Beneath his feet
the massive timbers of the drawbridge bent and creaked.
Said Laeg, "This man, O dear Setanta, is far more terrible than
the first, for he is said to be altogether invulnerable and proof
against any weapon that was ever made."
"It is not altogether thus," said Cuculain, "but if the man
escapes the first stroke he is thenceforward invincible, and
surely slays his foe. Therefore give into my hand Concobar's
unendurable and mighty ashen spear, for I must make an end of him
at one cast or not at all."
Tuatha now rushed upon Cuculain, flinging darts, of which he
carried many in his left hand. Not one of them did Cuculain
attempt to take upon his shield, but altogether eluded them, for
now he swerved to one side and now to another, and now he dropped
on one knee and again sprang high in air, so that the missile
hurtled and hissed between his gathered feet. Truly since the
beginning of the world there was not, and to the end of the world
there will not be, a better leaper than thy nursling, daughter of
Cathvah; and behind him all the lawn was as it were sown thick
with spears, and these so buried in the earth that two-thirds of
their length was concealed and a third only projected slantwise
from the green and glittering sward.
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