In am i bhfad ó shin a bhí Conchabhar Mac Neassa ina rí Chúige Uladh, agus bhí a chúirt in Eamhain Macha. Tharla sé la amhain gur dhearna Conchabhar fleá in Eamhain Macha chun pósta a dheirféar Deichtire le Sualdaim Mac Roich. Ag an mbainis a bhuail tart Deichtire, agus thug siad di cupán fíona, agus mar a d'ith sí, d'eitil cuil Bhealtaine isteach sa chupán, agus d'ól sí siar leis an bhfíon í. Láithreach a chuaigh sí ina grianán, agus a caoga cailíní léi, agus chuaigh sí a chodladh trom. Agus ina codladh a nocht Lugh Lámh-Fhada di, agus dúirt sé: "Ba mise féin an chuil Bhealtaine a tháinig duit sa chupán, agus is liomsa a gcaithidh tú imeacht anois, agus do chaoga cailíní leat." Agus chuir sé cuma ealta éan orthu, agus chuaigh siad ó dheas in éineacht leis go dtí gur tháinig siad chun Brugha na Bóinne, an áit gcónaíonn na siógaithe inti. Agus ní raibh a fhios ag duine ar bith cén áit ar dheachaigh siad, ná céard a tharla dóibh.
I dtrátha bliana tar éis an ama sin a bhí fleá eile in Eamhain Macha, agus bhí Conchabhar agus a ardfhir ina suí ag an fhleá. Agus go tobann a chonaic siad tríd an bhfuinneog ealta mhór éan a tháinig anuas ar an talamh agus thosaigh gach aon rud a ithe a raibh os a chomhair amach, chun nár fhan aon seamaide amháin d'fhéir.
Bhí na Ulaidh i bhfeirg nuair a chonaic siad na héin ag milleadh gach aon rud os a gcomhair amach, agus d'ullmhaigh siad a gcarbaid chun iad a leanúint. Bhí Conchabhar ina charbad féin, agus lean Fergus Mach Roich, agus Laegaire Buadach, Buaiteoir na Gathanna, agus Cealthair Mac Uitheacar leis, agus mórán daoine eile, agus bhí Bricre an teanga searbh ina bhfocair.
Lean siad na héin trasna na tír iomlán ó dheas, trasna Sléibhe Fuadh in aice Sth Leathan agus Sth Ardae, agus na héin ina n-aghaidh i gcónaí. Ba éin is áille iad a chonacthas riamh. Ba naoi n-ealtaí díobh a raibh ann, ceangailte le chéile ina mbeirteanna le slabhra airgid, agus ar aghaidh gach ealta a bhí dhá éan ann a raibh dath éagsúil acu, ceangailte le chéile le slabhra óir; agus bhí trí éan ann a d'eitil leo féin, agus chuaigh siad go léir ar aghaidh na gcarbad chun taoibh thall den tír, go dtí titim na hoíche, agus ansin níor chonacthas iad a thuilleadh.
Agus nuair a bhí an oíche dhorcha ag titim, dúirt Conchabhar lena mhuintir: "Is fearr linn na carbaid a scor anois, agus áit éigin a lorgadh mar a bhféadaimid an oíche a chaitheamh."
Ansin chuaigh Fearghus ar aghaidh áit éigin a lorgadh, agus ba teach beag bocht é ar tháinig sé chuige. Bhí fear agus bean sa teach, agus nuair a chonaic siad é, dúirt siad: "Tug do chompánaigh anseo in éineacht leat, agus tá fáilte rompu." Chuaigh Fearghus ar ais chun a chompánaigh agus d'inis dóibh cibé a chonaic sé. Ach dúirt Bricre, "Cén mhaith a dhul isteach i teach mar sin, agus níl slí go leor ná lón ná pluideanna ann? Ní fiú dúinn é a dhul isteach."
Ansin chuaigh Bricre leis féin chun an áit a raibh an teach ann. Ach nuair a tháinig sé chuige, ba teach mór nua soilseach é a chonaic sé, agus ag an doras a bhí fear óg ann a bhí an-ard dóighiúil lonrach. Agus dúirt sé, "Tar isteach sa teach, a Bhricre. Cen fáth atá tú ag féachaint timpeall ort?" Agus bhí bean óg lena ais a bhí go breá uasal, agus bhí gruaig chatach aice. Agus dúirt sí: "Go cinnte tá fáilte romhat agam." "Cén fáth a chuireann sí fáilte romham?" ar Bricre. "Is ar mhaithe léi a chuireann mé féin fáilte romhat," arsa an fear óg. "Agus nach bhfuil aon duine ar iarraidh agaibh in Eamhain Macha?" ar seisean. "Tá, go deimhin," ar Bricre. "Tá caoga cailíní óga ar iarraidh againn le bliain." "d'aithneofá iad arís dá bhfeicfeá iad?" arsa an fear óg. "D'aithneoinn iad," ar Bricre. "Féach iad a aithint ansin," arsa an fear, "óir tá na caoga cailíní óga isteach sa teach seo, agus is í an bean seo i m'aice a máistreás Deichtire. Is iad féin a tháinig chun Eamhna Macha sibh a thógáil anseo." Ansin thug Deichtire do Bhricre brat corcra le scothóga óir, agus chuaigh sé tar éis a chompánaigh a fháil. Ach fad a bhí sé ag dul, smaoinigh sé: "Thabharfadh Conchabhar stór mór na caoga cailíní a fháil arís, agus a dheirfiúr in éineacht leo. Ní inseoidh mé dó go bhfuair mé iad. Ní inseoidh mé ach go bhfuair mé teach agus mná áille ann, agus ní dhéarfaidh mé níos mó ná sin."
Nuair a chonaic Conchabhar Bricre, d'fhiafraigh sé scéala de. "Cén scéala a thugann tú ar ais leat, a Bhricre?" ar seisean. "Tháinig mé chun tí bhréa shoilsigh," ar Bricre. "Chonaic mé banríon uasal charthanach a raibh cuma ríoga agus gruaig chatach aice. Chonaic mé feadhain ban álainn feistithe go maith. Chonaic mé fear an tí a bhí ard dóighiúl lonrach." "Téimis anseo ar feadh na hoíche," ar Conchabhar. Dá bhrí sin a thóg siad a gcarbaid agus a gcapaill agus a airm. Agus ní raibh siad ach sa teach nuair a tógadh ar a n-aghaidh an uile chineál bia agus óil, chuid a aithníonn siad agus cuid nach aithníonn siad. Agus chaith siad oíche thaitneamhach ansin. Agus nuair a d'ith siad agus d'ól, thos siad ag fáil a sásamh, agus dúairt Conchabhar leis an fear óg: "Cá bhfuil máistreás an tí nach dtagann sí fáilte a chur romhainn?" "Ní fhéadann sibh í a fheiceáil anocht," ar seisean, "óir tá sí i bpian bhreithe clainne."
Dá bhrí sin a ghlac siad suaimhneas ansin an oíche sin, agus ar maidin b'é Conchabhar a bhí ar an gcéad duine a éirí, ach ní fhaca sé fear an tí. B'é gol linbh a chuala sé. Chuaigh se chun an sheomra a raibh an gol a tháinig uaidh, agus ansin a chonaic Deichtire, agus a cailíní ina timpeall, agus leanbh óg ina haice. Chuir sí fáilte roimh Chonchabhar, agus d'inis sí an uile a tharla di, agus gur ghlaoigh sí ansin air í féin agus an leanbh a thógáil tar ais chun Eamhna Macha. Agus dúirt Conchabhar: "Is maith a rinne tú orm, a Deichtire. Thug tú dídean dom agus do mo charbaid, chumhdaigh tú mo chapaill ar an bhfuacht, thug tú bia dom agus do mo mhuintir, agus anois a thug tú an bronntanas seo maith dúinn. Tógadh ár ndeirfiúr, Fionnchaomh, an leanbh," ar seisean. "Ní thógadh, níl ceart aice é a thógadh, ach tá ceart agamsa," ar Seancha Mac Ailealla, ardbhreitheamh agus ardfhile Cúige Uladh. "Pir táim oilte i gconspóid. Labhraím roimh dhuine ar bith i bhfianaise an rí. Tugaim aire dá dheireann sé. Tugaim breith i dtroideanna ríthe. Is breitheamh na nUladh mé. Níl aon duine ar bith a bhfuil ceart aige m'éileamh a phlé, ach Conchabhar."
"Má tugtar an leanbh domsa chun é a thógáil, ar Blaoi, an Dáileoir, "ní bheidh sé i ndíth aire ná dearmadfar é. Is mo theachtaireachtaí iad a dhéanas toil Conchabhair. Glaoim ar na gaiscígh ó Éire go léir. Féadaim soláthar dóibh go hiomlán le seachtain, nó le deich lá go fiú. Socraím a ngnó agus a gconspóidí. Neartaím a onóir. Faighim sásamh i gcoir a dtarcaisní."
"Tá an iomarca measa agat ort féin," ar Fearghus. "Is mise a thógfaidh an leanbh. Táim láidir. Tá eolas agam. Is teachtaire an rí mé. Níl aon duine ar bith atá inchomórtais liom i dtaca le honóir nó saibhreas. Táim cruaite le cogaidh agus cathanna. Is maith an ceardaí mé. Táim fiúntach leanbh a thógáil. Is mé cosantóir an uile dhuine míshona. Tá eagla orm roimh na daoine láidre. Is mé cúntóir na ndaoine laga."
"Má éistfidh sibh liom anois," ar Amhairghean, "féadaim an leanbh a thógáil mar rí. Molann na daoine m'onóir, mo chalmacht, mo mhísneach, mo ghaois. Molann siad m'ádh, m'aois, mo labhairt, m'ainm, mo chrógacht, agus mo chine. Cé gur gaiscíoch mé, is file mé. Tá meas mór orm ag an rí. Beirim bua ar an uile dhuine a throideann sa charbad. Níl buíochas ag aon duine orm ach Conchabhar Ní ghéillim do aon duine ach an rí.
Ansin a dúirt Seancha: "Coinníodh Fionnchaomh an leanbh go dtí go dtagaimid chun Eamhna Macha, agus fuasclóidh Morann, an breitheamh, an cheist nuair atáimid anseo."
Mar sin, chuaigh na Ulaidh chun Eamhna Macha, agus an leanbh ag Fionnchaomh. Agus nuair a tháinig siad anseo, thug Morann a bhreith. "Cuidíodh Conchabhar leis an leanbh ainm maith a bheith aige, mar go bhfuil sé gaolmhar leis. Múineadh Seancha focail agus labhairt dó. Cuireadh Fearghus ar a ghlúine é. Biodh Amhairghean a theagascóir." Agus ar seisean: "Molfar an leanbh leis an uile dhuine, le tiománaithe carbaid agus gaiscígh, le ríthe agus fir feasa; gráfidh mórán fir é; bainfaidh sé bhur maslaí go léir; cosnóidh sé bhur n-áthanna; troidfidh sé bhur gcathanna go léir."
Dá bhrí sin a fuasclaíodh an cheist. Agus d'fhag siad an leanbh go dtí go dtaga sé chun blianta na chéille, lena mháthair Deichtire agus lena fear chéile Sualdaim. Agus thóg siad ar má Mhuirtheimhne é, agus b'ainm dó Séadanta Mac Sualdama.
Long ago Connor son of Ness was king of Ulster, and his court was in Eamhain Macha. It happened one day that Connor held a feast in Eamhain Macha for the marriage of his sister Deichtire with Sualdaim Mac Roich. At the feast Deichtire got thirsty, and they brought her a cup of wine, and as she was eating, a May fly flew into the cup and she drank it down with the wine. Immediately she went in her sun room and her fifty maidens with her, and she fell into a deep sleep. And in her sleep Lugh Long-Hand appeared to her, and he said: "I was the May fly that came to you in the cup, and now you must go away with me, and your fifty maidens with you." And he put the form of a flock of birds on them, and they went south with him until they came to Brugh na Boinne, the place where the fairies live. And no one knew where they had gone, nor what had happened to them.
About a year after that time there was another feast in Eamhain Macha, and Connor and his chieftains were sitting at the feast. And suddenly they saw through the window a large flock of birds which came down on the ground and began to eat everything before them, so that not one blade of grass remained.
The men of Ulster were angry when they saw the birds destroying everything before them, and they got their chariots ready to follow them. Connor was in his own chariot, and Fergus Mac Roich followed, and Laegaire Buadach, the Reaper of Battles, and Cealthair Mac Uitheacar also, and many others, and Bricre, the Bitter Tongue, was with them.
They followed the birds across the entire land southwards, across Mount Fuadh near Ath Leathan and Ath Ardae, with the birds always in front of them. They were the most beautiful birds which had ever been seen. There were nine flocks of them, bound together in pairs with a silver chain, and in front of each flock there were two birds which had a different color, bound together with a chain of gold; and there were three birds that flew by themselves, and they all went before the chariots to the far side of the land, until night fell, and then they were seen no more.
And when the dark night was falling, Connor said to his people: "It is best that we now unyoke the chariots, and search for some place where we can spend the night."
Then Fergus went forward to find some place, and he came to a poor little house. There was a man and a women in the house, and when they saw him, they said: "Bring your companions here with you, and there is a welcome for them." Fergus went back to his companions and told them what he had seen. But Bricre said, "What good is it to go into such a house as that, and there is not enough room nor provisions nor blankets there.? It's not worth our while to go in there."
Then Bricre went by himself to the place where the house was. But when he came to it, he saw a large bright new house, and at the door there was a young man, who was very tall, handsome, and shining. And he said, "Come into the house, Bricre. Why are you looking around?" And there was a young woman by him who was fine and noble, and she had curly hair. And she said, "I certainly welcome you." "Why do you welcome me?" said Bricre. "She would like me to welcome you myself," said the young man. "And are you in Eamhain Macha looking for anyone?" he said. "Yes, certainly," said Bricre. "We have been looking for fifty young maidens for a year." "Would you recognize them if you should see them?" said the young man. "I would recognize them," said Bricre. "Try to recognize them then," said the young man, "for the fifty young maidens are in this house, and this woman at my side is your mistress Deichtire. They themselves came to Eamhain Macha to bring you here." Then Deichtire gave Bricre a purple cloak with gold tassels and he went back to get his companions. But while he was going, he thought, "Connor would give a great treasure to get the fifty maidens again, and his sister with them. I won't tell him that I found them. I will only tell him that I found a house and a beautiful woman there, and I will not say more than that."
When Connor saw Bricre, he asked news of him. "What news have you brought back with you, Bricre?" "I came to a fine, bright house," said Bricre. "I saw a friendly noble queen who had a royal bearing and curly hair. I saw a company of beautiful well-dressed women. I saw the man of the house who was tall, handsome, and shining." "Let's go there for the night," said Connor. So they took their chariots and their horses and their arms to the house. They were only in the house when all sorts of food and drink were set before them, some of which they recognized, and some of which they didn't. And they spent a pleasant night there. And when they had eaten and drunk and they began to be satisfied, Connor said to the young man, "Where is the mistress of the house that she did not come to welcome us?" "You cannot see her tonight," he said, "because she is in the pains of childbirth."
Therefore they rested there that night, and in the morning it was Connor who was the first to rise, but he did not see the man of the house. He heard the cry of a child. He went to the room the cry was coming from, and there he saw Deichtire with her maidens around her, and a young child next to her. She welcomed Connor, and she told him everything that had happened to her, and that she had summoned him there to bring her and the child back to Eamhain Macha. And Connor said, "You have been good to me, Deichtire. You gave shelter to me and my chariots, you protected my horses from the cold, you gave food to me and my people, and now you have given us this good gift." "Let our sister, Fionnchaomh, take the child," he said. "No, she hasn't the right to take him, but I have the right," said Seancha Mac Ailealla, chief judge and chief poet of Ulster. "For I am skilled in argument. I speak before anyone in the presence of the king. I am the judge of Ulster. No one has the right to dispute my claim except Connor."
"If the child is given to me to raise," said Blaoi, the Distributor, "he will not be in need of care nor will he be forgotten. It is my messages that do Connor's will. I summon the warriors from all of Ireland. I am able to supply them completely for a week, or even for ten days . I settle their business and their controversies. I strengthen their honor. I get satisfaction for their insults."
"You have too much regard for yourself," said Fergus. "I am the one who will rear the child. I am strong. I have knowledge. I am a messenger of the king. There is no one who is comparable to me in regard to honor or wealth. I am hardened by war and battle. I am a good craftsman. I am worthy of raising the child. I am the protector of every unhappy man. Strong men fear me. I am the helper of the weak."
"If you will listen to me now," said Amhairghean, "I can raise the child as a king. Men praise my honor, my bravery, my courage, my wisdom. They praise my good fortune, my age, my speaking, my name, my hardiness, and my race. Although I am a warrior, I am a poet. The king holds me in high regard. I am victorious over everyone who fights in the chariot. I owe no gratitude to anyone but Connor. I yield to no one but the king."
Then said Seancha, "Let Fionnchaomh keep the child until we come to Eamhain Macha, and Morann, the judge, will solve this problem when we are there.
So the Ulstermen went to Eamhain Macha, and the child was with Fionnchaomh. And when they came there, Morann gave his judgement. "Let Connor help the child to have a good name, because he is related to him. Let Seancha teach him words and speaking. Let Fergus put him on his knees. Let Amhairghean be his tutor." And he said, "The child will be praised by everyone, by chariot drivers and warriors, by kings and wise men. Many men will love him. He will get rid of all your insults. He will defend all your fords. He will fight all your battles.
In this way the problem was solved. And they left the child, until he should come to the years of understanding, with his mother Deichtire and her husband, Sualdaim. And they raised him in the plain of Muirtheimhne, and his name was Seadanta son of Sualdaim.
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