchullain, “now that I have caught my breath, none of these men will live to tell tales on you.” And, together, Cuchullain and Fiacha attacked Calatin and his sons, until there was nothing left of them but their blood and their mangled swords.

One of the sons, however, lived long enough to run back to Maeve’s camp, crying “Fiacha! Fiacha!” before he died.

Maeve and her people wondered at the man’s words, since fiach is the Irish word for “debt.” Fergus, who guessed the truth of what had happened, made a grim jest to distract them: “By my word, surely all this man’s debts are paid now, for good and all.” And that was also Fergus’ way of hinting that he would reward Fiacha for his bravery and loyalty to him, to Cuchullain and to Ulster.

A stone, hacked by their swords and spears, marks the place of the battle to this day, at Fuil Iairn, which means “blood over iron” near the River Dee in County Louth in Ulster. The spot is west of Ardee, the Ford of Ferdia, where Cuchullain, later in the War for the Brown Bull, met his dearest boyhood friend in battle; but that’s another story for another time.