son of Loch, and they were Firbolg by race. The counsel they decided on was to appoint Eochaid Dala to the kingship of Connacht with the consent of Meadb. Meadb consents to that on condition that he should marry her, and that he should have neither jealousy, fear, nor niggardliness, for it was ‘geis’ to her to marry a man who should have these three qualities.[1] Eochaid Dala was crowned through this, and was a while in Cruachan, as Meadb’s husband. At that time Ailill the son of Mata, the son of Sraibgend of the Erna, came to Cruachan, and Ailill was then a young child, and the remnant of Sraibgend’s children were along with him that they might be reared by Meadb, because of Meadb’s relationship to him, i.e. Ele, the daughter of Eochaid Feidleach, was his grandmother. Ailill is reared in Cruachan after that until he was a great spirited warrior in battles and in conflicts, and a battle-sustaining tower against Conchobar, defending the province of Meadb, so that it was he who was chief of Meadb’s household afterwards, and Meadb loved him for his virtues, and he was united to her, and became her lover in place of Eochaid Dala. Eochaid Dala grew jealous because of this, and all the Fir Domnand shared in his jealousy through affection, so that they thought to banish Ailill, and all the Erna who were with him, out of Connacht; but Meadb did not permit the doing of that deed, for she loved Ailill better than Eochaid. When Eochaid saw Meadb’s partiality, he challenged Ailill to fight for the kingdom and his wife. They fought a fierce fight, and Eochaid Dala fell in that conflict by Ailill mac Mata through the wiles (?) of Meadb. Ailill assumed the kingship of Connacht thereafter, with the consent of Meadb; and it is he who was king of Connacht at the
- ↑ Cf. the beginning of the LL. Táin Bó Cuailnge.
