| The Cycles of the Kings | |
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*Cid
dia tall Eochaid Rígéiges degiartaige ó
Mongán? *"Why did Eochaid Rígéiges deprive Mongán of noble issue?" Edition
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Fíachna mac Báetáin, the king of Ulster, invites Eochaid, the chief poet of Ireland, to his court. At first, Eochaid refuses to come because he knows that Fíachna's son, Mongán, is a man of great knowledge. Mongán will find occasion to shame him, and the poet will curse him in anger. However, Fíachna promises to talk to his son, and Eochaid agrees to come. Time passes without incident until Mongán's companions urge him to challenge Eochaid. One day while Fíachna and Eochaid are traveling, they come upon four clerics standing by six pillar stones. They ask Eochaid who erected the stones. The poet says he does not remember but he thinks that it was Clanna Dedad. One of the clerics contradicts him, saying that the stones were erected by Conall Cernach and Illand mac Fergusa on the occasion of Illand's first military exploit. Next Fiachna and Eochaid come to a ráth in front of which is a group of young men. They ask Eochaid who built the structure, but the poet admits he does not know. Then the young men taunt him. Finally, Fíachna and Eochaid come to another ráth with another group of young men in front of it. Again, Eochaid does not know its name, but one of the men says that it is called Ráth Imgat. Returning home with Fíachna, Eochaid confronts Mongán saying that he knows he was behind the encounters that betrayed his ignorance. He then lays a curse (ailech) on Mongán, saying that the latter will leave no inheritance and that his progeny will be churls.
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| Copyright 2004 Dan M. Wiley. Last updated 07/03/04 | |