How Conchobor was Begotten, and how he took the Kingship of Ulster

Summary

Kinsella's note says this is the short version of the tale, chosen partly on grounds of quality and partly because in the Táin there is not the same suggestion of the supernatural about Conchobor as there is about Cúchulainn and the two bulls.

Nes and the druid

Nes, daughter of Eochaid Sálbuide of the yellow heel, is sitting outside Emain with her royal women about her. The druid Cathbad, from the Tratraige of Mag Inis, passes by. She asks him what the present hour is lucky for. He says it is lucky for begetting a king on a queen.

She asks if that is really true. Cathbad swears by god that it is, and says a son conceived at that hour would be heard of in Ireland for ever. The girl sees no other male near, and she takes him inside with her.

She grows heavy with a child. It stays in her womb for three years and three months, and she is delivered at the feast of Othar. The boy Conchobor is reared by Cathbad and is known as Cathbad's son.

The year of the kingship

Seven years after his birth Conchobor takes the kingship of Ulster. His mother Nes is living by herself, and Fergus mac Roich, king in Ulster at that time, asks for her as his wife. She says she will agree only if she gets something in return. He is to give her son the kingship for a year, so that her son's son can be called the son of a king.

Everyone says she should have it, since Fergus will still be king even if they call Conchobor by the name. So Nes sleeps with Fergus, and Conchobor is called king of Ulster.

Nes at once sets about advising her son, his foster-parents and everyone in his household. They are to steal everything from one half of the people and give it to the other half. She gives the Ulster warriors her own gold and silver, all in hope of what her son will get.

Fergus is put out

In a year to the same day the time is up, and Fergus calls back his pledge. The men of Ulster gather and talk. They feel greatly insulted that Fergus gave them over like a dowry, and they are grateful to Conchobor for all he has given them. They decide: what Fergus sold let it stay sold; what Conchobor bought let it stay bought. Fergus parts with the kingship, and Cathbad's son Conchobor becomes high king of a province of Ireland.

Conchobor as king

Ulster comes to worship him. Every man in Ulster who takes a girl in marriage lets her sleep the first night with Conchobor, so as to have him first in the family. Any Ulsterman who gives him a bed for the night gives him his wife as well. He is the wisest being in the world, and never gives a judgment until it is ripe, for fear it might be wrong and the crops worsen. He is also the hardest warrior in the world, but because he is to produce a son the Ulstermen never let him near danger. Heroes and battle-veterans and champions go before him into every fight to keep him from harm.

The three houses and the weapons

He has three houses. The Craebruad, the Red Branch, is where the kings sit, red being for royalty. The Téte Brec, the Twinkling Hoard, holds all the javelins, shields and swords, and it twinkles with the gold of sword-hilts and the silver on the necks of grey javelins. The Craebderg, the Ruddy Branch, holds the severed heads and the spoils.

The Téte Brec holds named weapons, and the text lists them: Ochain, Conchobor's shield, the Ear of Beauty, with four gold borders; Cúchulainn's black shield Dubán; Lámthapad, the swift to hand, belonging to Conall Cernach; Ochnech belonging to Flidais; Furbaide's red-gold Orderg; Cúscraid's triumphant sword Coscrach; death-dealing Echtach, which belonged to Amargin; Condere's angry Ir; Nuadu's Cainnel, a bright torch; Fergus's hacking sword Leochain; the fearful Uathach, which belonged to Dubthach; Errge's Lettach; Menn's Brattach; Noisiu's joyful Luithech; Nithach the wounder, belonging to Laegaire; the bloody Croda of Cormac; Sencha's resonant shield Sciatharglan; and Celtchar's Comla Catha, the Door of Battle. Other shields are beyond counting.

Conchobor's room

The household is beyond counting too. There are one hundred and fifty inner rooms, each holding three couples, all panelled with red yew. In the centre of the house is Conchobor's own room, guarded by screens of copper, with bars of silver and gold birds on the screens, and precious jewels for eyes in the birds' heads. Over his head is a rod of silver with three apples of gold, for keeping order over the throng. If it shakes, or he raises his voice, everyone falls so silent that a needle dropping to the floor could be heard.

At any time thirty noble heroes sit in his room drinking out of Gerg's vat, which is always kept full. This is Ol nguala, the coal vat, which Conchobor took from Gerg's Glen when he killed Gerg.