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Cuchulainn |
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One of the
great heroes of Irish mythology, usually known as the Hound of Ulster.
First called Setanta, he did not win his name Cuchulainn, until he
slew a huge ferocious hound at the age of 7 with his bare hands. The
hound was guarding the royal party of King Cochobar Mac Nessa while
Culann, a wealthy smith, was entertaining them. Culann was so upset by
the loss of his great hound that Cuchulainn offered to take its place.
The offer was declined but thereafter he was known as Cuchulainn (the
Hound of Culann)
.
His powers as a fighting machine were awesome. Before going into
combat he went though a transformation known as rķastrad (battle
frenzy); his body quivered violently; his heels and calves appeared in
front, and his feet and knees to the back; one eye receded into his
head and the other huge and red on his cheek; his mouth meets his ears
and foam pours out of his jaws. The muscles on his neck stand out like
the head of a baby. The beats of his heart sound like the roar of a
lion and from the top of his head, a column of blood that scattered in
all directions forming a mist of gloom. When a horn, the size of a
man's fist projected through the top of his head, he would be ready to
fight. In battle he would surprise his enemies when he pounced on them
with a huge leap.
To calm him from his battle fury, the Ulster Queen Mugain once sent
150 naked women carrying three vats of iced water. The embarrassed
Cuchulainn was quickly put into the vats; the first one burst, the
second boiled, and the third warmed.
Acclaimed as the champion of Ireland in a beheading contest he was
unbeatable and his skill was needed in his most famous campaign as
told in the story of 'the Cattle raid of Cooley', where Cuchulainn
single-handedly defended Ulster against Connacht's Queen
Madbh |
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