Battle of Cuchulainn with Ferdiad

Enlight

A hero of heroes, a glorious warrior of ancient Ulster, the first among the warriors of the Red Branch of King Conchobar, a fearless Uladian dog - this is how Cuchulainn was called by his friends and enemies. And there was only one other warrior in the five kingdoms of ancient Ireland, or, as they said then, in Erin, who could compare with Cuchulainn in courage and martial art. It was Ferdiad, son of Damon.

These two glorious heroes - Cuchulainn and Ferdiad - were sworn brothers and friends. They grew up together, learning the techniques of fighting strength and courage together from the formidable warrior Scathach on the Isle of Skye. There they spent their youth, there they knew love and matured, from there, hand in hand, they went to feats of arms in foreign, distant countries.

Their devotion and true friendship were cemented by the blood shed in many dangerous battles, battles and battles. But it so happened that, angry with the evil and treacherous King Conchobar, Ferdiad, along with other warriors of the Red Branch, left Ulster and went to serve the proud and cruel Connacht Queen Mave.

It was at that time that Mav decided to go to war against the kingdom of Ulster. She had long wanted to show the King of the Ulads, Conchobar, that he was not the most powerful king in Erin.

She gathered all her glorious warriors and led them north to Ulster. She chose the right time for the war - King Conchobar and his warriors were overcome by a serious illness. This happened to them at the beginning of every winter - as punishment for the fact that one day King Conchobar mocked the goddess of war Macha.

And so, when all the Ulad warriors were exhausted from illness, Queen Mav left Connacht and approached with her army to the very border of Ulster - to the Northern Pass.

Having learned that the mighty army of Queen Mav was coming to Ulster, Cuchulainn sent his charioteer Loig to the goddess Macha with a great request that she remove her curse from the Ulads. And while their strength had not yet returned, Cuchulainn alone went out to defend the Northern Passage from the enemy.

The curse of the goddess Macha did not touch him: when this misfortune first happened to the Ulads, Cuchulainn had not yet been born.

Not a day passed without less than a hundred warriors of Queen Mave falling at the hands of Cuchulainn. It was not for nothing that he was known as a hero of heroes, a fearless fighter, a winner in many battles.

Moreover, at night Cuchulainn quietly approached the very camp of the proud queen and dispersed all her guards with stones accurately fired from a sling. So no one had any peace from him, not only during the day, but also at night.

Then Queen Mav decided to send messengers and ambassadors to Cuchulainn. Messengers ran from her to Cuchulainn's tent and back, conveying her questions and his answers. And it was decided between them that Queen Mav would no longer advance to Ulster by forced march, but would send one warrior every day to Cuchulainn to meet him in a glorious duel. They agreed that while he was fighting in a duel, she could go forward with her army, but as soon as her warrior was killed - if this happened - she would stop until the next day.

“It would be better for me to lose one warrior a day than a hundred,” thought the insidious Mav.

But day after day passed, and Cuchulainn killed her best warriors one after another in a fair fight. And the day came when Queen Mav did not know who else could fight and withstand the battle with Cuchulainn.

She had to convene a large council of Erin's husbands. Erin's husbands began to think and, having thought, agreed on one thing:

- Ferdiad, son of Damon! For in battle, in battle and in battle, he alone is equal to the bravest hero Cuchulainn. They grew up together, together they learned the techniques of combat strength and courage from the formidable Scathach.

- Good choice! - the queen approved.

And they sent messengers and ambassadors for Ferdiad. But Ferdiad refused, rejected, and sent back the queen’s messengers and ambassadors. He did not answer her call, because he knew what they wanted from him: that he should enter into single combat with his dear friend, his sworn brother and adviser.

Then Mav sent druids and evil singers to Ferdiad so that they would sing him three numbing songs and three evil spells - for shame, ridicule and contempt - if Ferdiad refused to come to her.

This time Ferdiad went, because it seemed easier to him to fall from the spear of strength, dexterity and courage than from the arrows of shame, disgrace and reproach.

Mav herself came out to meet him and received him with honor and greetings. Then she called her leaders and military commanders and ordered them to arrange a feast in honor of Ferdiad.

At the table Ferdiad sat on her right hand. And on the other hand, Mav sat her daughter Findabair next to him and ordered her to pour the best wines for the hero so that his cup would never remain empty.

Ferdiad quickly became tipsy and cheerful. Then the queen began to praise his courage, courage and heroic deeds and promised him untold riches, new lands and her daughter Findabair as a wife if he entered into single combat with Cuchulainn.

Those gathered at the table loudly welcomed the queen's words.

Everyone except Ferdiad.

He sat alone in silence. It was bitter for him to even think about fighting with his friend, comrade and brother-in-arms. He told the queen:

– Your gifts are truly generous and beautiful, proud Mav! But I'm not worthy of them. I will never accept them as a reward for the battle with my dear friend Cuchulainn.

He also said this to the queen:

And our hearts beat side by side, And in the forests we fought side by side, On the same bed we slept side by side, Tired, exhausted in a fierce battle...

And then Mav realized that such devotion and love could not be destroyed by flattery or bribery. And she conceived a different plan.

When Ferdiad finished the song about the dangerous deeds that they accomplished together with Cuchulainn, she, pretending that she had not heard what he had just said, turned to her warriors and advisers and calmly remarked:

“Perhaps now I’m ready to believe what Cuchulainn said about Ferdiad.”

- What did Cuchulainn say about me? – asked Ferdiad.

“He said that you were too dangerous and cautious to fight him in a duel,” Mav answered.

Ferdiad was overcome with anger and exclaimed:

“Cuchulainn shouldn’t have spoken about me like that!” He could not honestly say that I had ever been a coward or shown a lack of courage in our common affairs. I swear by my glorious weapon, tomorrow at dawn I will be the first to challenge him to the battle that I so hate!

And without adding another word, Ferdiad, sad, returned to his tent.

That night no music or songs were heard among Ferdiad's faithful warriors. They saw their boss and master return from the royal feast, and they talked in whispers, anxiously asking each other what would happen. They knew that Ferdiad was skillful and fearless in battle, but they knew that Cuchulainn was no less skillful and equally fearless.

How could they not know that when two such fearless heroes meet in a fair duel, one of them is destined to die!

Ferdiad rested until dawn, and then ordered the chariot to be harnessed - he wanted to appear at the place of the duel before Cuchulain.

The driver brought out the horses, harnessed the chariot and returned to Ferdiad’s tent. He tried to persuade his master not to go into battle against Cuchulainn. Ferdiad did not hide from him how difficult it was for him to oppose his brother-in-law, but since he gave his word to Queen Mav, he will keep it:

It would be better if he didn’t give her a word!

Sadness and anger did not leave Ferdiad at the thought of this. He came to the tent of the Ulad warriors and, raising his voice, said loudly so that everyone could hear:

“It would be better for me to die at the hands of the glorious Cuchulainn than for him to die from me!” And if Cuchulainn falls from my hand, Queen Mav and many of her glorious warriors will not live. The reason for this is the promise that she snatched from me when I was drunk and joyful at her feast. Believe me!

Then Ferdiad mounted his chariot and rushed to the ford across the river to the place of the duel. There he forced the driver to unharness the horses and, having dismantled the chariot, ordered to build a tent for himself and cover it with skins. The ground was covered with blankets, pillows were thrown in, and Ferdiad went to bed before Cuchulainn arrived.

While he slept, Fergus, loyal to Cuchulainn, secretly left the tent of the Connacht warriors and went to Cuchulainn to tell him with whom he would have to fight on the coming day.

“I swear on my life,” cried Cuchulainn, upon hearing this news, “this is not the kind of conversation I would like to have with my friend and brother-in-arms!” Not out of fear of him, but out of love and tender affection. But since this has happened, it is better for me to die at the hands of this glorious warrior than for him to die from me!

And Cuchulainn went to bed and slept for a long time. He did not want to get up early, so that the Connacht warriors would not say that he could not sleep from fear of Ferdiad. The sun was already high when he finally climbed onto his chariot and rode to the ford across the river to the place of the duel.

Ferdiad was already waiting for him and, as soon as Cuchulainn got off the chariot, he greeted his friend.

“Ah, Ferdiad,” Cuchulainn said sadly in response, “I used to believe that you greeted me as a friend.” But now this faith is gone! How could you exchange our friendship for the false promises of a treacherous woman?

Stung by Cuchulainn's reproaches, Ferdiad exclaimed:

– Has our conversation gone on too long? It's time for our spears to join in the conversation!

And so, having drawn closer, the glorious warriors began to throw light spears at each other. Like bees on a clear summer day, sharp darts flew between the enemies, and the sun burned on their wing tips.

They fought like this all day, changing weapons from time to time. But both in defense and in attack their skill was equal, and no matter what weapon they chose, it was never stained with their blood. When night fell, they decided that the fight was over for today and it was time to rest.

Having thrown their weapons to their drivers, the brave warriors threw themselves on each other’s necks and tenderly kissed each other three times in a brotherly manner.

Then the drivers prepared beds for them from fresh reeds, for each on his own bank of the river: for Ferdiad - on the south, for Cuchulainn - on the north.

Messengers rode up from Ulster and brought medicinal herbs and potions to Cuchulain to increase his strength and relieve his overworked body from pain and fatigue. Cuchulainn divided all the herbs and all the medicines equally and sent half to Ferdiad.

And the Connacht warriors brought food and drink from the camp for Ferdiad. Ferdiad also divided everything equally and sent half to Cuchulainn.

Their horses spent the night in the same paddock, and the drivers spent the night together around the same fire.

The next morning, as soon as the sun began to shine, the fighters met again at the ford. This time they fought on chariots, using heavy spears. The battle went on all day, and each received many cruel blows, before night fell and they decided to rest. This time both were so badly wounded that birds could fly into their wounds on one side and fly out from the other.

But their horses spent that night in the same paddock, and the drivers - together around the same fire.

When the next morning they met at the ford to continue the duel, Cuchulainn saw that Ferdiad was no longer the same as before: his gaze became gloomy, and he could no longer stand straight, but walked hunched over, barely dragging his feet.

Great sadness seized Cuchulainn. He forded the river and, approaching Ferdiad, said to him:

“My friend, comrade and brother, remember how we loved each other, how we shed blood together in cruel battles, fights and battles. Listen to your younger brother: give up combat at the ford!

At this, Ferdiad lowered his head lower so as not to look into Cuchulainn’s eyes, and said with sadness that he could not break his word, given in an evil moment to Queen Mav, and would fight with Cuchulainn until one of them wins.

This time they chose a weapon together and the battle began.

All long day in complete silence they threw heavy spears, clashed with sharp swords, chopped, stabbed, cut and delivered direct blows. Only the dark evening forced them to end the single combat.

Still silently, they threw their weapons to their drivers and, without hugging or saying a kind word to each other, gloomily went to their tents.

That night their horses spent in different corrals, and the drivers each at their own fire.

Early in the morning, Ferdiad rose first and put on his strongest, heaviest, impenetrable battle armor to protect himself from the terrible horned spear - Ga-Bulga, which Cuchulain was famous for in the duel at the ford.

Soon Cuchulainn also came to the river, and the battle flared up, fierce and merciless.

The blows of their spears were so strong that the fighters' shields bent inward. The noise of their battle was so great that it scared all the demons of the sky and made them rush through the air with loud screams. The soldiers' tread was so heavy that they pushed the river out of its banks.

Evening was already approaching when Ferdiad, with an unexpected attack, brutally wounded Cuchulainn, plunging his sword into his body to the very hilt, and blood flowed like a river from the wound and flooded the ford.

Cuchulainn did not have time to respond, and Ferdiad followed the first blow with a second and third.

Only then did Cuchulainn shout to his driver Loig to hand him the horned spear to Ga-Bulgu. Taking aim, he threw it with two toes, and Ga-Bulga, piercing Ferdiad's heavy armor, mortally struck him.

“This is the end for me, my Cuchulainn,” Ferdiad said and collapsed to the ground.

Seeing his friend and sworn brother fall to the ground, Cuchulain threw away his terrible weapon and rushed to Ferdiad. He bent over him, picked him up and carefully carried him across the ford to the northern side of the river - the side of the glorious settlements. He did not want to leave the friend of his youth, his sworn brother, his comrade-in-arms in the formidable battles on the land of enemies, on the southern bank of the river.

Cuchulainn lowered Ferdiad to the ground, bent over him and began to mourn him bitterly. Losing himself in grief and not thinking about the danger, Cu Chulainn sat for a long time next to his murdered friend, until his driver Loig advised him to move away from the ford, where the treacherous warriors of Queen Mav could attack him at any moment.

At Loig’s words, Cuchulainn slowly raised his head and said quietly, sadly:

- My friend Loig, know and remember: from now on, any battle, any fight or battle will seem to me an empty joke, fun, a toy after the duel with my dear Ferdiad.

And Cuchulainn composed this song, mourning his murdered friend: