And when King
Concobar beheld the onslaught, he cried aloud, 'Who hath done this thing?'
And when it was told him that it was the son of Fergus, he said, 'To such
a hero will I give the choice of lands, and he will be to me as a son, if
he will but forsake the sons of Usna.'
And the son of Fergus made answer, 'I swear to abide by thee and to return
not to the House of the Red Branch.'
And when he returned not, Deirdre, said, 'Even as Fergus hath deceived us,
even so hath his son.'
Then went forth the elder son of Fergus, and he fell upon the Ultonians,
and there perished by his hand three hundred men. And when Concobar saw
who it was that had done this thing, he called his own son, who had been
born the same night as this son of Fergus. 'Take these, my magic arms,' he
cried, 'and fall upon the foe.'
Then did the son of Concobar strike with his enchanted weapons, and all
the waves of Erin thundered at the stroke. And a great warrior, hearing
the thunder, came riding across the plain, and in his hand he held a magic
sword with blade of blue. Coming upon the fighting men, he rushed at the
son of Fergus from behind, and thrust the blue blade through his heart. 'I
would that mine enemy had fought me fair,' said the dying man.
'Who art thou?' asked the stranger.
And the son of Fergus told his name, and of that which had come to pass in
the House of the Red Branch.
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