ECHTRAE FERGUSSO MAC LÉITI

There were three primary peoples in Ireland i.e. Féni and Ulstermen and Gailni i.e. Leinstermen. There were moreover three royal lords who contended together [for the] rule of the Féni i.e. Conn Cétcathach and Conn Cétcorach and Eochu Bélbuidi son of Tuathail Techtmair. Eochu went into exile to Fergus mac Léite, king of the Ulstermen, seeking strength and supplies after great plunderings against Conn before he had gone [lit. going].  He was after that together with Fergus for a long time. Eochu Bélbuide came after a time to his country on an errand of peace to them.  Asal son of Conn Cetcathach and the four sons of Buide son of Ainmirech i.e. Eochu oirisech and Enna agenbras and Ailill antuarad and Tibraiti broad-foot; and a son which Dorn daughter of Buide bore to an outsider.

About this was sung… [a piece of rosc which Binchy did not choose to include]

And [thus] the legal protection of Fergus was violated against him and his people. Fergus with his hosts enforced his violation. His satisfaction was given to him after that and 4 times 7 cumals paid to him i.e. 7 cumals of gold and silver and land of 7 cumals, land of Conn Cétcathach; and a person-cumal to serve him i.e. Dorn daughter of Buide i.e. the sister of the sons of Buide who violated him.

Fergus made a complete peace after this éric [body-fine]; & He went to his land and brought his slave-woman [cumal in literal sense] with him in service. When he reached his domain, he went beyond it to the sea, and his charioteer [with him], Muena was his name. He slept there on the edge of the sea. [Some] Lucorpains came to the king and brought him out of his chariot. They took his sword from him first. They took him after that until they reached the sea; until [Fergus] noticed when his feet came to the sea.  He came to himself [i.e. woke up] suddenly and grabbed three of them - [one] in each of his two hands and another against his breast.
“A life for a life! [i.e. asking for quarter] Give me my three wishes, [i.e. choices]” says Fergus.
“It will be so,” says the dwarf, “as long as it is not impossible for us.”
So Fergus asked him for knowledge of submersion under seas and pools and lakes.
“It will be so,” says the dwarf, “save only we destroy it [? the agreement] with regard to you; Loch Rudraige which is in your territory, you will not go under it.”
Then the lucurp[s] put herbs in his ears and they depart under the seas.

One day after that Fergus attempted submersion at Loch Rudraige, and he leaves his charioteer and his chariot on the shore of the lake.  When he went under the lake, he saw the sea-monster [muirdris] there; a terrible watery peist. At one moment, she stretched herself, at the next moment, she compressed herself like a smith’s bellows.  By his staring at her, his lips are warped to the back of his neck [lit. to his two back-sinews]. He came out of it [the water] onto the land out of fear. He said to his charioteer, “What do you see?! / What do you diagnose?!”
“Your shape is terrible,” says the charioteer, “unless it doesn’t stick. Sleep takes it from you.”
With that, the charioteer soothes him in his chariot and he sleeps.

While he slept, the charioteer, however, goes to the wise men of Ulster who were in Emain Macha, and he reveals to them the goings on of the king and what was on him.  He inquired of them which king they would take in his place, for it would not be easy (to have) a king with a blemish in Emain.  It was the advice of the wise men of Ulster to let the king return to his house (lit. the king to come to his house), and it should be cleaned before him from every rabble host so thet there would not be a jester or fool then, so that they might not (be able to) throw his blemish in his face; and he should wash lying down always (on his back) that he might not see his shadow (reflection) in the water.  He was watched over diligently until the end of 7 years.

One day he said to his bondmaid to wash his head.  He deemed it slowly moreover that the woman did the washing. He gave her a blow with a horsewhip. Sadness seized him (recte her) and she took sorrow and she taunted him with his blemish.  He hit her with a sword so that he makes two halves of her. He turns then and goes under Loch Rudraige. A day and a night the lake boiled from them and the sea-monster (=from him) so that their wave surge came onto the land.  He then came above the lake with the head of the monster, and the Ulstermen saw him; and he said to them, “I’m the survivor!” said he. He fell down dead and the lake was red from then on for a month.

It is from him it was sung:
Fergus mac Léite the king
Went to the bank of Rudraige
A horror was revealed to him in fierce conflict
It is this which caused his blemish.

Isolde Carmody
From the translation by D. A. Binchy